SA Footy

South seemed to improve alot last season to be back in finals football can they make the next step up in 2012 to be a premiership threat?

The million dollar question.....

In reality....they should do. I would like to see them top 3 in 2012. Anything less than that would be a let down IMO.

Lost a few from last year but gained some good quality recruits. Houlihan from WCE. McNamara, Bollenhagen back from Fremantle, Casley from GWS plus a few more exciting players like Ky Miller.
The ones that came to the club last year should feel more comfortable with their roles....like Wundke, Stribling, Cross etc...

Probably I can say its the first time in a long time that South are finally looking alot more balanced on the field. This includes presure on the A grade side with more talent in the reserves pushing for a spot. (I have not seen this in a while)

They really need to win more games away from home. This is the key to the side being a success in 2012. If they dont , they will be treading water. We did not win enough away games in 2011.

Still a young , fast side which some coaches might have worked out how certain players play this year.

I think they can only improve. Confidence would be high from last year and the feeling of playing finals would have been great for the young side to want more of it.

Just need to win more games away

nope ...

Should play finals again this year but just cant see them finishing top 3, like Southee said they need to be able to win more away from home.

Might be a flat year after a resurgence in 2011, but one that will then launch them forward to challenge in coming years.

i think we can improve but probably no more than 11 or 12 wins with no higher than 4th place.
2013 more Realistic for top three finish.

southee wrote:They really need to win more games away from home. This is the key to the side being a success in 2012. If they dont , they will be treading water. We did not win enough away games in 2011

i agree with this statement but first

our home record needs to improve from last year (1o games- 4wins- 5 losses- 1 draw) to about 8 or 9 wins.

if we achieve this winning only 3 or 4 games away from home which we achieve last season will be good enough to secure us
a top three finish.

It is quite possible for South to win 2 more games but not even make the finals. Would this be classed as improvement or not?

FlyingHigh wrote:It is quite possible for South to win 2 more games but not even make the finals. Would this be classed as improvement or not?

yes, because to win 11 games in 20 game season and not make the finals is unlucky.

No

I dont know if they will improve on their spot on the ladder but I expect them to improve their consistency.

4th or 5th, but my question to Panfer fans, Cockshell be much of a loss for you?

Booney wrote:I dont know if they will improve on their spot on the ladder but I expect them to improve their consistency.

4th or 5th, but my question to Panfer fans, Cockshell be much of a loss for you?

Ask me half way through the season .... See how he goes with you guys and then I'll tell you booney

southee wrote:

Booney wrote:I dont know if they will improve on their spot on the ladder but I expect them to improve their consistency.

4th or 5th, but my question to Panfer fans, Cockshell be much of a loss for you?

Ask me half way through the season .... See how he goes with you guys and then I'll tell you booney

So far he has been going alright...the vertical lines on the guernsey are quite flattering.

Yeah mate .... Could go either way with him . Jury's still out.

Time will tell I guess

Although we finished 4th last year, keep in mind we only won 8 games through the regular season (a loss to Nwd in final round would have had us 7th I think). I think an improvement to 10-12 wins is certainly a possibility, but whether or not we can improve on our ladder position of 4th is up for debate.

Horne probably the biggest loss player wise, with guys like Cocky, MacLeod, Cook, Sandery, Lyons etc useful as depth players. The recent news on O’Keefe is very disappointing, as he along with Crate would have been excellent additions after injury ruined their 2011 seasons. Bollenhagen apparently very impressive during preseason while I don’t know too much about the other recruits. Need some depth, as our ressie results have been deplorable for too long.

Size (CHF+CHB in particular) has been an issue in recent years. Will be interesting to see if Brooksby can continue to improve on his 2011 form in ruck. Can guys like Wundke, Stribling and Cross who were new to the club follow up their stellar 2011 form? Can we find a consistent small fwd/crumber to contribute 40 goals? (ala a more consistent Rolfe type)

As for the home/away discussion, we did actually win 4 of our last 5 away games, while at the same time our home form dropped away (lost last 4 games). Need to win more at home, especially under lights. The draw appears favourable on paper, only playing CD, EAG and NWD twice.

Whatever happens, let’s hope that 2012 is nothing like 2007!!

For the sake of football I hope South improve but I can not see it happening.
Need to find a ground that allows for skillfull football not fighting wind every week.

Despite making the finals last season, we did so largely by relying on other sides to lose. Once there we did however win one which wont hurt the club experience wise!

My tip for 2012 is to finish 5th again for a second time but to earn it by winning enough games to qualify on our own merits, we are then every chance of making a climb upwards in the finals rather than just being there to make up the numbers.

For South to show improvement the time has arrived for the club to beat one of the top sides of the SANFL at that sides home ground, its been a long time since South beat Central for example, for South to expect to be taken seriously this is where it has to start IMO.

Anyone able to report how Ky Miller is going over there?

May improve their football but may also drop down the ladder imho.

i expect

Central
Eagles
Port (big improvers)
Norwood to make up the top 4

with Glenelg, North and South to fight out the 5,6,7 spots in what will be an extremly tight season.

Sojourner, the team had to have won enough games to take advantage of other teams loses which we were and did.Once in the finals won the elimination by over 5 goals and was down by only 5 points early in the 3rd quarter against the eventual premier so clearly we did more than make up the numbers. I believe South can improve by winning more games and not getting thrashed as often in our losses, this is dependent upon injury as our depth still remains thin. Making finals will be tough, apart from Eagles, Dogs, Norwood a blanket can be thrown over the rest.
Old Son, the club is impressed with Ky Miller, great skills and has shown good commitment to pre-season, he has the makings of a good league player that the club is very keen on developing.

I think south will make it to 3rd spot and will play out in the prelim final against norwood. well thats what the crystal balls say