If we did ok this year finishing say mid-ladder, what else would would we need to to be a contender?

To me, doing OK would be finishing somewhere in the top 8. What we need is:

• minimal injuries to our top players (especially our rejuvenated midfield);
• having our three key tall fowards on the park for most of the year and
• JKH putting in a blinder each weekend!

the free agency rules to be fixed or scrapped.

Match winners and superstars in the midfield would be nice. Someone of the Ablett / Pendelbury ilk...

Paul Roos and a stable, quality off-field department locked away long term. Five of the last 17 premiers won with mediocre to good on-field talent but outstanding coaching, development and stability. We've performed far below the sum of our parts for too long.

Bit more speed.

All of the above, with a decent slice if luck as well. While it is true that you make your own luck, I reckon we are owed a bit!

It's hard to tell because by default if we do win 8 or even more games then some things will start looking good already.

Keys to winning a grand final I'd have as:

1. Having a top defense which means team defense but also a very good back 6.

- Frawley to stay

- McDonald to step it up

- Good lock down defenders ?Garland/Grimes/Dunn/Georgiou

- Skilled attacking half backs ?Terlich/Strauss?

2. Forwards who share the goals and are capable of beating good defenders (grand finals are usually won by big bags of goals but enough forwards creating contests and taking opportunities)

- That means Clark, Dawes, Hogan, Howe play to their potential and JKH or other smalls step up

3. A game winner in the midfield

- Not many teams win grand finals without 1 or 2 truly elite performers in the midfield. Whether it's Viney, Tyson, Trengove or Nate Jones you need at least 1 elite player

4. Excellent midfield depth and class

- You don't win grand finals with a 30+ year old Daniel Cross in the guts and Matt Jones (unless he improves his kicking) on the wing.

- We need Jones, Vince, Trengove, Tyson, Viney, Watts, Toumpas, Salem, Kent, Michie and a couple more to all reach or even surpass their potential.

5. A game plan that works

6. A lot of luck

Paul Roos and a stable, quality off-field department locked away long term. Five of the last 17 premiers won with mediocre to good on-field talent but outstanding coaching, development and stability. We've performed far below the sum of our parts for too long.

Would love to know what 5. I'm thinking one of the Adelaide teams and Sydney of 2005 and maybe Sydney of 2012 who didn't have a gun forward, had 2 only decent key defenders but probably an underrated midfield.

A good mobile ball winning ruck to compliment the midfield, someone in the Cox mould.

Had a chat to a member of the Stone family yesterday, and there is a LOT of work that the coaching staff feel needs to be done. All we saw on Friday was a group of players who have regained a love of the process and the game, but have a looooong way to go before becoming the real deal. It will be a roller coaster. It seems the general feeling, other than the damage to confidence suffered over the past few years, the 'scars' as PR has put it, is the horrible mismanagement of the talent. The biggest victim being one Jack Watts. The most exciting thing was the sense that the coaching staff are loving the challenge and the work.

There is one major but simple thing needed going forward....

James Frawley to sign a long term contract

Had a chat to a member of the Stone family yesterday, and there is a LOT of work that the coaching staff feel needs to be done. All we saw on Friday was a group of players who have regained a love of the process and the game, but have a looooong way to go before becoming the real deal. It will be a roller coaster. It seems the general feeling, other than the damage to confidence suffered over the past few years, the 'scars' as PR has put it, is the horrible mismanagement of the talent. The biggest victim being one Jack Watts. The most exciting thing was the sense that the coaching staff are loving the challenge and the work.

Great post all round. Was going to say I agree with it, but it's not a matter of agreeing or not - it's a statement of fact(s).

I think every Demon supporter would love nothing better than for JW to really step up this year.

And getting back to the thread topic - if he plays to anywhere near his potential, that would take us a long way towards where we want to go.

We need more midfield depth. The additions we made this off season are a start but we are still miles behind the top 8 midfields.

There is one major but simple thing needed going forward....

James Frawley to sign a long term contract

And to get his wish granted.

