OK, time for a Pollyanna thread

[joffaboy]

Yes we are in all sort of trouble in Season 2013.

Yes we need a total rebuild and this is commencing, but time for some deluded polyannaism (or maybe some realism to a certain extent.)

1) We get some quality from the draft. For the first time since X Clarke was drafted we get a high dp. We will probably end up with a quality mid, then a high second rounder.

2) We wHAVE to aggresively trade for a decent Fullback. This will help the backline and also Watter will be able to streamline his gameplan so we dont have to constantly peel off and move back to try and shore up the defence with numbers. Need to trade a GOP or better mid to help with transition. Key Positions doen back can still be filled with the likes of Gilbert and Fisher if we have a Fullback.

3) We will have Gilbert, Fisher and Schneider back next season. This will help the backline (especially if we have a fullback) and Schneider will compensate for Milne's probably retirement.

4) Youngens. I think we have some tough nuts in Wright, Ross, and Saunders. Murdoch, Newnes and Webster also can play. Wight may be something and Markworth apparently is a very very good player. Stanley usually shows he can play the game if put in the correct position (up forward) Two more quality youngens from the draft at least this year.

5)Recruits for this year. Roberton has been very good if undersized down back, Lee has shown he can do a job up forward from limited opportunities, and even though many he dont rat him, Hickey has shown good ruck work and has skills and is still only a baby for a ruckman.

6) Fitness. With another preseason under their belts players like Newnes, Ross, Saunders, Wright etc, will only get fitter and bigger. We will have a fit Gilbert, Fisher and Schneider, and a refreshed older player contingent like Roo, Dal, Joey. Our young ones are starting to push up into then 21-23 age group as a whole.

So there you have it. All is rosy, I am deluded and have accepted mediocrity, and it supporters like me that have wrecked the club

Seriously though, this is a thumbsketch of the positives going forward. This season cant end quick enough for us, we get a BIG pre season into the young ones coming into thir and fourth preseasons, and we start collecting our prizes for being incompetent (high dps) from the first uncompromised drafts for three seasons.

Things are bad now, but the end of the world is not nigh.

yours sincerly

Pollyanna

[St Loxton]

nice.........i feel all warm and fuzzy now.
i can handle a couple of years in the bilge, i too can see the future isnt all that bad.

[saintspremiers]

Start by sacking the fitness guys. The rest makes sense.

Now where is the fast forward to 2016 button?

[plugger66]

Start by sacking the fitness guys. The rest makes sense.

Now where is the fast forward to 2016 button?

You are obviously younger than me. I want it to take 10 years to get to 2016.

[busso mick]

Good post JB, there is nothing wrong in seeing the positives in our current position. The draft system and salary cap in the AFL should ensure that there will be cycles within clubs and at the moment we are on the slippery slope at the right of the downward curve. For maths boffins that is about 225 degrees on the sine curve, with a point of inflexion due next year some time. One only has to look at the Bulldogs who were considered a basket case last year to see what we will be experiencing and what we have to look forward to.

Just recruit the best young available talent, some of whom will be ready to play senior footy in their first year, and we will start to change course. The staggered retirement of our senior group is imperative if we are to reduce the impact to our results. I hope we don't cut Watters loose just when we are starting to rise up again as I believe he is a very good tutor for our young blokes.

[markp]

Carlton are mediocre, we're awful.

For a poor club with few concessions or gifts on offer from the AFL, bottoming out is the best way back up.

I expect us to be as awful next season too... I will not accept mediocrity.

[plugger66]

Dont like this thread at all. You people are just accepting that we are poor. A real supporter stamps their feet and bring up everything negitive about our club.

[bergsone]

Agree,missing Gilbert,Fisher,Schneider has really hurt.

[SainterK]

Oh goody, the glad game!

[St Ick]

Pollyanna were quite good, I still think they had a lot more to give and shouldn't have broken up

[3rd generation saint]

I have no problem with Carlton being mediocre, actually think they screwed themselves by putting so much into one player.
I accept, we are awful for now, just hope we are exceptional in the off season recruiting wise, that is where I actually like what I am hearing from SW.
I get the feeling he is painfully aware of what we need, but unlike Carlton, he is not going to jeopardise the future by investing too much in one player, hence, why they didn't want to, they let Goddard go.
We need to recruit players who have capacity to give us 100+ games, not quick fixes, just look at what happened to Brisbane, they are probably 2-3 years behind where they want to be because they miscalculated their list after 2009 and went for the quick fix.
Melbourne has been trying that too, so did Richmond up to a few years ago.
I expect we will targeting a gun midfielder, key position defender and forward.
We may trade some draft picks to GC or GWS as they will have some good players who have been in the system for a year or two which may very much suit our needs.

