From upgrading to plugging holes our improvement is palpable

[Hard Roar Tiger]

After finishing stone mutherless in 2009, we finished 2nd to last in 2010. Some posters compared us to Fitzroy.
Then we improved our list - no cheating, no draft concessions, no peptides.
And we improved.
8 wins, 10 wins and then 15 wins in 2013 largely driven by improvements to a poor list with Houli, Grigg, Maric, Morris, Chaplain complimented with drafting of Martin, Conca, Grimes, Floss and Ellis have made a poor list more than competitive - we aren't far away from being a top 4 team.
Not bad for a side considered to be futile in re-building through and era of draft concessions for new teams GC and GWS.
So what remaining improvements are needed to make us premiership material?
Big tone made some great observations on us getting a little more depth in the midfield, small forwards and some key position depth.
What are your thoughts?

[Stripes]

I believe we need to find a fast, agile crumbing forward/outside mid - not a resting first line midfielder but rather a permanent HFF. White had qualities to fill the roll but lacked the crumbing ability around marking contests.

Additionally we need a CHF who can push up the ground, take a grab and then quickly move it into our forwardline. Griffiths would be ideal in this position if he can develop his contested marking and defensive game. McBean could also take this role and even Vickery if there was another tall target in the F50.

[Chuck17]

We would have to be the biggest improvers over the last five years and doing it in compromised drafts, only opposition filth couldn't see that.

[bojangles17]

I believe we need to find a fast, agile crumbing forward/outside mid - not a resting first line midfielder but rather a permanent HFF. White had qualities to fill the roll but lacked the crumbing ability around marking contests.

Additionally we need a CHF who can push up the ground, take a grab and then quickly move it into our forwardline. Griffiths would be ideal in this position if he can develop his contested marking and defensive game. McBean could also take this role and even Vickery if there was another tall target in the F50.

Well we drafted about 5 of them so here's hoping 

[Bengal]

Knights was showing good signs at HFF. im still not conivnced our 3rd tall is that great..  We need someone more consistant than A. Edwards..  Heres hoping young Mc Bean comes on he could be the one if he lives up to what he's shown in the 2's

[(•))(©™]

The followin of u want to play GRAND FINALS.

Champion Full Back, Full Forward,Ruckmam and a better coach.
Tell me I'm wrong.

[bojangles17]

Yeah can't agree with much of that ox, we got a FF that's won 2 Coleman's . Rancer is an elite key defender. Marics best is A grade, looked like he was in decline in 2013, more help will get the best out of what his body can produce

[Chuck17]

Apparently they weren't real Coleman's BJ

[Hard Roar Tiger]

Agree on having a champion full back - a Matthew Scarlett type would be a huge bonus. I reckon we need a ruck man who is good at giving our mids first use. For this reason - the Shaun Hampson thing makes sense. IMV, it's a red herring expecting much more from a ruck, give me quality centre clearances and everything else is a bonus.
The small forward thing is a great call - we still don't get great value from our I50s.
As for the coach - i get the sentiment but it is about the total coaching group these days so his support is also a factor

[Stripes]

Dimma (and or his coaching panel) need some more tactical nous true but every year they are improving. We could find another assistant coach with this skill to sit in the coaching box I guess. Their developing capabilities are hard to despite now though (unless you're claw of course  ). Hardwick was the perfect coach for us at the stage we were at and now the players and coaches are developing together imo 

[RedanTiger]

Dimma (and or his coaching panel) need some more tactical nous true but every year they are improving. We could find another assistant coach with this skill to sit in the coaching box I guess. Their developing capabilities are hard to despite now though (unless you're claw of course  ). Hardwick was the perfect coach for us at the stage we were at and now the players and coaches are developing together imo 

It's always an interesting idea whether any sporting team needs a different type of coach, with different skills to go from a competitive team to a dominant one.
I've been interested in watching Andy Reed coaching his first season with the Chiefs in the NFL after leaving the Eagles after a long run.
Another is the soccer go round with Mourinho from Porto to Chelsea to Real to Chelsea again.
One that sticks in my mind is Guus Hiddink who seems to be the go to guy for a team looking to take that final step.

To my mind one of the really crucial things in becoming a dominant team is the confidence or belief of the players. It's always seemed to me that a new coach can more easily instil that into players than a coach that has bought them from rookies to senior players. In the case of Ablett I really think that it was only after leaving the comfort zone of Geelong that he gained the belief that he was indeed a dominant player.

Northey is the obvious example of a Richmond coach who took an ordinary group and got them to believe in themselves. As per my username I saw this first hand at Redan in the early 70's where he took over a very poor side and while he added quite a lot of new talent, the existing players really did go to another level in winning three premierships in a row.   

[Andyy]

We need:

- more midfield depth. Another two genuine mids.
- a proper CHF. A big one. Somebody 195+cm tall and 100+kg heavy to smash packs.
- a classy small forward who can jag at least 30+ goals a year.

[eliminator]

I believe we need another inside midfield but more importantly we need a quality small forward. I am hoping Lennon is the answer. We need someone who can rove the packs when the ball comes to ground. 

[Smokey]

I believe we need another inside midfield but more importantly we need a quality small forward. I am hoping Lennon is the answer. We need someone who can rove the packs when the ball comes to ground.

Lennon might have the potential to be many things but I highly doubt quality small forward is one of them.  He's 190cm tall.

[Judge Roughneck]

locked&loaded