12 hours ago, KrazyJay said:

My days of being a glass half empty member are over...

I go in to every season now with the utmost confidence that we make finals...

Hawks had their "line in the sand" moment...

I may have possibly just had my "line on the mirror" moment 

You nearly had me sold on the merits of your philosophy, then I noticed your moniker. (:-)

 

3 hours ago, DubDee said:

Don't understand people thinking bombers will be good next season. I'm tipping bottom four.  Half the team haven't even seen the other half all year!

stanton and Jobe (32 by start of season) are getting on and the lack of continuity will not help them. They have 6 or so good players and struggle after that. Poor ruck, no forwards aside from Daniher. Not much speed and spread. Missed the draft for 2 years. Not many kids coming through. 

I may be clouded by my rampant hatred for them however. 

The big question is the impact of a season away from playing, but as for the 32 year olds, some older players have done alright this year. Matt Boyd and Enright both AA's, Harvey, Morris at dogs,  Reiwolt, Sam Mitchell, etc, etc.

I dislike them too, so I hope you prove correct.

8 hours ago, Wiseblood said:

On our best day we can beat anybody.  I'd pencil us in, but not use a pen, for any game next year.  

If we get our consistency up and see the improvement across the board from our young brigade then anything is possible.  If not, then we're in for potentially a tough season.

This is exactly where I sit, Wiseblood. Our potential for 2017 is as high as it has been since the beginning of the Balme/Daniher era but it has yet to transfer over into consistent finals-worthy football. When we play at our peak we look brilliant. When we relax into mental lethargy we get the Carlton, Essendon and St. Kilda games.

The difference now is that behind the playong list we have a fully functional, professional club that can operate quietly and efficiently, while making the main focus football and not survivial etc...

Our coaching panel looks very strong, our list looks exciting, so the stage is set and all the players are in place. But I will continue to hold the pencil in my hand and not the pen for a little while yet. 

I see 13 wins, a few ridiculous losses, and we win one final. 

18 minutes ago, Maldonboy38 said:

This is exactly where I sit, Wiseblood. Our potential for 2017 is as high as it has been since the beginning of the Balme/Daniher era but it has yet to transfer over into consistent finals-worthy football. When we play at our peak we look brilliant. When we relax into mental lethargy we get the Carlton, Essendon and St. Kilda games.

The difference now is that behind the playong list we have a fully functional, professional club that can operate quietly and efficiently, while making the main focus football and not survivial etc...

Our coaching panel looks very strong, our list looks exciting, so the stage is set and all the players are in place. But I will continue to hold the pencil in my hand and not the pen for a little while yet. 

I see 13 wins, a few ridiculous losses, and we win one final. 

I reckon you're right, the team will in my opinion be very different under Goodwin next year, they'll really get this game plan nailed down and i expect us to finish between 5th and 8th

Angus Brayshaw, Christian Petracca, Clayton Oliver, Jesse Hogan, Christian Salem, Jayden Hunt are all ready to do what Jack Viney and co did this year and take the next step and become genuine guns of the league

4 hours ago, DubDee said:

Don't understand people thinking bombers will be good next season. I'm tipping bottom four.  Half the team haven't even seen the other half all year!

stanton and Jobe (32 by start of season) are getting on and the lack of continuity will not help them. They have 6 or so good players and struggle after that. Poor ruck, no forwards aside from Daniher. Not much speed and spread. Missed the draft for 2 years. Not many kids coming through. 

I may be clouded by my rampant hatred for them however. 

Hurley, Watson, Stanton, Zakarakis, Merrett, Heppell, Parrish, Goddard, Fantasia, Pops Kelly, Hocking, McDonald-T, Daniher not a bad start, a mix of experience and youth, think your 'hatred' is clouding your judgement

Each year under Roos our average age decreased. We have the talent it's game time and incremental personal improvement from a young list. As well as a game plan that holds up.

oh and leadership that has been sadly lacking......

might just wait to get excited until I see all the various team lists.

How our list ends up after trade and draft will for mine determine the direction we are now taking.

I sense Goody is about to make a course redirection. Not huge but one that will change up our game a bit (we have to)

 

1 hour ago, Satyriconhome said:

Hurley, Watson, Stanton, Zakarakis, Merrett, Heppell, Parrish, Goddard, Fantasia, Pops Kelly, Hocking, McDonald-T, Daniher not a bad start, a mix of experience and youth, think your 'hatred' is clouding your judgement

Out of that list I can see McDonald-T fading away next year, pops gone one season too many and finish off in the VFL or retire mid season, Watson retire at the end of the season along with Stanton & Goddard.

