It’s always hard when you are at the top because you don’t get the top draft picks. However there is still time for our youngsters to get to that level or close to it. Riewoldt’s first couple of years were development, Rance was prone to mishaps.We have banked one key piece moving forward - Lynch. I’m not sure any of the rest have that level of talent. And it takes star level talent to win it all. I think we’ll find that out when Cotch, Martin, Jack and Rance retire. I don’t see anyone else in that bracket on our list. We have decent level talent - but our ‘list gap’ is future star power. We’re going to have to find it - my guess is through trading and free agency.
Would be great if we had future star power already there in our young players. CCJ, Stack do have X factor about them. If that can be developed into game winning attributes I’m all for it!It’s always hard when you are at the top because you don’t get the top draft picks. However there is still time for our youngsters to get to that level or close to it. Riewoldt’s first couple of years were development, Rance was prone to mishaps.
There are a few coming through but to me the one is CCJ. Could be anything. His marking is pretty special.
good work Spooker. Impressive
This is preparing for the Flossy era.
Pickett prises that window open a bit longer. A gun midfielder same age as Prestia.
On the negative side its likely we will depart at least 5 of the 25-26 yo. Only keeping small flankers and bigger Ivan.
The 28yo will be 2.
That makes 7 between 25-29.
There will be a massive hole.
I agree with the thinking behind Zac Jones, but not the player (speedy flanker)
It's Taranto I would be eyeing off. Or Bonar.
Build on the cluster of 22-24yo
Cap space will appear when the legends retire
We should ASK to get the last 8 at the MCGGaps? They will come when next year's draw is announced. Playing at the G is likely to be sporadic.
Collingwood have a list gap. It's 211cm tall and goes by the name Mason Cox.
Totally agree. We may of already targeted someone for next year, meanwhile, we will get the best possible kids in this year's draft and use the free agency /swap to get the player we need urgently.We have banked one key piece moving forward - Lynch. I’m not sure any of the rest have that level of talent. And it takes star level talent to win it all. I think we’ll find that out when Cotch, Martin, Jack and Rance retire. I don’t see anyone else in that bracket on our list. We have decent level talent - but our ‘list gap’ is future star power. We’re going to have to find it - my guess is through trading and free agency.
These are rare times. Who would have thought this time three years ago that we would have witnessed two dominant premiership performances in the next 36 months? This is a special group, but times moves fast. As fans, we need to savour them because we know how long it can be between drinks. There is at least one more flag in them, but a look three years ahead shows us it is harvest time right now. The club and the players are well aware of this.
In 2022, our current list will turn:
34 - Houli, Jack, Sheds
33 - Rance
32 - Chimp
31 - Dusty, Grimes, DTLD, Lambo
30 - Prestia, Lynch, Caddy, Pickett
29 - Broad
28 - Floss, KMac, Nank, Aarts
27 - _____
26 - Soldo, Menadue, Butler, Short, Castagna, Markov, Moore
25 - Rioli, Chol
24 - Baker, Bolton, Graham, Garth, Eggs
23 - Higlet, Balta, CJ, Naish, Miller
22 - RCD, Ross, Stack, Turner, English
13 blokes 30 or over, all quality. Not all will be around, hopefully several are. 14 blokes 24 or under (plus three years of draftees) - plenty of quality. There is a looming hole in the crucial 25-29 age group (12 of this year's premiership team in this age bracket). Blair will be all over this and I have no doubt we will look to bring in free agents/trades to fill these gaps. This goes some way to explaining the interest in Zak Jones - he will turn 27 in 2022. Expect us to target blokes from the 2011-15 draft years as they become available.
Griff is the same age as Dusty and co, and Conca is the same age as the Prestia group, so we've covered for them.how did we end up with this hole? conca, lennon, griff...
The big risk for the AFL if they do that is the attendance numbers go backwards due to ground size. They won’t want that to happen.Gaps? They will come when next year's draw is announced. Playing at the G is likely to be sporadic.
Added to my last post I have heard a rumour that all our home games will be played in Tassie as a pre cursor to the new club the Tassie Tigers.Has anyone heard this?The big risk for the AFL if they do that is the attendance numbers go backwards due to ground size. They won’t want that to happen.
Do we we really need something else to talk about though?My point is if we wait until then, we can expect another 30 years languishing in mediocrity. We need to make sure we are looking forward to 5/10 years down the track as well as next year. We start equal last before round 1 next year.
Besides, if we just sit here only talking about how good we are, it's going to get a bit boring. We need something else to talk about.