Do you think we will go through a rebuilding phase in the near future?

[Dazza]

As the title asks do you think we will have to go through a rough rebuilding stage where we are on the outer of the 8 for longer than 1-2 years? With all the new draftees showing the goods I can't really see us staying down in the dumps for too long. Really think Rocket has done well keeping the list very healthy not just for this window of opportunity but also the next one not too far down the track. (Much like Malthouse at Collingwood)

Your thoughts?

[ledge]

As the title asks do you think we will have to go through a rough rebuilding stage where we are on the outer of the 8 for longer than 1-2 years? With all the new draftees showing the goods I can't really see us staying down in the dumps for too long. Really think Rocket has done well keeping the list very healthy not just for this window of opportunity but also the next one not too far down the track. (Much like Malthouse at Collingwood)

Your thoughts?

Didnt know we were in them, i thought finishing 3rd was a good result and we were on the way up not down.
What do you know that i dont?

[Dazza]

Haha you know what I meant. I just can't see a repeat of finishing 15th/16th in consecutive seasons that happened a few years ago.

[ledge]

Yeah seriously i think we will be a force for a few years to come looking at the crop coming up, but i suppose it all depends on kids you draft in the future to keep the side up there.
One of the main things that causes collapse like that is a stale coach though, as we all know coaches dont retire they get sacked, as i said in another post though i am very pleased with Eade.

[hujsh]

West Coast won a flag and people were predicting a dynasty. Anything can happen in 2 years.

[The Bulldogs Bite]

You would think our list is in a pretty solid position at the moment, but it'll be interesting to watch the change over the next 3 years. Johnson, Akermanis, Welsh, Hudson & Eagleton all only have 1-2 years left. Johnson maybe 3 - but decline happens fast. That's 5 of our best 22 who all play a pretty damn key role and all largely contributed to last years success.

It won't be easy covering the first four. Really - aside from Grant, who do we have coming up that can play as a forward? Not too many. They're mostly young mids. IMO we should target medium forwards in this upcoming draft. Players in the Johnson/Welsh category are so valuable. Jack Anthony for Collingwood's gonna be rock solid.

I don't think we'll bottom out, we've got far too much talent on our list, but I'm not sure we'll be able to cover all these quality losses and maintain our position/aspire even higher. Not until we develop a few more options up forward. That makes these next two drafts very important.

I'd expect a dip for a year or two when (mainly) the first four depart, until we are able to find a few more talents, but realistically we SHOULD be a pretty damn good side for the next 4-5 years.

[soupman]

Those players are the worry. When they drop off who do we have:

Hudson:
Well first there's Minson, who is never going to be a dominant ruckman, but could make it to Hudsons level. His benefit is that he can pinch hit up forward.

Then there's Roughead, who is very highly regarded and looks to have the ability to be a very dangerous tap ruckman. The question is could he come in and replace Hudson when he retires in 1/2 years time? There may be a changeover period where our ruck division may struggle for a year, but we should be alright.

Cordy is the other possibility, but with his body I wouldn't be marking him down for AFL ruck for atleast 2 years, maybe 3.

Brad Johnson:
Well this is where a bloke like Brennan Stack becomes important. Does the club see him developing as a forward in the long term? From what I've heard he's an athletic freak with a big leap. Does that mean he could be like Johnno and be too good aerially for a small defender but too quick/agile for a tall one? Hopefully.

Scott Welsh:
Hopefully he'll be upgraded to a genuine tall in Grant.

Akermanis:
Harbrow maybe?

Eagleton:
A combination of Hill, Ward and many of our other young runners.

[Sedat]

We had 9 of last year's top 10 in the B&F all on the right side of 27. In truth, we have been gradually rebuilding the list over the last 3-4 years - we've lost 1,500 games of experience in that time, not to mention our core match winners (save for Johnson). Now the majority of our most influential players still have their best footy in front of them. I think our list management since Rocket came to the club at the end of 2004 has been exceptional.