They will be rebuilding around youth by the end of 2017...

6 hours ago, DubDee said:

Don't understand people thinking bombers will be good next season. I'm tipping bottom four.  Half the team haven't even seen the other half all year!

stanton and Jobe (32 by start of season) are getting on and the lack of continuity will not help them. They have 6 or so good players and struggle after that. Poor ruck, no forwards aside from Daniher. Not much speed and spread. Missed the draft for 2 years. Not many kids coming through. 

I may be clouded by my rampant hatred for them however. 

Can't see Essendon doing much either.  Good too.

cant wait to see the development in our younger players. Hunt, Track, Oliver, Bradshaw and Kent excite... and the backs Omac and Wagner need much improvement.

feel we need a small forward who can rip a game apart. 

18 minutes ago, rjay said:

Out of that list I can see McDonald-T fading away next year, pops gone one season too many and finish off in the VFL or retire mid season, Watson retire at the end of the season along with Stanton & Goddard.

They will be rebuilding around youth by the end of 2017...

Wow big call on McDonald-T, personally can see him forming a frightening partnership with Daniher,

11 hours ago, Wiseblood said:

On our best day we can beat anybody.  I'd pencil us in, but not use a pen, for any game next year.  

On our best day and on a top team's off day.

Consistency will be another obvious factor next year.

We can't continue to play at our best one week and then our worst the following.

And I don't buy the 'young list' [censored].

The dog's showed what's possible if you bring consistency every week. And they have a very young list. 

4 hours ago, xarronn said:

The big question is the impact of a season away from playing, but as for the 32 year olds, some older players have done alright this year. Matt Boyd and Enright both AA's, Harvey, Morris at dogs,  Reiwolt, Sam Mitchell, etc, etc.

I dislike them too, so I hope you prove correct.

True but you still see the vast majority retire at latest early 30's. And inside midfielders usually can't kick on very long due to the pounding their bodies take. IMO can't see Watson Stanton hocking lasting long at all. Not to mention the mental side of things, Watson was very close to not coming back

59 minutes ago, stevethemanjordan said:

On our best day and on a top team's off day.

Consistency will be another obvious factor next year.

We can't continue to play at our best one week and then our worst the following.

And I don't buy the 'young list' [censored].

The dog's showed what's possible if you bring consistency every week. And they have a very young list. 

Totally agree with the bolded part (and the rest, but that part the most).

We can have all the talent in the world, but if we can't get the consistency of our efforts right then it will be for nothing.

Saw Billy Stretch running 400s at gosches this week.  He is up early getting himself fit.

Just to supplement this thread, I have some individualised homework for some players as follows:

• Hogan - set shot goal kicking practice
• Petracca - as above and improve fitness
• Viney, Kent, Tyson - improve kicking on the non-preferred side so you don't fear turning on to the right
• O McDonald - eat a lot

 

I see the following mids and flankers who got a game at times this year as not part of our starting 22 if we are to become a serious threat. 

Bugg, Vandenberg, M Jones, Kennedy, Harmes, Lumumba, Wagner, Michie, Newton, Neale-Bullen, Trengove, Grimes White.

At times during the year we had up to seven of them in the side at once. At best it was still 3, which not surprisingly was in the consecutive wins against the Hawks and Power. This was in a year when we had a pretty clean run with injury. 

This to me shows that if we are to improve we still have a clear need to draft, trade and develop our midfield and running depth as well as hope that all of Oliver, Brayshaw and Petracca become consistent top grade talent sooner rather than later. 

Going back to the title of this thread - the off-season improvement, Roos in his final press conference and B&Fspeech Roos made a point of saying the future starts now.  It is what the players do in the next 8 to 10 weeks that will set them up for success.  If they come back fit they go straight into preseason, if they don't they lose 8 weeks getting them fit.

Jetta (our quiet achieving gun) says this on our club website: I just wanted to get a lot fitter and back up the years that I’d had before, so it all starts with your off-season and then leads into pre-season and being able to get through every session. “The season should then look after itself body-wise.”

If a player comes back from the off-season fit then the coaches can teach them new tricks, game plan etc.

So in terms of off-season improvement I hope all the players heard Roos' comments.  I like to think most players will do the right thing in the off season.  For, where we end up in 2017, I shall wait a month and see what our list and our fixture looks like.  Oh, and how our players come back from the off-season.

I don't think 'success' is going to magically happen because we have a bit more experience and a new coach.

Edited October 9, 20168 yr by Lucifer's Hero

I expect a quantum leap in team performance next year and look forward to the subsequent wins.

