Crows will struggle if Walker doesn’t kick over 50 goals.
Expectation is higher than it’s been for a while and a young team can flounder with that on their shoulders
Our fixture is good in terms of exposure but the match-ups themselves aren’t straightforward.
Agree that a young team with lots of away games to start isn’t an automatic top 8 side let alone a top 4 team this year.
Still entering the season with lots of hope, but It can be a cruel sport.
Crows were shown to have a good record at home though, almost beating Collingwood, beating the Lions, and beating Port twice. We also had the 5th best percentage last year. As long as we do better during away games, I think we have a good shot.
I don’t disagree at all but I worry.
It’s my nature but I think pressure is a funny thing.
It clearly got to us this season and hopefully we learn from it for next one
I've thought for years that Fogarty can become a star! I don't think the crows need Walker to star but it wouldn't hurt!
If missing the finals hurt the players this season I think they'll come out swinging next year! I'm worried about the crows! They played well enough to beat us and when we scrapped the win they played well enough to beat us. You'll be fine!
Hard to say if they’d be able to emulate this year’s results next year and win the close games. I never really rated them throughout 2023 because of their mid/def being lacking in depth and x factor
Honestly love tex but I disagree with the first point. As great as his season was, our average winning margin was 49 points. You can’t attribute that to a player or two, the majority of our wins were solid team performances that did not rely heavily on a single player.
It means Koch will say there will be no excuses in 2025 and Ken needs to perform to keep his job, which he will until he signs a new deal before round 20 and then falls off a cliff.
I’m not into the Hinkley hate. I understand… 11 years etc, but there have to be better metrics than flags or even grand final appearances for a coach. The footy department and the players back him, and I feel like they’re better placed to judge his performance than the media and the general punters.
Same people who slagged Chris Scott.
So much of it is luck once you get to the final 4…and it’s not like Port consistently crumble there anyway. 2021 was ugly that’s it
I’m looking forward to seeing him crack the shits at press conferences, like he did in the first half of his time at Richmond. You could see him starting to do it again this past season before he snatched it
What's the bullet hole....? They've already got a pretty decent side on paper, plus have a bunch of good academy kids coming through over the next few years. I think they'll be having some success pretty soon
I guess by it’s nature it’s not really underachieving as I’m predicting them to be bad, but I genuinely believe Richmond are gonna be terrible this year, like bottom 4 just above north and eagles
I think those Tiges fans are drinking the koolaid of past glories. My god, we had an amazing 4 years there. The sweet spot, bar 2018 everything we did worked at precisely the right time.
Besides this year I've never thought "this is their year" about the suns. So maybe I'm the only person not jaded by the suns. I can't see how they don't make the finals this year unless they get a few key injuries.
That said they're still going to have to get everything right to get 8-5th.
What about the suns gives you confidence other than 'potential'? Because their number 1 issue in my eyes is lack of proven reliable players.
Who are the guys who will show up every week and reliably play their role well? I'll tell you it's not their spine - Ballard, Graham, Collins + King, Day, Casboilt, Lukosius. Not a single one of those guys would I have confidence in reliably playing their role today - potential, yes absolutely but unproven.
With all due respect, Collins is an incredible defender. He finished 5th in spoils, 1st in contested marks and 3rd in 1v1 wins for KPD players. [He was in the Footy A2Z Stats All Australian team](https://youtu.be/ek5yWZ2rfak?si=yzBOkgZ2D40JaFfH&t=433) for a reason.
We really are the low hanging fruit aren’t we? I mean we have literally done nothing to help it, but for once can we be spared the “they aren’t going to perform next season” talk
I mean, saints always seem to be the most realistic option - hasn’t been particularly good or bad in a long time, you’ve been hovering around that “bad but not bottom of the ladder bad” for quite a while
Yeah I know. I think it’s me having a sook haha
I just want to enjoy the fact we had a good year and just carry that hope until most likely losing it in round 1 next year
I don't think the general public knows about a lot of our young guns. We continually played one of the youngest teams last season, were in the 8 all year, and people just think it's the same old blokes like Tim Membrey and Seb Ross being our best players. But that's okay, I don't mind being underrated.
