It has come up a fair bit on BF, and it is all quite clear that the 2011 prediction is on the money.
Our senior players aren't reliable, consistent matchwinners. We don't have a player that you'd put your house on to kick a goal, someone you can throw into the middle and turn a game on it's head, a defender that keeps repelling attack after attack.
This is why Brisbane and Essendon have improved already this season though it is only early days yet for these clubs. These teams have a group of superstars still though, Lloyd, Hird, Black, Lappin, J. Brown, Fletcher. Their 23-24 year olds are starting to lift and they have a good injection of youth to liven up the place.
Richo makes you hold your breath whenever he has a shot for goal, Gaspar makes you cover your eyes when he kicks, Bowden can kick like a no-legged man some days, while Kane Johnson is a good tagger.
We finished 9th and had one player in Sheahans top 50. We don't have a senior player apart from Brown that would get anywhere near the top ten.
There is a little hope, Schulz kicks gun barrel straight, needs to get it more though. Petts seems to be getting consistent and doesn't do much wrong, and Newman works the backline well.