Choose 1 player from the Blues that you think will have a break out year in 2014, and 1 player from another club.
If you're keen, 1 player from every club !!
Go !!
Mine;
Carlton - Chris Yarran - I'm expecting consistent high quality, 20+ possession games from the wing and Half back from Yarran. He will show why we rated him No 2 in his draft !!
Other, Dylan Shiel - GWS
Gary Rohan - Sydney
Bryce Gibbs.
I have been backing this horse to have a breakout year every year since we drafted him and im not about to change it now!
Nick Graham...
Carlton - Matthew Watson (I think we'll be seeing a lot more of him in the senior side and he could become a very important player for us)
Geelong - Shane Kersten
Freo - Colin Sylvia
Dogs - Jake Stringer
Tigers - Tyrone Vickery
Matty K. First injury free (fingers crossed) preason in years.
Nick Graham...
X 2. Nick 'The Magnet' Graham!!
Choose 1 player from the Blues that you think will have a break out year in 2014, and 1 player from another club.
If you're keen, 1 player from every club !!
Go !!
Kreuzer. Lobbe (Port)
Andreas Everitt.
Garlett could possibly have a blinder this season. Man I hope he does.
I'll say it...I think the TEAM will have a breakout year, this will be the year we become feared again as a club and our players will play for THE Guernsey and take losing personally! They will 'but in' to the MM plan and all recruits will fire.
Remember there is no I in the word TEAM... but there is a 'me', but I'm not playing so that's alright.
Well we can all dream can't we. 8) 8) 8)
I'm really hoping for an across the board improvement but I reckon 2E may be in for a big one - he's already talking the talk, let's look forward to him walking the walk.
I'm going to go with either Levi or Rowe. A breakout year is a must for both of them. We could understand why Rowe didn't fire this year having come back from a serious illness which hopefully has gone away for good, and if that's the case, his time is 2014.
As for Levi, people canning him for his kicking obviously never saw Travis Cloke a few years ago. Hopeless in front of goals. With the right coaching and plenty of practice, he can fix this. Marking not an issue, great hands. If he gets his kicking right then he might be in for a breakout year.
Caboult and/or Rowe ?? In your dreams Gozza, they will be given the flick at the end of 2014.
Watson is the one who has to make an impact given that McCarthy & Mitchell were just given the boot and they all came from the same draft. If Watson cannot lock down a senior spot and call it his own, he too faces the chop at season's end.
I think that Sam Rowe, with a season under his belt and a full pre-season, is in for a blinder next year.
Shaun Hampson will find his niche at Richmond and will become one of the AFL's best big men in 2014.
Caboult and/or Rowe ?? In your dreams Gozza, they will be given the flick at the end of 2014.
Watson is the one who has to make an impact given that McCarthy & Mitchell were just given the boot and they all came from the same draft. If Watson cannot lock down a senior spot and call it his own, he too faces the chop at season's end.
I hope they rookie Pat Mc - if the lad wants to stay in Vic!
Menzel.
Chris Yarran .
Zach Touhy.
Caboult and/or Rowe ?? In your dreams Gozza, they will be given the flick at the end of 2014.
Watson is the one who has to make an impact given that Mcarthy & Mitchell were just given the boot and they all came from the same draft. If Watson cannot lock down a senior spot and call it his own, he too faces the chop at season's end.
Pfft. Hampson got as long as he did at the club and he didn't have an iota of footy talent. Rowe and casboult, one a state league leading goal kicker and the other a great set of hands.....fix the kicking and hes alright. They will not be out the door at the end of 2014...in YOUR dreams. ;D
Can't separate Nick Graham and Dinger Bell.
I'm a bit like Thryleon and have been backing Gibbs every year in the hope they play him in the mid and leave him there >:(
So in saying that I'll stick with him again.
Other club - Scully (GWS)
Andrew Walker and Bryce Gibbs. Both are in the final year of their contract and both could be signing their final big contract of their careers.
Robbo
Shaun Hampson will find his niche at Richmond and will become one of the AFL's best big men in 2014.
This place would be unbearable :-P
Menzel for me. Cements a spot in the best 22.
Menzel...it will be his first preseason, coming off the back of a good look in and familiarization to what it's all about in 2013.
Watson to repay the faith and and send Hendo to CHF
At an AFL level, Menzel will make us ask Eddie who?
also Murphy to have a good rebound season, re-staking his claim as one of the best mids in the comp.
At a VFL level, Tom Temay will be banging down the door by the bye round. Another pre-season should do the fella well.
At a VFL level, Tom Temay will be banging down the door by the bye round.
I wish I shared your enthusiasm but I don't, reckon he is on thin ice this year.
So far we have named 14 players !!!
Yarran, Gibbs, Graham, Watson, Kreuzer, Everitt, Garlett, Touhy, Casboult, Rowe, Menzel, Bell, Walker and Robinson !!
And I agree all of these guys have room for improvement. Even if they were all to improve their game 5%, it would make a huge difference.
If half of them were to have breakout years .....
There is plenty of reason for growth and excitement !! Lets hope they get the most out of themselves and we have a good run with injuries in 2014 !!!
At an AFL level, Menzel will make us ask Eddie who?
also Murphy to have a good rebound season, re-staking his claim as one of the best mids in the comp.
At a VFL level, Tom Temay will be banging down the door by the bye round. Another pre-season should do the fella well.
Mate, have you ever seen Temay play? Put another way, have you ever seen Temay play a dominant game at VFL level? Hope I'm wrong but I reckon all doors around him are safe.