We need more midfield depth. The additions we made this off season are a start but we are still miles behind the top 8 midfields.

I don't think we are, experience will take us a fair way now. I think we have the foundation of a strong midfield, a good ruck and some experience is what we need.

We need a Ruckman, for me it's Mitch Clark who needs to get his foot right and play that role, we need an out and out superstar mid to go with our work horses, if that comes from within ( Viney, Toumpas or someone like that ) or outside, a Fyfe type through free agency,

we need James Frawley to stay onboard.

we need Roosy and PJ to stay on board for at least another 2 years

Hogan to live up to the hype, Howe, Grimes, Frawley, Clark, Garland, N.jones to find AA form

We need a Ruckman, for me it's Mitch Clark who needs to get his foot right and play that role, we need an out and out superstar mid to go with our work horses, if that comes from within ( Viney, Toumpas or someone like that ) or outside, a Fyfe type through free agency,

we need James Frawley to stay onboard.

we need Roosy and PJ to stay on board for at least another 2 years

Hogan to live up to the hype, Howe, Grimes, Frawley, Clark, Garland, N.jones to find AA form

With a more defined role and support, I'm thinking/predicting, Jones could well be named AA this year.

Edited February 19, 201411 yr by hardtack

With a more defined role and support, I'm thinking/predicting, Jones could well be named AA this year.

I actually tipped Howe, Frawley and Nathan Jones to be AA this year, somewhat Bias but i think all three are more than capable, and if that happens we might give 8th a little shake

I actually tipped Howe, Frawley and Nathan Jones to be AA this year, somewhat Bias but i think all three are more than capable, and if that happens we might give 8th a little shake

I think Frawley and Jones could definitely be in the AA squad. They have the talent they just need to be in a team that is competitive and then they'll get more credit. Don't think so on Howe too much. because AA from a half forward flank as a rotating player is near impossible. He'd need 50 goals or to average close to 25 touches. Talent wise one day he could do both like Stevie J at his best but first he needs to establish himself as a consistent player. Even if he was of AA output this year it takes the judges a year to catch up.

7. Another thing we need is consistent drafting of young players to come in and build up the talent of the squad. This year we traded for Tyson, Michie and Vince going for some immediate impact but in the future we need to keep bringing in strong draft classes. That can involve trades but personally I'd like to see more Roos style mid-late trades for guys like Josh Kennedy or Rhyce Shaw than spending high picks.

8. It's related to the recruiting but we need to make sure that we have real competition for spots in the team and players are not just playing well for Casey but knocking down the door. For 2014 just making sure guys play well in the VFL would be a good start.

9. Which brings me to the next point that we need to have a strong alliance with Casey. No more dropping our players for finals but no more them signing Fev. Time for a true alliance that sees both clubs prosper. Both clubs probably have to swallow their pride and also place a bit more trust in each other. Roos hasn't made any comment about Casey yet, neither has PJ. I'd like to know their thoughts on the short and long term plan for the alliance.

the free agency rules to be fixed or scrapped.

One improvement would be that a player cannot move from a bottom 4 side to a top 4 side.

To get Nathan Fyfe - Dreaming

Edited February 19, 201411 yr by ManDee

What we really need is an inspired choice for roos for when he pulls the pin. I reckon that is the number one priority

What we really need is an inspired choice for roos for when he pulls the pin. I reckon that is the number one priority

Need to invest in human cloning I think.

I think Frawley and Jones could definitely be in the AA squad. They have the talent they just need to be in a team that is competitive and then they'll get more credit. Don't think so on Howe too much. because AA from a half forward flank as a rotating player is near impossible. He'd need 50 goals or to average close to 25 touches. Talent wise one day he could do both like Stevie J at his best but first he needs to establish himself as a consistent player. Even if he was of AA output this year it takes the judges a year to catch up.

The thing i think Howe adds is that he is an absolute nightmare to find a match up for, if he isn't All Australian he might be the hardest player in the comp to match up, obviously some stiff comp for that title