POBT
Brownlow Medallist
Welcome to my annual exercise in self-promotion.
Last year, after a horror pre-season, I was too depressed to finalise this list. I think that, coming into round 1, a significant number of the players I had ranked as most important were either out injured, playing hurt or in a horrible form slump. Posting my list became an exercise in futility as it was clear that we'd already lost the blokes we could least afford to lose.
Unfortunately, this year has also been quite a sobering experience. While, I have thought all summer that we would be a bottom four side, I thought there was some chance we could avoid the wooden spoon and perhaps win a few more games than last year.
However, it was only as I went through this exercise that I realised just how under-developed our list is. There is no question in my mind that we're building up a stockpile of talent. Last year's draft haul (not listed below as they are yet to play a senior game) really adds to that, particularly in the midfield and flanker roles. However, we're far too reliant on young guys, particularly in key position roles. We've got an abundance of fringe types, whose careers are quite stagnant, still getting a game each week due to a lack of competition. And, probably also due to that lack of competition, some of our better 3rd-5th year players haven't made the most of their obvious talents.
So, I probably don't get too far out of the top 5 or so before I put question marks on players' capacity to perform consistently at senior level this year. Perhaps I am being overly pessimistic but it does seem to me that Fagan has a mountain to climb in terms of developing the list. I doubt that we'll get an immediate bounce in form but rather the list's improvement will be incremental and not necessarily noticeable for a while.
If there is a saving grace, it is that I see a few talented guys on the list who could really shape our season if they play at their best on a weekly basis. These guys are no longer the newbies and have had a few years in the system now to gain fitness, strength, confidence and know-how. We've seen them all play quality games, some more than others. I am a firm believer that players with a high ceiling must strive and be expected to reach those heights consistently. I will cite McStay, Cutler, Taylor, Mayes and Gardiner as the blokes that I have high expectations of this year. They all have the talent to be A or B+ grade players at senior level. All have had time in the system. They all should strive to have career best years. If they do, we will have a genuinely senior standard core for the really young guys to come into.
As always with this list, I only rank players with senior experience. I rate the players on a few things - their proven form in past seasons, their off season and pre season form, their capability (or "ceiling"), durability/resilience, leadership and their "replaceability" on our list.
This has been the hardest year to perform this task in terms of order. The list is very even but not necessarily in a good way. Young guys expected to carry too a heavy load, perpetual fringe types and solid but not spectacular seasoned players are hard to compare. Feel free to critique or comment. I'll try and explain my reasoning if it is not already obvious.
Enjoy (or don't, what do I care?)
Last year, after a horror pre-season, I was too depressed to finalise this list. I think that, coming into round 1, a significant number of the players I had ranked as most important were either out injured, playing hurt or in a horrible form slump. Posting my list became an exercise in futility as it was clear that we'd already lost the blokes we could least afford to lose.
Unfortunately, this year has also been quite a sobering experience. While, I have thought all summer that we would be a bottom four side, I thought there was some chance we could avoid the wooden spoon and perhaps win a few more games than last year.
However, it was only as I went through this exercise that I realised just how under-developed our list is. There is no question in my mind that we're building up a stockpile of talent. Last year's draft haul (not listed below as they are yet to play a senior game) really adds to that, particularly in the midfield and flanker roles. However, we're far too reliant on young guys, particularly in key position roles. We've got an abundance of fringe types, whose careers are quite stagnant, still getting a game each week due to a lack of competition. And, probably also due to that lack of competition, some of our better 3rd-5th year players haven't made the most of their obvious talents.
So, I probably don't get too far out of the top 5 or so before I put question marks on players' capacity to perform consistently at senior level this year. Perhaps I am being overly pessimistic but it does seem to me that Fagan has a mountain to climb in terms of developing the list. I doubt that we'll get an immediate bounce in form but rather the list's improvement will be incremental and not necessarily noticeable for a while.
If there is a saving grace, it is that I see a few talented guys on the list who could really shape our season if they play at their best on a weekly basis. These guys are no longer the newbies and have had a few years in the system now to gain fitness, strength, confidence and know-how. We've seen them all play quality games, some more than others. I am a firm believer that players with a high ceiling must strive and be expected to reach those heights consistently. I will cite McStay, Cutler, Taylor, Mayes and Gardiner as the blokes that I have high expectations of this year. They all have the talent to be A or B+ grade players at senior level. All have had time in the system. They all should strive to have career best years. If they do, we will have a genuinely senior standard core for the really young guys to come into.
As always with this list, I only rank players with senior experience. I rate the players on a few things - their proven form in past seasons, their off season and pre season form, their capability (or "ceiling"), durability/resilience, leadership and their "replaceability" on our list.
This has been the hardest year to perform this task in terms of order. The list is very even but not necessarily in a good way. Young guys expected to carry too a heavy load, perpetual fringe types and solid but not spectacular seasoned players are hard to compare. Feel free to critique or comment. I'll try and explain my reasoning if it is not already obvious.
Enjoy (or don't, what do I care?)