The only bloke in our VFL side, who was a regular, who looked like banging down a door for senior selection was Nick Graham, and maybe a fit ROK. But, gee, after those two all other regulars (on our list) were not looking too threatening... few Preston boys were well ahead of most of our senior listed blokes.
Yarran, Watson and Touhy are all going to take it up a gear in 2014.
I've said it the last two years and I'll give him one last go - Yarran
I'm expecting AA type year, significantly more midfield time, average 20+ possessions a game, becoming a top 30 player in the comp
He has the talent and just needs the desire and unwavering commitment.
We have a few players like that, if they all lift 5% then look out!
Sick of waiting for Yazz to click it up a gear. I've got him marked down as really kicking in hard at the age of 26 so there's a little way to go yet.
If Yarran actually fires I'll treat it as a bonus - certainly not as an expectation, and I'm certainly not relying on it.
Menzel. He had no preseason and hopefully will this year. Looks very classy and goes hard at the ball.
Tuohy and Graham will also have a great 2014 season.
Players from other clubs to have breakout seasons in 2014:
Bulldogs: Stringer, Dahlhaus and Roughead
Essenscum: Melksham
Port: Lobbe and Gray
Kangaroos: Cunnington & Ziebell
Collingwood: O'Keefe, J Thomas and Grundy
Richmond: Rance and Conca
Sydney: Luke Parker, Brandon Jack and Rohan
Hawthorn: Hill and McEvoy
GWS: Shiel
Gold Coast: Matera and Dixon
Saints: Armitage and Ross
Geelong: Horlin-Smith and Blicavs
Melbourne: Blease and Gawn
Freo: Clarke
Brisbane: Mayes and Leuenberger
Adelaide: Crouch, Johnston and Kerridge
Jeremy Laidler.
I'll add another one to the list of names. Robbie Warnock.
He won't have to worry about the Hampson experiment anymore, so will get a more consistent run at things.
Menzel. He had no preseason and hopefully will this year. Looks very classy and goes hard at the ball.
I pinched this idea from BF, where quite a few non Carlton people were nominating Menzel.
Here's hoping he lives up to expectations !!
I reckon Menzel will be a 10-15 possession player for most of his career.
The difference being they will be mostly gold plated. Choosing the right options and making kicks and kicking goals that others can't.
A guy who can spot the right target (and hit him) in the congestion of todays forward lines will be a god send.
Don't ever see him in the midfield apart from the odd rotation when we are looking for something different..
I reckon Menzel will be a 10-15 possession player for most of his career.
The difference being they will be mostly gold plated. Choosing the right options and making kicks and kicking goals that others can't.
A guy who can spot the right target (and hit him) in the congestion of todays forward lines will be a god send.
Don't ever see him in the midfield apart from the odd rotation when we are looking for something different..
I see him being able to rotate from wing, HFF, to FP. I agree he won't ever likely be a really high possession player, but with good fitness I would expect him to be having 15-25 possession games.
Graham is the kind of player that could become a 30 possession per game kind of player, a real accumulator.
I'll add another one to the list of names. Robbie Warnock.
He won't have to worry about the Hampson experiment anymore, so will get a more consistent run at things.
You make a good point there. Warnock won't need to worry about who is waiting in the back ground and concentrate on being number one ruck. Many good games of footy left in 206.
If we go 180 degrees... just for the hell of it (very loosely fits the thread ???), who do ya reckon might fade away (a la Laider 2013)?
Hate to say it but I am concerned for young McInnes.
Simon White I fear might not come back after his horrific neck injury. The psychological hurdle of coming back from something like that is nearly as great as the physiological challenge.
If we go 180 degrees... just for the hell of it (very loosely fits the thread ???), who do ya reckon might fade away (a la Laider 2013)?
Hate to say it but I am concerned for young McInnes.
best to do this in a new thread i reckon.
What i think:
Menzel for sure. Unfortunately due to our lack of targets upfront he will be the go to man. Good overhead and a reliable kick for goal. Sorry to put a negative spin on things but there will be a heavy over reliance on young Menzel. Will be a gun though.
What i hope:
The one im hoping for is Watson. FFS boy, take that Key position spot in defence, make it your own and allow Hendo to play permanent forward. Watto's only 21-22 so there is plenty of time for him to show his worth.
Slider:
I think McInnes will really struggle to find a consistent oppurtunity with Everitt and Docherty now in the team. Unless we're planning to use Everitt as a wing or forward or if Mick is planning to use McInnes as a Key defender (god forbid), I see his chances are limited. Which is disappointing because he's a real player.
Jaseace if McInnes is a real player and can mark a ball, he might be worth turning into a 3rd forward type. Helping Henderson and Rowe along with Menzel. Either way he needs to have more development and turned into a good trade at worst. I'm not happy with losing players for nothing. Players must have value and trade value at the very least.
If Watson steps up and can play some good solid consistent footy, I'll suggest we are a top 4 chance.....a lot of other things being equal.
Lot of improvement is evident in many players for 2014 - from the top - Murph, Gibbs, Special K, Jamo, Yarran, Juddy (arguably), Warnock, Carrots (even if fit).
Add - Daisy and BOS (Everitt) to that.
.
Then the younger crop - Bell, 2E, Lucas, Garlett, Menzel, Hendo, Docherty....Curnow.
There is some serious talent there - on PAPER - as good as anyone - Hawks, Cats, Swans, Freo included.
Then the guys who are pretty solid most weeks these days - Scoto, Walker, Simmo, McLean.
Others like Waite, Rowe, Casboult......
If Waite can extract one full season without injury or brain fades well......hmmmm.