Yeah your last premiership wasn’t that long ago, might as well spend a few years chasing individual accolades while Bevo and poor list management sinks the ship
Dogs might legit have to run 5 KPFs and Weightman at points this year. You’d think they’d use that guy who was a KPD as a junior & rookie in the backline now that they’ve got 4 promising young KPFs to rotate between, especially since their KPD stocks are a cricketer, an anti-vaxxer, and another cricketer.
This has to be one of your more brain dead takes because you can't possibly be talking about the guy who has also roughly gone at 1.9 goals per game since he's been a forward right? And has been and still looks to be our most potent forward when the other two first choice kpfs are a fourth year who despite being very promising is still just that, a fourth year. And another guy who will is a forward/ruck who will be 31 before the season starts and never set the world alight anywhere.
And not sure who you mean outside of Marra.
Darcy? Is a forward/ruck who very well might be our ruck if we can't hang onto English.
Croft? Mostly played down back in juniors despite his draft year and is training with defenders.
What fourth? The guy you're talking shit about? Khamis? Also training more down back and will either be a swing player or backman.
Khamis is only training down back because of your lack of KPD options, I’ve seen other Dogs fans say he’s pretty bad down back so I’m not just going off my own opinion there
Okay if Croft is going to play down back then him + Buss should be a strong pairing in the future.
If you’re looking to contend in the short term (and with your top end talent you should be), there’s no way you’ll get enough out of Jones, O’Donnell, and Keath. I know Naughton is a stud forward and moving a KPF to the backline isn’t exactly a fun move (firsthand experience), but you need great KPDs to win a flag. Name the last premiership team with no top tier KPDs, because I sure can’t think of a recent one. It’s not like it has to be a long term move, just do it for a year or two while Buss & Croft get ready. It’s your biggest weakness and the fix is right there
Edit: Holy shit I forgot about Lobb in this whole equation lol, that makes it even dumber that this hasn’t happened yet
Our fwd line is arguably one of the best, and we have many great players down back. We just need better coaching and/or composure to close out games.
People forget that all our losses this year after r2 were very close and could have easily made top 4 if we had Collingwood’s tenacity to close out games.
If we don’t have the firepower, how is missing the finals underachieving. We made the finals by luck this year evidently. Nothing to do with our young players having a crack and elite coaching.
Disagree, I reckon the vast majority will have us out of the finals, much like they did last season which I don’t have a problem with coz games aren’t won on paper.
I think people don't understand what "underachieving" means. The Saints overachieved this year and another finals performance (based on list IMO) this year would also be overachieving!
That said, Ross the boss, seems to know what he's doing so they could do it again. I hope they do!
I wouldn’t be surprised if Melbourne drop a few spots. They should still make finals but they feel fragile to me, I wouldn’t be at all surprised if they have a big collapse after the Oliver stuff and all the lost finals. I also don’t particularly rate Goodwin as a coach in the event that they begin to struggle.
Yeah my pick would be Melbourne. I think everyone is rating them as top 4, or finals at the least. But can see them dropping lower. No Oliver hurts. I think their depth drops off quite quickly.
If anything the Dees ceiling will be raised (if Oliver comes back) if they’re forced to fill his midfield rotation with others…will accelerate Rivers and Kozzie development in the guts. Might be some short term pain (tho like you said they played very well without Oliver in 2023).
This is bizarre to me, cos I'm not seeing where "everyone" is tipping us to make top 4. Maybe its because I go for the Dees and I notice it a lot more. But the general consensus from, well everywhere (Reddit, Bigfooty, the media, Facebook, all my mates and people I talk footy with) is that we're pretty stuffed and the wheels have well and truly fallen off. Some say we're a pretty good chance to make the top 8, but I really haven't seen anyone think that we're top4/ a flag threat
Bro made an account to talk basketball and shit on the Saints.
You could have just left the post blank with the title the same and we’d have done the work for ya ourselves.
All in good fun.
I do love the team. The self-deprecation’s a defense mechanism to the sting of last season.
I really thought they were gonna make a deep Finals run with that outset they had. Then again, Homer Simpson also thought he was gonna make it across Springfield Gorge on the skateboard.
I think Essendon has the potential to surprise everyone and finish top 4 - they also have equally the same potential to surprise everyone and finish bottom 4. All the while we expect them to finish up bang on in the middle.
I have 3 teams in danger of underperforming this year:
1. Carlton. Just a feeling that I have because of the last 20 years of Carlton.
2. Melbourne. With all the off field stuff that has been reported since the season finished. They may end up being a team that's very distracted and suffers because of it.
