To challenge for the Flag in 2016....

[rojo]

What about Patrick Vespremi, TDL, Jed Lamb and Rose? I notice it said in one article that playing Papley in the midfield didn't work out, and he has found his niche as a high forward. We have recruited a fair number of small forwards but unless they have been able to rotate through the midfield they have not lasted long.

[dimelb]

Auntie, I agree with you about Brandon. He's putting the individual skills together.

[Mug Punter]

I think the following needs to occur

* A fit and committed Buddy Franklin, clearly he was not at his best this year and it affected his on field performances
* More of the same from Tippett
* Mitchell to make the step to elite level
* Rampe, Towers, Jones and Lloyd to keep improving
* A genuine Number 1 ruckman
* A new defender to take the third forward
* Heeney and Mills to carve it up
* One surprise package....

The first point is the most important but I think with wise recruitment and a decent run with injuries we can be thereabout in 2016

Prophetic?

* A fit and committed Buddy Franklin, clearly he was not at his best this year and it affected his on field performances - Tick
* More of the same from Tippett - Not quite but they are on 97 goals between them and he is still contributing
* Mitchell to make the step to elite level - Pretty Close
* Rampe, Towers, Jones and Lloyd to keep improving - 3/4 there
* A genuine Number 1 ruckman - Tick
* A new defender to take the third forward - Aliir Aliir plus Rampe's emergence makes this a tick
* Heeney and Mills to carve it up - Tick Tick
* One surprise package.... Take your pick - Papley, Xavier, Hewett etc

Not totally bragging here (maybe a little ) and we still have a match to play but it is interesting going back and seeing what we said at the end of November. By any measure this season has surpassed all expectations

[AnnieH]

Prophetic?

* A fit and committed Buddy Franklin, clearly he was not at his best this year and it affected his on field performances - Tick
* More of the same from Tippett - Not quite but they are on 97 goals between them and he is still contributing
* Mitchell to make the step to elite level - Pretty Close
* Rampe, Towers, Jones and Lloyd to keep improving - 3/4 there
* A genuine Number 1 ruckman - Tick
* A new defender to take the third forward - Aliir Aliir plus Rampe's emergence makes this a tick
* Heeney and Mills to carve it up - Tick Tick
* One surprise package.... Take your pick - Papley, Xavier, Hewett etc

Not totally bragging here (maybe a little ) and we still have a match to play but it is interesting going back and seeing what we said at the end of November. By any measure this season has surpassed all expectations

Onya Mug.

[mattybloods]

Interesting that swans and dogs had the 2nd and 3rd least number of 50+ game players at the start of the year


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Mug Punter]

Interesting that swans and dogs had the 2nd and 3rd least number of 50+ game players at the start of the year


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

It does kind of raise a bit if doubt about the entire GWS dynasty that many (me included) have been crowing on about.

I know GWS have a super talented list but you look at us and the dogs and we have these kids with under 30 games who, whilst maybe not quite as talented as some of the GWS kids, will also have some pretty big upside.

GWS should go close to winning a flag in the next three years, maybe more than one. After that it gets harder, especially if their Murray River/Albury loophole gets closed. They'll have to lose $720,000 of salary cap space relative to 2016 in 2019 and at the end of 2019 a raft of players become free agents, and you can bet your house that clubs in rebuild like North and Carlton will be frontloading their contracts the next three years to build a massive free agent war chest to get the likes of Cameron, Greene, Coniglio and Smith.

I'm sure there was a massive sigh of relief down at AFL HQ when the doggies got up on Saturday but just maybe they have got these concessions right

[707]

Wow, prophetic indeed, absolutely nailed it and here we are on the cusp of a flag.

Isn't there a thread that asks what our expectations were for this year? Think the team has exceeded what most of us hoped at season's start.

[ScottH]

I think the following needs to occur

* A fit and committed Buddy Franklin, clearly he was not at his best this year and it affected his on field performances
* More of the same from Tippett
* Mitchell to make the step to elite level
* Rampe, Towers, Jones and Lloyd to keep improving
* A genuine Number 1 ruckman
* A new defender to take the third forward
* Heeney and Mills to carve it up
* One surprise package....

The first point is the most important but I think with wise recruitment and a decent run with injuries we can be thereabout in 2016

Who is the surprise package??
Papley? Aliir?

[longmile]

Wow, prophetic indeed, absolutely nailed it and here we are on the cusp of a flag.

Isn't there a thread that asks what our expectations were for this year? Think the team has exceeded what most of us hoped at season's start.

I had us in the bottom half of the 8!! And from memory most other supporters here did to. Amazing stuff

[mcs]

Great prophecy Mug!

I also had us bottom of the 8 and a rebuilding year. Its been an astounding season for us - but it will come to nought if we don't finish the Bambis off on Saturday and take the flag!

[Mug Punter]

Who is the surprise package??
Papley? Aliir?

Xav, Papley, Xav, George - take your pick

[Beerman]

Nice bump.

There is some great analysis in this thread, but it's fair to say that there have been quite a few surprises as well. It seems in a rare moment of the world gone topsy-turvy, we actually underrated quite a few of our kids playing in reserves! I mean, we all had hopes for Naismith, Aliir, Hewett et al, but I don't see much talk in this thread of them stepping up and taking us to the GF.

[RogueSwan]

It does kind of raise a bit if doubt about the entire GWS dynasty that many (me included) have been crowing on about.

I know GWS have a super talented list but you look at us and the dogs and we have these kids with under 30 games who, whilst maybe not quite as talented as some of the GWS kids, will also have some pretty big upside.

GWS should go close to winning a flag in the next three years, maybe more than one. After that it gets harder, especially if their Murray River/Albury loophole gets closed. They'll have to lose $720,000 of salary cap space relative to 2016 in 2019 and at the end of 2019 a raft of players become free agents, and you can bet your house that clubs in rebuild like North and Carlton will be frontloading their contracts the next three years to build a massive free agent war chest to get the likes of Cameron, Greene, Coniglio and Smith.

I'm sure there was a massive sigh of relief down at AFL HQ when the doggies got up on Saturday but just maybe they have got these concessions right

I think (or at least hope) the fears of a dynasty won't come to fruition. As the cap squeezes and the list becomes smaller more and more Giants will look elsewhere and hopefully supply and demand mean that the Giants will have to accept lower and lower returns for the ones that want out.

[WauchopeAnalyst]

There is a bit a squeeze for the Giants but the rules apply differently for some teams.

Scully halved his last 2 years of his contract from $1m p/y to 4 years at $500k. Or something like that.

How to save $500k in a second. AFL RULES

[barry]

Poor old GWS have been penalised for being a dynasty before they have even made a grand final.

Its a anti expansion cycle weve seen many time before