(12-29-2015, 12:24 AM)PassIt2Carrots link Wrote:I think you'll find Lyon has already answered your question, and most would agree.
Re winning a flag, I said I would rather be up there than down the bottom. YOU then spoke about winning a flag which was not part of my statement. Quite simply, I would rather be where North are as opposed to where we are and most people pay out on them but they run a very successful operation down there and I for one am quite envious. Just because some don't see them as serious challengers does not mean they are not trying to seriously challenge.
I'm sure they are trying to challenge, as I said before you're either aiming for a flag or trying to rebuild for one. I find it odd that you are envious of North, I'm envious of Hawthorn and before them Sydney and Geelong.
When you look at North's age demographic, you would expect half of their best players to be retire by the end of 2017. Ages this year; Harvey 38, Petrie 34, Firrito Waite 33, Dal Santo 32, Wells 31, Thompson Gibson 30, Swallow Thomas 29. All of these player are 30 or over at the end of 2017. Goldstein, Hansen and Higgins will all be turning 30 leaving Ziebell and Cunnington turning 27 and Brown Atley and Jacobs turning 26 in 2018 and right in their best years of their career, due to Norths high-ish finishes and win now mentality, their list depth is not much.
So why in two years time would their younger guns want to stay there? I can see North losing players to free agency, especially if they don't get a flag this season, how many teams would want a 27 yo Cunnington or Ziebell to give their up and coming side some real grunt, or a 26yo Brown as a focal point or the speed of a 26 yo Atley coming off half back?
To me North is not in a great position, they are very old, short down back and a bit one way when the game is against them. I just can't see them doing any good, and when they go down the bottom in the not too distant future, lets see if they have 30,000 members by Christmas off a wooden spoon.