Contenders and Pretenders

[swansrule100]

This year, as like all the years of late is going to be quite even however i thought (as im bored) id sort out who i think is a contender for the flag and an outside chance (looking more like a week 1 finalist) and the pretenders...these are in order so its basically a ladder

Contenders

Port Adelaide
West Coast
Brisbane
StKilda
Sydney



Outsiders
Melbourne
Geelong
Fremantle

Pretenders (slim chance of finals)
Carlton
Essendon
Collingwood
Richmond
Kangaroos
Adelaide
Bulldogs
Hawthorn

anyway maybe a pointless post, but just my thoughts on who is actually a flag chance this year

[NMWBloods]

Re: Contenders and Pretenders

I view contenders as teams with legitimate chances to win. I view outsiders as teams that could potentially win but need everything to go the right way.

Contenders

Port Adelaide
West Coast
Brisbane
StKilda

Outsiders
Melbourne
Geelong
Sydney


Pretenders
Fremantle
Carlton
Essendon
Collingwood
Richmond
Kangaroos
Adelaide
Bulldogs
Hawthorn

[Mike_B]

And of course, all of these predictions are made barring any injury-marred seasons to key players!

[swansrule100]

Originally posted by Mike_B
And of course, all of these predictions are made barring any injury-marred seasons to key players!

not really

anyone i think is a contender is a team i feel can cover injuries and so on and still play (unless your talking a freak mass injury list of all key players)

[liz]

Originally posted by swansrule100
not really

anyone i think is a contender is a team i feel can cover injuries and so on and still play (unless your talking a freak mass injury list of all key players)

Depends who the player is. Only Brisbane and Port would still be in with a shot if they lost one or two of their very best players. Port have already achieved it, having been without Primus and Francou last year. I wonder how they'd go without Tredrea though.

Brisbane may struggle a bit to do it now that they have lost Lynch.

For every other of the contenders / outsiders I reckon there is at least one player that they couldn't cope without. They might still make the finals but I don't think could win it.

For the Saints its Riewoldt, good as the rest of their squad is.

For Geelong King, Scarlett and maybe Ling too.

WC Judd - though maybe there is enough quality depth in their midfield even without him. But I don't think they are a real chance this year anyway unless someone like McDougall stands tall (which he may well do).

For us Hall is an obvious one. I doubt we'd even make the finals if he were out for a significant period of time. I suspect Goodes may also be a key - a version close to 2003 that is. We could still make the finals without him but I doubt we could win the premiership.

I reckon NMW is correct in categorising us as an outsider - we can do it but we do need a lot to go right for us. There is little margin for slippage amongst a smallish group of players.

[swansrule100]

oh well i reckon we are a contender, so i agree with me :P

[cruiser]

Re: Re: Contenders and Pretenders

Originally posted by NMWBloods
I view contenders as teams with legitimate chances to win. I view outsiders as teams that could potentially win but need everything to go the right way.

Contenders

Port Adelaide
West Coast
Brisbane
StKilda

Outsiders
Melbourne
Geelong
Sydney


Pretenders
Fremantle
Carlton
Essendon
Collingwood
Richmond
Kangaroos
Adelaide
Bulldogs
Hawthorn

Agree with you on this one NMW except that I would include Freo in Outsiders. They picked up a few good players and who knows, maybe the team will click just enough to get them there (like Sydney in 96).

[NMWBloods]

I was undecided on Freo - I think they could go either way as they are so fickle.

[chammond]

I find it interesting to look at a club's depth at the start of the season, as an indicator of clubs that can improve significantly.

To do this I cross off each club's best 22, and then compare the 5 next best from club to club. On that basis, Carlton and Collingwood would seem to be the most likely to improve, and Brisbane and Geelong the most likely to go backwards.

Brisbane is interesting . . . after all their desertions and retirements of recent years, their list is looking a lot thinner. They still have the bunch of out-and-out champs, but if they were to have a bad run with injuries they would be much more exposed than in previous years.

[dread and might]

Originally posted by NMWBloods
I was undecided on Freo - I think they could go either way as they are so fickle.

i can't shake the feeling that they will have to have the equivalent of a miracle turnaround in away form to be a chance. Maybe a few more finals under their belt and big i mean BIG impact from the new boys........IMHO their KPP are still too average-at-best.
If Farmer and Medhurst are the guys you expect to kick winning scores consistently, well..

[NMWBloods]

Yep - their forward line was my biggest issue. They need Pavlich to play permanent CHF.

[BonBon]

Collingwood will get somewhere but West Coast won't.

[The Boot]

Originally posted by BonBon
Collingwood will get somewhere but West Coast won't.

Hmmm .. might just have to agree to disagree with u on this. I reckon they are quietly shaping up as a force.

[BonBon]

Are you disagreeing or agreeing? And who are shaping up as a force?

[The Boot]

Originally posted by BonBon
Are you disagreeing or agreeing? And who are shaping up as a force?

Sorry I typed faster than the brain computed.
I'm saying that WC are shaping up as a force.
Glimpses last year .. but Woosha is polishing them into a diamond like the 92/94 teams. Think they'll do well and be in the top eight group.