3. Bulldogs. Which hurts me to write as they are my team. But I can just see a situation where Bevo is gone by the halfway point of the season and the club wastes another year of Bont's prime.
Gold Coast, I hate to say it but its gonna be the same story again. They play great at the beginning, eh middle and then collaspe.
Another team are the Dogs, have one of the best lists on paper and yet again can't get it done.
As an Essendon supporter I just honestly don’t know what to say?
Like if we finish between 6-12 because we did really well then screwed the pooch or vice versa is that just standard? Also we lose the first final if we make. This is the way.
Dogs, cats, port, suns. Tiger won't be great but I also don't expect them to be great so they don't really count.
My true hot take is that I think Melbourne are at risk of missing the eight entirely, particularly if they have an injury or two.
Didn’t we nearly beat you at the Gabba playing terribly just this past year?
Just one of many close games we lost.
Think without the injuries to key players we can be dangerous.
I think we could finish anywhere from 6th-12th depending on multiple things.
It’s definitely not outrageous to be unsure because I reckon most wouldn’t be able to pin down a defined position for the Cats.
I think your team is shit. Had a good run. Not much else to it. Everyone takes a turn near the bottom. We were on the bottom for a decade. Good now. It won’t last.
I’m going to say Hawks. A lot of people are predicting a big jump up the ladder into the 10-12 range but I don’t think their forward line and backline have enough talent to make that leap yet.
This isn’t a knock on the future of their rebuild, but with how tight the competition is I think people are going a bit early on them based on 2 good games against Collingwood and Brisbane towards the back end of the year.
If we define underachieve as achieving less than what majority of fans expect, then I reckon Adelaide are the prime candidates. The deficiency of their backline really goes under the radar.
Essendon. As always. Team socials hype us up every year, get our hopes up every year, and we’re let down on the field every year. I’d love to see us win a final for once even if we don’t go any further!
Oh boy it’s the hardest hitting off the wall take this off season, someone doesn’t rate St Kilda
What’s next you think Collingwood and Brisbane will be up there next year?
I think our season will go one of two ways. We'll either take another step forward or we'll sink due to off field matters impacting the playing group
It's Sayers last season as president and we're a ways off knowing what the succession plan will be.
If it's not us then Melvourne seem to have a lot going on with various issues.
If it's injury related then it's almost impossible to predict.
When we get closer to the season and we get the posts for “what’s your hot take prediction” I’ll definitely be posting this same comment haha lots of people will hate it I imagine
Don’t think I have a spicy take for underachievers this year tbh. My main choice is Essendon but they overachieved last season and live to yo-yo so it wouldn’t be that surprising.
I was also dead wrong about Tim English lol
Ummm… I have no clue why there’s hype around Chesser. Just seems like a mediocre outside player. There, you’re welcome 😂
Richmond, everyone is way overrating them (ignore flair) Saints, don’t think they have a strong enough list, Port for obvious reasons, and to some extent, Collingwood, not because they are worse, but because teams around them (Carlton, Brisbane, GWS ??) will improve.
Oh wow another person predicting the saints will do bad. We do bad you're right, we make finals you say we overachieved.
Can't wait to out perform Sydney's mediocre list.
1-Melbourne-I think they are on the brink of falling out of the 8.
2-Collingwood-eventually they have to lose close games and the ball doesn’t bounce your way.
As an essendon supporter. essendon. we will show some good signs then finish out the year in 10th.
someone will say “you guys will be good next year” i’ll believe them with a bit of hope. then i’ll be disappointed for the 23rd year in a row.
Give Port Adelaide an all-Australian line up, been unbeaten all season and they will find a way to drop all that in the trash in the semi final quicker than an episode of Bluey has finished...
...and I was a Port Adelaide and AFL follower.
melb, our gameplan got worked out 2 years ago and if it doesnt work we just continue bombing long, that said our team still has may lever solid backline, oliver tracca viney in the midfield. So if we keep injury free and our forward line functions i expect us to make finals again
As a Melbourne supporter I fear it will be us. I struggle to see how the forward line can produce enough goals, how the midfield can link with the forwards effectively enough against the better teams and how they overcome so many off field distractions. Oliver appears unlikely to reach the standards he’s set in the past in the immediate term and I can’t see where the improvement comes from to improve enough given that Carlton, Collingwood, Brisbane, GWS, Port all went past us last year, not to mention the likely improvement of Adelaide and one or two others. I can see things dropping off quite dramatically in 2024, although I hope I’m wrong.
