Which non-finals team is best poised to rebound next season?

I’d like to agree with Swans, they may start to play at that level but would surprise if they barged back into the 8 ( and I mean for the 2020 finals ). Hawks I believe could go either way, I can see how they can go backwards, but I’m not forecasting that.

Everyone just expects the blues to come but doesn’t mean it will happen as quick as Brisbane.

Brisbane have had largely two uninterrupted years with hardly an injury. They will come crashing down if they get a few.

carlton with a small c

Melbourne

Port or Hawthorn I reckon, Port are overhauling their list, they've got some really good youth, they'll be thereabouts, Hawthorn are always annoyingly competitive, their biggest loss was by 36 points (to Richmond) they usually give themselves a chance. Freo have a solid group but lack depth to cover injuries, making them abit suspect. Carlton will rise abit as well, 10 wins maybe? Saints and suns to fight it out for the spoon.

Someone from Adelaide had a crack at him.

Bit Hard on Adelaide! A big offseason, fix their problems

In this order without knowing who gets what in trade terms. Hawks Sydney Nth Melb Melb Port Adelaide St Kilda Carlton Adelaide

Every year you have on average 2 teams drop out of the 8. I don't think anyone could be considered safe from doing that. All it takes is for a couple older players to fall off a cliff in terms of performance (e.g. Boyd and Murphy 17') or injury to strike hard and all the current top 8 could well find themselves outside. Saying that, every single team in the 8 has upside that is equal or greater to the upside of teams outside the 8. However I would only feel comfortable saying Richmond, Collingwood, WCE and the Giants will make the 8 next year due to their ability to deal with adversity. If sh** times come for them they have the structure, depth, home advantage to plug away at it. Saying that I don't think the Giants will be a threat next year, they seem to lack the will to get the job done. Of the other 4 I think Geelong and the Dogs are more likely to stay in the 8 although if things turn sour on the injury front they could be susceptible to falling out. Geelong have a good home ground advantage they can utilize and don't have a lot of weaknesses in the team but seem to lack creativity. Dogs had the hardest draw and have shown immense growth in the second half of the year but that growth may not necessarily hang around for next year. So that leaves Essendon and Brisbane to potentially fall out. The only reason for them to be the 2 I chose is that Essendon have practically fallen into the 8 but there are mitigating circumstances, as for Brisbane, they have had an incredible run with injury and their draw will get much harder. It is still very hard to see either of them falling out. Of those outside the 8 I would put a line through only GCS and the Saints. I can't see enough natural growth in either team to make it and neither have a star to drag them over the line single handedly. That isn't meant as a slight as I think their are only 4 or 5 players in the competition capable of regularly inspiring their team to a win. So who makes it in? I don't know how many coaches have made finals in their first full year as coach, I know Beveridge and Hinkley did but I am assuming it is less common then more. So I'll put a line through North and Freo. That leaves: Hawthorn: who get Mitchell back Sydney: If Buddy contends for the Coleman Sydney will more than likely make it Carlton: They are prepped for a jump, in fact the mid table teams will be hoping to avoid the double up against them in my opinion North need growth from their 2nd and 3rd tier to get in the 8. I don't know who is going to fall out but the 2 most likely teams to get in for me are sadly Hawthorn and Sydney (please no) or Hawthorn and Carlton.

Your first sensible comment. Great off-season performers, lost as soon as the season starts.

If we thought this year was a logjam for spots in the 8 then next year is likely to be ever closer. All of north, sydney and hawthorn finished the season strongly showing promise for next year, and expectations will be high at other clubs too including both adelaide clubs and freo. Then throw in the clubs that made the 8 this year and it’s easy to see the closeness of the competition. For mine the hawks and Sydney are most likely for finals next year, at the expense of ?????

I had a dream …. But then l woke up to the 4 grey walls that surround me.

Hawthorn. still got a lot of flag winners under 30. and the next group around Sicily are starting to show it consistently get Mitchell back in and O'Meara will be a world beater. probably need a defender? Keath?

The Crows, now that they have sacked Pyke.

Hawthorn and Sydney have the good club culture that could see them rise,really well run clubs. Melbourne for some reason underperformed so they could rise,or just do an Adelaide. Carlton no longer have Bolton and a nice mix of experience and youth,so they might rise.

Hawthorn

I expect a fairly similar season to this one Christo - but hopefully with a few more wins along the way (The swans lost a lot of close ones). Its 2021 and beyond that I think there will be a significant step up in performance - as the younger cygnets start to hit that sweet spot at 50 games and beyond, and the older group (Players like Heeney, Mills, Hewett) start to move right towards the peak of their careers in terms of expected performance. Certainly some gaps to fill along the way with all the experience going out, but going to be exciting to watch some of the younger guys develop. Blakey and Rowbottom in particular were standouts for mine this year and both have all the ingredients to become very, very fine footballers in time.

I don't think Sydney's legacy will have much impact - but it will be interesting to see how quickly the next-gen can develop. But I think they will be a bit light on for experience next year - unless they can recruit appropriately...

Melbourne?...Nah, probably the Blues and Hawthorn. Norf have some good kids so they'll probably do alright.