Four main lessons from 2021.

1. Pick a team that has potentially no gaps and no weaknesses in personnel. That was us at the beginning of the year. I can't see any other team so blessed.

2. Pick a team that has shown an ability to play well, if not consistently, and has several role players who are committed to their roles. We finally learnt that lesson this year. I can't see any other team capable of learning.

3. Pick a team with a coach who has room to learn and mature together and in sync with the team. Most coaches are already cooked and are out of sync with their team. They are either too old, too hidebound or have stayed too long. Goody was the Goldilocks coach in 2021. Still has years to go.

4. Pick a team with developing youth that has room to grow. I can't see any other team so blessed.

I make no predictions given the uncertainties of footy. But i remain content with my team for 2022.

Another good injury run and it's Demons for the flag then daylight.
Couldn't give a sheet what order the rest of them fall into.
Jackson signs and we'll win the next 3 getting that 4peat we dropped in the fiddys.

 

Edited December 1, 20213 yr by Fork 'em

I reckon the toughest match-up for us, if they continue to develop as i expect, are the Swans. They have bags of talent, are well coached and are always hard to beat.

With Melbourne now established as the Victorian premiership representative look to the AFL to ensure plenty of   interstate rivallry.

Brisbane, Sydney, GWS, Fremantle with outsiders Adelaide, West Coast and Gold Coast to finally drag itself up.

We broke the Cats, disillusioned the dogs, North will take some time to get over watching Bennie kick goals for us. Hawks are in transition, St Kilda aren't really sure where they are, Essendon need a new pharmacist, Collingwood  still have trouble being in Richmond and Richmond are having trouble being beaten. Supporters of Tigers and Pies don't know who to spit on.

It should be any interesting ride for the next ten years. Someone's going to Tassie and it ain't the Demons.

i would still like to see us reclaim the Port Melbourne area with a new stadium and training facility in Fishermans Bend. Just a stones throw from the Ron Barassi oval.

10 hours ago, dieter said:

 

 

I reckon Swans will take the place of Essendon, who I think (or hope) will do what we did in 2019 and completely [censored] the bed. Geelong might just scrape in, but long may they continue to wear bridesmaid dresses. Their relative success can't last forever. After all, all things have an end. Only the sausage has two. (Sorry, that joke is the wurst).

Edited December 1, 20213 yr by Grapeviney

Based on their midfields, the Bombers, Blues and Dockers have the most scope for improvement you'd reckon, but there's a long way to go even to the start of the season. I think the Bombers could even be top-four,

Big Calls

1, AFL will come up with a rule change that hurts us.

2 Two Sydney top four teams next year, GWS is my big improver, forget the noise about Toby, they play selfless team footy like us and if not smashed by injuries will break other teams on the wheel.

3. News paper articles to feature about how we keep our team together.

4. Big offers for big defenders next year, Jacob from Carlton gets a god father offer to go to Essendon, as teams realize Melbourne was onto something getting back 6 set first.

My 8

1Melb

2 Brisbane

3 GWS

4 Sydney

5 Bulldogs

6 Geelong

7 Essendon

8 Port

9 Richmond

10 WCE

Pirated from the other thread on teams challenging us…

Brisbane has a list and a good coach. While they have some annoying players they have ability on every line. Our best is still better but I do think they have the best attack to break up our zone.

Port's window is closing and something NQR. Mental scars as well from some bad losses.

Essendon is coming and I wish to see them smashed by us, they do have some good players and always well resourced. Have some speed and i think the team running is coming.

Dogs are going to be there abouts, but like Melbourne sides of old there defence has a few too many holes, Easton Wood is on the way out, no ruck, and Libba had a mare in the GF and will need serious coaching after that loss. I think 22 will be a finals year but no threat.

Carlton, The loss of the anti Vaxxer is a big loss - personally I think Voss will not be the man to take these princesses anywhere. Voss was an awesome player but like Viney, who sets a fierce example, he doesn't quite have the EQ to relate to the more unconventional types. Hubris runs deep in Carlton as well despite the quality list. Voss might be the one to get Cripps firing again though. I am so glad the new Carlton is the old Melbourne.

Swans rapier like qualities, but is the defence up to finals specification? Team I need to watch more of as I understand the least.

Cats they have two issues, one is the obvious age/speed, the other is their forward line, we took apart Cameron and Hawkins 3 times (2 when Cameron wasn't playing) they have no other tricks. Will do well but are in same boat as Port.

Richmond, thereabouts, but seriously they have lost so many parts of an elite unit, and their bottom 6 look a lot more pedestrian than ours. Riewoldt is rusting before the eyes and Dusty as magnificent as he is cannot win it by himself (i think) will need to improve his defensive efforts to make up for gaps in the list.

Giants, this season they played like a team, I think they will be super dangerous in 22, less princess more machine like, have to resolve the Coniglio question, he is less suited to being Captain than Grimes and Trengove were has gone back further than Cripps. Coach was suspect but has survived a trial by fire.

Saints, nah, too many missing pieces, feel sorry for Steele, awesome player.

GC Who would swap Dew for Goodwin now. Will remain a feeder/farm team. Btw if Goodwin wins a 2nd GF, the offers from Adelaide will become unbelievable.

Adelaide in a few years.

Collingwood in more years. Board wobbles guaranteed.

Westcoast, ready for a rebuild not sure they know it.

Freo, need to bin some lazy players, too many pick and choose.

North, will be better but need two more good drafts, by which time they will be picking apples in Tasmania.

Hawks, have no idea there late run of form suggests they are not as useless as I had expected.

my top 8

Melbourne

Brisbane

Carlton

Essendon

Port

Bulldogs

GWS 

Sydney

12 hours ago, AmDamDemon said:

I reckon Swans will take the place of Essendon, who I think (or hope) will do what we did in 2019 and completely [censored] the bed. Geelong might just scrape in, but long may they continue to wear bridesmaid dresses. Their relative success can't last forever. After all, all things have an end. Only the sausage has two. (Sorry, that joke is the wurst).

I want to see the director's cut of this post - ie before the producer forced an edit over creative and commercial differences!

11 hours ago, binman said:

I want to see the director's cut of this post - ie before the producer forced an edit over creative and commercial differences!

You'll be able to read it in my tell all book (on the interwoven connectivity between the MFC and the Frankish reign of Clovis I)

It'll be titled: The Grapeviney's of wrath

Edited December 2, 20213 yr by AmDamDemon