Where do we finish on the ladder next year?

[beelzebub 23,390]

Good grief.

How can anyone anticipate where we finish up this year without knowing the full line up?

Sort of agree, but then again its not anticipated ( (by Roos ) that anyone from the draft will be expected to do much in 2015...so in reality you now know the playing lineup...or list to choose from.

[CBDees 3,167]

Bombers are a monty for the spoon........must be that Spoon for its medicine to make the arrogant go down.

Don't they use a spoon to heat up their drugs before injecting?

[CBDees 3,167]

Good grief.

How can anyone anticipate where we finish up this year without knowing the full line up?

We can reasonably anticipate the full line-up with the exception of who we take at picks #40 and #53 [plus the two rookies], most of whom are unlikely to feature in our first 22!

[Demon 16 216]

I'd be pretty surprised if we move any further than 1 or 2 spots up the ladder, at the most.

I hope that the following year will see some movement up the ladder.

[Curry & Beer 5,444]

Dead centre. 11 wins. 10th/11th place.

Rationale:

2014 MFC: 8.6 goals, 8.9 behinds, score 61 (score against = 89)

2014 AFL: 12.5 goals, 11.4 behinds, score 86

Kick 4 more goals per week and we are average

Hogan and Garlett provide new avenues.

Our backline is actually stronger with Lumumba and Frost for Frawley.

Pick 2 and 3 might give us a little extra something also.

PS It will be a cold day in hell before I give a rat's about what anybody in the media or on bigfooty has to say about this football club.

PPS We lost 6 by 20 points or less. Everyone seems to overlook that. That's a total margin of about 10 goals for the year being the diff between 4 and 10 wins. That's nothing. For starters, Hogan will kick 10 without breaking a sweat

I really am suprised at the negativity. For all those continuing to condemn us to the bottom 3 or so.. can you please logically refute the above rationalisation? Surely I am not drawing too long a bow?

[Jesse Christ 2,884]

I think we can do a lot better than many are forecasting. We are coming off such a low base- we at least have the most scope for improvement.

Adding some dynamic players like Lamumba and Garlett should reap instant rewards, this with the improvement from another pre-season and some maturing of bodies we could see a dramatic improvement. I don't feel we've lost too if the inclusion of Hogan and Frost can cover Frawley, and I think they can snd then some. Clark is obviously not a loss because we never really had him.

I want 8 wins at least next year, I think it's possible

[Ron Burgundy 8,588]

I hope we win games early and get confidence and momentum, something we've not had since about 2006.

If we do, perhaps we can finish about 10th. Can't go from second last to top 8 in a year IMO.

That would be the stuff of Hollywood - and I don't believe in Hollywood.

[Ron Burgundy 8,588]

And please don't cite 1997/1998 - that situation won't repeat itself ...

[Jesse Christ 2,884]

Round 1 very important, as always. Lamumbas 200th- a win with Lamumba, Hogan maybe Frost and Newton in the middle of the team song being drenched in Gatoraid would surely set the spirits high and hold us in good stead for the following rounds. Really hope we can win it against an up and coming team like GC, it would mean so much!

[Curry & Beer 5,444]

Good grief.

watch your language skills32, that sort of thing is not tolerated around here at nannystate.com

[rpfc 28,966]

watch your language skills32, that sort of thing is not tolerated around here at nannystate.com

You can start your own forum and turn off the censoring and the moderating capability.

It would be a beacon.

[Beats 190]

I really am suprised at the negativity. For all those continuing to condemn us to the bottom 3 or so.. can you please logically refute the above rationalisation? Surely I am not drawing too long a bow?

Not refuting that rationalisation but it needs to be relative to the competition, not just focused on the MFC, as the same thing can be said about most of the bottom teams.

IMO we will finish higher than:

St Kilda - will struggle to kick goals/ leaky defence

the WB - leaky defence unless Roughead or Talia massively improve

Carlton - where does their improvement/ goals come from?

Collingwood - How does anyone believe they're going to play finals next year? Hard to see their young players producing more than the players leaving the club. Ball, Beams, Lumumba and to an extent Maxwell are big losses

Can't see us finishing above many others, unless Essendon lose all their players.

[Curry & Beer 5,444]

You can start your own forum and turn off the censoring and the moderating capability.

It would be a beacon.

