Just my 2c worth.

All three have a stable coach and off field back office for the past 10 or so years.

Sydney have their academy which has netted them 1st round picks for next to nothing. They have been outstanding with rookie listed player development. They will continue to contend for the next 4/5 years. They trade for need and get it right.

Hawthorn - their successes in the Clarkson years are epic. But don'f forget that Clarkson was nearly necked by Kennett after his first 3 years. Big Jeff had to be talked in to keeping him...
They also got the draft right - Hodge, Franklin, Roughead, Rioli, Burchall, Lewis etc... All high picks that set them up for 10 years. Add in Burgoyne, Lake, Dew, Gibson from other clubs etc...
Plus rookie gold in Mitchell.
So you have generational players in Hodge, Franklin, Rioli, Mitchell (Sam) goes along way.
The real test for Hawthorn is now - their past successes is fuelling them. Just my opinion but I see them as 12th to 6th for the next 5years unless Clarkson is a genius and then I'm wrong and he is right with their current list strategy.

Geelong - built their dynasty through the draft and father son picks.
Have topped up with high end talent in free agency and giving away first round draft picks. Lots of good will abounds with Dangerfield (gun), Selwood (once in a generation player) and Ablett (maybe the best mid-fielder of his generation) to see what they can do but they are ageing and have 1/2 years left before they fall off the ledge as potent threat.
So it is now or never for Geelong. I can't see them kicking or defending a winning score in finals...

I see Carlton as the 2006 Hawks, the 2005 Cats. Whether we have once in a generation talent to become a grandfinal winning team wont be known until 2020 and beyond. But I can't see an alternative to the strategy that has been followed with player recruitment - you can argue over individual trades/players but I don't think you can successfully argue against the strategy.

As for the coaching, that is the area that I question. Is Bolton the new Clarkson, Thompson, Hardwick? I don't know. But one thing is for sure if he is got rid of in the next 12-24 months we will never know...

Agree. I believe (hope?) we are pre-flag Hawks/Cats.
Re the coaching, for some reason I am more concerned about some of our assistants than I am about Bolton. Having said that, Sat did have me questioning Bolton for the first time when it looked like the players just had no idea of where to be. Then again, I think their lack of effort enabled the flood gates to open and difficult to stop from there.

Also, don’t forget that in that early 2000s period, Hawthorn monumentally stuffed up the ‘Beaus’, Thorp drafts and the Cats almost sacked Thompson in 2006...

Guthrie re-signed with the Cats for 3 years.

The new rules being trialled at the moment will be a godsend for our young players. Next year will be a new ball game hopefully.

Which of our past 3 drafts would you say we failed at Cecil?
Personally I'd suggest we've selected very well.

As for dropping McKay, that's a lazy criticism from Wallsy IMO.
He isn't playing well enough. Yes he has kicked some goals but his defensive pressure is non existent. He also struggles to work within a team structure. He spoils team mates, draws his opponent into their space etc.
He has the attributes to be a good AFL player but he still has a lot to learn.

None of the past 3. I guess that’s my point. You can build a strong team if you draft well. The system isn’t broken. We have previously been broken. We’ll reap the rewards for the last 3 drafts in about 4 years time.

I think the last three drafts we have done quite well, especially considering how bad we were previously at picking up talent via the draft. The problem IMO isn't our drafting of 18 year olds, its is our recruitment of mature age players. Matthew Lobbe, Billie Smedts, Rhys Palmer, Daniel Gorringe, Liam Sumner, Jed Lamb and Sam Kerridge will all go down as fails. If we nailed a few more of these we'd be in a much better position.

Official - Charlie re-signed until 2023

Official - Charlie re-signed until 2023

But I thought the place was a disaster with no future, no players and a short crap coach?

wow. so one guy re-signs, and we're saved? we're not a basketcase?


good luck with that, omo.