Inside Football on 'why we'll slide'

[punter257]

Originally posted by Nico
I happen to think that we can improve in 2006 for the following reasons.

1. They elevated 3 rookies who can play. I expect Grundy and Vogels to show genuine improvement and Shaw maybe a little longer. But can play.
2. Buchanan was a remarkable success story in 2005. He still has a lot of improvement in him.
3. Hall can now see.
4. Dempster is becoming a very good player.
5. The 2 Boltons are playing at their peaks with Jude significantly improving his disposal in the second half of 2005. No reason to believe they will drop off.
6. Jolly is relatively inexperienced for a ruckman. Must be improvement in him.
7. Fosdike may very well have realised that he can play.
8. Goodes was coming off a very bad injury. Why cant he go to his Brownlow level next year.
9. Kennelly - believe it or not he is still improving.
10. LRT - could be something special.
11. Malceski - has the goods.
12. We all talk about Moore. Has a lot of talent. After his second pre season, look out.
13. O'Keefe - He is about to peak in 2006. Ready to explode.
14. Barry, Kirk, Ablett, Crouch, Davis - all talented and all in the peak years of their careers. Doubt any of these will go backwards in 2006.
15. The coach has another year under his belt and has retained his coaching staff = stability.

how can we not go back to back!!!
well said

[Schneiderman]

I agree with Nico's assessments.

Plus I think Kennelly is in his final year with us next year (although he may come back in a few years?). This may well spur him on to greater things. Fingers crossed anyway.

The real x-factor from our forwards is what the eye surgery will do for Baz. Will he struggle with the change? I know it took me a while to improve my coordination when I finally got spectacles, but then I'm no honed and supremely talented sportsman. The great hope will be that he suddenly REALLY dominates... scary thought.

I dont know if our ruck division changes will really hurt us much. We were never a really good clearance side anyway (effective wise), and its not like our ruckman dominated the hitouts like Cox or Everitt. Hopefully Ball can pass on the trick to those superb hits to advantage around the goals. They were the difference between a win and a loss, especially in the finals.

[Bob Neil]

Two-in-a-row seems inevitable. We are now the premiership defenders.

[ScottH]

Anything less than a 2006 premiership will be a slide from last years final position.

[Sanecow]

Last night I had a dream about the 2006 Grand Final pre-game hype: "Sydney have one more team to beat ..." Unfortunately I didn't wait around for the result.

[ScottH]

Originally posted by Sanecow
Last night I had a dream about the 2006 Grand Final pre-game hype: "Sydney have one more team to beat ..." Unfortunately I didn't wait around for the result.

Who had faced the tribunal that week?

[Sanecow]

Originally posted by ScottH
Who had faced the tribunal that week?

Two penguins and a talking car IIRC.

[satchmopugdog]

I also had a dream about us being in another Grand Final. One of my netball girls took a great mark right in front of goal but I didn't find out if she kicked the goal.....our subconscious thoughts are funny things.

[Big Al]

I'm going to be selfish here. If we go back to back I hope we make the top 2 and get 2 finals at Telstra before going to the MCG for the Grannie. The finals series last year cost me a fortune so I need all the finals up here

[anne]

Originally posted by Big Al
I'm going to be selfish here. If we go back to back I hope we make the top 2 and get 2 finals at Telstra before going to the MCG for the Grannie. The finals series last year cost me a fortune so I need all the finals up here

...easier on the nerves as well.

[THERBS]

I also had a dream , a fragment of which was sitting in a pub watching a TV replay of Bazza celebrating kicking the winning goal and a bloke next to me saying that he never thought we'd get three in a row. Now that's a very ambitious subconscious mind at work.