For Discussion

[DJC]

Sad to say we should be wooden spoon favourites. We lost our best player this year, and teams will work out how to nulify Cripps. He is going to get so much attention in 2016 from scraggers. Hopefully he is working on his kicking so he can be dangerous around goals as that will allow him to shake tags.

I'm optimistic we could get 5 or 6 wins. But with so many new players, and an average established core we are going to take some hammerings. Injuries as alway will make a difference. Having Kruezer and Thomas play 15 odd games each will make a big difference.

Its amazing how every year we hope/anticipate the first year players will get a few games and do well. We hear about some 18 year olds being 'ready'. No they are not. If Silvangni gets a game in 2016 we will be in serious strife. If any of the first year players get more than 1 or 2 games we will have had a bad injury toll. We really want to see the likes of Boekhorst getting 10 or so decent games with 5 or 6 in a row toward the end of the season. Rowe to have been displaced by KJ by the end of the year. That would show good improvement. A strong showing by the NBs is vital to build a base for the longer term.

And a miracle win against Hawthorn in Launceston.

There seems to be a myth about first year players not being ready to play AFL.  Yes, some aren't ready and Silvagni seems to fall into that category at the moment.

Last year's first 20 draft picks averaged just over 7.5 games with Brayshaw clocking up 21, De Gooey 16, Heeney 14, Lever and Duggan 12 and Boekhorst 11.  Only three failed to crack it for a game so the 17 that did play averaged 9 games between them.

I reckon it's a safe bet that Weitering, McKay, Curnow and Cuningham will average more than 7.5 games in 2016.  The only reason they won't is if everyone else plays out of their skins and we finish top 4.