What are your expectations for 2017?

[kruddler]

I accept the club quite obviously felt differently, but to me, that means that the club does get to be beaten around this year and there are absolutely no excuses for the club to not be taking definable steps forward from 2016. Rebuilding your list from the ground and getting beaten up is acceptable. Trying to be a competitive AFL team and getting beaten up is not.

You may remember that i was in favour of your 'radical plan'.

However, because the club failed to follow said plan, doesn't automatically mean that you can assume it was their own doing. It takes 2 to tango.
You may also remember that despite being in favour of your 'radical plan', i suggested that it was unlikely to happen.....at least to that extent. Reason being - It takes 2 to tango.

Simply, nobody was really buying what we were selling. We did well to cash in with what we had.

So for that reason, i don't think the club deserves to be blasted if we don't rise up the ladder as your suggested expectations predict.

[cookie2]

The past 20 years as a Blues supporter have taught me not to harbour expectations. Just hopes. 

[sandsmere]

I'm not expecting a great deal of improvement this season.
While ladder position is not so important at this stage, I would like to see us win at least as many games as in 2016, and see us kick higher scores and improve our midfield and F50 entries.

We are only into our second year of a major rebuild, including a complete changeover of coaching staff.
Ladder position will become more important from 2018 onwards.

I expect to see the 2017 trade and draft periods improve our KPF and ruck stocks considerably.

I also want to see the younger brigade earning the right to play AFL by performing on the training track and in the VFL.

[mateinone]

You may remember that i was in favour of your 'radical plan'.

However, because the club failed to follow said plan, doesn't automatically mean that you can assume it was their own doing. It takes 2 to tango.
You may also remember that despite being in favour of your 'radical plan', i suggested that it was unlikely to happen.....at least to that extent. Reason being - It takes 2 to tango.

Simply, nobody was really buying what we were selling. We did well to cash in with what we had.

So for that reason, i don't think the club deserves to be blasted if we don't rise up the ladder as your suggested expectations predict.

How have you drawn that conclusion? Apart from Gibbs, did we have any negotiations around Murphy, Kreuzer, Thomas, Casboult etc?

Without us knowing either way, I consider it irrelevant. If the list managers have done such a terrible job that we have no one that other clubs are after, then that is worse.

No I think the fact the club is choosing to keep it's established players means they believe they are an important part of this process and that is okay I can wear that. But the biggest reasons for not going all out that I heard were that we could not afford to do that, we couldn't go that far backwards, the club would get smashed, the memberships would drop, the sponsors would leave etc etc...

Okay... well now I expect the club to ensure that we are in fact progressing, if last year was year N in the rebuild, then we are N+1 now and that has to bring progression or they are at fault. If they do, great I am on board, if we don't then they need to answer some serious questions on how they are going to bring this club to the top.

As supporters we absolutely should EXPECT success.

[PaulP]

MIO, I just want to clarify - the equation as you see it, is thus :

- if the club traded out "everyone", and the list was 90%? new or newish recruits, then you could tolerate a non linear progression up / down the ladder, and after a few years of up/down, then leading to success ?

- because the club hung onto its stars, and only went for a "partial" rebuild, then progression up the ladder must be linear only, moving slowly upwards but never downwards ?

[sandsmere]

As supporters we absolutely should EXPECT success.

Yes , but not necessarily in the first 3 years of a major list rebuild.

[PaulP]

Yes, but we go back to the same old question - define success ?

finals every year, 1 flag every 5 years, prelim every 3 years, linear improvement in ladder position every year etc.

[PaulP]

And sandsmere, I like your sig.

[mateinone]

Yes , but not necessarily in the first 3 years of a major list rebuild.

I expect N+1 is greater than N

[Baggers]

I guess my expectations are based on how I interpret our side in comparison to last year, plus how other sides around us will perform. Reality is what you're left with when expectations are met, exceeded or not met.

I see our backline as being better again. The addition of Marchbank plus the natural development/improvement in Plowman and Docherty should bode well. We know what to expect from Rowe and Simpson and they'll probably deliver about the same. I really don't believe Tuohy is a huge loss and in time Macreadie will slot in down back very nicely, until then White will be the man. We look forward to Byrne returning... with relish as he also gives us dash out of defence. And when they're up against it, Weitering, I believe, will help out.

I think our midfield will also improve. Murphy back is a big plus. Gibbs is responding very well to the kerfuffle of late last year. Cripps will improve again. Ed Curnow just has to keep doing what he does. Palmer and Smedts are good additions and I believe C Curnow will do plenty of midfield time as his pace is needed in a somewhat average paced midfield. With Kreuzer in good form, this bodes well. Kerridge is on thin ice and had better improve his disposal % efficiency or it's goodnight, nurse. In time you'd reasonably think that Polson and Fisher will get to show their wares in the midfield, along with Pickett and SPS. I've given up on Boekhorst (Lucas MK2) and Cuningham (Lucas MK3) but would love to be proven wrong.

Our forward line, which is sh1te/worst in the league/ will have to rely on small and medium sized players (midfield/C Curnow/SOS2/Wright/Pickett) to kick us a meaningful score as Harry is still developing, Casboult is disappointing and unless something amazing happens, Jaksch/Jones (and Thomas and Casboult) are enjoying their last year at PP. Personally, I believe Weitering must play forward.

So, I expect us to do better than last year even if that, paradoxically, doesn't translate into more wins but rather, a much stronger %, no blow-outs and us actually dishing out a hiding or two.