CarnTheTiges said:
C'mon felix, im sure deep down u don't want that to happen, something tells me we could have a nice start to the season similar to 05'....Bring it on!
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Is it really all doom and gloom? I think Not!
- Thread starter AstuteTiger
- Start date
C'mon felix, im sure deep down u don't want that to happen, something tells me we could have a nice start to the season similar to 05'....Bring it on!
Tigermad2005 said:
We were 3rd after RD 9, like i said hope we can have a nice start to the season similar to 05',
Polack, Thursfield, Brown, Newman, Foley, Tambling, Delidio, Patterson, Meyer, McGuane, Hartigan and Raines have been named as probable improvers and I'm inclined to agree. But isn't it about standard for an AFL team to have about a third of it's list improving?
Essendon have Lloyd, Hird, Michael, Stanton, Monfries, Davey(1st year but mature recruit), Bradley, Dempsey, Johns, Laycock, Slattery and Lee all likely to improve of last years form. (I have doubts on Bradley and Johns but Bomber fans don't)
Carlton, Hawthorn, Geelong and Brisbane all have pretty young lists from which a dozen improvers could easily be found.
And these are from teams that are around us on the ladder, unless our blokes improve more than the highly rated youngsters from the other teams then we will be just treading water.
Apart from Collingwood I can't see any teams which are going to really go downhill fast without major injuries happening.
If we can stay mid-table while getting games into our 1st and 2nd year players then I reckon we will have done exceptionally well. I expect TW to pinch us a couple of close games, but I am beginning to wonder wether that will do us more harm than good in the long term.
Essendon have Lloyd, Hird, Michael, Stanton, Monfries, Davey(1st year but mature recruit), Bradley, Dempsey, Johns, Laycock, Slattery and Lee all likely to improve of last years form. (I have doubts on Bradley and Johns but Bomber fans don't)
Carlton, Hawthorn, Geelong and Brisbane all have pretty young lists from which a dozen improvers could easily be found.
And these are from teams that are around us on the ladder, unless our blokes improve more than the highly rated youngsters from the other teams then we will be just treading water.
Apart from Collingwood I can't see any teams which are going to really go downhill fast without major injuries happening.
If we can stay mid-table while getting games into our 1st and 2nd year players then I reckon we will have done exceptionally well. I expect TW to pinch us a couple of close games, but I am beginning to wonder wether that will do us more harm than good in the long term.
Agree with everything said by GWW especially re "DISPOSAL" and the team being "Richo-centric".
It is unbelievable that we have had the same problems for so long especially when skilled mid-fielders seem to have been the main focus of our recruiting in recent years.
I'm hoping TW and his team read and act on the constructive criticism made by so many wise and loyal prenders.
We desperately want to win that first game against the increasingly smug Blues.
It is unbelievable that we have had the same problems for so long especially when skilled mid-fielders seem to have been the main focus of our recruiting in recent years.
I'm hoping TW and his team read and act on the constructive criticism made by so many wise and loyal prenders.
We desperately want to win that first game against the increasingly smug Blues.
Does anyone know how we kicked our score on Saturday afternoon... I don't think Richo was there, it is amazing we even kicked a goal
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Nice post very Astute Tiger. Couldnt agree more. I feel genuinely sorry for Darksiders, reactionaries and preseason panic merchants because in the last 20+ years, pre-season HOPE is often all a tiger has had. If you;ve lost that hope, thrill, and anticipation, however blind it may be (although I think hope is becoming very well-founded with our list), theres not a whole lot of joy left over for the forlorn tiger of the 80's, 90's and 00's. Oh well, each to their own.
last year, I was chuffed with the fact that I watched raines play the swans in a praccy match on the gold coast and said he was going to have a very good year. This year, I reckon patto will be the big improver. I am a fan of this young fella, his slightly stooped running action masks deceptive mobility and pace I reckon. I think in '07, he'll stand a bit taller and really leave some seasoned ruckmen bent over sucking in air.
last year, I was chuffed with the fact that I watched raines play the swans in a praccy match on the gold coast and said he was going to have a very good year. This year, I reckon patto will be the big improver. I am a fan of this young fella, his slightly stooped running action masks deceptive mobility and pace I reckon. I think in '07, he'll stand a bit taller and really leave some seasoned ruckmen bent over sucking in air.
tigergollywog said:
Thanx TGW, When i wrote this new topic i really wanted to keep an open mind on certain players and also had to look where we could improve from last year and what players came in and went out. We will be better than what most people think, but i agree with some if we are hit with injuries in the season proper (more so our midfield and Backline) it would severely hamper us...
We haven’t really had our full team over this whole preseason but hopefully come RD 1 with the exception of Hall, Cogs and KK we can be at full strength.
Some teams go through injury patches and we have certainly been through ours but hopefully over the coming weeks it can all come together for RD 1.
feisty tige said:Does anyone know how we kicked our score on Saturday afternoon... I don't think Richo was there, it is amazing we even kicked a goal
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You wait until Richo is in the team, our 1st, 2nd and 3rd options is Richo we always seem to look for him when we have better options available in front of goal.
