We CAN win the flag. Too bloody right we can !!

[Piesnchess]

Actually, i really DONT think we can win it this season, i just wanted too get your attention for my first new seasons thread. LOL. However, i do think if we can get a good run with injuries, no long term ones, and if our myriad of young guys come on the way i reckon they will, we can certainly give the top six a real shake, with luck, maybe even fourth spot can beckon. I am really excited about this very young team, too me with have now young and enthusiastic talent too burn, young fellas like Treloar, aish, de goey, langdon, frost, a fit schrenberg, grundy, witts, taylor adams, blended with vets like pendles, swan, cloke, elliott, this new pickup Howe, have the makings of a great team, that ticks all boxes.The team of 2010 had a core of veterans, this team does not, just plenty of exciting youth and boundless enthusiasm.

The old hawks,swans, freo, are ageing rapidly, time is not on their side, but time is definitely on our side, this is the most exciting group of young players ive seen at the Magpies for many decades, and im preening my ol black n white feathers with anticipation.

NO, i dont think we can win the flag this season, we are just too young, but by golly, we will give it one hell of a shake in 2017 and beyond that, i can feel a long and sustained Magpie era coming up fast. !!

[burnsy17]

Why cant we win it is 2016??

Backline - we have a premiership full back and CHB in Brown and Reid, we have a stack of very good small backs in Langdon, Ramsay, Maynard, Toovey, Williams, Ox and Sinclair etc and Pendles will spend plenty of time there too.

mids - grunt from Greenwood, DeGoey and Adams...and class from Trealor, Sidey, Aish, Crisp, Varcoe, pendles, Swanny.... And more

Rucks - two rucks who should just about be right to go after a few years in the system

Forwards - cloke, Moore, Howe and White as talls and Elliot, Fas, Broomy and Swanny at times....


Again i ask, why not in 2016? What are we missing??

[kymbo5@yahoo.com.au]

Luck. That's what we need in addition to our lists, our coaches, staff and supporters. We have been devoid of sustained luck for some time. Every premiership side in history has it.

[Dave The Man]

Everything has to go our Way and quite a few teams to go Backwards

[burnsy17]

Hawks will slow down - cannot sustain what they have... Other than them, its open slather..

Eagles arent that good, Port are hit and miss and Geelong are an unknown quantity with their new players...

If a decent side was ever going to pinch one.....

I truly believe we'll have a belter this season and finish top 4.

[Skids]

$1.83 top 8
$6 top 4
$23 Flag

Get on

[melliot]

I'll be happy to see an upward trend rather than another downward one. Make finals would be a good start. After that it's a bonus.

Flag from where we currently are is dreaming.

[E]

isn't that what this thread is all about?

PNC - I think you might have forgotten to mention one young Sidebottom.

I am also shocked that you guys aren't talking up the likes of Toovey, Goldsack and Blair. The TGB are going to prove all the doubters wrong this year!

[Lazza]

[3rd degree]

[Stinger]

We wont win anything unless our set shot kicking improves.

Cloke <30m out - no guarantees
Howe - kicking accuracy questionable
Jessica White - misses pressure goals
Moore - still to prove himself
Elliot - would be great to see him back as a permanent fwd rather than mid. Needs to kick 2-3 every week.
Swan - Buckley's flagged more forward time for him so if anything it will make opposition defenders more accountable.
Blair - needs to make the most of his chances - more so as a crumbing fwd
Likewise Broomhead

Compare that to the Hawks

Roughead - good set shot
Gunston - never misses
Breust - never ever misses

*sorry...edited as the formatting went out of wack!

[Skids]

Not quite right Stinger

Elliots (66%) accuracy is up with those 3 players. Cloke (53%) & Howe (57%) definitely have some work to do.

Roughead (62%) is an OK set shot. Breust (68%) & Gunston (66%) can hardly be put in the "never ever misses" category. They are comparable to; Dunstall(66%) & McKenna (65%). Lockett (69%) was a pretty good shot but still missed his fair share.

Some interesting accuracy stats here ... http://afltables.com/afl/stats/accuracy.html

[E]

Are these stats set shots or the ratio of goals to points?

[Skids]

Goal/point ratio E.

[Stinger]

You could have added Ben McEvoy to that too @ 72%

Yes Skids, no one is 100% but shooting at 62-68% compared to 53-66% is a difference of 10-12pts per game

Yes Elliot is comparable but the others are crud.