The positives from 2014

[qldmagpie67]

I know the non supportive among us will say there's no positives to come out of 2014 but for mine I can see a few.

Frost proved he is a very capable defender and a player with an immense desire. Played on many of the games power forwards and was more than competitive for large chunks of the season. Needs to improve his kicking but he certainly knows how to spoil and his closing speed is fantastic.

Langdon probably the unsung hero of our backline this year. Played taller than his stature suggested many times and has a touch of class in his disposal. Very good reader of the game.

Thomas seen enough to know he has a upside. Showed desire to compete and has a huge engine. Needs to dramatically improve his disposal but has the work ethic to do so

Adams came with many unknowns from GWS but showed he will be a player of vital importance going forward. Improved with every game and is a better than average hard ball winner

Armstrong I know he played only late in the season but showed me enough that he is super competitive and Has that touch of arrogance needed

Witts the longer the year went the better he got. He certainly improved his marking skills and showed he is a very competitive beast.

Seedsman has the pace and skills to be a very good player. Is still learning his craft but has shown enough to be a valuable player going forward

Broomhead has the foot skills many of his team mates lack. Still finding his feet but now has shown he has the smarts to be a good AFL player

Pendles I hear some say Pendles with amusement. Well for mine he learned a lot this year about being a leader. He has been used to being left concentrate on his own performance and let everyone else worry about there's but now as captain he has had to be more instrumental in the team than previous. His form may not have been as good as previous years but I believe that's more to do with the team than anything else. On many occasions immediately after games he can be seen talking in depth with the young players offering encouragement and advice. He is a leader learning on the job and unfortunately lost his biggest asset in Maxy early which left a huge whole to be filled.

I know some will be less than happy to admit we had any positives this year but for me I always like to look forward not back and find something good to come of any situation.

[bwphantom]

Great post...Bring in the doom and gloom mob

[slangman]

[The Boy Who Cried Wolf]

[bwphantom]

[What'sinaname]

The more attacking game plan early on was a positive. We caught some teams off guard and put together a decent run. This was balanced by the fact that by Round 11, opposition coaches had worked out the game plan and we persisted with it to win just 3 out of the last 11 games.

The young back line was a positive - mostly holding its own until the game plan was picked apart after with they couldn't cope with the countless turnovers.

Witts a real positive and clearly cemented his spot at the No 1 ruckman. It's his job to lose.

Maxwell's form was excellent - a real positive, but counteracted by his injury and the real lack of leadership shown by Hertier who was pretty much our next most experienced back man.

Elliot - a positive but crueller by injury.

Armstrong and later Sinclair- both provide some run out of the back line. Amrstrong a real positive (a pleasant surprise).

Backline coaching - excellent all round to get young players up to speed. Counteracted by woful forward and senior coaching.

Adams - a horrific start and I'm guilty in wanting him dropped but adds a lot to the midfield. Counteracted by the loss of Ball.

Overall, an 11-11 season with some real positives but also some real concerns going into 2015. Overall, I'd say 2014 was a failure given we couldn't win just 4 games in the second half of the year to play finals.

[The Boy Who Cried Wolf]

[thompsoc]

Langdon at pick 65
Will be the next jimmy c
Witts marking around the ground
Sidey elite running skills
The vfl side improving under Tapping
Rebuilding
And now for the long list of negatives.......

[Neil Appleby]

[PyreneesPie]

Great comments, qldmagpie67.

[pablo]

There has been some talk in other threads about doom and gloom and the need for experience etc.

I hasitly whacked a few players onto the park.
Before people have a crack at the detail of the positions, the point is to illustrate we have not a bad team and their experience, skill and team work is on a steep steep rise. We WILL play finals next year and push for top 4 the year after.
I for one am absolutely backing Buckley in... he is building a list for sustained success and I am actually enjoying the process of watching it all come together. It will make the 2016 and 2017 premierships all that more juicy. Enjoy the ride people, enjoy watching our boys improve week by week.... How about a little optimism?!?!?!?

B LANGDON FROST WILLIAMS
HB FASOLO BROWN TOOVEY
C LUMUMBA BEAMS YOUNG
HF SWAN CLOKE BROOMHEAD
FWD ELLIOTT REID GOLDSACK

FOLL WITTS PENDLEBURY SIDEBOTTOM
INT KEEFE KENNEDY THOMAS
SUB BLAIR

OTHERS GRUNDY, FREEMAN, ADAMS, DWYER, SCHARENBERG, WHITE

[AN_Inkling]

Good post. I'd also add that Elliott and Sidebottom took their game to another level. The latter will be very close to winning the Copeland this year, will almost certainly go 1 or 2.

Keeffe put in a solid year and Kennedy showed some good signs.

[David]

Seedsman will be fine. Just needs a full season without injury and he'll be in the starting 18 every week.

[swoop42]

[Wokko]

Adams, Langdon and Witts have immediately replaced Ball, Maxwell and Jolly. Other recent draftees have all come on great and there haven't been any 'busts' so far (unless Shazza is the second coming of Sean Rusling).

We pick up a top tier KPF prospect in Darcy Moore and all the other various trades, drafts and shenanigans. This year has a distinct 2006 feel to it, we're almost there.