With regard to posts on the Demonland Forums, the Demonland Administrators and Moderators reserve the right to edit and/or remove posts that are considered to be:

• Acts of personal abuse

[Curry & Beer 5,444]

the same thing can be said about most of the bottom teams

Not really. How many of them lost 6 games by 20 points or less last year? How many have a near-average score against? How many have one big out and 4 big (or at least decent) ins? How many also get draft picks 2+3 in? How many have a genuine a-list coach working on it?.. for how many is ALL of the above true?

I don't know why I get pumped up just to be deflated every season but I can't help it!

[rpfc 28,966]

With regard to posts on the Demonland Forums, the Demonland Administrators and Moderators reserve the right to edit and/or remove posts that are considered to be:

• Acts of personal abuse

How draconian...

Let me know when Stakkaland or C&B Land is operational.

[Beats 190]

Not really. How many of them lost 6 games by 20 points or less last year? How many have a near-average score against? How many have one big out and 4 big (or at least decent) ins? How many also get draft picks 2+3 in? How many have a genuine a-list coach working on it?.. for how many is ALL of the above true?

I don't know why I get pumped up just to be deflated every season but I can't help it!

Some of the questions you asked are subjective/ biased towards the MFC but I'll bite.

Other teams in the bottom 6 with similar amounts of close losses in 2014:

WB lost 6 by under 13 points, GWS lost 5 by under 15 points, Carlton lost 6 by under 15 (and had a draw).

Of the bottom 6 we have the best score against by a fair margin, we also have the worst score for by a fair margin. Let's not sugar coat it by looking at the points against column, we had the 2nd worst % in the comp last year.

We've probably did better than the other bottom 6 teams (except Brisbane) during trade week and will do better than them during the draft.

A-list coach is subjective.

Not looking to start an argument, just stating facts. Other than GWS I think we have the most potential of any club down the bottom, but can't see all that potential being realised next year.

[Bluey's Dad 3,419]

How draconian...

Let me know when Stakkaland or C&B Land is operational.

I don't know about you I for one would love to visit Olisikland.

Just once, mind you. I'm not sure I could take more than one visit.

[hardtack 10,980]

I don't know about you I for one would love to visit Olisikland.

Just once, mind you. I'm not sure I could take more than one visit.

I would fancy a visit to Enyawland just so that I could feel like Superman visiting Bizarro World.

[Curry & Beer 5,444]

How draconian...

Let me know when Stakkaland or C&B Land is operational.

draconian indeed. Isn't that the type of government you're supporting? Big fan of free speech, unless it might possibly offend somebody, somewhere in any way, in which case, you're not allowed say it. Even if the person taking offense is Helen Lovejoy.

but I digress... Month ban for rpfc please if the umpire is paying frees consistently.. good grief (excuse my vulgarity)

[Curry & Beer 5,444]

Some of the questions you asked are subjective/ biased towards the MFC but I'll bite.

Other teams in the bottom 6 with similar amounts of close losses in 2014:

WB lost 6 by under 13 points, GWS lost 5 by under 15 points, Carlton lost 6 by under 15 (and had a draw).

Of the bottom 6 we have the best score against by a fair margin, we also have the worst score for by a fair margin. Let's not sugar coat it by looking at the points against column, we had the 2nd worst % in the comp last year.

We've probably did better than the other bottom 6 teams (except Brisbane) during trade week and will do better than them during the draft.

A-list coach is subjective.

Not looking to start an argument, just stating facts. Other than GWS I think we have the most potential of any club down the bottom, but can't see all that potential being realised next year.

thank you for doing some research and responding intelligently. The same can't be said for the 90-odd posts that preceded you. How is it possible that 4 of the bottom 6 lost so many so closely? Especially when you consider that NONE of the 17 close losses you've just listed overlap our close wins? It's not like these close wins are being fought out 'amongst themselves' at the bottom. What it tells me is there is SFA between the bottom 12 clubs or so on the bottom, as they seemingly interchange close battles on a regular basis. I guess what I mean is that we have a top 6 and you can throw a blanket over the rest. Which gives me reason,. as you recognise, to be positive about the building of our list/drafting vs the others

however, Roosy's credentials aren't subjective, surely. People look at 4 wins and seem underwhelmed.. i look at at a 56-point halving to a 28-point loss, and being about 10 goals away for the year from a 10 win season and think that Roost's MFC debut was pretty darn good.

(NB rpfc I said 'darn' not 'damn' so don't be upset please)

[rpfc 28,966]

draconian indeed. Isn't that the type of government you're supporting? Big fan of free speech, unless it might possibly offend somebody, somewhere in any way, in which case, you're not allowed say it. Even if the person taking offense is Helen Lovejoy.

but I digress... Month ban for rpfc please if the umpire is paying frees consistently.. good grief (excuse my vulgarity)

What are you talking about?

