Saints finals chance

[goods]

Please, honest simple yes or no. Saints make the finals in 2020?

[Secret Kiel]

Must

[BarryGrogan]

No.

[SaintPav]

Probably no.

[kosifantutti]

Maybe

[Beno88]

Yes.

[samuraisaint]

No.

But if we can beat at least two of Sydney, Adelaide and Port for the first time in nine seasons it will be a photo finish. Beating these three sides who struggled last year and are widely tipped to finish mid-table again in 2020 is the key to us improving our ladder position.

[saintsRrising]

Please, honest simple yes or no. Saints make the finals in 2020?

Honestly it is too early to be able to say.

Saints: Yes we looked to have improved in:
-Quality of list
-Reduced injury list after last seasons horrific run inclusive of the pre-season (This alone could make a big difference)
-Coaching and Football Department (I hope, and not just Ratts either as our total offield Footv Department has a lot more quality in it)

BUT the Saints do not exist in a vacuum and so one also has to look at the other teams. For us to go up we need:
- Other teams in the 8 to go backwards relative to us
- Not too many teams outside the improving relative to us

Last year's 8

Geelong - Their age profile means that they could sip, but will they?
Brisbane - Possibly outpreformed in 2019 and will have a harder draw this year. But they have a lot of young talent that should gt better
Richmond - Still a powerhouse even without Rance
Collingwood - Did ok last year despite a large injury list
West Coast - Have a good list
GWS - Their bulging list of young superstars are now all entering their prim years
Bulldogs - Gaining Bruce and Keith should improve their young list.
Essendon - The team most likely to slip out.


Outside the 8 many could push up. Hawks will be interesting as they have Mitchell back and players like Patton could be boom or bust for them. They til have a core of aging declining players though despite several retirements.

Crows after all their turmoil look set to be 2020's big sliders.
Blues with all their young talent could be on the rise, though they lack enough experienced good players.
Dees: Question is which is the real Dees, the 2018 or 2019 Dees. Which year was the aberration?
Sydney hada poor season last year, but they still have a lot of very good young talent as well as older players. One would expect them to have a better 2020.


BOTTOM LINE

Overall I am very positive about the Saints for 2020. We have recruited very well, but for the Saints to play finals in 2020 we are going to need a group of our young players to all take the next step. If they do not, then Hill and Hannas are not going to be enough to get us into the finals.

[Saintmatt]

Long answer but ... maybe / quite possibly.

Every season, there's a bit of a bolter who starts well and then hangs on a bit from there. As many others on many other forums have mentioned - the first 5 weeks is crucial for us. Ideally, we'd win 3 and run close in the other two (i.e. not get belted and have our confidence shattered in the process). I agree that beating Sydney, Adelaide and Port will help a lot (given we perennially lose to them).

My gut feel is that we'll fall short in 2020 by a game; maybe two but that we'll be much more settled and organised for a tilt at it in 2021. That's really the year where I can see us making a huge leap.

[saynta]

Please, honest simple yes or no. Saints make the finals in 2020?

Honestly it is too early to be able to say.

Saints: Yes we looked to have improved in:
-Quality of list
-Reduced injury list after last seasons horrific run inclusive of the pre-season (This alone could make a big difference)
-Coaching and Football Department (I hope, and not just Ratts either as our total offield Footv Department has a lot more quality in it)

BUT the Saints do not exist in a vacuum and so one also has to look at the other teams. For us to go up we need:
- Other teams in the 8 to go backwards relative to us
- Not too many teams outside the improving relative to us

Last year's 8

Geelong - Their age profile means that they could sip, but will they?
Brisbane - Possibly outpreformed in 2019 and will have a harder draw this year. But they have a lot of young talent that should gt better
Richmond - Still a powerhouse even without Rance
Collingwood - Did ok last year despite a large injury list
West Coast - Have a good list
GWS - Their bulging list of young superstars are now all entering their prim years
Bulldogs - Gaining Bruce and Keith should improve their young list.
Essendon - The team most likely to slip out.


