An optimistic view of 2017 player expectations...

[cityslick1]

We've lost quite a few players in the trade period, but none that I rate highly.

Brown was a liability, and ideally would've been replaced with an up and coming star, but we couldn't get Marchbank or Hurley.
Frost had good games, but also had his flaws, and was quite small and cumbersome for a KB, and...
Witts has been overrated by GC for mine. Yes he is supposedly developing, but he actually went backwards last season, struggled at the end of the season in the twos, and has always lacked presence, physicality, desire and decision making... as well as the the ability to mark above his head. So people saying that we got ripped off and GC got a bargain are on a different page to me...

So where does this leave us. With all of the speculation and commentary about trades and draft picks / kids etc, many have forgotten about our run of injuries / underperformance from key players this year, and our scope for development / improvement in 2017. Unlike clubs like geelong and the hawks who are still left with multiple key players on the decline - ala Burgoyne, Gibson, Hodge, Mackie, Lonergen, Taylor.... a lot of our key players still have improvement left in them. So here is a list of key players and an optimistic yet hopefully realistic view of their scope to either improve, plateau or drop off in 2017.

Pendles - Hold / improve. Could easily improve with more support and less niggles in 2017, but he is ageing and we'd be happy for the same again from him.
Treloar - improve / hold. Should be an all Australian next year, along with a better pre season and fitting into the team better in year 2. Will do well to average 30 a game again, but can't see him falling away.
Adams - improve. Hampered by injuries and ready to hit his straps. Should be crucial to our clearance and balling winning ability.
Sidebottom - hold / improve. Has another level to go to, to consistently deliver his best, and may do it, but can only see him maintaining his current output at the v minimum.
Crisp - improve. Had a down 2016, and is capable of a lot more. Hitting his prime now, loves a contest and works his ass off. No reason why he can't average 20 a game and kick 20 goals in 2017.
Wells - hold. Same again in 2017 please and we should be pushing finals. Hopefully a new club provides a revitalised approach and energy.
Moore - improve. No injuries and continue his development and he could really push for star status. Needs support, some more muscle, improved tank and luck with durability, but should def get more out of him in 2017.
Fasolo - improve. Showed his new attitude and what he can do with it against the tigers, and with foils in Mayne, Elliott and WHE, should get less heat and more chances to dominate. Could easily kick 50 and become AA with all things going right for the team.
Elliott - improve. As long as he gets on the park it'll be a big tick. Hope he can be back to his best, because that is also AA standard.
Grundy - improve. A full year of 2016's second half and the guy will be considered a gun. Seems to have overcome his weaknesses and matured as a Player. Please stay fit.
Scharenberg - improve. Just needs to be fit and good enough to make the 22 and fulfill some of his potential, and will be a v handy (and required) addition to our half back line.
Ramsey - improve. averaged 20 a game in 2016. A year older and a key part of our defence. Hopefully no signs of injury hampering where he left off.
Reid - improve / hold. Confidence back in his body and playing good football again. Could / should be an AA contender again if he stays fit and fulfills his potential. Vital to our defence.
De Goey - improve. steady progression each year.. is still only 20, and should be better next year. Needs to demand a midfield spot and takes things to the next level.
Howe - hold. Would be great to get even better, and no reason why he can't, but would be happy with same again.
Cox - improve. Showed a lot of desire, smarts and skill in his limited games. So hard to match up on. Should be even better in 2017 after progressing a lot this year.
WHE - improve on 2016. Has all the tools and provided he gets fit should be silk. Should only improve our team.
Varcoe - hold / drop off. Didn't have a great season, and will be pushed with competition, so same again should be expected.
Maynard - improve. Really showed something, and just needs to continue his development. Like
Smith - hold / improve. Excellent first year. If he improves on that he will have been a draft steal.
Sinclair - improve
Goldsack - improve
Keefe - improve
Thomas - improve
Greenwood - hold
Blair - hold / drop off

Not a bad outlook if all this holds true. We're still short on quality talls, still rebuilding, and heavily even more dependent on our fitness and development coaches / teams... but the Sky should be looking blue.

Go Pies!

[duke750]

Good positive post. Mostly agree...

You forgot:

Aish: improve, really showed in the latter part of 2016 that he could play and has real class;
White: improve/hold, also better in latter part of 2016 and will need to be back up ruckman until Cox gets more strength/bulk and experience;
Dunn: ????

[What'sinaname]

You can do the same for every team and get a list of improvements for everyone.

The fact remains we're turning over between 25-33% of our list and will struggle early on to get the cohesion necessary to be competitive. If our fixture is tough early on, we may start the season 1-5, then it's season over.

We need s soft draw early to help the team learn to play together but also get a few wins while we are making simple mistakes and learning a new system.

[cityslick1]

Disagree. All of our key players are under the age of 28 - and most actually around the 20 - 24 mark, and developing. Wells is the only potentially key player who is at risk of dropping off due to age, and he wasn't even here last year! Most other clubs though have at least 3 key players tailing off in their careers. We don't, and have more upside from previously injured / hampered players than most. Here's a quick list of key players by club that are a strong chance to fall in 2017...

Adelaide - Betts, Thompson
Carlton - Kruezer, Simpson, Thomas, (no threat)
Fremantle - Sandilands, Mundy, Pavlich (ret)
Geelong - Mackie, Lonergen, Taylor, Enright (Ret)
GWS - Mumford, Stevie J, Shaw - though have plenty to step up
Hawthorn - Hodge, Gibson, Burgoyne
North - half of their midfield and forward line retired, delisted, traded or in decline
St kilda - Riewoldt, Montagna, Gilbert
Sydney - Kennedy, Grundy, Franklin (yes)
Western Bulldogs - Boyd, Morris, Picken, Murphy, Cloke

If all goes well, we should be bullish about stealing one of these teams' spot in the eight

[Piesnchess]

This thread is the glass half full thread, and I really like it, I fully agree with the OP, give us a bloody reasonable run with injuries, for once, and we could be anything next season. !