The game plan is heart in mouth type stuff at the moment and the overuse of handball needs addressing. The young guys will be more composed and trusting with another pre season under their belt. Logic would suggest that this will translate into more efficient ball movement by foot and therefore reduce the pressure handballs. 

I have concerns about the 'team defence' we employ. The mis-matches that invariably occur usually result in scoring and I understand that the risk we take on here is contrasted by the benefit of a sling shot play when it comes off. I expect Goodwin and co will put considerable time into this area during pre season.

Midfield is looking the goods. Number 4 in the league with the young blokes is a real credit to them. God help us if Gawn goes down!

The forward line needs to drastically improve if we're to make finals. So many wasted entries, so many bombs that get rebounded. If we can sort this out we'll score heavily.

Watts will go to another level, Garlett needs to rediscover some confidence because he can is clearly a damaging small when up and about. Kent, I love his aggression but he needs to focus on the ball more than the man and I believe he will transform into an exceptional and tough mid/forward. Hogan will deliver in spades next year

In general and with a little bias, I think we have the best young list second only to the Giants. The desire shown by the Dogs this year coupled with the bye round prior to the final series, has opened up a whole new level of opportunity for any team in the top eight. We can no longer afford to put in pissweak showings and drop of the face of the Earth at seasons end like we do so often.

The players need to go into the season expecting to play more than 23 games.

Go Demons! 

 

Edited October 9, 20168 yr by McQueen

1 hour ago, McQueen said:

I expect a quantum leap in team performance next year and look forward to the subsequent wins.

The game plan is heart in mouth type stuff at the moment and the overuse of handball needs addressing. The young guys will be more composed and trusting with another pre season under their belt. Logic would suggest that this will translate into more efficient ball movement by foot and therefore reduce the pressure handballs.

 

Did the dogs no harm!

The issue is when to handball and its effectiveness. Too many times we handball to a stationary target or at the players feet etc. Skills that the dogs have shown can be improved rapidly

1 hour ago, jnrmac said:

Did the dogs no harm!

The issue is when to handball and its effectiveness. Too many times we handball to a stationary target or at the players feet etc. Skills that the dogs have shown can be improved rapidly

I think you'll find the issue lies further up the field. A lot of the time we have nothing to kick to whether it's because of the opposition defensive structures or our own players not getting into position.

If we get the latter right, we should be able to pass the ball by foot much sooner and cut down on handball disposals.

19-23 continued development: Viney Salem* Petraccccccccca  Oliver Brayshaw Hunt Hogan  O.mcd  Stretch Weideman Frost Kent Harmes Wagner.

Returning from injury: Lamumba and Salem* JKH

Can give us more: Garlett Vince

Must maintain form : Gawn Tyson N.Jones Watts T.mcd Jetta

Instant uplift: Melksham Hibberd#

Stability and depth for now : Dunn Garland Vdhberg Trengove ANB Bugg Wagner  M.White BenKen 

Development: Hulett  Mitch King... and the 2016 draftees

(Assume Dawes Newton Michie Max-King also to be delisted)

Watch out in 2017. We are ready to take the finals step. 

Edited October 9, 20168 yr by spirit of norm smith
x

1 hour ago, jnrmac said:

Did the dogs no harm!

The issue is when to handball and its effectiveness. Too many times we handball to a stationary target or at the players feet etc. Skills that the dogs have shown can be improved rapidly

Agree agree agree agree agree and agree.

We overdid the handball but it can be crafted.

17 hours ago, DubDee said:

Don't understand people thinking bombers will be good next season. I'm tipping bottom four.  Half the team haven't even seen the other half all year!

stanton and Jobe (32 by start of season) are getting on and the lack of continuity will not help them. They have 6 or so good players and struggle after that. Poor ruck, no forwards aside from Daniher. Not much speed and spread. Missed the draft for 2 years. Not many kids coming through. 

I may be clouded by my rampant hatred for them however. 

There is really no visible reason why they would dramatically improve, is there?

I really think kicking at goal is a big thing with the comp so close conversion can be the difference between first and tenth

10 hours ago, stevethemanjordan said:

On our best day and on a top team's off day.

Consistency will be another obvious factor next year.

We can't continue to play at our best one week and then our worst the following.

And I don't buy the 'young list' [censored].

The dog's showed what's possible if you bring consistency every week. And they have a very young list. 

Ninety one extra free kicks can do amazing things for game confidence in tight situations. Handing the ball back to the Central Umpire. Inviting them to the rooms after games etc, etc.