Bit of discussion about this in the ANB and other player movement threads - the idea of when we can start looking to be a flag contender is clearly a divisive point of discussion, depending on one's thoughts on the state of the list and off-field staff
I think most can agree that we won't be competing for a flag while Nicks is in charge. Provided we make the right coaching hire post-Nicks (bold to assume, I know), what do we think is the soonest possible date of the beginning of a new era of on-field success?
If Nicks is gone within the next 12 months, we bring in Cumming/ANB to fill some obvious immediate holes in the 22 (plus possibly a couple of others after 2025), and the development of our players drafted from 2020 onwards continues on the right trajectory, I think it's possible that we can look at 2026 or 2027 as the soonest date. We've seen teams in the past make a sharp rise up the ladder off the back of list additions and youth development. Obviously Nicks is putting a cap on how far we can rise currently (and I think it's fair to assume he doesn't change his ways), but with the right, free-flowing, hard-running gameplan, I don't see any reason why we can't start to push during those years
Of course, I'm assuming a lot goes right, and maybe a lack of optimism of off-field making the correct decisions will play a factor in people's thoughts, but I still like to think there's some kind of light at the end of the tunnel. Will be interesting to see if anyone else thinks the same
I think most can agree that we won't be competing for a flag while Nicks is in charge. Provided we make the right coaching hire post-Nicks (bold to assume, I know), what do we think is the soonest possible date of the beginning of a new era of on-field success?
If Nicks is gone within the next 12 months, we bring in Cumming/ANB to fill some obvious immediate holes in the 22 (plus possibly a couple of others after 2025), and the development of our players drafted from 2020 onwards continues on the right trajectory, I think it's possible that we can look at 2026 or 2027 as the soonest date. We've seen teams in the past make a sharp rise up the ladder off the back of list additions and youth development. Obviously Nicks is putting a cap on how far we can rise currently (and I think it's fair to assume he doesn't change his ways), but with the right, free-flowing, hard-running gameplan, I don't see any reason why we can't start to push during those years
Of course, I'm assuming a lot goes right, and maybe a lack of optimism of off-field making the correct decisions will play a factor in people's thoughts, but I still like to think there's some kind of light at the end of the tunnel. Will be interesting to see if anyone else thinks the same
