_________________
It's never as good as it looks and it's never as bad as it seems.

Great post. Look at the Dogs too.

Good point. Beveridge who was appointed prior to 2015 season, is rightly lauded for his super-fast rocket to a Premiership but a lot of good, solid rebuild had already been done by McCartney. (NB: I do think Beveridge was amazing, but some kudos for the Premiership should also go to McCartney...):
- 2010 They drafted in Wallis & Liberatore basically for free. Plus, great rookie selections in Dalhaus & Johannisson. (We brought in Ed Curnow as a rookie after selecting Watson ahead of Darling and Luke Parker who went at #40....)
- 2011 Clay Smith + Michael Talia (not a complete failure but not such a great recruiting year... for everyone outside the GWS priorities...)
- 2012 Stringer & Macrae. Great draft for them after Plowman, O'Rourke & Toumpas went earlier. Bulldogs had the good sense to not pick T Menzel or Jaksch....
- 2013 Bontempelli. Done good.
- 2014 Traded in Tom Boyd, Shane Biggs & Joel Hamling. Lost Ryan Griffen and gave us Liam Jones. And picked Caleb Daniel and Toby McLean

So, before Beveridge joins, the Doggies have acquired: Wallis*, Libba Jnr, Clay Smith, Dalhaus, JJ, Stringer, Macrae, Bontempelli, Boyd, Daniel, McLean and Hamling. Not to mention Hunter, Morris, Easton Wood, Matt Boyd etc... Basically the whole team other than Josh Dunkley was brought in prior to Beveridge joining.
And whilst McCartney could obviously not take them to finals, he did drill them well on defensive setup and technique; and on inside football.

So, Beveridge worked miracles - esp re injuries, morale, tactics etc... but with a rebuilt Premiership-capable list. Which took a good 5-7years to build and develop.

By contrast, it is arguable that our best-case next Premiership team could possibly include only 2 players who were here before Bolton joined: Cripps & Docherty.
If some genuine miracle occurs, and we are contending in the next 2-3yrs, perhaps Ed Curnow and Murphy have a chance.
Very big difference to the Doggies. And, for that matter, to StKilda and Melbourne who are also a good 2-3yrs ahead of us.

(Correction from earlier: yes Clarkson was appointed 2014 so would have had input into the gun recruiting of Franklin, Roughead and Lewis but the broader point from my earlier post still remains...)

Also who in their right mind would of expected things to be looking all rosey by now?

ok - do you then agree that smith is in the real world regarding his commentary on the Essendon* saga?

These turnarounds generally take time and a good dose of luck.
The Cats launched their supremacy with the 2001 superdraft (Bartel, Kelly, Johnson, G Ablett Jnr). After having a mini-superraft i 1999 picking up Joel Corey, Ling and Enright... They won their first flag 5 years after the superdraft and 7 years after their first min-superdraft, in 2007 and only after reshaping their culture.

The Hawks launched their supremacy with their 2004 superdraft (Roughead, Franklin, Lewis) following their mini-superdraft in 2000 where they picked up a couple of hacks in Luke Hodge and Sam Mitchel (#36!!!) as well as Campbell Brown.
NB: This list rebuild was polished up a bit in 2007 with the addition of Rioli and the inspired pick of Stuart Dew...
They won their first flag, prematurely it must be said, in 2008. And the real dynasty launched itself in 2013, 8 years after their super-draft of 2004 and 12 years after Hodge and Mitchell arrived.

We had one really good genuine selection since the last of our no.1 picks in 2008 which was Cripps.
We really hope that last year's crop (Weitering, McKay, Curnow) turn out to be our version of a superdraft. And we are trying to manufacture a cumulative 'mini-superdraft' with high draft pick rejects/trades: Plowman, Sumner, Marchbank, Pickett (slim chance but not impossible).
On top of this would come the SPSs, Fisher... who we hope will turn into great players for us etc...

And then, we still kind of need to strike oil (with a couple of high picks who turn out to be great) in at least one more draft. Which is where we need to get a good trade done for Gibbs. I'm hoping he has a cracking year and the Crows lose a prelim or grand final by a few kicks. Then we can get 2 first round picks or at least one first round and another top 30 pick which we need to convert.

So, if all those things happen, we are in with a chance... at best 2020. More likely 2022-ish.

I think you're on the money.

We are a work in progress...starting with the bookends and Cripps in the middle.

_________________
Everyone looks good in Navy Blue

Just in time for Lyon to return from Fremantle.....

Pretty spot on I think.

Here's another spin on what we have ahead of us.

I doubt if any of the following would be on another AFL list (at best borderline calls)

Buckley
Kerridge
Boekhorst
Lamb
Jones
Jaksch
Armfield
Graham
Gorringe
Thomas
White

I hope I'm pleasantly surprised by Smedts and Palmer.


Early signs are that we will "earn" an early pick, maybe the AFL can make up a rule to give us a priority pick, two top 20 picks for Gibbs and we should have enough cash to attract a free agent.

We are starting further behind than any team has on a rebuild before.

Having said all that, Macreadie, Polson and Williamson all showed something at the weekend, fingers crossed!

_________________
Get comfortable being uncomfortable

We still have a few years of pain ,but there is light at the end of tunnel, we just need to keep the faith with bolts and co and glory will come , KEEP THE FAITH , GO YOU MIGHTY BLUE BOYS, WE ARE THE OLD DARK NAVY BLUES !!!!

Either Bolton or Neil Craig should explain to the fans why KJ doesn't get a look in.

We traded pick 7 for him goodness sakes.

Enough is enough of this silent banishment crap.

Cant help but think the MC have their favorites. Considering we are crying out for blokes who can kick the ball, you would think that alone would put him in front of at least 3 talls (i can think of) who cant no matter how much coaching they get.

Me too.

Maybe that rumour he had his papers stamped last year were true, and to say otherwise would be lying.

If it was a simple and achievable fix for him to be welcome to the fray, you'd think they would say something.
Maybe they haven't been asked the question as have Demons about Watts.

_________________
Everyone looks good in Navy Blue

i look forward to your response

I actually hope his papers have been stamped. I know what we gave up for him and it was a terrible mistake but there is not point playing him based on that blunder. I don't believe he has anywhere near the aggression to be an AFL player especially considering his size.

I don't want to see him play even 1 game and I can't work out how people rate him and have him in our best 22. To be honest, we will get more from Jones.

We have a long rebuild ahead of us. Fingers crossed for McKay.

_________________
Koperek.

Papers stamped to another AFL club? Or delisted?

_________________
O say does that star spangled banner yet wave.

Delisted.

Club wasn't happy with his attitude, I posted about it a while ago. I don't normally post this kind of stuff so take what you want from it.

andrew mckay that secured him get delisted as well?

no disrespect r87 but I think the coach needs to act on his words about inclusiveness and be upfront with the fans about it

How do you expect the coach to tell the public player x is a shit bloke and have him risk the respect of the rest of the playing group?

We'd all like to know but I can see why they may be reluctant to make it public.

_________________
“I would rather have questions that can't be answered than answers that can't be questioned.” ― Richard Feynman