Crystal Ball 2018: Predictions for next season

[Dr. Gonzo 24,451]

Goodwin sticks it up the doubters and haters

By midseason everyone realises losing Watts was neither here nor there

Premiership or GTFO

[Little Goffy 14,758]

Demons Top-4 Finish. Build on 'good' first 2/3rds of the year and then a win streak going into finals, a bit like 2000, actually.

Multiple All-Australian selections in defence, with Lever, Hibberd and Jetta all making the 40-player squad.

Describing our group of midfielders/forwards as "difficult to match up on" becomes one of the top cliches of the season.

Hogan on the one hand proves himself the team player doing hard work to create links and disrupt defences, but on the other hand there are a few occassions, just here and there, where he takes personal control and smashes games off his own boot.

Weidemann will be in and out of the team in bursts until late in the season when things will start to click. Wont set the world on fire but will be a competent tall forward.

Our new recruits will mostly be at Casey (bold prediction I know) but a couple will get a really promising taste of AFL in their first year. "Melbourne's Depth is becoming amazing" will be another cliche we hear a lot.

Non-MFC;

Lever and Gibbs will be the 'recruits of the year' from trades, Port will continue to levitate in the 'also attended finals' category without really scaring anyone.

Overall, the top end of the ladder hosts a set of really exciting teams and the dominant game style is shaped by rigorous defence combined with a scattering of stars that break games open.

There are going to be a LOT of clubs just doing 'ok' without really mattering.

 

[brendan 3,445]

The ginger ninja to come out of no where and be in selection mix for round 1 

[Smokey 4,389]

> Hogan kicks 70

> Petracca breakout - club champion and top 5 Brownlow

> Lever to absolutely shut the naysayers up

> Tyson a regular feature in VFL

> Win a game in September, a fitting farewell gift to to Nathan Jones

 

 

[jumbo returns 6,741]

Dees win their first seven, but they're not taken seriously, ala North a couple of years ago...until...

They thump the Swans and Bombers in consecutive weeks and sit on top of the ladder with a percentage of 152.3%

Boys get around Wattsy after the Port game - he kicks 3, but Hogan kicks 7

[Ethan Tremblay 31,243]

1 hour ago, Smokey said:

> Win a game in September, a fitting farewell gift to to Nathan Jones

> Jones’ last season?

Edited November 27, 2017 by Ethan Tremblay

[ding 5,126]

After having won the most prestigious award on the internet just last year, i feel i have an obligation to take my time with next years predictions, if only for dramatic effect.

I will consult my crystal ball and post the results here when i feel you are all emotionally ready to hear what is going to happen.

@faultydet if you want inside information before i post, you know my number.

 

[P-man 13,366]

On 27 November 2017 at 12:05 AM, faultydet said:

Can you show their predictions again please?

I'm going to choke on Dings smugness when I see him next. Would be nice to be able to prepare some comebacks to help me resist the urge to make him swallow his teef.

Can't find the 2016 thread. Here's the 2017 one: 

 

[What 18,810]

Bayley Fritsch will play round 1... his talent will be on full display in preseason and he will be too good to leave out of the team.

He will get the nickname 'White Jurrah', such will be his highlight reel from the first time he sets foot on an AFL ground.

[La Dee-vina Comedia 17,034]

Having cruelled the careers of Bate, Georgiou and Spencer by choosing monikers linked to their names*, DeeSpencer will again re-name himself and have the rest of Demonland arguing over the career expectations of the new borderline player he is named after. My prediction (unless he now deliberately chooses to avoid it) is that Dean Kent might find his name or character somehow incorporated into DeeSpencer's new name. 

*For those who don't know, DeeSpencer was previously known as The Master and Georgiou R R Martin (and possibly others before I joined Demonland).

[dl4e 5,851]

We should make the 8 and do quite well in it. Unfortunately I think next year will be even more tighter than this year. I am no good at predictions so my grand hope is that Geelong fall flat on their faces.

[Big Carl 333]

20 hours ago, Ethan Tremblay said:

> Jones’ last season?

Jones has least 2 more years left.

 

[Big Carl 333]

21 hours ago, Smokey said:

> Hogan kicks 70

> Petracca breakout - club champion and top 5 Brownlow

> Lever to absolutely shut the naysayers up

> Tyson a regular feature in VFL

> Win a game in September, a fitting farewell gift to to Nathan Jones

 

 

Agree re Tyson and if we don't make significant progress in 2018 another 1 or 2 profile players will be traded at the end of the season.

 

[Lord Travis 10,793]

The Good:

We finish 6th, making finals for the first time since 2006.

We finally beat North.

Our midfield becomes one of the best in the league, and teams struggle to combat our pressure around the ball.

The rebound from our backline becomes a real weapon, with Hunt, Hibberd, Brayshaw, Salem and Jetta causing head-aches.

Bugg surprises many as a pesky small forward and becomes best 22.

Christian Petracca continues his rise to stardom and makes the AA squad. Kicks 30+ goals for the season and is the match-winner in a few games.

Dom Tyson has yet another top 5 finish in our BnF to remind everyone why he is an important part of our future midfield.

Clayton Oliver becomes recognised as a bonafide star of the competition, finishing 5th in the Brownlow and making the AA midfield. 

Gawn stays fit and plays the full season, reclaiming his thrown as AA ruckman.
 

The Bad:

Jones, Vince and Lewis all struggle with the pace of the game and lingering injury issues. 2 of the 3 retire at years end.

Tom McDonald forward doesn't work out and he returns to the backline. This exposes our lack of quality tall forwards and increased pressure on Hogan.

