Ok...did anyone elses hopes for 2008 go up this week???

[OneEyedSainter77]

to be honest, i was pretty pleased if not slightly anxious about our trading. To be so prolific in trade week always makes me worry but this year we haven't sacrificed anything too big - we still have pick 9 which we can use to get the best midfielder available and at elast we've addressed problems such as depth and a ruckman, etc.

Anyway, I still don't think we're a genuine premiership threat for next year but my prediction goes up slioghtly to 5-8 instead of 9-12 which i originally thought. this is accounting for some injuries too, of course. We still need to work pon goalkicking and fitness over the next five months but if everything goes right for us necxt year - well you never know. I'm just a little bit more eager for the season to start now though!

[QuestionOfAccuracy]

All I know is that my aspirations for 2008 have increased markedly!!!! after this weeks trades.

My expectations have also risen after our great trade efforts!

I agree with most points on your wishlist. Although i wouldnt expect toooo much from BJ next season because guys coming back from sever knee injuries usually need nearly a full season/year to get back up to speed and form.

Id also add the wishlist
- that the clubs new condition/sports-science/training-services/wateva get Bally's injuries right and allow him to complete a strong pre-season. A fit Luke Ball in 2008 would be like a new recruit!

- that Lenny and Goose have injury-free seasons and get back to their best form. Lenny was really hitting his straps in the last 3-5 games of the season and i hope he starts 08 where he left off in 07'!

[TimeToShineFellas]

dempster and gardiner = place fillers although dempster might work out given he is two years younger than charlie.

There's a lot of place fillers down there at the moment.

[HarveysDeciple]

They very much went up.

My thoughts:

Improvement: Luke Ball - hopefully this surgery worked a treat and he can move closer to that outstanding form of 2004/2005.
Allen - Emerging tall, expect quite a few games from him this year.
Geary - likely promotion and a real chance to have an impact in the senior 22. Looks impressive at Casey
Gilbert - continued development.
Goddard's return - can play at either end, or in the middle, enormously versatile. Ideally suited to a half forward flank. In our top 5 for importance.

Goal kicking options and a more mobile forward line - Kozi at full forward seems an enormous plus. Could kick a mountain of goals, he's agile, a good long kick, and he is the best contested mark in the team.
Throw in Riewoldt roaming around, ideally BJ as a third tall. Schneider complimenting Milne and taking some pressure off him. and Gardiner perhaps pushing into the side (which would be a bonus). We become a bit less predictable and we start to have quite a few options.
Combine this with a few more goals from Joey, Dally and Lenny, and we can be far more potent.
Going back to Goddard he is ideally suited to play half forward. hits the ball hard, has good hands, pretty tall and has sensational foot skills. Is the perfect foil for Riewoldt and Kozi. can either have a shot from anywhere within 60, or use his precission passing to set up many goals. I can't think of a more dangerous player forward of centre for us.
Gilbert I feel can play Goddard's old role to a degree, in conjunction with Gram.

More settled backline - Max and Goose should both be a lot better. Goose in particular with a pre season under his belt. Gilbo and Dempster can rotate through half back allowing for Gram to be swung up the ground and spend more time in the midfield/wing area.

DalSanto - if he finds his absolute best, he can monster this competition.



Question marks and reasons to be negative:

Losing a 60 goal a year forward will always leave you worse off, but that should be offset hopefully by the way our structure will change.

Gardiner's foot - remains probably the main question mark of all.
King - can he also stay fit and have an impact. I know he cost us nothing, but he still remains very important because our ruck stocks are very poor if he and/ or Gardi can't fire.

Max - I mentioned him as a positive, but it also remains a question mark. 07 was a frustrating one for him. He missed most of the games early, then came back and looked good for 6-8 weeks, had re-assumed the number one defender role before breaking down again.
You know that if he plays he will be Mr reliable as always, but as he gets on, the query's on the body which he has heroicly thrown around for a decade remain.

the 22 for Round One.

B: L.Fisher, Max, S.Fisher
HB: Gilbert, Goose, Gram
C: Fiora, Montagna, Dal Santo
HF: Goddard, Riewoldt, Schneider
F: Milne, Koschitzke, X.Clarke

R: King, Hayes, Ball
Int: Harvey, M.Gardiner, Dempster, Armitage

Em: Geary, Allen, R.Clarke.

