SA Footy

Personally I think the NAFC is under more pressure than any other club to succeed next year. A case could be made for the Eagles and Port but even these two I don't think will start the year under as much pressure. With their high profile recruiting, a media savvy coach prone to outlandish predictions and constant reminders from their fans about how rich they now are I think they've made a rod for their backs. Win the flag and people will say they've bought it, don't win the flag and be accused of being a mediocre club.

It's interesting that a lot of people who used to have a soft spot for North are being very quickly turned off by their fans attitude about a club who, despite all the advantages that money can buy, have yet to achieve anything of note.

I think there's more pressure from people outside the club than inside the club and having said that I still think the Dogs are red hot favs, we haven't even had experience in a GF yet and it sometimes takes a team with so many ins and outs for various reasons to mesh.

Also there's no need to be a smart arse, you've been warned not about anything to do with North just for trolling and behaving like a child, that was made quite clear in the private messages I've sent you. Your post calling the moderators of this site Nazis had nothing to do with North and your lie above has you treading on very thin ice.
I will not tolerate anyone who is just on this site to troll or make trouble.

And don't assume that because you've got a chip on your shoulder the size of Norwood's loss last year that everyone else does. People like your good self would be more productive spending their time worrying about their own club champ.

PS Nice edit getting rid of the lie and the rest of your remark, pity the site shows you editting your post after my reply.

Given the calibre of players CDFC have lost, Arnott, Bello, Hay etc, I actually don't think they'll go into this year as favourites. North will have that honour I reckon. You can't add players like Alleway, Koops and Cox and not expect some pressure to perform?

Trying to keep this to footy only as I thought we'd left all the petulant point scoring to footysa.

Disagree about who are favourites as do most of the experts and more importantly bookies but that's the beauty of opinions, we know what they're like as everyone has one.

We are far from being favourites what a stupid comment. considering we have lost some very good players. yes we have picked up some good players. but they need time to mesh as wedgie said. id say the DOGS & PORT are up their as favs. i like to think that we would be in the top three. who knows in 23 rounds in footy.

Oh, so this "adult" thread hasn't got any images of the plays on the word Rooster, and its' abbreviation?

I think the bays are odds on this year to win the comp, it'll go well with our 20 year celebration of the 86 win!!

1980 Tassie Medalist wrote:I think the bays are odds on this year to win the spoon, it'll go well with our collection!!

I agree, 1980 Tassie Map, the Bays are red hot favs for the spoon!

i would say regardless of what happens in the off season, 99% of the time the premiers from the previous season will be the favourites going into the next year, its just how it is, becouse when the most recent game was played, they were the best side going round.

topsywaldron wrote:Personally I think the NAFC is under more pressure than any other club to succeed next year. A case could be made for the Eagles and Port but even these two I don't think will start the year under as much pressure. With their high profile recruiting, a media savvy coach prone to outlandish predictions and constant reminders from their fans about how rich they now are I think they've made a rod for their backs. Win the flag and people will say they've bought it, don't win the flag and be accused of being a mediocre club.

It's interesting that a lot of people who used to have a soft spot for North are being very quickly turned off by their fans attitude about a club who, despite all the advantages that money can buy, have yet to achieve anything of note.

Well said and i agree. They have choked the last 2 years after having great position on the ladder with the last 2 or so rounds to go but blew it to lose the double chance. They have built up a nice little squad and look right to have a dead set crack at the flag this year. I think pressure form all angles will be on. They are my favs for the flag this year, not just cause i dont think the dogs cant win, but i think north will be better.

Sam_goUUUdogs wrote:i would say regardless of what happens in the off season, 99% of the time the premiers from the previous season will be the favourites going into the next year, its just how it is, becouse when the most recent game was played, they were the best side going round.

Not necessarily. The dogs have lost some quality and picked up unknowns. I think they will fall back this year and someone new will come to the party. North and Port are the frontfunners at the moment.

The Dogs have also got some quality into the team.
For eg IMHO Thomas will be even better than when he won the Magarey for them.
North still worries me in the full back possy and are very thin in some other positions especially in the backline and have been ever since Huey had to retire.
If we hadn't lost Roe, Hunt and to some degree Gilham in the preseason draft (as he would have played for us if not picked up)I would have been a lot more confident.

I've also previously questioned Jars' tactical ability as a coach but am hoping Darren Jarman might be able to help in this area.

Having said all that I'd be very disappointed if we werent top 3 this year and perhaps in the GF, having had our worst season in over 100 years in 2003 we've certainly come a long way. And yes we have choked to some degree in the last 2 years but in 2004 it didn't cost us any possies as Sturt were always going to beat us in the 1st semi no matter which final we came from, they were way too good. Last year we should have beaten the Eags but Watts awesome day out and Roe only having one arm didn't help. I was very confident if we beat the Eags Port would have been a very easy mission and a GF spot was on the line.

