2021: best and worse case predictions

[MattW]

MattW you forgot McInerney. The find of the year for me.

I am going against the herd and saying we will be knocking on the door of the 8 or even to going as high as 6th.

Why: Heeney, Rampe and Hewett back. McInerney, Blakey, Rowbottom and Stephens going to another level. McCartin to defence gives us structure and shores up the spine. If Campbell and Gulden are as good as they are touted then look out. The big if is Buddy. If he can stay on the park then Papley becomes more dangerous.

We will beat: North, Adelaide, Hawthorn, Essendon, Giants, West Coast at home, Melbourne (flaky), Carlton, Suns. Good chance to beat StKilda, Collingwood and Freo. If we get a favourable draw who knows what might happen. Getting our Mojo back at the SCG will be a bonus. And we are always a chance to beat Geelong.

I would love to draw Richmond in Round 2 as they are beatable early in the season.

You're right, I overlooked McInerney and he looks like he'll add a lot, particularly that delivery inside 50.

Agree with the rest - that's how I generally feel and would want John and the players to feel that way too, and attack the season accordingly.

[Mutley]

Would agree with Nico, think we may well be knocking on the door for the eight.
We have a strong back six and with Rampe back and Mills continued development as that general in defense and McCartin/Cunningham settling in we will remain hard to score against. A fit Buddy and Heeney will make Papley more dangerous. it really comes down to how our midfielfd develop, and with Parker/Kennedy providing support/direction would think Rowbottom, Blakey, Stephens, Florent and the two academy boys may provide some additional spark. A big question still remains about our ruck am]nd maybe a second tall/ruck.

[mcs]

I see HAW, ESS as the ones above us that are falling. But I think ADL will rebound faster than us. Most teams outside the 8 are on the upward trajectory.
Thats not pessimistic.


Derby games (sydney derby, or sa/wa/qld derbies) are always passionate affairs and the team with more motivation wins, irrespective of ladder position. One thing we have in spades over the giants of 2020 was passion. But it doesnt mean we will finish higher than them next year.
If I was being overly optimistic, we could catch carlton, but not freo.

Buddy is finished as a player we can rely on.

I don't see Adelaide improving much at all. They have a crap list that is old, and not much young talent yet. I think Nicks is a decent coach, but I don't think this year was an outlier at all. The last few weeks likely to be as much a dead cat bounce then anything else. Their off season certainly has not started well either!

[Thunder Shaker]

I don't see Adelaide improving much at all. They have a crap list that is old, and not much young talent yet. I think Nicks is a decent coach, but I don't think this year was an outlier at all. The last few weeks likely to be as much a dead cat bounce then anything else. Their off season certainly has not started well either!

Adelaide's three wins: Hawthorn, Carlton, GWS. That says more about the opposition than it does about Adelaide.