I think we do or are very close. 

Starting from the backline we have solid unit in Dunn, Macdonald, Jetta, Salem etc are all hard at it and can tackle.

On to the midfield and there's a list of absolute solid candidates who compete. We also have 3 players who either haven't played or been on long term injury who could be potential A Graders.(Petracca, Oliver, Trengove)

Finishing up forward with Hogan, Kent and even Dawes if form permits. 

Look at our previous sides in past years and I reckon when they click it'll go BANG and surprise everybody?

Who can tell until the heat is turned up

We did lose to Carlton and Essendon last year

so i am not convinced yet

i think Oliver will be the one who sets the bar going forward...

Just now, Sir Why You Little said:

Who can tell until the heat is turned up

We did lose to Carlton and Essendon last year

so i am not convinced yet

i think Oliver will be the one who sets the bar going forward...

I believe Jack Viney will be setting the bar long before Oliver will be.  He'll just follow in his footsteps. 

I think it's a bit premature re Oliver, I would've thought Viney has already set the bar on being a competitor, just ask T Mac. 

Just now, Wiseblood said:

I believe Jack Viney will be setting the bar long before Oliver will be.  He'll just follow in his footsteps. 

Oliver will be twice Viney's size in 3-4 years....!

he is going to be a Monster

great get. 

And to answer the OP, yes, I agree, I think we are close to fielding such a team thanks to the list changes the last few years. 

Just now, Sir Why You Little said:

Oliver will be twice Viney's size in 3-4 years....!

he is going to be a Monster

great get. 

I couldn't agree more.

But Viney is a bulldozer.  His attack on the footy and his intensity in each game he plays is something guys like Brayshaw, Petracca, Oliver etc will be looking up to in the years to come.  Viney doesn't give a stuff about size, he just gets it done.

1 minute ago, Sir Why You Little said:

Oliver will be twice Viney's size in 3-4 years....!

he is going to be a Monster

great get. 

1 more preseason.....

1 minute ago, Wiseblood said:

I couldn't agree more.

But Viney is a bulldozer.  His attack on the footy and his intensity in each game he plays is something guys like Brayshaw, Petracca, Oliver etc will be looking up to in the years to come.  Viney doesn't give a stuff about size, he just gets it done.

Fair Points but i think Oliver is going to be bigger & he plays the same way...

 

He is going to be a unit and combined with Salem, i reckon they could dominate the play...

7 minutes ago, Sir Why You Little said:

Who can tell until the heat is turned up

We did lose to Carlton and Essendon last year

 

My thoughts exactly,there were some pretty bad games last year where we played as bad as the Neeld era.On the other hand we did play some great football although rarely for 4 quarters(the Geelong game was an exception).If we can get rid of the teams collective split personality and play consistently then we will have a team of competitors.Most of new blood that has come into the club over the last couple of years seems to have the fighting spirit we need and will contribute greatly to our ascension up the ladder.

Some of the holes in our game that I saw during the intra-club game has me worried that we will get ripped apart by the top teams.I hope this will be countered by the added depth of the team and that our better players will have to compete amongst themselves for a place in the side instead of the free ride lazy non-competitors have had in the past.

19 minutes ago, thevil1 said:

And to answer the OP, yes, I agree, I think we are close to fielding such a team thanks to the list changes the last few years. 

Totally agree. After so many wasted drafts it seems the penny has dropped, you pick the kids with an appetite for a contest and with skills of course. I used to say we needed kids with some mongrel, aggressive, physical, dare I say intimidating types but we kept picking nice, skilled, Outside types and it cost us. I now have some confidence that we can be nasty and I think we have a group of kids who can play. We just need a good run with injuries. 

2 minutes ago, Earl Hood said:

Totally agree. After so many wasted drafts it seems the penny has dropped, you pick the kids with an appetite for a contest and with skills of course. I used to say we needed kids with some mongrel, aggressive, physical, dare I say intimidating types but we kept picking nice, skilled, Outside types and it cost us. I now have some confidence that we can be nasty and I think we have a group of kids who can play. We just need a good run with injuries. 

Agree, imagine the possibilities especially without injuries. Also Im betting Petracca will have a massive impact this year just like Hogans second year. 

56 minutes ago, thesleepinggiant said:

I think we do or are very close. 

Starting from the backline we have solid unit in Dunn, Macdonald, Jetta, Salem etc are all hard at it and can tackle.

On to the midfield and there's a list of absolute solid candidates who compete. We also have 3 players who either haven't played or been on long term injury who could be potential A Graders.(Petracca, Oliver, Trengove)

Finishing up forward with Hogan, Kent and even Dawes if form permits. 

Look at our previous sides in past years and I reckon when they click it'll go BANG and surprise everybody?

not yet 'tsg'.

we are heading in that direction, but once we first weedout/convert the unwashed hunters on our list; we won't have a team of competitors.