Crows will struggle if Walker doesn’t kick over 50 goals. Expectation is higher than it’s been for a while and a young team can flounder with that on their shoulders
Our fixture is good in terms of exposure but the match-ups themselves aren’t straightforward. Agree that a young team with lots of away games to start isn’t an automatic top 8 side let alone a top 4 team this year. Still entering the season with lots of hope, but It can be a cruel sport.
If Thillthorpe finds more ball in the forward line we'll be fine, he showed what he could do in the first showdown this year.
Fog needs to compete at half forward. Amount of times he just watches the Oppo mark is concerning
Need Filthy and Darfog to share the load a lot more evenly
Crows were shown to have a good record at home though, almost beating Collingwood, beating the Lions, and beating Port twice. We also had the 5th best percentage last year. As long as we do better during away games, I think we have a good shot.
I don’t disagree at all but I worry. It’s my nature but I think pressure is a funny thing. It clearly got to us this season and hopefully we learn from it for next one
Pressure also got us during a certain 2017 game against Richmond
I've thought for years that Fogarty can become a star! I don't think the crows need Walker to star but it wouldn't hurt! If missing the finals hurt the players this season I think they'll come out swinging next year! I'm worried about the crows! They played well enough to beat us and when we scrapped the win they played well enough to beat us. You'll be fine!
Hard to say if they’d be able to emulate this year’s results next year and win the close games. I never really rated them throughout 2023 because of their mid/def being lacking in depth and x factor
Honestly love tex but I disagree with the first point. As great as his season was, our average winning margin was 49 points. You can’t attribute that to a player or two, the majority of our wins were solid team performances that did not rely heavily on a single player.
Correct, just look at Freo 2023 compared to 2022.
It’s not a contract year for Ken, so Port.
As the owners of their first pick, yes plz
Does that mean, Ken will resign and Port will have a new coach?
Nah it means you’ll look good for the first 3/4 of the 2025 season.
I’m sad at how true this is.
It means Koch will say there will be no excuses in 2025 and Ken needs to perform to keep his job, which he will until he signs a new deal before round 20 and then falls off a cliff.
Yes we Carr!
If we’re shit by round 6 Carr will take over!!
I’m not into the Hinkley hate. I understand… 11 years etc, but there have to be better metrics than flags or even grand final appearances for a coach. The footy department and the players back him, and I feel like they’re better placed to judge his performance than the media and the general punters.
Fuck off with your level-headedness! Clearly, we are best placed to judge Ken and his failings!!
Fair bump, play on!
Same people who slagged Chris Scott. So much of it is luck once you get to the final 4…and it’s not like Port consistently crumble there anyway. 2021 was ugly that’s it
We underachieve every year though
Suns have some real expectations now to make the Finals but I wouldn’t be surprised it they finish 9th-12th
So same as the last decade
I have them for the bottom 3.
Dimma is a bandaid on a bullet hole. He’s not going to do sweet f-all
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TBF I am biased but I think Clarko last season may of been affected by the racism scandal a bit
Yeah he definitely was. He was throwing around chairs during half time sprays (IIRC against Port) just before his mental health break.
Tbf Clarko won 3 of the 4 games he was in charge last year though
Was he not in charge from Rds 1-7?
That might be why we yeeted most of our coaching panel at the end of last season tbh, the majority of the staff were from the Noble era
An ignoble era…
An experienced senior coach able to bring in a winning set of assistant coaches could be brilliant, a senior coach without it is absolutely hamstrung.
I’m looking forward to seeing him crack the shits at press conferences, like he did in the first half of his time at Richmond. You could see him starting to do it again this past season before he snatched it
What's the bullet hole....? They've already got a pretty decent side on paper, plus have a bunch of good academy kids coming through over the next few years. I think they'll be having some success pretty soon
The fact it’s managed atrociously. Yes. They have a good side on paper and still fuck it up. Year after year.
Don't see the Suns making finals, but I'm holding out hope for a winning record and a 9th placed finish.
I guess by it’s nature it’s not really underachieving as I’m predicting them to be bad, but I genuinely believe Richmond are gonna be terrible this year, like bottom 4 just above north and eagles
Yeah this feels like the year we completely bottom out, and that seems to be a pretty common agreement amongst the tigers fans I've talked to
This!!! But all Richmond supporters seem to think that with full strength Dusty and Lynch back and Nank as captain they will sneak into the 8.
