Search the Community

Every couple of years I have a thread that looks at the number of players that are in the prime of their careers as a possible portent of how the team will go that year. From 2013: http://demonland.com/forums/index.php?/topic/32853-optimist-prime/?hl=prime 22+ years of age with about 70 games of experience is the approximate measure with exceptions of course. In 2013, we had Rodan, Jones, and Sylvia as the only midfielders in the prime of their careers. We have had a regrettable period since 2007, not least because of how few midfielders we have had in the prime of their careers... In 2015, we have N Jones, Lumumba, McKenzie, Cross, Vince, Trengove, M Jones, and Bail as players that will run through the midfield that are also in, or extending, their prime years. The numbers are healthier, but 3 of the 8 are peripheral players, another is injured for the season, and another is close to retirement... But it is how they compare to other clubs - even middling ones - that I believe will determine how we go this season. Note: We can absolutely include Tyson but he has only played 35 games, and his equivalent at other teams are not expected to deliver so early.

For those he are squeamish about talking about list turnover in July - this thread is not for you... LIST MANAGEMENT - A Red & Blue October When it comes to deletions from the list every year I like to have a look at what is the minimum amount of talent we want to bring in and tailor the deletions from the list based on what we can bring in. For example, if cutting Tynan brings in ND96 then it would not be worth cutting Tynan. First we should look at what we WILL bring in, as opposed to incoming FAs and trades. 1. Hogan 2. ND2 3. ND21 4. ND41 5. PSD2 6. ND61 7. ND82 8. RU - Magner 9. RU - Clisby (R - has extra year) 10. ND95 11. ND105 12. ND111 Sylvia possibly leaving takes care of itself, I expect a pick following our second round pick (ND22). The possible deletions can be any fringe player of course, but the easiest to move are those out of contract. This is my order of deletion preference for those OOC: MacDonald, Gillies, Jetta, Davis, Sellar, Rodan, Davey, Nicholson, Tynan, Fitzpatrick, Taggert, Gawn, and Watts. From here we evaluate each place on the list against its replacement: MacDonald - Hogan Gillies - ND2 Jetta - ND21 Davis - ND41 Sellar - PSD2 Rodan - ND61 Davey - ND82 Nicholson - Magner Tynan - Clisby Fitzpatrick - ND95 Taggert - ND105 Gawn and Watts are obviously not going to be delisted. Those in green are additions that I think are worth the delisting of that player. So I can see 6 definite changes to the list with the future of Davey and Nicholson dependent on whether we get any draft assistance, can attract FAs and/or whether we can trade out players in much the same way Morton and Gysberts were traded. I find this is useful when posters claim we should get rid of Player X without first thinking about what we would bring in.

After the well-known 2009 draft, myself and I think many others thought that we had built a premiership team. However after a couple of eye opening seasons I think many demonlanders have come to a realisation. Like so many of you I find myself always asking the same question will this current list (with maybe the addition of a couple trades, free agency, draft picks etc) be good enough to win a premiership. I believe we will experience success with the current list but to what extent? Will we be a top 4 team for a number of years without winning a premiership and then have to go through another rebuilding phase? I personally believe we have the talent and resources (players/coaches) to win a premiership but it will rely on the club as a whole to make the most of them (players/resources). I think if we are to succeed it will all begin with a "winning culture". With a winning culture I think players such as Jamar, Jones, Sylvia, Frawley will lift and this will lead to the development of stars (Trengove, Viney, Toumpas). However we need more than this, we need to take advantage of everything we have! With a winning culture/serious football department we need to be able to make players out of our under the radar draft picks: Taggert (pick 36) - desperately in need of midfielders with class and a good kick!, Jetta - another potential midfielder with pace, aggression and a beautiful kick - can play inside and outside while resting up forward, Sam Blease (Pick 17) - Need his pace and confidence in wing to high forward position - need to fix his disposal, Max Gawn (Pick 34) - another who has great potential it just is yet to be harnessed, Dean Kent (Pick 34) - has shown promise and talent could be a great midfield/high forward, James Strauss (Pick 19) - needs to step up and be that medium defender - with run and carry/great kick out of defence, Luke Tapscott (Pick 18) - another which has shown promise but has done little since - I like other have come to question where he fits in on our list - would like him to become like Chappy (a high forward that can go into the midfield (like Sylvia) - I think if this is going to be done he will have to tone down (to become quicker/fitter), Jack Watts (Pick 1) - we all know his weakness'/strengths - needs to get more aggressive and use his supposed talent!, Dom Barry (Pick #) - From reports has show talent, lets not let him become a Jamie Bennel (who I thought was immensely talented but just didn't want to use it). That's 8 players (more than a 1/3 of a team) who you could say are average/fringe players that have the talent to be premiership players. If we can develop/groom 4 or more of these players in to premiership players than I think with the addition of our current top 18, I think we have a chance of winning a premiership! I think our only hope lies in creating the right culture to develop young talent (a winning culture)! If we get to the point of being in finals I think we will all be blown away by the increase in devotion and desire to win (by the whole list). We have recently begun to witness what I believe is the first step to creating a winning culture, the competition for spots on the list (ie. Sellar and Pedersen). Success will only make the club greater! For example look at Nathan Jones or Lynden Dunn (Pick 15) for so long he has been nothing more than a fringe player who has continually made silly decisions but with a change of culture/coach he has been given a position down back which he seems to have cemented despite pressure for that spot (Garland, Watts, Terlich, Gilles etc). And so to cap it up yes I believe we have the potential to become a premiership side but it will require us (club/supporters etc) to take advantage of every resource whether that's turning an under the radar player such as James Strauss into the player that he has the potential to be or using a fringe player such as Pedersen to at the very least create competition for spots. So heres my starting 22: For Round 1 and beyond FB: Watts, Frawley, Stauss CHB: Dunn, McDonald, Jetta C: Blease, Jones, Toumpas CHF: Howe, Dawes, Sylvia FF: Byrnes/Barry (need small fwd), Clark, Byrnes FOLL: Jamar, McKenzie/(Need a Star), Viney INT: Trengove, Grimes, Kent EMER: Tapscott, Sellar, Rodan, Gawn, Taggert + Hogan What do you think? do we have the potential?

Hi all, I'm new to Demonland, but decided to get on board to float the issue of the sometimes touted premise of a mid-season draft. Keen to know who you'd want in and out, and the how much hope you would find in having a mid-year draft?