 

But once we have the whole list believing in & proud of,  the 'competative beast spirit',,, we can then ease up & let momentum roll.  but with a anxious eye toward any slacking off, from this dee-sired culture.

 

.

I'm a bit over this focus on competitors and competing .We'll assemble a team of competitors only to have a team devoid of skill. 

I've got Grimes as a starting wingman and am tossing up between 2 debutants (Wagner, Hunt) and Lumumba for a spot on the back flank. We might have competitors but I worry about skills.

Just give me a team of footballers who go out each week and play football. Which means attacking the ball, running hard and displaying skills. 

I like tough, physical, strong football that ensures you are always winning contests and making the other side work very hard, but I love winning more. The best teams always have a standard of competitive football required to keep a spot in the team, but they also always have players with varying skill sets which balance out the team. We won't solve all our problems by putting the cart before the horse and expecting some unachievable standard where by every player attacks the contest like Jack Viney.

Individual performances will help, but the greatest improvement will come from the players actually playing as a collective and working as a team.

59 minutes ago, DeeSpencer said:

I'm a bit over this focus on competitors and competing .We'll assemble a team of competitors only to have a team devoid of skill. 

I've got Grimes as a starting wingman and am tossing up between 2 debutants (Wagner, Hunt) and Lumumba for a spot on the back flank. We might have competitors but I worry about skills.

Just give me a team of footballers who go out each week and play football. Which means attacking the ball, running hard and displaying skills. 

I like tough, physical, strong football that ensures you are always winning contests and making the other side work very hard, but I love winning more. The best teams always have a standard of competitive football required to keep a spot in the team, but they also always have players with varying skill sets which balance out the team. We won't solve all our problems by putting the cart before the horse and expecting some unachievable standard where by every player attacks the contest like Jack Viney.

....  you think developing a hard competative culture denies skilled players.  I think you are wrong.

We will still look to recruit competitors who have strong skill sets;  & those who are slightly less competative than most, will come into a club culture that expects the non-negotiable's to be applied...  otherwise your 'skilled types' which you seem to mention,  won't get a game until such time as they do all those culture things expected,  by all & sundry in de' red & blue.

 

.

59 minutes ago, DeeSpencer said:

I'm a bit over this focus on competitors and competing .We'll assemble a team of competitors only to have a team devoid of skill. 

I've got Grimes as a starting wingman and am tossing up between 2 debutants (Wagner, Hunt) and Lumumba for a spot on the back flank. We might have competitors but I worry about skills.

Just give me a team of footballers who go out each week and play football. Which means attacking the ball, running hard and displaying skills. 

I like tough, physical, strong football that ensures you are always winning contests and making the other side work very hard, but I love winning more. The best teams always have a standard of competitive football required to keep a spot in the team, but they also always have players with varying skill sets which balance out the team. We won't solve all our problems by putting the cart before the horse and expecting some unachievable standard where by every player attacks the contest like Jack Viney.

....  you think developing a hard competative culture denies skilled players.  I think you are wrong.

We will still look to recruit competitors who have strong skill sets;  & those who are slightly less competative than most, will come into a club culture that expects the non-negotiable's to be applied...  otherwise your 'skilled types' which you seem to mention,  won't get a game until such time as they do all those culture things expected,  by all & sundry in de' red & blue.

 

.

Expect even Terlich to surprise a few this weekend.

1 hour ago, CBDees said:

Expect even Terlich to surprise a few this weekend.

Would surprise me.

If he didn't turn it over at least 3 times....

 

8 hours ago, thesleepinggiant said:

I think we do or are very close. 

Starting from the backline we have solid unit in Dunn, Macdonald, Jetta, Salem etc are all hard at it and can tackle.

On to the midfield and there's a list of absolute solid candidates who compete. We also have 3 players who either haven't played or been on long term injury who could be potential A Graders.(Petracca, Oliver, Trengove)

Finishing up forward with Hogan, Kent and even Dawes if form permits. 

Look at our previous sides in past years and I reckon when they click it'll go BANG and surprise everybody?

Being competitive is one thing coming to play every week is another.

 

When we suffer a loss this year the first person to blame "learning a new gameplan" needs to be banned from this site for a month.

10 hours ago, Sir Why You Little said:

Oliver will be twice Viney's size in 3-4 years....!

he is going to be a Monster

great get. 

That's over three and a half meters tall!

24 minutes ago, ManDee said:

That's over three and a half meters tall!

Not really unless he becomes a twig. Growth is 3-Dimensional.

4 minutes ago, CBDees said:

Not really unless he becomes a twig. Growth is 3-Dimensional.

OK 168kg then.

He did say twice his size.

What I really like is that nobody has compared him (Oliver) to such and such player... Or Petracca for that matter. Both are very unique in their own way.