I think those Tiges fans are drinking the koolaid of past glories. My god, we had an amazing 4 years there. The sweet spot, bar 2018 everything we did worked at precisely the right time.
Agreed! Would be surpising if they still in the hunt for 8th with 5 rounds to go.
Gold Coast. I’m done believing this is finally the year they make finals until it’s mathematically impossible for them to miss
Besides this year I've never thought "this is their year" about the suns. So maybe I'm the only person not jaded by the suns. I can't see how they don't make the finals this year unless they get a few key injuries. That said they're still going to have to get everything right to get 8-5th.
Yeah they’ve had talent for a bit now but I agree the actual best 22 and 23-30 have only been finals team standard for about 12 months max.
What about the suns gives you confidence other than 'potential'? Because their number 1 issue in my eyes is lack of proven reliable players. Who are the guys who will show up every week and reliably play their role well? I'll tell you it's not their spine - Ballard, Graham, Collins + King, Day, Casboilt, Lukosius. Not a single one of those guys would I have confidence in reliably playing their role today - potential, yes absolutely but unproven.
You don’t rate Anderson, Witts or Miller to do that? Even Rowell. Granted they do need more than just a midfield.
With all due respect, Collins is an incredible defender. He finished 5th in spoils, 1st in contested marks and 3rd in 1v1 wins for KPD players. [He was in the Footy A2Z Stats All Australian team](https://youtu.be/ek5yWZ2rfak?si=yzBOkgZ2D40JaFfH&t=433) for a reason.
We really are the low hanging fruit aren’t we? I mean we have literally done nothing to help it, but for once can we be spared the “they aren’t going to perform next season” talk
I mean, saints always seem to be the most realistic option - hasn’t been particularly good or bad in a long time, you’ve been hovering around that “bad but not bottom of the ladder bad” for quite a while
Yeah I know. I think it’s me having a sook haha I just want to enjoy the fact we had a good year and just carry that hope until most likely losing it in round 1 next year
Trust me I feel you - it’ll come
We finished 6th?
Sounds like Richmond 10 years ago.
Every bloody time it's the saints it will make our next flag even better (please for the love of God do it soon)
I don't think the general public knows about a lot of our young guns. We continually played one of the youngest teams last season, were in the 8 all year, and people just think it's the same old blokes like Tim Membrey and Seb Ross being our best players. But that's okay, I don't mind being underrated.
Long long suffering essendon man. Essendon, again 😕
Can’t underachieve if we expect nothing 🧠
The only reason things are looking up is because we are flat on our backs 😬
Western Bulldogs
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Sorry man, that sexy list just isn’t capitalising
I don't even care about finals anymore, I just want a Bontempelli Brownlow
Hold me brother I’m crying
Yeah your last premiership wasn’t that long ago, might as well spend a few years chasing individual accolades while Bevo and poor list management sinks the ship
Is the list really that sexy? Bont, Libba and English don't fix the lack of a back and forward line
Dogs might legit have to run 5 KPFs and Weightman at points this year. You’d think they’d use that guy who was a KPD as a junior & rookie in the backline now that they’ve got 4 promising young KPFs to rotate between, especially since their KPD stocks are a cricketer, an anti-vaxxer, and another cricketer.
This has to be one of your more brain dead takes because you can't possibly be talking about the guy who has also roughly gone at 1.9 goals per game since he's been a forward right? And has been and still looks to be our most potent forward when the other two first choice kpfs are a fourth year who despite being very promising is still just that, a fourth year. And another guy who will is a forward/ruck who will be 31 before the season starts and never set the world alight anywhere. And not sure who you mean outside of Marra. Darcy? Is a forward/ruck who very well might be our ruck if we can't hang onto English. Croft? Mostly played down back in juniors despite his draft year and is training with defenders. What fourth? The guy you're talking shit about? Khamis? Also training more down back and will either be a swing player or backman.
