Important season coming up

[tony_montana]

Forget about results again - its all about building blocks for the future. Looking at our list we have a severe lack of certainties in the B grade category atm (we have 5 or 6 in the potential A grade category which is great but where are the soldiers??)

The thing that I liked about last season was for the first time in a long time I see us having the makings of a GENUINE core of A-graders.
Deledio,
Reiwoldt,
Cotchin,
Martin,
Newman
Foley
Tuck(not A grade)

are 6-7 you can build a side around. Newman isn’t A grade but I’ve stuck him in this core as a captain. Tuck isn’t A-grade either(haha) but throw him in as a certain starter, utilised properley he's very important to our midfield setup for a while yet.

So what about the rest?
We have a few who have shown the talent and probably need a solid season to stamp themselves as players we will move forward with, but we have heaps that are glass half full(or empty) types. This is where i see it as a MASSIVE season for the club. We need a good number of them to step up as a genuine AFL players.

Players in this bracket are Morton, Edwards, Houli, Grigg, McGuane, King, Nason, Moore, Thursfield, Jackson, Connors, Graham,, Farmer, Webberley, White, Hislop, Nahas and Miller.

That's 18 players a significant number - realistically I see 9-10 of them as not making it, harsh as it may sound. If 6-8 of them (imo the bolded ones are most likely) can stamp themselves on our side this season, it will be a great year for us.

If that happens and 5-6 young blokes force their way into the side(like Conca, Batchelor, Vickery, Astbury and Derickx) then 2011 will have served its purpose and 2012 is the season we could realistically expect to see some significant improvement in our side..


Thoughts?

[the claw]

i have to say as much as i really like the bloke as a player foley is nowhere near a grade either.

[Francois Jackson]

i have to say as much as i really like the bloke as a player foley is nowhere near a grade either.

a fit Foley is a very very good player dont worry about that

[mightytiges]

Foley was A-grade or at B+ material but we haven't seen it since 2008. He could have just an average (neither great or bad) year this year and we still might not know until 2012 and another full preseason under his belt if he can return to his peak.

I agree with you TM that we have potentially about half-a-dozen A-graders on our list and  that the next tier falls away dramatically. We are still sorting through the majority of our list to see who is up to it. I wouldn't have Tuck in there btw. He's good for us now as he takes the battering in close at the stoppages while our cubs develop but in time if we are to move up the ladder we need our young players to push him out of side. In the 80s he probably would've been a superstar like his father but in 2011 he doesn't have the speed/acceleration, precise footskills and quick decision making needed to be an top midfielder in a top side at AFL level. It's why when we tried to trade him 15 months ago no club was willing to give up anything decent in return for him. Jacko is another Tiger midfielder who needs to go to another level otherwise he'll be eventually bypassed by someone younger. While King would never survive on a list of a top side. Being a trierer who gives his all isn't enough unless it's backed up by AFL level ability. We have too many trierers on our list still. It's the main reason why I was advocating 'tanking'   over the past two years so we could gain extra higher picks to add more class to our list more quickly.  

[Smokey]

It's the main reason why I was advocating 'tanking'   over the past two years so we could gain extra higher picks to add more class to our list more quickly.  

   Good shot MT.  Didn't see it coming this close to the season start when blind optimism usually reigns supreme!   

[Penelope]

 

[Go Richo 12]

It's the main reason why I was advocating 'tanking'   over the past two years so we could gain extra higher picks to add more class to our list more quickly.  

   Good shot MT.  Didn't see it coming this close to the season start when blind optimism usually reigns supreme!   

Oh no!

[Stripes]

The great part about having so many young, developing types is the promise of improvement. Many of our players who are now in there early 20s are finally starting to become more consistent performers such as Astbury, Edwards, Connors, Graham and McGuane but all still have poor weeks and none have lifted there performance from beyond B grade even on there best weeks.