[perfectionist]

Our new fullback:

[busso mick]

I have no problem with Carlton being mediocre, actually think they screwed themselves by putting so much into one player.
I accept, we are awful for now, just hope we are exceptional in the off season recruiting wise, that is where I actually like what I am hearing from SW.
I get the feeling he is painfully aware of what we need, but unlike Carlton, he is not going to jeopardise the future by investing too much in one player, hence, why they didn't want to, they let Goddard go.
We need to recruit players who have capacity to give us 100+ games, not quick fixes, just look at what happened to Brisbane, they are probably 2-3 years behind where they want to be because they miscalculated their list after 2009 and went for the quick fix.
Melbourne has been trying that too, so did Richmond up to a few years ago.
I expect we will targeting a gun midfielder, key position defender and forward.
We may trade some draft picks to GC or GWS as they will have some good players who have been in the system for a year or two which may very much suit our needs.

The Carlton board also suffer with the Messiah Complex by selecting that crusty old twonk Malthouse, who has a penchant for giving his list a spray every time they lose. Good work there Sticks!

[HitTheBoundary]

A real supporter stamps their feet and bring up everything negitive about our club.

And points out how they knew it all in hindsight, but no one would listen to them.

[jonesy]

A real supporter stamps their feet and bring up everything negitive about our club.

And points out how they knew it all in hindsight, but no one would listen to them.

and dislikes successful phases as they can't whinge,or say I told you so...in turn saving SS band width

[noob]

Just draft two young key position players in hope one will be a decent full back. If they can't do that they might as well sack the defensive/development coach for not doing their job properly.

[sainterjo]

Our new fullback:

Is that Jack Watts?

[mad saint guy]

I think right now we're in a similar position to 1999/2000. We have a few old superstars, a few promising kids and a whole lot of duds. What we now need is to go on a recruiting frenzy to build the majority of our next good team, which should start performing in 4-5 years.

From 1999-2003 we recruited Riewoldt, Kosi, Gehrig, Hamill, Powell, Voss, Milne, Ball, Dal, Joey, Maguire, Clarke, Blake, Fisher, Goddard, Black, Gram and Guerra. We need a similar haul over the next few years if we're going to make our way into the top 4 any time in the next decade.

[Con Gorozidis]

Hahhah - very Polyanna!
How can we 'aggresively trade for a full back'?
everyone says this but when you ask how - noone has a clue.

Schneider gilbo and fisher..... - if we are relying on any of those three we are completely dreaming.
Chips was a great champ for the club but he is finished. Gawn. Should play golf. Game has past him by.
Gilbo is Gilbo and I have zero faith in Schneiders body/fitness.

[White Winmar]

Our new fullback:

Is that Jack Watts?

I had her pegged as more of a small, crumbling forward type. We've got plenty of those. Although if she comes from WA she'd be a chance to get onto our list.

[plugger66]

Hahhah - very Polyanna!
How can we 'aggresively trade for a full back'?
everyone says this but when you ask how - noone has a clue.

Schneider gilbo and fisher..... - if we are relying on any of those three we are completely dreaming.
Chips was a great champ for the club but he is finished. Gawn. Should play golf. Game has past him by.
Gilbo is Gilbo and I have zero faith in Schneiders body/fitness.

Why is Fisher finished. Players are allowed to get injured in one year and be fit the next. I reckon that is real short term memory stuff.

[3rd generation saint]

Our new fullback:

Is that Jack Watts?

Actually thought it was James Hird before the injections.

[Con Gorozidis]

Agree,missing Gilbert,Fisher,Schneider has really hurt.

So has missing Plugger and Doc Baldock.

[Con Gorozidis]

Hahhah - very Polyanna!
How can we 'aggresively trade for a full back'?
everyone says this but when you ask how - noone has a clue.

Schneider gilbo and fisher..... - if we are relying on any of those three we are completely dreaming.
Chips was a great champ for the club but he is finished. Gawn. Should play golf. Game has past him by.
Gilbo is Gilbo and I have zero faith in Schneiders body/fitness.

Why is Fisher finished. Players are allowed to get injured in one year and be fit the next. I reckon that is real short term memory stuff.

Ok hes an AA - so are Dempster and Milney!
Roo is a champion of the comp!
We are awesome!
We will be top 4 next year with all these champs coming back to full fitness! Just you wait!

is that the kind of talk you prefer?

Fisher was awesome in 2008/09. Good in 2010/11. Struggled in 2012. Struggled badly in 2013. He is now 31 and I'm expected to believe he is going to roll the clock back to 2009 next year? - thats 5 years.

Absolute fantasy to think hell get back to his old form.

Ive said it a million times - yes there are exceptions - but the majority of players play their best footy between 25 and 28yo. Sam is no different to the majority.

He is gone.

If Im wrong bookmark this and let me know next year.

[Kiedis]

I accept, we are awful for now, just hope we are exceptional in the off season recruiting wise, that is where I actually like what I am hearing from SW.
I get the feeling he is painfully aware of what we need, but unlike Carlton, he is not going to jeopardise the future by investing too much in one player, hence, why they didn't want to, they let Goddard go.

Certainly hope so too re: recruiting. The whole Mitch Brown thing last year did worry me however, weren't we reportedly offering up 2 mid-20 picks? I'd definitely call that investing too much in one (average) player. Got some promising kids though..

Having just watched the SA showdown, man I hope we pick up the next Wingard with our pick 3. The guy's 19. Unreal.