bondiblue wrote:
Are we close to being a Top 4 team?
If so, are we a chance to win a Flag in 2025, or 2026?
Top 4 this year were Swans, Port, Geelong, GWS and the Premiers were 5th.
We actually beat all of them except Sydney at the SCG, so we can't be too far off.
What do we need to do to close the gap?
I am of the opinion we started this rebuild in 2016, and its time now to close the gap and give this opportunity to win the flag a real crack.
No doubt injuries disrupted our season in a big way.
We have let go our injury prone players to make way for more dependable depth or fill areas of need: KPD, Mid and quick small forward.
Pick 11 may fill a small forward role.
Haynes is cover for Marchbank. May be good for 2 years, and form permitting, a better intercept than Gov and Kemp.
I look at Haynes as an improvement on Marchbank, so he takes one spot. Therefore we need to improve 2 other positions.
We will have the pick 11 and possibly 12 and the Campo twins coming, so we need to make 3 more spots for them, assuming small forward is Berry.
I think Kennedy was brilliant as Mr Fix it, but is he the answer for:
Fwd-Ruck? IMO no. SOS, or better takes that role in 2025.
HF? IMO, no, we need to develop Moir for that role and feel the Hollands boys will take that role if Walsh is moved to the wing.
Mid? IMO he's brilliant back up for Cripps and Hewett and doesn't displace Walsh or Cerra and Lord is developing.
Kennedy is depth or the perfect sub, but I don't think Kennedy wants to be that.
We have 2 more drafts before the compromised drafts. No reason why we can't recruit to improve and draft to develop, but we need to push players out to make spots available.
Papley has a contract with Swans till 2028. Swans know what they are doing. If we can get him till then for $700K, he can play small forward and speedy mid and that will take us to the end of Cripps' career.
So I understand the lure of Papley, and Haynes and Membrey are cheap and wont hinder our high end draft picks, but where's the KPD we need?
I'm loving the idea of pick 11 and 12 and campo twins from the draft because we can find our future KPD in there (fingers crossed) and add to the kids we have on the list, but if we give up one high pick for a star player to fill a need I think we have the best of both worlds.
Next year, we will have plenty of players contracts ending (14) creating salary space and spots to fill, but no First rounder. I think Austin may have a FA target or two lined up for next year.
we really want houston for pick 12 and owies, is the mail. straight from the big dog, voss himself.
I believe that's what Voss wants, and we may be able to do that, but does Austin want that?
I'm OK with Houston coming on board, but if Papley was available for pick 12, I'd go with Papley.
That doesn't make me right or wrong. Both will add value and fill needs: Papley for that small forward/ speedy mid and Houston is the start of the hand over from Saad, Williams or Newman, who are all in their 30's.
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