2018 - What do you expect from the club?

[Inboltswetrust]

The harsh reality is that in some respects the SOS drafting program has been an exercise in compromise. In the past two seasons we went after and failed to get: Tomlinson, Kelly, Rockliff, Smith, Lynch, Saad and maybe another 'name' or two... We were told that in 2017 we would attract and secure a marquee player - didn't happen. None of the blokes we settled on were tried and true winners like the before mentioned. So SOS can hardly say to BB that he's given him A graders to work with... he's given him potential and maybe's. Fingers crossed for 2018.

Yeah that is an interesting post Baggers actually.  You are right- in terms of attracting good players to the club, with the exception of Marchbank, I don't think he has delivered really.  But what he has done is picked a few rippers in the draft, and possibly a few recycles with a big upside.  That was better than the last bunch of buffoons led by Rogers/Hughes.  The issue we have is when you are excrement, no one wants to come to you.  This will not change next year either if we are uncompetitive.  We must win at least 8-10 games and show stars that we are a place that can make them into better footballers.  It is not all about cash.  Players these days have enough of that.

I think SOS has done an okay job so far, but this draft has me raising my eyebrows a bit.  I really think we should have taken UDL at pick 3, though Dow may be a great player for us I will concede.  Pick 10 looks questionable, and I don't really think taking a ruck at pick 30 is a great idea, given there were other good mids available at that time.  Again, I could be proven wrong, and I hope i am.  Of the ones SOS has drafted, Charlie looks like a potential superstar, Seton is a gun in the making, and I think the 'project picks' - Pickett and Garlett could be very useful for us.    Kennedy should be handy, Plowman is very consistent, and SOSOS has a big upside.  Harry too, and Cunningham seems ok.  Fisher and Williamson great late picks, and I rate Macreadie too.  So not bad from SOS.  But this year and next will be the big tester.  The fact remains, we have still balked at recruiting forwards- this could well be our biggest issue.  It would be interesting to see how a true gun FF and small forward would change our win-loss ratio.  Would it change it immediately?  I think it might.