Gold Coast vs Greater Western Sydney (The long run)

[Booney]

GC for me, they are a year further advanced than GWS so it makes sense they will arrive a year before GWS. Bock will make massive difference next year. May see finals by 2014, GWS no chnace by then

To play finals you will need 14 wins or thereabouts.
So in 2013 GC will need to go to 6 or 8, from 2 this year.
Then in 2014 from 6 or 8 wins to 12 or 14. This simply isnt going to happen .

By 2014 you will only need 11-12 wins to make finals as there wont be 4 easybeats like there is now.
I agree it would take until at least 2016 if the current top sides retained their current form but they wont.
The standard across the board will have dropped.
Only clubs i can see having a dramatic climb over the next few years are GWS, GC, Kangas, and Tigers. The rest will not improve by much and the top clubs will come back to the field due to the 3 years of average drafting options. It will probably not be that noticeable as the games will be much tighter.
So the combination of improvment at the bottom and decline at the top will see everyone meet in the middle sooner than you think

There will always be a bottom 4 who win only a handful of games, the ladder will never be 5-6 wins between top and bottom at the seasons end.

[Footy Smart]

The Sleeping Giant wrote:<br />Both these clubs are ahead of Port and Melbourne.

<br /><br />Please explain? They are sitting below both of the clubs you pointed out at this point of time.

Not far below.

Well Port are a mess on and off field. Have drafted very average footballers for the last 5-6 years.

Melbourne aren't much better than Port on the field. Had 3 choice draft picks that have not lived up to the expectations or left.

Both expansion clubs have future stars of the game on their lists, are building culture and character despite getting some floggings, and will have some nice early draft picks again.

Just as you refer to in your own words, Melbournes top draft picks have not come along as most people expected, the same could happen to GWS and GC young "guns". Alot of water to go under the bridge before they are bone fide stars.

INteresting that Malthouse chose Melbourne over POrt when asked if he had to coach a team whcih would it be out of Port, Brisbane, Melbourne or WB

Agree Booney that time is still needed to tell who makes it and who doesnt, however Kennedy, Greene, Smith, Bugg, Cameron are already further developed than a Moore, Butcher, Wingard, Jonas, Pittard etc in similar time in the system.

This draft is crucial for Port, feck it up and they will be below GWS and GC very quickly.

[Booney]

Its not so much that group that puts Port or indeed Melbourne ahead of GWS and GC.

Its the 100-150 game players Port and Melbourne have that are sound, without being stars, that puts them well ahead of the two new franchises.

[Footy Smart]

Its not so much that group that puts Port or indeed Melbourne ahead of GWS and GC.

Its the 100-150 game players Port and Melbourne have that are sound, without being stars, that puts them well ahead of the two new franchises.

Yep and you definately are ahead of them, but only for the moment. Your current group apart from Bard Ebert, P Stewert, Wingard, Moore, Boak?? & Trengove wont be in the side that next plays finals for the Power IMO.

ps im not trying to be overly critical just the way I see it. Ports issues (on and off the field) couldnt have come at a worse time.

[Booney]

I know we hit bottom at the worst possible time, but I also believe GWS and GC are way over estimated in terms of player development.

You could say Ablett, Richitelli, Brennan, Bock and Fraser wont be a part of GC's first finals assault and nor will Cornes, McDonald, Power and Brogan at GWS.

[Footy Smart]

I know we hit bottom at the worst possible time, but I also believe GWS and GC are way over estimated in terms of player development.

You could say Ablett, Richitelli, Brennan, Bock and Fraser wont be a part of GC's first finals assault and nor will Cornes, McDonald, Power and Brogan at GWS.

Agreed. on the senior players not being around for finals, but i dont think the GWS players have been over estimated. The test will be seeing the above mentioned GWS youngsters in their second season of AFL and compare that with GCs year this year. I think the GWS lads will be far further developed. I cant wait to see what O'Mera has to offer at AFL level next year also.

POrt must try and offload some fringe players even current regulars for draft selections in what is dubbed a super draft with quality talent supposedly running deep

[Lightning McQueen]

I'm not convinced that Gold Coast made much progress this season, sure, they were competitive a few more times but they also got blown away in games they could've really taken it up to the opposition.

[mighty_tiger_79]

Suns are desperate for a key forward

Travis Cloke is needing a contract

as does concussion prone Tippett

[CoverKing]

I am still of the the belief that the Suns are ahead of the Giants at this point in time.

[Media Park]

Names like Devon Smith, Stephen Coniglio, Toby Greene, Tomas Bugg have all come in as new faces to the AFL, and they all look like they will be 200+ game players. With Scully, Ward, Davis and Giles around them, and obviously with more talent coming through, they have already got a core group of future leaders. Cameron has been quality up forward and hopefully Patton matures into something good also.

Gold Coast, realistically, outside of the guys who were already in the system, Bock, Rischitelli, and really as decent players they don't have much more, they are relying on Ablett and Bennell. Bennell is the only new player who looks like he's going to have the goods to be around for a long time.

GWS by a street.