This is in no way a criticism of Richo, we just need to break out of the "Kick it to Richo" mind set.
All teams do is double team Richo and our avenue to goal become non-existent.
Ghost Who Walks said:feisty tige said:Does anyone know how we kicked our score on Saturday afternoon... I don't think Richo was there, it is amazing we even kicked a goal
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You wait until Richo is in the team, our 1st, 2nd and 3rd options is Richo we always seem to look for him when we have better options available in front of goal.
This is in no way a criticism of Richo, we just need to break out of the "Kick it to Richo" mind set.
All teams do is double team Richo and our avenue to goal become non-existent.
Yeah Fair call GWW, but i don't think it’s as worse as it used to be years ago, i think most teams FF's experience that, FEV, Lloyd, Hall to name a few. Id like to believe with brownie back, *smile* as the main FF and perhaps patto roaming the forward line the midfielders can use the best available option when going forward and not always use Richo, but in Richo's defence not that you were criticising him but he just always seems to be in the right position when our midfielders are streaming forward, just an observation and like to get some thoughts on that...
Ian4 said:
Bloody hope so Ian, we cant take a trick at the minute but we're likely to come out RD 1 and beat the pants off the Blues!
Didnt we finisn 9th last year by beating everyone we meant to and losing to everyone we should have (with only a few exceptions)? So to go backwards, either on balance we have lost some talent or every other team has gained more than we have. I haven't been following the other scum teams very closely, but it seems that our list has improved on last year (despite current form). Do people really think the Dawks, Cats, Bummers, Eddies, Inbred etc have really improved significantly more, enough to over-take the tiges?
TygerTyger said:
That’s what ive been trying to say TT, when u look at our list and who's come in and back in to the side we are actually stronger than last year, yes it could be another story if we lose a pool of players in the season proper but that can also happen to a lot of other teams.
Great post Astute Tiger. My 2 players that I think will provide that x factor this year are *smile* and Tambling. Whereas last season Raines took us by surprise and Lids the year before. I genuinely believe that 2 or 3 will take a Raines style quantum leap in 07. A hard tough preseason full of challenges and innovation is just what the doctor ordered for this young group. I am also pleased to hear that the 'talk volume' at training and in practice matches has improved immensely since Wallace took over what he described as being a 'quiet bunch'.
No point being doom and gloom this time of the year that is for sure!!
No point being doom and gloom this time of the year that is for sure!!
Harro12 said:
Yeah spot on Harro, everyone has a player or 2 who they feel will take that next big step forward and the 2 u mentioned are primed to do that in 07' especially *smile*.
TygerTyger said:
Which teams will improve more than us?
Brisbane, particularly if Brown plays 18+ games and Lappin returns to anything like his best. There youngsters are going gangbusters in the NAB, they are a near certainty to improve.
Hawthorn possibly-Their year three players could easily step up to be A graders. Hodge Mitchell, Ladson, Bateman, Jacobs and Croad can all improve on last year. Their only loss is Everitt, if Cambell stands up then the Hawks are a good show.
Essendon definitely:- Lloyd, Hird, Michael-are handy inclusions. Watson is a genuine ball winner and the scum are finally getting some pace back in thier midfield, they are a finals possibility.
Cats are a much better team than they showed last year, player for player I think they are a better team than us, Luckily we have more matchwinners and are more likely to turn it on to win games against "better" opposition than the Cats are. That being said, the Cats are more than likely going to finish above us this year.
I think the improvement on those four teams is likely to be greater than ours. Collingwood will go backwards and Carlton are a taking a slow road to finals, 2 years off maybe. The Roos are just basket cases having traded away good picks for hacks.
Tambling Man said:
Good post, agree with a lot of that.
I think your wrong about Geelong though.I rate their midfield above ours, and they have an excellent defence which make ours pale by comparison.
We shade the forward line unless the donut finally shows some wind squalls and plays to his ability,Mooney palys disciplined footy and G.A jnr is a star in the making.
If they get some game time into Hawkins and he shows something,then they are ahead of there as well :'(
I can see the handbags in the top 6 myself.
Tambling Man said:
Disagree, but not violently.
Brisbane, on the face of it, yes, add JB and ML and if thier youngsters can keep it up, 8 beckons. All big ifs. JB and ML injury prone at best, crocs at worst. Their youngster won't keep it up, its got Carlton's pre-season win written all over it. I'd predict a small improvement. Near certainty to improve? Over the top.
Hawks, stagnation. Everitt gone who really held them together. If they are relying on Brown to stand up they're stuffed, I mean he's not bad, but no lynchpin. They have some good young players.
Essendon 'definately' well I suppose the only way is up, baby, Lloyd and Hird boy, and Michael big ins. Can't see both Hird and Lloyd playing much. You'd be happy to keep one on the ground. Michael still good but on the wane.
Geelong, did you predict improvement from them last year I wonder? Old cliche, but they keep bolstering it, March champions. Who knows? If they are relying on Otto to threaten, they won't threaten. Might well improve on last season though, and I think they will.
With OX and Co giving their opinions on our ladder positions....I disagree whole heartedly and as my thread states we are a stronger out fit than last year....Carlton to make the 8 give me a break!