Are we coming up to 2.00???

[mocaholic]

I raised this point whilst on BigFooty talking about the Horks, and was hoping to get some like-minded opinions: although one Swan fan suggested that it was heresy, are we getting close to the end of our 'window'?

I know it may sound outrageous considering that we having been drafting as if we are in a 'rebuilding' phase, but I just think our best blokes are hitting their peak now OR are not going to improve, viz:

Maxy & Willo: Key drivers, probably our cleanest deliverers. Both 30+, with maybe one more good season left before their impact would diminish (although Willo off the bench to a FP/HFF would be nice);
Goodesy & Bazza, and to a lesser extent Leapin: How long can they keep crashing their bodies? And they are peaking right now.
Schaubs, The Aggot, Saddo, Magic and Davis (let's not talk about poor SonOfMax): How long until their injuries severely impact their perfomance? Schaubs has been 3 weeks away for the last 10 rounds.

Don't get me wrong - I think we have done some excellent recruiting, particularly in the small man dept - McVeigh & Bevan are probably the most recent examples of this. I'm not certain that some of our blokes are right up to it, but every club is like that. I think our recent recruiting will also go a long way to 'softening' any long term fall when some of the above retire, however I think that we really need to score bigtime (ie a FLAG for chrissake) in the short term.

Note I'm not trying to be unnecessarily pessimistic, I'm just a little concerned.

[Ruck'n'Roll]

Re: Are we coming up to 2.00???

Originally posted by mocaholic
I think that we really need to score bigtime (ie a FLAG for chrissake) in the short term.

Oh God not another ADHD thread


Yes, after 70 years we need to win a premiership . . . .

BUT

Thinking in the short term is not the solution to that drought it's the cause.

[mocaholic]

Re: Re: Are we coming up to 2.00???

Originally posted by Ruckman
Oh God not another ADHD thread


Yes, after 70 years we need to win a premiership . . . .

BUT

Thinking in the short term is not the solution to that drought it's the cause.

.....and that responds to my points.....how, exactly?

My point is that our current best players cannot maintain their form for a whole lot longer, and with this crop, we'll need to win a flag shortly, otherwise we're back past the window and need to rebuild again. Do you agree? Or not?

Didn't even consider the 70yrs aspect (but believe me, that's at the back of my mind EVERY DAY).

[Bleed Red Blood]

I agree with mochaholic, Willo,Stuie and Bally can probably only keep this up for another one two years at most. I'm also worried when we can win a premiership in between Brisbane and St Kilda's dominance.

[Syd]

Its still herressy!

But the point is well taken.

2 more midfielders, a top line ruckman and fullback... Not easy spots to fill.

We seem to be working towards the evolutionary stage of multi positional players Tadgh in the backline, Tadgh in the midfield, Tadgh kick a goal... type player but you can't find 22 of them and you need some anchors....

How about a couple of quick, solid types and strengthen the spine a bit??

Through trading (yes, there is a place for it) and drafting/development.

[Ruck'n'Roll]

Originally posted by mocaholic
need to rebuild again.

Again? Seems to me we've only just started.

The last two drafts, those that provided McVeigh and Willoughby were the first in years where we didn't trade away our best draft choices for an illusory "short term" gain.

Roosy says 5 years.

Other clubs have taken even longer.

Brisbanes rebuilding began with the '92 draft.

Thompson at Geelong has been at it for 5 years

St.Kilda longer.

[barry]

Re: Are we coming up to 2.00???

No, I'd say we are primed to peak from 2005 - 2007.
Maxi may not get to enjoy a flag, but he could slot into a back pocket next year with his great kick ins.
Willo has a couple of good years left in him.
Big men tend to mature latter and last longer. So Hall, Goodes should have at least 4 years of good output ahead. Especially as Goodes may be the CHB of choice, and Hall can position himself more a permanent FF as the years go by.
Schuabs will start to decline after 2006. But by then James or LRT could be the extra KKP in defense.
Saddo will peak during the 2005-2007 period
Magic probably will be getting near the end by 2007, but could be releaved of FF to play on a flank or pocket.
And Davis is only 22 isnt he ?

