Mighty Magpie’s 2017 Season Preview

[MightyMagpie]

Updated training reports and injury status pre-Xmas.

[MagpieBat]

[MightyMagpie]

[stui magpie]

2017 is going to be an interesting season. The top 7 was so even this year the dogs won the flag from 7th spot with North in 8th spot hitting the wall after the bye.

I reckon every team except Brisbane will think they're a chance for a top 8 finish and they'll be trying.
Essendon with their players back are a finals chance. So with so many teams all potentially looking at finals spots, 15 into 8 doesn't work.

For mine, the teams in danger of dropping out are:

Norf. Rebuilding by whatever name.

Dogs. They may have won the flag but remember they only finished 7th at the end of the H&A and I would bet on a hangover of epic proportions, plus other clubs will have put serious work into their game style.

Hawks. Were only just going this year, pinched a number of games that could have gone either way. With Jordan, Mitchel and Hale gone and Roughead no certainty to get back, they're in strife.

Crows. Just a feeling.

I can't see all of them missing out, they'll all be competing hard so there'll be a logjam between pos 5 and 12 and we'll be right in that mix

[Mossi]

^ stui add Geelong to that list they aren't a definite finals 8 side. Were absolutely dismantled in the semi by a side with a strong midfield.

[stui magpie]

yeah, good point. I still see them as a 5-8 team but dropping out wouldn't surprise.

All positions up for grabs.

[What'sinaname]

History says the finals participants only changes by 1-2 teams per year. Its unlikely that 4 teams would drop out so really we are competing with 8-10 teams for just 2 spots.

4 teams out of the 8 probably think they've improved enough to make finals so we'll be competing with these teams...if we think we've improved enough to make finals.

I'm concerned we are reliant on White and Cox as tall forwards.

[3rd degree]

[Jezza]

[CarringbushCigar]

61/22 = 2.77

Plenty of opportunity if we can construct a forward line structure that has synergy.
Injuries are no excuse as the depth and versatility of the list is phenomenal.

If Walshy can take over selecting the best 22 and someone works out where to play em we may be ok.

All Bucks needs to do is praise the bejeezus out of the list and fill them with confidence.
100% of the time personally take the blame immediately when anything goes wrong and stay low profile whilst giving them full credit for anything positive.

He has improved in these areas but when he fails at following these guidelines it has resulted in devastating periods of team performance.

North, Hawthorn, WestCoast certainly look vulnerable whilst Melbourne, Essendon and StKilda look at least AS threatening as us.

Clear and disturbing weakness in the list is a heavy reliance on Grundy and Moore. Why we did not end up with an Aaron Black or Nathan Vardy or Stewart/Richards must demonstrate enormous faith in Keefe/Cox/White.

Wells is another early concern - it's a huge investment and it has started terribly. With Walsh on board we should be able to handle whatever eventuates better and we all remember Howe recovering brilliantly.

The loss of Witts and Cloke for not a lot will be a blessing or our downfall, not injuries or drug scandals or umpiring.

The senior coach must be held primarily accountable for this list, this fitness team, this coaching panel.

D-day is nigh.

[MightyMagpie]

2km time trial on 6 January:

1st Phillips
2nd Greenwood
3rd Sidebottom

Per HS article on twitter (now paywalled).

Grundy impressive. Elliott and Fasolo training. Wells restricted program still. Reid and Sier continued to run laps, along with defender Tom Langdon, on-baller Ben Crocker, draftee Sam McLarty and rookie Mitch McCarthy.

[Edited]

[magpieazza]

Could players also please refrain from taking drugs.

Lessons should be learnt from last couple years and you know Robbo is just waiting at the front door, like any journo should. His timing last year was spot on though...March 29!!...onya Robbo ya c...!!!

Its the players responsibility at the end of the day however so....

[MightyMagpie]

Open training on Wednesday 11 Jan at about 9:30 I believe.

Any training reports will be gratefully linked.

[69 years a MAGPIE]

[MagpieBat]