I think of the players you mentioned - Astbury, Morton, Edwards, Houli, Grigg, McGuane, Connors, Taylor King, Nason, Moore, Thursfield, Jackson, Connors, Graham, Farmer, Webberley, White, Hislop, Nahas and Miller - I would suggest that Connors would be more likely to make a significant step to the role as support player rather than King, Nason or even old reliable - Moore. I love Kingy and Nason but their determination and fight can only go so far to make up for his deficencies. My opinion is that the highlighted players have the most chance of fufilling the second tier role in 2011 and beyong over the others.

I feel the biggest lift in performance will potentially come from our 1st - 3rd year players such as Vickery, Rance, Batchelor, Conca and hopefully Griffiths. All of these are still support players but if some or any step up to become reliable 2nd string performers then we will see tremendous growth this year and next.

Just my opinion of course

Stripes

[1965]

Astbury, Browne, Dea, Farmer, Grimes, Griffiths, Jackson, King, Morton, Nahas, Nason, Newman, Rance, Taylor, Thursfield, Webberley are all out of contract at the end of the year.

Astbury, Browne, Griffiths, Newman, Rance and Taylor are probably safe.

The rest? well time will tell.

Another interesting year coming up.

 

[Fluffy Tiger]

Very interesting list there, could be a big turnover again next year

Tie up Ashbury now for sure and if they are sure Giffiths sholders will be right they should tie him up too.

[Dubstep Dookie]

Could see us turning over half a dozen easy.

Most vulnerable for mine are: -

Nahas, White, Thursfield, McGuane, Tuck, Farmer........daylight.....rance...

All have had min a few years in the system, all need to prove themselves this year.

[Stripes]

Could see us turning over half a dozen easy.

Most vulnerable for mine are: -

Nahas, White, Thursfield, McGuane, Tuck, Farmer........daylight.....rance...

All have had min a few years in the system, all need to prove themselves this year.

Good call! Think McGuane is safe though but the rest i believe you have nailed.

[WilliamPowell]

Astbury, Browne, Dea, Farmer, Grimes, Griffiths, Jackson, King, Morton, Nahas, Nason, Newman, Rance, Taylor, Thursfield, Webberley are all out of contract at the end of the year.

Astbury, Browne, Griffiths, Newman, Rance and Taylor are probably safe.

The rest? well time will tell.

Another interesting year coming up.

 

I think you could add Morton, Farmer, King, Nason  & Jackson to the "probably safe" list. The first one on his improvement and the other 4 based on the coach luvs 'em & rates them highly 

[1965]

Left them off as they have some "currency" if we are talking trades.

 

[big tone]

Foley was A-grade or at B+ material but we haven't seen it since 2008. He could have just an average (neither great or bad) year this year and we still might not know until 2012 and another full preseason under his belt if he can return to his peak.

I agree with you TM that we have potentially about half-a-dozen A-graders on our list and  that the next tier falls away dramatically. We are still sorting through the majority of our list to see who is up to it. I wouldn't have Tuck in there btw. He's good for us now as he takes the battering in close at the stoppages while our cubs develop but in time if we are to move up the ladder we need our young players to push him out of side. In the 80s he probably would've been a superstar like his father but in 2011 he doesn't have the speed/acceleration, precise footskills and quick decision making needed to be an top midfielder in a top side at AFL level. It's why when we tried to trade him 15 months ago no club was willing to give up anything decent in return for him. Jacko is another Tiger midfielder who needs to go to another level otherwise he'll be eventually bypassed by someone younger. While King would never survive on a list of a top side. Being a trierer who gives his all isn't enough unless it's backed up by AFL level ability. We have too many trierers on our list still. It's the main reason why I was advocating 'tanking'   over the past two years so we could gain extra higher picks to add more class to our list more quickly.  

I think King did back up with the way he played in the second half of the year. He was nothing short of awesome and played that small forward roll better than most in the AFL. I personally think Tigers supporters are to harsh on King, he has improved almost the most on our list in the last year and a half.. Jack might have him covered! 
Full credit to him, he knew he had to be a different player to be kept on the list and he has done everything anybody could ask of him.
Kingy is IMO in the top 5 most important players in our side.