The Internet is the most lawless body in history. You have happened upon a tiny spec of it that has a clear ownership structure with a desire to not be held culpable by what people post.

This is what you are having a meltdown about.

Bigfooty will accommodate you. You can say hello to Hannibal. That's something...

[old dee 24,028]

What are you talking about?

The Internet is the most lawless body in history. You have happened upon a tiny spec of it that has a clear ownership structure with a desire to not be held culpable by what people post.

This is what you are having a meltdown about.

Bigfooty will accommodate you. You can say hello to Hannibal. That's something...

Could not agree more rpfc

Thank god for a little sanity

[Beats 190]

thank you for doing some research and responding intelligently. The same can't be said for the 90-odd posts that preceded you. How is it possible that 4 of the bottom 6 lost so many so closely? Especially when you consider that NONE of the 17 close losses you've just listed overlap our close wins? It's not like these close wins are being fought out 'amongst themselves' at the bottom. What it tells me is there is SFA between the bottom 12 clubs or so on the bottom, as they seemingly interchange close battles on a regular basis. I guess what I mean is that we have a top 6 and you can throw a blanket over the rest. Which gives me reason,. as you recognise, to be positive about the building of our list/drafting vs the others

however, Roosy's credentials aren't subjective, surely. People look at 4 wins and seem underwhelmed.. i look at at a 56-point halving to a 28-point loss, and being about 10 goals away for the year from a 10 win season and think that Roost's MFC debut was pretty darn good.

(NB rpfc I said 'darn' not 'damn' so don't be upset please)

My apologies, I didn't get to finish my post as my ride home was a big believer in GHOTD (http://www.gohomeontimeday.org.au/).

Agree that the amount of close losses down the ladder indicates that it is a relatively even competition and I'd go as far to say that it includes the top 6 - Of Melbourne, the WB, Carlton and GWS's 23 losses by under 20 points 8 came against top 6 sides (Geelong won 10 games by 20 or less points, Port won 6). I'd say there's a correlation between average number of games played and winning close games, but cbf doing the research to prove it.

In terms of A-List coaches being subjective, I wasn't referring to Roos as he has runs on the board, but the other coaches of bottom 6 sides, most of whom don't have the exposed form to make an accurate assessment on. Is MM still an A-list coach? Is Beveridge the next Clarkson? etc.

Other than the teams I highlighted in a post above (WB, Carlton, Collingwood & St Kilda) I struggle to see clear reasons why we would finish ahead of other teams. If we have a few lucky wins (and other teams don't) and no injuries to key players we could finish in the 8, but I consider that unlikely.

[bush demon 2,202]

I think we can do a lot better than many are forecasting. We are coming off such a low base- we at least have the most scope for improvement.

-12.

Adding some dynamic players like Lamumba and Garlett should reap instant rewards, this with the improvement from another pre-season and some maturing of bodies we could see a dramatic improvement. I don't feel we've lost too if the inclusion of Hogan and Frost can cover Frawley, and I think they can snd then some. Clark is obviously not a loss because we never really had him.

I want 8 wins at least next year, I think it's possible

Our best last year was mid-table. We beat Carlton, Essendon, Richmond and Adelaide without a forward line to straighten us up. With the addition of Hogan and good players coming in, we could expect to get at least 10-12, imo. Frawley is a loss.

[beelzebub 23,390]

Just a quick perusal at fixture

teams I think we can more than take it up to, alphabetically

Carlton(1) Collingwood (2) Essendon (1), Giants (2) , St Kilda (2) WCE (1) and Doggies (2)

teams a fair crack at

Adelaide (1) , Gold Coast (1) Richmond (1) , Port (1) and Lions (1)

There are 16 games there that aren't impossible indeed quite a few very gettable

Can't understand why anyone doesn't think at least half of those might not be wins for the Dees given we now have 'some' firepower where there was very little and our midfield wont be any worse, indeed ought to be in the realms of 25% to 33% better ( efficiency )

Pluses :

Backline more defined and bolstered. More attack and run off the hbl

Midfield better stocked and more experienced.

Forwards.... now have real potency

Minuses. Not only team to change and potentially improve

Last year we lost games that arguably were ours to win. I just dont see that repeating in 2015. Not just hope , but we will be more evolved, experienced and confident as a list.

Games that may provide , seemingly , the greatest upsets are against North, Port, and Geelong

Will be a very interesting year Not pessimistic at all