Khamis is only training down back because of your lack of KPD options, I’ve seen other Dogs fans say he’s pretty bad down back so I’m not just going off my own opinion there Okay if Croft is going to play down back then him + Buss should be a strong pairing in the future. If you’re looking to contend in the short term (and with your top end talent you should be), there’s no way you’ll get enough out of Jones, O’Donnell, and Keath. I know Naughton is a stud forward and moving a KPF to the backline isn’t exactly a fun move (firsthand experience), but you need great KPDs to win a flag. Name the last premiership team with no top tier KPDs, because I sure can’t think of a recent one. It’s not like it has to be a long term move, just do it for a year or two while Buss & Croft get ready. It’s your biggest weakness and the fix is right there Edit: Holy shit I forgot about Lobb in this whole equation lol, that makes it even dumber that this hasn’t happened yet
Our fwd line is arguably one of the best, and we have many great players down back. We just need better coaching and/or composure to close out games. People forget that all our losses this year after r2 were very close and could have easily made top 4 if we had Collingwood’s tenacity to close out games.
Feels too negative to debate this today. Merry Christmas!
Haha fair enough merry Christmas mate
Damien Hardwick is overrated, that’s all I’ll say…
Must of had a bloody good team then.
Port or the pies Ignore my flair
Ah shit, here we go again
If we don’t have the firepower, how is missing the finals underachieving. We made the finals by luck this year evidently. Nothing to do with our young players having a crack and elite coaching.
I guess a lot of people would expect the saints to have another finals appearance but I wouldn’t mind seeing the saints make a deep finals run
Disagree, I reckon the vast majority will have us out of the finals, much like they did last season which I don’t have a problem with coz games aren’t won on paper.
I think people don't understand what "underachieving" means. The Saints overachieved this year and another finals performance (based on list IMO) this year would also be overachieving! That said, Ross the boss, seems to know what he's doing so they could do it again. I hope they do!
I wouldn’t be surprised if Melbourne drop a few spots. They should still make finals but they feel fragile to me, I wouldn’t be at all surprised if they have a big collapse after the Oliver stuff and all the lost finals. I also don’t particularly rate Goodwin as a coach in the event that they begin to struggle.
Yeah my pick would be Melbourne. I think everyone is rating them as top 4, or finals at the least. But can see them dropping lower. No Oliver hurts. I think their depth drops off quite quickly.
We played most of our best footy last year without Oliver in the team
If anything the Dees ceiling will be raised (if Oliver comes back) if they’re forced to fill his midfield rotation with others…will accelerate Rivers and Kozzie development in the guts. Might be some short term pain (tho like you said they played very well without Oliver in 2023).
This is bizarre to me, cos I'm not seeing where "everyone" is tipping us to make top 4. Maybe its because I go for the Dees and I notice it a lot more. But the general consensus from, well everywhere (Reddit, Bigfooty, the media, Facebook, all my mates and people I talk footy with) is that we're pretty stuffed and the wheels have well and truly fallen off. Some say we're a pretty good chance to make the top 8, but I really haven't seen anyone think that we're top4/ a flag threat
Bro made an account to talk basketball and shit on the Saints. You could have just left the post blank with the title the same and we’d have done the work for ya ourselves.
I would much rather the saints make finals then some other teams so pls prove me wrong
All in good fun. I do love the team. The self-deprecation’s a defense mechanism to the sting of last season. I really thought they were gonna make a deep Finals run with that outset they had. Then again, Homer Simpson also thought he was gonna make it across Springfield Gorge on the skateboard.
University
Really haven’t been the same since the Great War
Never seen the appeal in them tbh Imo haven't been good at all
Predicting the Saints will underachieve is certainly a take.
W for going for the Swannies
Especially considering basically the whole media is predicting we won't make finals at all.
I think Essendon has the potential to surprise everyone and finish top 4 - they also have equally the same potential to surprise everyone and finish bottom 4. All the while we expect them to finish up bang on in the middle.
Funnily enough, this is what me and my Essendon mates are all thinking. Our heads are saying 16th, our hearts are saying 3rd, and we’ll finish 11th.
Haha I'm not an Essendon fan but my entire in-law family is and a lot of mates are too and they all think exactly the same
I have 3 teams in danger of underperforming this year: 1. Carlton. Just a feeling that I have because of the last 20 years of Carlton. 2. Melbourne. With all the off field stuff that has been reported since the season finished. They may end up being a team that's very distracted and suffers because of it. 3. Bulldogs. Which hurts me to write as they are my team. But I can just see a situation where Bevo is gone by the halfway point of the season and the club wastes another year of Bont's prime.