Suspended: Baker

[Solar]

They very much went up.

My thoughts:

Improvement: Luke Ball - hopefully this surgery worked a treat and he can move closer to that outstanding form of 2004/2005.
Allen - Emerging tall, expect quite a few games from him this year.
Geary - likely promotion and a real chance to have an impact in the senior 22. Looks impressive at Casey
Gilbert - continued development.
Goddard's return - can play at either end, or in the middle, enormously versatile. Ideally suited to a half forward flank. In our top 5 for importance.

Goal kicking options and a more mobile forward line - Kozi at full forward seems an enormous plus. Could kick a mountain of goals, he's agile, a good long kick, and he is the best contested mark in the team.
Throw in Riewoldt roaming around, ideally BJ as a third tall. Schneider complimenting Milne and taking some pressure off him. and Gardiner perhaps pushing into the side (which would be a bonus). We become a bit less predictable and we start to have quite a few options.
Combine this with a few more goals from Joey, Dally and Lenny, and we can be far more potent.
Going back to Goddard he is ideally suited to play half forward. hits the ball hard, has good hands, pretty tall and has sensational foot skills. Is the perfect foil for Riewoldt and Kozi. can either have a shot from anywhere within 60, or use his precission passing to set up many goals. I can't think of a more dangerous player forward of centre for us.
Gilbert I feel can play Goddard's old role to a degree, in conjunction with Gram.

More settled backline - Max and Goose should both be a lot better. Goose in particular with a pre season under his belt. Gilbo and Dempster can rotate through half back allowing for Gram to be swung up the ground and spend more time in the midfield/wing area.

DalSanto - if he finds his absolute best, he can monster this competition.



Question marks and reasons to be negative:

Losing a 60 goal a year forward will always leave you worse off, but that should be offset hopefully by the way our structure will change.

Gardiner's foot - remains probably the main question mark of all.
King - can he also stay fit and have an impact. I know he cost us nothing, but he still remains very important because our ruck stocks are very poor if he and/ or Gardi can't fire.

Max - I mentioned him as a positive, but it also remains a question mark. 07 was a frustrating one for him. He missed most of the games early, then came back and looked good for 6-8 weeks, had re-assumed the number one defender role before breaking down again.
You know that if he plays he will be Mr reliable as always, but as he gets on, the query's on the body which he has heroicly thrown around for a decade remain.

the 22 for Round One.

B: L.Fisher, Max, S.Fisher
HB: Gilbert, Goose, Gram
C: Fiora, Montagna, Dal Santo
HF: Goddard, Riewoldt, Schneider
F: Milne, Koschitzke, X.Clarke

R: King, Hayes, Ball
Int: Harvey, M.Gardiner, Dempster, Armitage

Em: Geary, Allen, R.Clarke.

Suspended: Baker

can't add too much except I would like to see raph in there for dempster. Do not be suprised if one of geary or howard make a big impact off half back next year.

Good sum up

[luke.l_26]

this thread has made me even more anxious.
I want 2008 to start like right now!!

[spert]

We picked up a premiership ruckman and a premiership small forward and both with a few years of top footy left in them. CJ and Rix retained clearly as they may not be champions but they have shown a work ethic which a few other clearly didn't and RL clearly knows the work ethic required to win a flag and wants hard workers when he's trying to build a premierhip team -most premiership teams have a couple of hard triers who are not big on skills, but provide support for the class players. I reckon it's looking good for 2008.

[saintsRrising]

Gilbert I feel can play Goddard's old role to a degree, in conjunction with Gram.

I agreed with most of your thoughts...and can see BJ playing forward or back...


But I see Gilbert and Goddard as very different including down back.

Gilbert tends to move the ball with fast run and carry...

BJ more moves it with his accurate and long kicking (which is Gilberts weakness).

One BIG advantage of BJ playing in the back half is that he can take a large proprtion of the kick ins.

In 2007 in general our kicks ins were poor....often only with the little 30 m chipstoa pocket as everything else is covered.

BJ's long and accurate kicking can often give us a fast break away at distance..



I heard RL once describe BJ as our (as in teams) point of difference..and he was talking about his kicking. He also said that he saw BJ being played HB to wing.