[The Adelaide Connection]

It will be interesting to see how much the changes in the draft with the extra concessions for Gold Coast/West Sydney affect clubs in the coming years. Theoretically it wont affect sides finishing higher up as much as those who have a few years on the canvas in a row (likely Melbourne) who would normally get all the extra concessions (like Carlton did a few years back). May be no one left to 'tank' for in the last few rounds.

[LostDoggy]

West Coast won a flag and people were predicting a dynasty. Anything can happen in 2 years.
I think thats a poor example as they knew what was going on at the club and did little to change things. All was fine when your druggies are winning you premierships. Its was always destined to fall apart quickly and dramatically.

[LostDoggy]

^^^

Correct.

Sydney haven't slid half as much and from not as high a base to start with. Geelong should be thereabouts for the next couple of years after being dominant for the past two, so four/five years is a pretty good stretch.

Professionalism, as much as anything, is a key to a dynasty.

That's why I believe that Hawthorn are another ticking time bomb that won't last long at the top. You can fool some people some of the time etc etc...

[Sockeye Salmon]

I think thats a poor example as they knew what was going on at the club and did little to change things. All was fine when your druggies are winning you premierships. Its was always destined to fall apart quickly and dramatically.

An Essendon supporting friend of mine straight out expected that 2000 was the first of many premierships on a row. His only question was whether they would only equal Collingwood's 4 in a row or keep going for 5 or 6.

[LostDoggy]

An Essendon supporting friend of mine straight out expected that 2000 was the first of many premierships on a row. His only question was whether they would only equal Collingwood's 4 in a row or keep going for 5 or 6.

OK I give that one

[hujsh]

I think thats a poor example as they knew what was going on at the club and did little to change things. All was fine when your druggies are winning you premierships. Its was always destined to fall apart quickly and dramatically.

Yeah that's pretty true but the point could be applied to a few premiership winning teams (like Sockeyes example of the Dons and maybe even Geelong if things don't go well this year)

[LostDoggy]

If we were to go into a rebuilding phase in the next two to three years i couldn't care less. As long as we win a Premiership in that time i'll be fine with it. I think 55 years is more than enough time to build a side that has WON the premiership.

[Dazza]

I personally think the salary cap will come up and bite hawthorn in the arse. They can't keep Buddy and Roughead on low incomes forever. Will be interesting.

[GVGjr]

I personally think the salary cap will come up and bite hawthorn in the arse. They can't keep Buddy and Roughead on low incomes forever. Will be interesting.

I went to a function that had Clarkson as the guest speaker a couple of years back and I don't think they will have too many problems. He basically said then that all the players had been advised that if money was a primary factor in signing on the dotted line rather then creating a dynasty with the Hawks then the club would accommodate (where possible) the departures.

With a premiership now under their belt, he won't change this stance too much.

[azabob]

I went to a function that had Clarkson as the guest speaker a couple of years back and I don't think they will have too many problems. He basically said then that all the players had been advised that if money was a primary factor in signing on the dotted line rather then creating a dynasty with the Hawks then the club would accommodate (where possible) the departures.

With a premiership now under their belt, he won't change this stance too much.

And I would say further to that he has shown previously that he has no problems moving players on regardless of the players ability.

[GVGjr]

And I would say further to that he has shown previously that he has no problems moving players on regardless of the players ability.

He would see it is an opportunity to replace a highly regarded player with an early draft pick and acquire a Stephen Gilham type with a late pick as an quick fix measure. Players will be offered fair and competitive dollars but they simply won't be paid a premium that impacts depth of the playing list.

[azabob]

He would see it is an opportunity to replace a highly regarded player with an early draft pick and acquire a Stephen Gilham type with a late pick as an quick fix measure. Players will be offered fair and competitive dollars but they simply won't be paid a premium that impacts depth of the playing list.

Exactly, just like he and his team built the list this time around. Hopefully other clubs will also be a bit smarter this time around.

