The Duke wrote:
We're 5-10 years behind the movement of clubs like Essendon*** and North - which is terrifying!! Not only do you not need to 'bottom out' anymore, it's now a completely dumb and outdated strategy.
Essendon*** will get another couple of good kids plus a free agent or two and have the base to grow for a flag.... while we're still trying to determine whether Bolton can actually coach
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We are 5-10 years behind Essendon**?
We beat them this year.
We also split results with them last year.
2018 is a wipeout year. It is very hard to judge where we truly are since our health and injury has been diabolical and our coaches have had shocking years. Surely those two aspects have to improve next year; it can't get any worse.
When we did have our defensive structures in place during 2016 & 2017 we were a damn hard team to play: we beat Geelong, Hawthorn & Sydney during that time.
Maybe I am an ostrich with my head in the sand, but I really feel we are not as bad as our 2018 results show.
But no doubt Brendon Bolton needs to be much MUCH better next year, otherwise he will be gone.
No, we're 5-10 years behind the comp. We're 3 years behind Essendon*. They have a much stronger, more mentally tough team than us. Now they can use FA AND the draft to build. We'll probably lose another 10 players this year to retirement and de-listing. The chances Doch will come in and help us to 8 wins is almost zilch.
We recruited ASOS and delisted others - now ASOS is gone. Was he part of our long term plan? That wreaks of Malthouse- style top-up tactics that we supposedly left behind.