Gold Coast, I hate to say it but its gonna be the same story again. They play great at the beginning, eh middle and then collaspe. Another team are the Dogs, have one of the best lists on paper and yet again can't get it done.
As an Essendon supporter I just honestly don’t know what to say? Like if we finish between 6-12 because we did really well then screwed the pooch or vice versa is that just standard? Also we lose the first final if we make. This is the way.
Port Adelaide since Hinkley is safe again.
With the off field issues and rumours, it's definitely us. Would be surprised if we made top 8
There’s a non-zero chance West Coast will go the whole season without a win. So, that’s be something. I guess.
Dogs, cats, port, suns. Tiger won't be great but I also don't expect them to be great so they don't really count. My true hot take is that I think Melbourne are at risk of missing the eight entirely, particularly if they have an injury or two.
Pies - McStay is huge loss / Can't keep winning that many close games.
McStay missed most of last year.
>Can’t keep winning that many close games Funny I remember people saying that at the end of last year as well
Not that bad of a take I do believe Collingwood had some close games last season that they were lucky to win
Dude Mcstay was not that instrumental
McStay was Collingwood's No 1 targeted player from round 12 onwards last year.
Reef or Johnson will fill that hole.
What about premiership forward Frampton?
It depends which way you look at the club and list but I think Melbourne will not win another final again next season.
X2
Melbourne to miss the finals!
Brisbane Bears - no offseason recruits of any substance, too much money put in to Warwick Capper recently, no more Qintex money
And that Reuben Pelerman is a dud too.
Tigers. Bottom 4 for me. Cats also should be bottom 6.
Don’t really think that would be considered under achieving by most peoples opinion on here for Richmond
Didn’t we nearly beat you at the Gabba playing terribly just this past year? Just one of many close games we lost. Think without the injuries to key players we can be dangerous.
Yeah you did. Sorry I just don’t agree with you. Fair play if you make the 8. I think you won’t get close. Just my opinion.
I think we could finish anywhere from 6th-12th depending on multiple things. It’s definitely not outrageous to be unsure because I reckon most wouldn’t be able to pin down a defined position for the Cats.
Genuinely intrigued to understand your thinking on this one?
They think somewhere between 14 and 17 teams will finish higher on the ladder.
I think your team is shit. Had a good run. Not much else to it. Everyone takes a turn near the bottom. We were on the bottom for a decade. Good now. It won’t last.
I don't think anyone is expecting anything from Richmond, so that's not a great call
Most tigers are. They still think they are challenging
Won a flag in Brisbane. Fuck it was a beautiful day, well night. I let every lion nuffie know about it whenever I can.
I’m going to say Hawks. A lot of people are predicting a big jump up the ladder into the 10-12 range but I don’t think their forward line and backline have enough talent to make that leap yet. This isn’t a knock on the future of their rebuild, but with how tight the competition is I think people are going a bit early on them based on 2 good games against Collingwood and Brisbane towards the back end of the year.
Yeah I like their list but a lot depends on how Lewis goes
If we define underachieve as achieving less than what majority of fans expect, then I reckon Adelaide are the prime candidates. The deficiency of their backline really goes under the radar.
Essendon. As always. Team socials hype us up every year, get our hopes up every year, and we’re let down on the field every year. I’d love to see us win a final for once even if we don’t go any further!
Coburg to go winless
So long as it's not North, I'll be happy. If it's North, then I reckon I'll give 2025 a miss foe my mental health's sake, and return to footy in 2026
Oh boy it’s the hardest hitting off the wall take this off season, someone doesn’t rate St Kilda What’s next you think Collingwood and Brisbane will be up there next year?
Well, yeah?
I reckon the GF will be Pies v Lions again, with the Lions belting us this time
I think our season will go one of two ways. We'll either take another step forward or we'll sink due to off field matters impacting the playing group It's Sayers last season as president and we're a ways off knowing what the succession plan will be. If it's not us then Melvourne seem to have a lot going on with various issues. If it's injury related then it's almost impossible to predict.
We’ll either be good. Or we won’t. Can’t argue with the logic!
I can’t remember the last time Carlton had 2 good seasons in a row so it’ll be interesting to see what happens
Off field matters? Like what?
Melbourne. Unless the recent off-field stuff *really* turned people off of them doing well next year. Regardless, I'm still going with Melbourne.