We continue to struggle against big forwards. Frost's form deteriorates, Oscar struggles to develop further, TMac heads down back but his form fluctuates and Lever is left to try and steady the ship in more of a shut down role. 

We endure another year of media speculation about Hogan returning to WA, after he has a mediocre year form-wise.

We lose to Richmond after controlling the majority of the match again.

The soft-underbelly lingers. While we finish 6th, we could have finished 1st-2nd if not for losing winnable matches against lesser opponents.

Edited November 28, 2017 by Lord Travis

[old55 23,838]

Flag

[qwerty7 326]

8 minutes ago, Fifty-5 said:

Flag

i hope you win the crystal ball

[Damo 3,437]

Bugg and Pederson to have great years. Hogan and Petracca to stay promising. Tom MacDonald to be match winner again at least twice. ANB to be 1st 22. 

I hope to see more short passes lace out inside the 50.

[Smokey 4,389]

On 27/11/2017 at 3:22 PM, Ethan Tremblay said:

> Jones’ last season?

Yeah I think it might be. Especially if we have a crack in September.

Love the bloke to bits but he's slowing down a little bit, which comes at no surprise since he's been carrying the whole team on his back for so many years (Hope I'm wrong)

Edited November 28, 2017 by Smokey

[The Stigga 1,096]

I must say looking at the draw a month later it's quite a difficult one. 

I only count 4 gimmes, Carlton, Freo at home and the GC games. Maybe the 5th would be North, but that's perennially been a bogey game. 

I don't have Supreme confidence about anything else. Tough start to with Geelong . Lose that badly then not hugely confident about Brisbane away the next week in the heat. 

 

 

Edited November 28, 2017 by The Stigga

[Wadda We Sing 10,685]

Bit off topic buuuutttt..........why are The Bummers holding a members forum with the players and coaches and ex coaches etc etc....700+ members.....big Pow Wow...on Channel 9 news...(as if thats news)......I hate it when they get on the TV ranting on and on, this time about draft picks.......did they do that well? ......and at this time of year??....so why dont we do stuff like this?!!!!

 

rant over..

Edited November 28, 2017 by Wadda We Sing

[puntkick 325]

We do, its at 6.30 pm Thursday 14 December, gate 2, level 2 at the MCG members dining room

Free questions, sandwiches, and refreshments

[spirit of norm smith 16,617]

Demons will improve because

- Hogan hopefully plays a full year

- Gawn hopefully plays a full year

- Salem hopefully plays a full year 

- Viney hopefully plays a full year “pain free”

- Oliver can still get better with his decision making

- Petracca can get better and tear several games apart

- Jake Lever now on board

- Weideman will continue to develop

- omcd gets another summer in the gym 

- Bernie Vince will not be guaranteed a game and no excuses for stupid turnovers or ill discipline 

- progress of Hannan, Stretch, ANB & Harmes 

- Fritsch can fit in as a very handy smart forward

 

 

[Bombay Airconditioning 6,477]

On 28/11/2017 at 2:50 PM, Lord Travis said:

The Good:

We finish 6th, making finals for the first time since 2006.

We finally beat North.

Our midfield becomes one of the best in the league, and teams struggle to combat our pressure around the ball.

The rebound from our backline becomes a real weapon, with Hunt, Hibberd, Brayshaw, Salem and Jetta causing head-aches.

Bugg surprises many as a pesky small forward and becomes best 22.

Christian Petracca continues his rise to stardom and makes the AA squad. Kicks 30+ goals for the season and is the match-winner in a few games.

Dom Tyson has yet another top 5 finish in our BnF to remind everyone why he is an important part of our future midfield.

Clayton Oliver becomes recognised as a bonafide star of the competition, finishing 5th in the Brownlow and making the AA midfield. 

Gawn stays fit and plays the full season, reclaiming his thrown as AA ruckman.
 

The Bad:

Jones, Vince and Lewis all struggle with the pace of the game and lingering injury issues. 2 of the 3 retire at years end.

Tom McDonald forward doesn't work out and he returns to the backline. This exposes our lack of quality tall forwards and increased pressure on Hogan.

We continue to struggle against big forwards. Frost's form deteriorates, Oscar struggles to develop further, TMac heads down back but his form fluctuates and Lever is left to try and steady the ship in more of a shut down role. 

We endure another year of media speculation about Hogan returning to WA, after he has a mediocre year form-wise.

We lose to Richmond after controlling the majority of the match again.

The soft-underbelly lingers. While we finish 6th, we could have finished 1st-2nd if not for losing winnable matches against lesser opponents.

Is Tom McDonald a better shot on goal than Hogan?

[Demon_JB 1,389]

Charlie Spargo will feature as a regular in our best 22, and come close to winning the rising star.

[Stillwaiting 60]

Dees finish 6th. After a bad 2018 season start, we string some strong wins together mid year before qualifying for finals with 1 or 2 games left in the season. AFL announce mid season top up draft. We belt Collingwood and North. Trakka , Hulk, Oliver, Maxie and Viney all finish up in most scribes top 50 at seasons end. Hogan gets 55 goals, Jeffie gets 30+ as well. Older players methodically get rested a few games prior to finals. Eddie Mackgwier continues to whinge a lot. We get duded at MRP 3 or 4 times. Lions get more assistance than other 17 teams would like. Carlton falter again. Richmond struggle and do not make the 8 again. St Kilda look very mid table-ish still. Tigers Reiwoldt spits it bigtime and cops some weeks and a big fine. Hawks tread water, Buddy gets a long rest with bad hammy and Dogs struggle again. Dermie still brags about his time at the Hawks whilst we all drop off to sleep. I throw more stuff at the small screen when I have to listen to the purile crap that emanates from Ch 7 & Bruces gob !