Outside the 8 many could push up. Hawks will be interesting as they have Mitchell back and players like Patton could be boom or bust for them. They til have a core of aging declining players though despite several retirements.

Crows after all their turmoil look set to be 2020's big sliders.
Blues with all their young talent could be on the rise, though they lack enough experienced good players.
Dees: Question is which is the real Dees, the 2018 or 2019 Dees. Which year was the aberration?
Sydney hada poor season last year, but they still have a lot of very good young talent as well as older players. One would expect them to have a better 2020.


BOTTOM LINE

Overall I am very positive about the Saints for 2020. We have recruited very well, but for the Saints to play finals in 2020 we are going to need a group of our young players to all take the next step. If they do not, then Hill and Hannas are not going to be enough to get us into the finals.

Good post.

[Impatient Sainter]

70% chance I'd suggest. Our defence and midfield will be better - forward line has questions. Butler will be a great addition.

Let's not forget the most important aspect we now have a positive coach (Ratts) who knows what he is doing!

[Linton Lodger]

At the moment I'd say every team except the Gold Coast, are a chance of playing Finals.

[CQ SAINT]

Yes.

[Nick_BlueNRG]

I believe we will play finals in 2020. The real question is "Do we have enough youth coming through" to continue to improve? And then eventually win the dam thing by 2025?
Then I would have to say no. Because we have sacrificed 2 drafts and stuffed up the 2014 draft we now have to rely on snagging at lest 2 gun FA's to potentially win a flag. Will it be possible to do this..........yes........but it will be difficult.

[stkfc1]

I'm thinking we're looking between 8th-10th. Id be disappointed with 11th or under. We may scrape in Top 8 but a lot would have to go right (injury wise especially) and it would mean players like Billings, Sinclair, Gresh , Steele and Marshall have gone up another level. If King and Bytel can get up and about then we're a big chance.

How we gel as a group, will be a big factor but if we can get some momentum going.... amazing what a bit of early confidence will do for a group. Look at the Lions last year. Things change quickly in football.

[DJ Higgins]

I doubt it. Just being honest. Too many new players both draftee traded and debutants plus a.new coach as well. Things take time to gel and work and young legs will tire come season end. In saying that I am hoping for a better season than the last five with players skills improving and a new game plan that wins games. 2021 for me

[skeptic]

Yes

[The_Dud]

More than likely...

[saynta]

Yep.

[magnifisaint]

Yes

[sendmehomehappy]

Yes, on the balance of probabilities.

[skeptic]

To add some substance...
yes it’s early days but the club screams of having gone up a level of effectiveness in the last few months. It’s not just the usual off-season buzz but rather that I like what I’m hearing.

We needed to recruit pace... after 5 years of banging on about this, we brought in Hill and Jones
Balancing the list... we brought in a ruck that will actually play and got rid of two that we’re going nowhere
We have actual depth to the backline
The next generation of stars... Clarke looks set to step up, lots of hype about Bytel... drafted a slider, King is apparently fit and looking good
Emphasis on speed and disposal...
Players with questionable work ethics in training (apparently) Bruce, Acres, Rice, and White gone

We actually look like we could field a well balanced team

Then there’s the usual optimism going on. Players seem enthusiastic, supporters enthused

Personally feel the most optimistic I’ve felt in years... I’m expecting us to have a decent crack. Feel like for the first time in a few years expectations are higher than just scrapping into the finals
If Hannebery can get on the park and a few of King, Bytel, Clarke and Coffield... or someone else take a step towards showing us that they’re the players we want them to be, IMO we could go deep into September

[sendmehomehappy]

Yes, on a substantial balance of probabilities.

[minneapolis]

Maybe

Kos,

Is that a probable maybe or a probably not maybe?

[Spinner]

Yes