What are our chances for 2024?

[Haff]

Long long way to go really. Still should be there abouts for top 4. I hope the scum drop off. GWS will be top 4. Betting on Melbourne bombing would the smart money.

Schultz a good addition and an upgrade on Adams at HF but lose the option in the middle. Still think we're a midfielder short but Macrae needs to come on now, has done a bigger apprenticeship than most.

Improvement coming from within and I saw enough with McStay in the side that he will be a 30 goal forward next year but more importantly a target for Bobby and Lachie to crumb off.

[The Black and White Lion]

The fox footy best 23 in 2024 is a good team, time will tell if it’s angriest one on field again. Despite our passion and desires, we will all have to be careful with our expectations, particularly in the 2024 home and away season. The media will be all over us this time and so will many naysayers, general expectations and ladder predictions will be higher and we will wear a bigger target on our backs. But we handled things well in 2023 for the ultimate annual prize.

But how often do we flag the emergencies, best 26 or 27 and depth plus the worst 6.

Fly Wright knows better but I think we’ve lost a bit more than we’ve gained in the trade season with Adams Ginni Bianco and Ruscoe out and only Schultz in. The projection that we’re a better team is solely based on McStay’s fitness and Schultz forward performance.

But the reality is we need a wider group for the regular season to cover form and injuries. We have only Noble Johnson and Frampton as regulars from 2023 with a couple of games into McInnes. We will need improvement from this quartet plus games out of Macrae, Allan, Harrison and Ryan. But is that enough. If we need to get some games out of Begg, Krueger, Kelly, Carmichael, Dean and Richards who’s going to stand up?

[Take_a_Screamer]

Hopefully Charlie Dean (22, 195 cm, 93 kg) provides back six depth, has a good preseason and plays regularly, giving him a chance to be tried in the seniors. Especially important he succeeds if Murphy is a risk at any time during the year. Some players cop concussions as if magnets to injury. Compare this with the very long run of injury free Jack Crisp, not to mention the amazing pair Pendlebury and Sidebottom.

[BazBoy]

I saw a bit of an interview with fly and he said he was looking at some ideas for next season—-not a continuance of everything we are doing

Way he spoke he has some fresh ideas (don’t know what). Footy moves quickly and you must move a step in front of the opposition

[pietillidie]

Ash Johnson could be a superstar. He's about the most naturally gifted player I've seen, and just needs another big pre-season and next-level confidence in himself.

Would love someone to put a question to Leon and Fly on what they're expecting from him this year, and how he can take that next step.

I've said before that I worry about the lad over the off-season, as you don't know what support and encouragement people have around them, and some kids struggle with down time.

[maurs64]

Will the loss of Adams to Sydney dampen the fire to win the 2024 flag? If Adams was still at Collingwood, I would have thought that the team would go to hell & back to get Adams a medal next year. What will be the driving motivation to go back to back? Noble? McStay? The kids coming through?
Adams & Ginny leaving a successful team would have to have some sort of negative impact on their teammates. 2024 could easily be another flag or not playing finals at all.

[The Black and White Lion]

[David]

I know places in the side are and will be competitive, but I'd be very surprised if Noble isn't lining up for us in Round 1.

[Raw Hammer]

We're adding players like McStay, Schultz, Noble, Ash Johnson to our premiership team ... and Nick Daicos, Josh Daicos, McCreery, IQ, Bobby Hill ... will all improve again.

Injuries and hubris will always play a part.

[Kingsofclutch]

[neil]

Winning one is hard
Winning two in a row is twice as hard
Going into next season hopeful but accepting the difficulty

[Take_a_Screamer]

^^ It's do-able - Richmond did a three-peat inside 4 years.

We got one of their assistant coaches, of course namely Fly

[stui magpie]

^

We've got 2 of them. Fly and Leppa, both of whom also 3 peated as players for the Brions.

Look at some of the aftermatch team photos, players holding up 1 finger. I expect hey'll be hungry and driven to go back to back, Fly and Leppa certainly will drive that.

[Kingsofclutch]

To answer the thread question back to back has happened 23 times over the 126 years of the league giving us a purely mathematical 18.3% chance of achieving it. However, when I consult my magic 8 ball it says lock it in, just like it did for this year.

[qldmagpie67]

Well our chances are as good as any other side right now
We will need luck with injuries like all teams
Saying we get that then we will need a natural improvement in players as well
IQ had a grea season but is you can improve
Bobby H played better the year went on his best is in front of him
Josh D grew so much this season and is still finding out how good he can be
Nick D heaven help the competition if he improves again
Beau is still learning I see him getting more midfield time this season coming
Schultz will be a bonus he is everything we like high pressure and goal craft
Moore played so well but I think he’s still a work in progress and will improve
McStay showed late in the season his value once he settled for a few games in a row
Frampton looked way better than I thought he would. I think he’s a better defender than a forward and thought the games he played offered enough to be in and around best 23
Then we have McRae Allen Begg Dean Carmichael Johnson Noble and a few others all under 25 and should all be pushing for regular senior time this season
Our only question marks really hang over the heads of
Murphy he’s 1 head knock from retiring
Elliott his body just seemed to slow down the last third of the season
Long term injuries to cameron and Cox