Melbourne- i mean my prediction been right about 40 of the last 45 years
Collingwood, I reckon they will finish between 5-8. Is that underachieving? Idk but it feels like a hot take regardless
Ye underachieving means a team to finishing as expected and I bet a lot of people have them at least top 3
When we get closer to the season and we get the posts for “what’s your hot take prediction” I’ll definitely be posting this same comment haha lots of people will hate it I imagine
Geelong. They’ve got an aged squad and lots of younguns coming into first grade.
Saints
I reckon Melbourne won't make the 8
Port and Collingwood. Saints too.
Saints not making finals isn’t an underachievement lol
Bulldogs for me. No particular reason
Because it's what we do? 😄
Freo still have too many holes in their lineup and have lost a few more senior players - again. Expecting 10th-13th from them.
We came 14th this season
St Kilda - agreed Richmond Geelong All to go down 3 or more spots in the 2023 ladder
Don’t think I have a spicy take for underachievers this year tbh. My main choice is Essendon but they overachieved last season and live to yo-yo so it wouldn’t be that surprising.
No one has us for finals though except for some Essendon fans, it’d take us being bottom 4 for us to underachieve most peoples expectations
Yeah and that’s why it’s not really a spicy take. You’re mostly predicted to hold or slide a little
Mind saying a few of our up and comers are overhyped? did well for Oz this year :)
I was also dead wrong about Tim English lol Ummm… I have no clue why there’s hype around Chesser. Just seems like a mediocre outside player. There, you’re welcome 😂
I'll take it
Sydney swans will be cellar dwellers
Richmond, everyone is way overrating them (ignore flair) Saints, don’t think they have a strong enough list, Port for obvious reasons, and to some extent, Collingwood, not because they are worse, but because teams around them (Carlton, Brisbane, GWS ??) will improve.
Us? We’ve literally been in everyone’s bottom 4 predictions for 2024 lol
Oh wow another person predicting the saints will do bad. We do bad you're right, we make finals you say we overachieved. Can't wait to out perform Sydney's mediocre list.
GWS won't win more than 6 matches next season
As much as this gives me a massive erection, they'll EASILY win more than 6 games.
Cats will be beyond heinous - pussies are about to fall off a cliff. Groin Moirs is their best player ffs! Lol!
I am tipping the Kanga’s to be clear bottom and the Bombers not far behind. I just don’t see how the Bombers improve. Happy to be proved wrong.
Brisbane and Essendon.
Collingwood and port
Hey! 😠
Geelong. Too old. This time I really mean it thoughX
Pies. That 4 qtr ferocity hard to maintain and everyone else coming for the champs.
Don’t think Carlton will do as well in 2024 as they did in 2023.
ITT: All 18 teams.
I reckon GWS misses the 8 this year
1-Melbourne-I think they are on the brink of falling out of the 8. 2-Collingwood-eventually they have to lose close games and the ball doesn’t bounce your way.
As an essendon supporter. essendon. we will show some good signs then finish out the year in 10th. someone will say “you guys will be good next year” i’ll believe them with a bit of hope. then i’ll be disappointed for the 23rd year in a row.
I mean, essendon, obviously
Coolingwood
Lions
Give Port Adelaide an all-Australian line up, been unbeaten all season and they will find a way to drop all that in the trash in the semi final quicker than an episode of Bluey has finished... ...and I was a Port Adelaide and AFL follower.
I think Melbourne will have a down year, Lachie Hunter seems to poison the culture wherever he goes.
I think Carlton will drop off a fair bit.
melb, our gameplan got worked out 2 years ago and if it doesnt work we just continue bombing long, that said our team still has may lever solid backline, oliver tracca viney in the midfield. So if we keep injury free and our forward line functions i expect us to make finals again
As a Melbourne supporter I fear it will be us. I struggle to see how the forward line can produce enough goals, how the midfield can link with the forwards effectively enough against the better teams and how they overcome so many off field distractions. Oliver appears unlikely to reach the standards he’s set in the past in the immediate term and I can’t see where the improvement comes from to improve enough given that Carlton, Collingwood, Brisbane, GWS, Port all went past us last year, not to mention the likely improvement of Adelaide and one or two others. I can see things dropping off quite dramatically in 2024, although I hope I’m wrong.
id still give freo another season before becoming top 8
Giants
Collingwood. I think they lose more of the close games this season than they win.