[Scorlibo]

I think we will spend a significant amount of time outside the eight in around three years. Not necessarily in the bottom four because we should retain a very good midfield for a long time, but when that excellent group of players drafted from 99-00 start to drop off, we will find ourselves searching for a number of other players to step up. Hopefully by that point guys like Addison, Everitt, Williams, Habrow, Hill, Ward, Grant, Cordy, Roughead, O'Keefe etc. will be ready to step up.

[Bumper Bulldogs]

[QUOTE=The Bulldogs Bite;73779]You would think our list is in a pretty solid position at the moment, but it'll be interesting to watch the change over the next 3 years. Johnson, Akermanis, Welsh, Hudson & Eagleton all only have 1-2 years left.

I to think we will not bottom out as we are in a strong position at the moment,

Interesting that we have ready replacements now but that may affect our depth in 3 years.

Johnson - Hillor a resting Cooney/Griffen
Aker - Stack/Okeefe/Picken
Welsh - Grant/Cordy
Hudson - Roughead/Mulligan/Oshea
Eagleton - Ward/Reid........ Maybe the orange peeler could step in

My concerns would be more around the replacement for Mitch Hahn, Linsay Gilbee, Matthew Boyd & Brian Lake which will be the next to move on after these.

[soupman]

Interesting that we have ready replacements now but that may affect our depth in 3 years.

Johnson - Hillor a resting Cooney/Griffen
Aker - Stack/Okeefe/Picken
Welsh - Grant/Cordy
Hudson - Roughead/Mulligan/Oshea
Eagleton - Ward/Reid........ Maybe the orange peeler could step in

My concerns would be more around the replacement for Mitch Hahn, Linsay Gilbee, Matthew Boyd & Brian Lake which will be the next to move on after these.

I'm not sure those replacements are right at all.

Johnson as mentioned before gets covered by Stack, and maybe Hill could play that role as well. Hill wouldn't be the solo forward as Johnno plays though, more the bloke that drifts across the pack and takes the mark.

For Akermanis Picken is the wrong type, more of a Boyd. I'd be thinking more a Harbrow, and especially a Lynch. Players that create something through a certain ability, in Harbrow and Lynch their pace and inventiveness. They are the sort of dangerous forward pockets (who push into the midfield) that could play an Akermanis role and chip in for a few goals a game.

Welsh I think you're gotten right, Grant seems to be the obvious choice. Cordy is an interesting one, from all reports he could be a very dangerous forward, and with his apparent skills below his knees he could almost play a Johnson role, too tall for the smaller players but too good once the ball hits the deck for the taller blokes.

Hudson's replacements are Roughead and Minson. They would be the players I would expect to see step up into the number 1 ruck spot in his absence. Cordy looks to be a forward/ruck, especially if Roughead comes on. Mulligan seems to be being developed as a CHB, and I remember reading somewhere he doesn't like the ruck. Shaw is the smoky, he's certainly big enough but I'm unsure if he's sufficiently talented. O'Shea isn't a ruckman.

Eagleton could be a combination of players, we could see Hill push onto the wingers role, and maybe O'Keefe could step up as that dangerous long kick. Reid seems to be more of an inside midfielder, not someone you chuck on the wing.

Even longer term I see for the following players (mind you this is very speculative):

Robert Murphy: Maybe a Cordy, Grant or Jones, but really we are too far out at this point to see. Maybe even an Everitt.

Matthew Boyd: A Picken, Addison or a Reid. Maybe even Henry White.

Mitch Hahn: Easton Wood looks like that barging sort of player, but I'm unsure he'll be a forward.

Lindsay Gilbee: O'Keefe seems to be pretty popular.

Brian Lake: O'Shea, Mulligan or Jones? None of them really stand out for me.

A lot of these depend on how our structure develops though. eg. If Cordy or Grant come on, our forwardline could be unrecognisable. Would we still need a Hahn type? Could Murphy's role be filled by a Giansiracusa type player in combo with a Jones?

And by the way, stop deleting the second quotation mark (the one that reads [/quote]) in all your posts. Its making your posts very hard to read.