2017 defining season

[qldmagpie67]

2017 will be a defining season for many reasons. We are at th cross roads in terms of the coach, the rebuild and several players futures beyond.
Firstly let me say I'm bullish about our chances, I like the trades as I see it improves our skill factor greatly and it adds some points of difference to the side that went around in 2016.

Starting at the top the coach. He is on record now saying no finals in 2017 and his tenure would be over. As honest as it was in response to a question I personally believe it has added undue pressure to his position and also added pressure to the team. Maybe time will tell it's a good thing as we will see very quickly if the players are really wanting to keep the coach. Rest assured after any loss the media will be having a field day asking the same question "Is this the loss that ends Buckley's coaching career at Collingwood"
Buckley has admirers and haters in this place but even his harshest critic couldn't say he doesn't bleed black n white. He has made some unpopular decisions along the way parting ways with several fan favourites and premiership heroes. We have argued and debated the pros and cons of all those but the one thing he has stuck firm to is giving the young players a chance to prove themselves in preference to a ageing/declining star.
We have loaded up with potential talent over the past few seasons and we haven't really had the chance to see that potential talent shine like me head hoped. Injuries, lack of form, cohesion and many other factors have kept us I believe form see if exactly where this list is at. I've been a very large critic of our lack of a game plan and the tactical nouse of the coach but I have also said its hard to completely blame him when we can't get the same side on the field 2 weeks in a row.
The club has invested time money and patience in this rebuild and I think largely we have got most of it right. We may have missed someone in the draft in hindsight or lost a player we hadn't planned to but overall I think we've stuck firm to our plans. Nowa the time for it to bare fruit.

So entering 2017 Buckley knows the players know no finals and we will more than likely be looking at a new coach.
A new coach will bring in a new thought process and new ideas. What one coach viewed as a certain direction would be viewed differently from another coach. What a coach thought of a player will be different to another coach.
So this players have as much to gain or lose from a change in coach the coach himself.
Several players will be under pressure to either perform at higher standard regularly or turn potential into performance or face the prospect of not being in our colours in 2018 and beyond.

For mine the main ones we need to be performing at a higher or more consist level are as follows.

DeGoey. No doubt he has talent but 2016 wasn't a shadow of his 2015 efforts. Be it second year syndrome or a lack or urgency he seemed to have stalled in his progress. He needs to show vast improvement in his application during the course of the game and he needs to do all the little things that separate good players from the also rans. DeGoey has several strings to his bow he can play forward and kick gaols, he can go into the midfield and win the ball and he's a decent mark. He needs to show the club he has the desire to be a very good player and put consistent high performances together every week.

Scharenberg. Matt has had a terrible run with injury. The few games he's managed he's shown he has the basic skills to be a AFL footballer but as a top end draft pick we need him to live up to the hype he had pre draft. After 2 knees he will take some time to get football fit but during that time he can show foot skills and his ability to read play that he was drafted for. I'm very hopeful he can make it as I see him as a huge plus in our side if he gets to reach his potential. The club has been patient with him and given him the time to recover now he needs to repay that with performance.

Langdon. Spent most of 2016 injured but in his games he did ply he showed a distinct lack of match awareness and seemed to be mor interested in his new man bun than the game at times. A talent for sure but his efforts or lack there of during games early in 2016 was concerning. Whether he was a victim of the ever changing defence we had or he simply started taking his spot for granted only he knows. We need him showing improvement on what he produced in 2015. He was a vital link up man for us and showed great match reading ability. He will be competing for several other half back flankers for a spot so if he doesn't bring his A game each week he may be spending long periods in the VFL.

Crisp. Was the steak knives in the Beams deal but his first year he was very good. Last season he dropped off that effort and if it wasn't for injuries he would have been lucky to retain his place. In a midfield that oozes class and depth he can't afford to be a passenger. He needs to impact the scoreboard and makes second third and forth efforts a feature of his game. He needs to look at the work rate of Wills and his tackling pressure to see the standard required. He has talent and potential again he needs to show it every week.

Sidebottom. Yes one of my favourite whipping boys I hear you say. Well not exactly. I've never doubted his ability but I have always questioned his consistency. And there in lays the key. His best is brilliant no doubts and he has outstanding quarters or halves of football. The Anzac Day game 2016 that first half was unbelievable then basically went stat free (6 touches by memory) in the second half shut down by a player with less than 20 games. Game agains the Dee's first quarter he was amazing then Tom Bugg sent to him and he held him to under 10 touches for the next 3 terms. This is his issue. You can't be considered elite or even a top end A grader when there is such a gulf between your best and worst performances. He needs to have a impact (positive impact) over every game and every quarter. Pendles greatest asset is he never plays a bad or quiet game. The difference between his best and worst games is minimal and that's the standard Sidey needs to reach. He's in his prime, over 160 games experience and now handed a long term very rich deal he needs to show his worth it. For mine I believe he's best place in playing as a small forward who ventures into the midfield from time to time.
People mock me when I've said he isn't elite and I stand by that (I believe we have only 1 elite player on our list currently in Pendles) but my issue has been with his consistency not his ability.

Finally players like Oxley Sinclair Broomhead Greenwood all need to have big years of they too may be looking for new homes in 2018

[Cam]

If we aint 4-4 or better by round 8 you'd think there will be blood in the water, because all things being equal we will be missing the finals.

[qldmagpie67]

[Culprit]

I thought 2016 was a defining season and we had excuse after excuse. 2017 will be same same but different.

[SHADOWS]

[The Boy Who Cried Wolf]

[What'sinaname]

We'll turnover more than a quarter of our list before 2017....we're starting Buckley Rebuild 2.0. You don't play finals when you start a rebuild.

[Culprit]

[What'sinaname]

[uncanny]

Maybe Bucks declaring his hand about finals next year is the sense of urgency the team needs. I got the feeling early this season that there was plenty of man love amongst the group but not enough of the old style desperation and toughness needed to set the tone during a game to set up a win. Their games later in the year were closer to the mark. They have showed they can compete with the best. Looking forward to see how they go. Bulldogs first up by the sounds of things.

[Rush Stand Wing]

Did Bucks invent the word 'bullish' ? Its now a buzz word.

[Skids]

[Cam]

[What'sinaname]

[Albert Parker]