Been thinking about this for some time.
After missing a chance in 2018 ( for whatever reasons) we bounced back courageously through adversity and this group showed they were made of the right stuff and showed the hunger to win the 2019 Premiership.
So we have won the 2017, missed 2018 and won 2019.
I know there are no guarantees in football as many factors can influence the final outcome(flag), but this group has the ability, the team , the coach to climb Mt Everest again, but do they have the hunger and motivation?.
You may ask what a silly question there, of course they do/would !.
But so would the other contenders and other fancies too !.
Tactics, injuries & the Rance factor will play some part in how high we finish to give us the best chance to win our third flag in four years.
That would be history making for the RFC and this special group of players.
How much will Rance not being there mentoring, guiding both group of players of our AFL & VFL sides time will tell.
Can the back 6-7 play as well as they did and have the past 3 years? Can they take their game up to another level? Will teams try ways to isolate them, tag them or some other means to dismantle the best defence of the past 3 years.?
When you look at our age profile ( our top 10-12 players) we are still in a sweet spot for another flag or two.
Much will also depend on our next tier group of 10-12 players that when they are called upon or needed ( as they were last year) can they back that up again and improve further?
That next group of kids that we have waiting in the VFL side are they hungry enough to make a case and show Dimma & the coaches and state a claim for the first round, throughout the year and during finals ?
When you look at this list below that didnt play in the GF of 2019 is both exciting and shows the future is bright if the transition, development , drive & hunger is there in years to come.
Obviously we may not be able to keep and satisfy all our kids as there may be some in the years to come to look for opportunities elsewhere but you would hope that they see a bright future and that there time will come in time.
Have a look at these players ! ( no order)
Jack Graham
Kamdyn Macintosh
Sydney Stack
Collier-Dawkins
Coleman Jones
Jack Ross
Patrick Naish
Jack Higgins
Noah Balta
Mabior Chol
Ryan Garthwaite
Derek Eggmolesse-Smith
The above are just the players we have seen debut or play but i havent included other players who we havent seen yet of our draftees taken in last years NAB draft.
If the above group plus the rest of the kids keep improving and asking questions of the coaches and the senior players we have just as good of a chance to finish top 4 with a home final and anything can happen from there.
I have hope , i am excited for the year ahead and excited to see where this year takes us with especially our younger listed players.
To me they will determine how hungry the senior listed players are to remain hungry & motivated to achieve something great and special in our history and to rank in the modern era of salary cap restrictions, expansion clubs and draft concessions to be ranked a truly great side.
But according to many scribes and clubs out there we may as well hand the cup to Port, West Coast, Pies, St Kilda , GWS , Dogs and through gritted teeth we get mentioned.
Thoughts PRE.
After missing a chance in 2018 ( for whatever reasons) we bounced back courageously through adversity and this group showed they were made of the right stuff and showed the hunger to win the 2019 Premiership.
So we have won the 2017, missed 2018 and won 2019.
I know there are no guarantees in football as many factors can influence the final outcome(flag), but this group has the ability, the team , the coach to climb Mt Everest again, but do they have the hunger and motivation?.
You may ask what a silly question there, of course they do/would !.
But so would the other contenders and other fancies too !.
Tactics, injuries & the Rance factor will play some part in how high we finish to give us the best chance to win our third flag in four years.
That would be history making for the RFC and this special group of players.
How much will Rance not being there mentoring, guiding both group of players of our AFL & VFL sides time will tell.
Can the back 6-7 play as well as they did and have the past 3 years? Can they take their game up to another level? Will teams try ways to isolate them, tag them or some other means to dismantle the best defence of the past 3 years.?
When you look at our age profile ( our top 10-12 players) we are still in a sweet spot for another flag or two.
Much will also depend on our next tier group of 10-12 players that when they are called upon or needed ( as they were last year) can they back that up again and improve further?
That next group of kids that we have waiting in the VFL side are they hungry enough to make a case and show Dimma & the coaches and state a claim for the first round, throughout the year and during finals ?
When you look at this list below that didnt play in the GF of 2019 is both exciting and shows the future is bright if the transition, development , drive & hunger is there in years to come.
Obviously we may not be able to keep and satisfy all our kids as there may be some in the years to come to look for opportunities elsewhere but you would hope that they see a bright future and that there time will come in time.
Have a look at these players ! ( no order)
Jack Graham
Kamdyn Macintosh
Sydney Stack
Collier-Dawkins
Coleman Jones
Jack Ross
Patrick Naish
Jack Higgins
Noah Balta
Mabior Chol
Ryan Garthwaite
Derek Eggmolesse-Smith
The above are just the players we have seen debut or play but i havent included other players who we havent seen yet of our draftees taken in last years NAB draft.
If the above group plus the rest of the kids keep improving and asking questions of the coaches and the senior players we have just as good of a chance to finish top 4 with a home final and anything can happen from there.
I have hope , i am excited for the year ahead and excited to see where this year takes us with especially our younger listed players.
To me they will determine how hungry the senior listed players are to remain hungry & motivated to achieve something great and special in our history and to rank in the modern era of salary cap restrictions, expansion clubs and draft concessions to be ranked a truly great side.
But according to many scribes and clubs out there we may as well hand the cup to Port, West Coast, Pies, St Kilda , GWS , Dogs and through gritted teeth we get mentioned.
Thoughts PRE.
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