The big loss we may have is if Ball retires at the end of this year. I reackon he's got one more year, and that will give Doyle another bridging year to become No. 1 ruck. Doyle will be a great ruckman IMO, but he will be a late maturer.
Not sure who is going to be No.2 ruck when Ball retires.

We need to find another midfielder of high quality by end of next year. McVeigh looks very likely. And hopefully Fixter can releive Fosdike of his duties in the 1's.

[Bart]

Originally posted by Bleed Red Blood
I'm also worried when we can win a premiership in between Brisbane and St Kilda's dominance.

What Saints dominance ? I really don't rate them as premiership contenders. I think they can win a flag in the next 3 years, but it won't be this year. No ruck and a suspect backline. What faarking monkeys have been marking their forwards for the first 10 rounds. I don't think they are safe in the top 2 by any means.

Its Lions, Lions, Lions and daylight to everyone else

[barry]

Originally posted by Bart
What Saints dominance ? I really don't rate them as premiership contenders. I think they can win a flag in the next 3 years, but it won't be this year. No ruck and a suspect backline. What faarking monkeys have been marking their forwards for the first 10 rounds. I don't think they are safe in the top 2 by any means.

Its Lions, Lions, Lions and daylight to everyone else

I agree. The ruck and the coach is the worry with the Saints. If they found a reguritated ruckman (ala Matty Alan), and got Eade as match day coach, then they'd be in with a shot for a flag or two.

[Snowy]

Interesting that Thomas looks like getting another three year contract.

[swansrule100]

im gonna go out on a limb and declare stkilda wont win a premiership with grant thomas as coach.


i think the swans team is fine... as long as we dont end up like adelaide... constantly trying a quick fix until its too late and we have a team of old men...

right now i think we have the team to go the next few years and make a tilt at the flag

[Bleed Red Blood]

Originally posted by Bart
What Saints dominance ? I really don't rate them as premiership contenders. I think they can win a flag in the next 3 years, but it won't be this year. No ruck and a suspect backline. What faarking monkeys have been marking their forwards for the first 10 rounds. I don't think they are safe in the top 2 by any means.

Its Lions, Lions, Lions and daylight to everyone else

I obviously worded myself wrong(need to take lessons from Charlie ) I ment that by the time the Lions dominance is over, the saints time will have come.

[Charlie]

Don't really agree.

Ball is the only player over 27 who I believe REALLY is crucial to our fortunes. But with Doyle, Meiklejohn and Erickson coming through, we should be alright.

That's not intended as an insult to Maxfield or Williams, it only means that I believe by the time they're ready to quit, we'll be able to cover them from below. McVeigh reminds me of Maxfield, and Schneider is probably the next Willo.

Hall appears unbreakable. He doesn't crash his body into other blokes, he walks through them.

Goodes will be fine. Now that he's no longer rucking, his style of play will mimic either a) Koutoufides or b) Chris Johnson. Don't let Kouta's injuries fool you, it's his own fragility, not his role. Goodes won't be 'crashing' his body into anyone that often.

Leo's a fair point. He'll kill himself one day, with the things he gets up to. We need to rely on a couple of youngsters coming through, but Leo has 4-5 years after this one and if we haven't won a premiership by then, then this thread will be irrelevent.

Of the other players you mentioned, none are really old and the only two that I think still have chronic injuries are Schauble and Micky. Again, they have 4-5 years, and the same rule applies here that applies to Leo.

Heath James has recovered from his hamstring problem. Any hammies he suffers from now are coincidental. Davis doesn't have a chronic injury anymore - he recovered from OP last year, and I'm unable to name a case of OP that has forced a player into retirement. Saddo's injuries have been a quad and a knee - nothing chronic. All three of these players are only 24.