[Lightning McQueen]

Names like Devon Smith, Stephen Coniglio, Toby Greene, Tomas Bugg have all come in as new faces to the AFL, and they all look like they will be 200+ game players. With Scully, Ward, Davis and Giles around them, and obviously with more talent coming through, they have already got a core group of future leaders. Cameron has been quality up forward and hopefully Patton matures into something good also.

Gold Coast, realistically, outside of the guys who were already in the system, Bock, Rischitelli, and really as decent players they don't have much more, they are relying on Ablett and Bennell. Bennell is the only new player who looks like he's going to have the goods to be around for a long time.

GWS by a street.

Harbrow, Brennan & Brown are capable.

[Phantom Gossiper]

Names like Devon Smith, Stephen Coniglio, Toby Greene, Tomas Bugg have all come in as new faces to the AFL, and they all look like they will be 200+ game players. With Scully, Ward, Davis and Giles around them, and obviously with more talent coming through, they have already got a core group of future leaders. Cameron has been quality up forward and hopefully Patton matures into something good also.

Gold Coast, realistically, outside of the guys who were already in the system, Bock, Rischitelli, and really as decent players they don't have much more, they are relying on Ablett and Bennell. Bennell is the only new player who looks like he's going to have the goods to be around for a long time.

GWS by a street.

Harbrow, Brennan & Brown are capable.

McKenzie, Matera, Zac Smith? Sam Day also had big wraps but has been injured this season..

[the milky bar kid]

Names like Devon Smith, Stephen Coniglio, Toby Greene, Tomas Bugg have all come in as new faces to the AFL, and they all look like they will be 200+ game players. With Scully, Ward, Davis and Giles around them, and obviously with more talent coming through, they have already got a core group of future leaders. Cameron has been quality up forward and hopefully Patton matures into something good also.

Gold Coast, realistically, outside of the guys who were already in the system, Bock, Rischitelli, and really as decent players they don't have much more, they are relying on Ablett and Bennell. Bennell is the only new player who looks like he's going to have the goods to be around for a long time.

GWS by a street.

Harbrow, Brennan & Brown are capable.

McKenzie, Matera, Zac Smith? Sam Day also had big wraps but has been injured this season..

Dion Prestia will be a gun.

[Alaska]

Names like Devon Smith, Stephen Coniglio, Toby Greene, Tomas Bugg have all come in as new faces to the AFL, and they all look like they will be 200+ game players. With Scully, Ward, Davis and Giles around them, and obviously with more talent coming through, they have already got a core group of future leaders. Cameron has been quality up forward and hopefully Patton matures into something good also.

Gold Coast, realistically, outside of the guys who were already in the system, Bock, Rischitelli, and really as decent players they don't have much more, they are relying on Ablett and Bennell. Bennell is the only new player who looks like he's going to have the goods to be around for a long time.

GWS by a street.

How soon they forget.
I think David Swallow, Sam Day, Tom Lynch, Dion Prestia, Zac Smith and Charlie Dixon, will all be household AFL names in 5 years. So I think both have the talent it is how it is harnessed that will be the difference.

[Booney]

Names like Devon Smith, Stephen Coniglio, Toby Greene, Tomas Bugg have all come in as new faces to the AFL, and they all look like they will be 200+ game players. With Scully, Ward, Davis and Giles around them, and obviously with more talent coming through, they have already got a core group of future leaders. Cameron has been quality up forward and hopefully Patton matures into something good also.
Gold Coast, realistically, outside of the guys who were already in the system, Bock, Rischitelli, and really as decent players they don't have much more, they are relying on Ablett and Bennell. Bennell is the only new player who looks like he's going to have the goods to be around for a long time.
GWS by a street.

How soon they forget.
I think David Swallow, Sam Day, Tom Lynch, Dion Prestia, Zac Smith and Charlie Dixon, will all be household AFL names in 5 years. So I think both have the talent it is how it is harnessed that will be the difference.

Correct. Alot can happen between being 18 years old with 20 games to becoming a genuine, regular AFL level performer.

[whufc]

Gold Coast will be a different side with Ablett and Swallow supplying the ball to big Kurt Tippett.

[Rik E Boy]

I am still of the the belief that the Suns are ahead of the Giants at this point in time.

That's not the question though. Can the Suns make the finals before Gaz pulls the pin? If they can't I reckon it's advantage Giants.

regards,

REB

[Rik E Boy]

Gold Coast will be a different side with Ablett and Swallow supplying the ball to big Kurt Tippett.

Their kicking penetration will not allow them to kick the ball all the way to the Gabba from Metricon Stadium.

regards,

REB

[Booney]

I am still of the the belief that the Suns are ahead of the Giants at this point in time.

That's not the question though. Can the Suns make the finals before Gaz pulls the pin? If they can't I reckon it's advantage Giants.
regards,
REB

I'd wager a good deal of money that they dont. The only September action Gaz will see for the rest of his career will be with Mrs.Gaz.

[Rik E Boy]

I am still of the the belief that the Suns are ahead of the Giants at this point in time.

That's not the question though. Can the Suns make the finals before Gaz pulls the pin? If they can't I reckon it's advantage Giants.
regards,
REB

I'd wager a good deal of money that they dont.

Yeah it's a real shame.

regards,

REB