You could also claim Sturt choked as they were good enough to beat Port and North during the year but only came 4th. Norwood too beat Central and North during the year so obviously had the personnel to make the finals looking at those results. I won't even go into the South debacle! lol

PS Perhaps closer to the season we could do a detailed on every clubs prospects.

It's unrealistic to declare any side over the line for the flag before a ball has even been bounced. Exceptions to this were in the middle of Brisbane/Centrals dominance, who both won 3 in a row.

Wedgie wrote:You could also claim Sturt choked as they were good enough to beat Port and North during the year but only came 4th. Norwood too beat Central and North during the year so obviously had the personnel to make the finals looking at those results. I won't even go into the South debacle! lol

PS Perhaps closer to the season we could do a detailed on every clubs prospects.

We beat port and north in the first 2 rounds we played but were beaten well by them later in the season. We had another win over port half way thru but just scraped in at the final siren are oopening up a big lead during the game. We were always going to struggle last year, we just werent good enough and lacked some quality in some areas and our delivery to chambo was pathetic. I dont see that as choking, esp as eveyone had us missing the finals, like they predict this year, except we made it last year, but only just.

this year however, while i am always confident and upbeat about my blues, we will have a good side, but other clubs have gotten considerably better, including norwood who we didnt beat last year at all and it wouldnt surprise me if we slipped to 6th or even 7th come Rd 23. I'll tip us to finish 5th but if we can not land a quality CHF recruit to replace the still gaping hole that whitey left, then we will be behind the other sides considerable. If we do land this haynes fella that we are in the hunt for (but knowing our luck will miss out on ), that will help, but he isnt a true KPP. From what i have heard of Alleway tho, i would have loved to have gotten him as ive heard he is a big bastard who has the potential to carve up this comp (according to a current westies player who played against Alleway up in Qld).

anyway, each to their own opinions

I think there will be slightly more pressure on Port given the claibre of recruits they have picked up (and money outlayed for them). I think with North's improved depth they should finish top 3 but at this stage it is still Centrals as favourites and they rightly deserve that ranking with Port/North/Eagles next in line - after that who knows?
I always find these pre-seasonn predictions and polls amusing because until the season proper starts (trials don't count as they are used to experiment and no coach shows all his cards that early) and we see how new recruits go, any developing juniors improve to league level, and the odd unknown popping up - throw in injuries (no club can afford key position players injured) who really knows how it is all going to pan out? Too much unknown speculation!

drebin wrote:I think there will be slightly more pressure on Port given the claibre of recruits they have picked up (and money outlayed for them). I think with North's improved depth they should finish top 3 but at this stage it is still Centrals as favourites and they rightly deserve that ranking with Port/North/Eagles next in line - after that who knows?
I always find these pre-seasonn predictions and polls aausing because until the season proper starts (trials don't count as they are used to experiment and no coach shows all his cards that early) and we see how new recruits go, any developing juniors improve to league level, and the odd unknown popping up - throw in injuries (no club can afford key position players injured) who really knows how it is all going to pan out? Too much unknown speculation!

Port and North are in the same boat. Plenty of big Ins for each of them. Probably will take both teams a while ot "gel" together. As for Presure, Both have equal expectations from fans to dismount Centrals from there perch at the top.

Expectations is pressure and North, Port and The Eagles all have expectations on there shoulders. Centrals at this stage still look like the team your going to have to beat. Even know they lost some good players, picked up a few. Still They were far to good for most teams when they were at there best, so lose a few bring them down a cog....what would you expect from them, they'll still be a tough bucnh of bastards to beat.

One of the more interesting threads imho ... I think there will be pressure to a certain degree on North, but if they "mesh" as Wedgie put it, I don't expect it to be a problem ... Anyone who's played football at any level knows that if you assemble a good side and you're playing well together on and off the field, you actually RELISH the opportunity to prove yourself against anyone and everyone ... The pressure only becomes a problem if performances stink and there are issues amongst the playing group, in that it can lead to a complete falling off of the wheels!

Port is not a club that gets pressured easily in my opinion, if they gel together, and one would feel they would with a true Port man at the helm, the expectations I would expect would actually propel them with the numbers they'll attract to support them having always been their 19th man ... It's almost unheard of for Port to go 7 years without a flag, but look what happened last time they did!

The eagles are a club who might actually benefit from the re-focussed spotlight, could be and interesting year this year for them, as for Centrals I'm not to prepared to say they're favourites but I'd suggest they still have as much chance as anyone of getting over the line again (and Wedgie, I agree with your thoughts on Paul Thomas)!

And I tend to agree about the attitude of some (NOT ALL) North supporters these days ..

From my perspective Noth are firm favourites, with the names they have they really should win it this year. Central will be there again of course, apart from those two standouts the rest are fairly even and could only be separated by a couple of games with perhaps Port and Eagles likely to again be up there.

Regardless of the arguement.....! Northern Suburbs Football is alive and well......! Best wishes to the reigning Premiers and our Northern Neighbours North....! The Northern Suburbs to Rule SANFL Football in 2006...!

North are the best team ever and will win the flag by 100 points.

They are the best team to ever be assembled.