The Apostle AK wrote:Constance_Perm wrote:Port - A work in progress with so many youngsters, but I reckon they undertook a big year of development in 2010 and again I think they will have further improvement in them this season.
This years danger side. They will either improve massively or stay where they are!
Cue Spelly! or anyone else...
Hypothetically, where would Port have finished last year if they had won all of their close matches (sub 3 goal loss)???
It would have given Port 13 wins, they would have finished in 3rd spot, one win behind both the Dogs & the Bays. Even winning 6 of those matches could have seen them finish equal 5th with Norwood & WWT & miss the finals on percentage.
FWIW.....This year is going to see some big changes in the way the top 5 has been for a few years. There are 2 parts to it...
1.Genuine ImproversI think
Port will improve for a number of reasons, would expect them to sneak into the top 5.
North will improve under Francou by being able to play with a bit of licence, but it may take a few weeks for it to gel. It could be a slow start to the season but in the end have maybe 2 more wins than 2010 and that gives them 11.
Westies seem to run in cycles similar to AFL clubs, have a really good year or two and then drop back through again before bottoming out and coming back. For that reason as much as anything, I can see them improving again in 2011 with maybe 2 more wins than 2010 and that would have put them in 3rd spot last year..
2."Sliders" Norwood has been raped of
quality as we all know. Bassett is going to have to virtually start off from fresh again & could end up with a start like last season & with the talent loss they have had, they may not recover as they did in 2010. For that reason alone I think they will lose probably 4 more matches than they did in 2010 and in theory, that puts them out of the top 5.
Sturt have not lost the quality Norwood have, however they have been hit by massive numbers of league players going - take just 3 wins from last year away and they finish 7th, I think it will be more.....
Glenelg certainly have the talent, but have constantly cracked under pressure when it matters. It has been pretty quiet at the Bay, I have a feeling their confidence and belief may be on the wane and I would expect them to lose as many as 5 more games than last season and that sees them missing out.
The
Dogs will stay where they are & going on what we have seen in the past, they aim to finish top 3 on the way up and finish the season off very well - again that is all they need to do. Will finish top two as they will win most of their games against the sides placed 3rd to 5th.
WWT are the enigmas - one just doesn't know what to expect & that is with no disrespect to them. More than any other side they seem to me to have the most transitions between the SANFL & AFL each week. I think they will have less this year as major injuries are now over for Crows & Power players, and those guys took up space when they had to play.
IF they can get a settled side, even without those AFL players - they will be the big improver in 2011.MY ladder at the end of the minor round.
WWT
Centrals
West
North
Port
Glenelg
Norwood
Sturt
South.
Posted: Tue Jan 04, 2011 10:52 am
