Sturt, Norwood and West

[Rik E Boy]

It appears, at least from my far off vantage point that these three sides have improved considerably from last season. Would it be fair to say that the standard of the SANFL has also improved or have a couple of sides gone backwards as well? In your opinion, what is the current state of the standard of the SANFL in comparison with last season or even 2005?

regards,

REB

[Jimmy]

mate, im far away too but listening to the games, they are exciting ones....there are some great recruits and exciting juniors playing...

its gonna be a great season:)

[johntheclaret]

mate, im far away too but listening to the games, they are exciting ones....there are some great recruits and exciting juniors playing...

its gonna be a great season:)

Says the man whose team has just gone 2nd in the league after a great come back

Looks like a much more even contest this year (Doggies excepted).

Just look at the tipping contest to see how close it is. Seems anyone can beat anyone except Centrals

[zipzap]

Would it be fair to say that the standard of the SANFL has also improved or have a couple of sides gone backwards as well?

A little from column A and a little from column B. Having been to all the Sturt games and trials thus far there is no doubt we have improved - that wouldn't be hard from last season. But I've also noticed some pretty ordinary skills at times from us and other teams in particular. I don't think the overall standard has improved at all, but has evened up somewhat.

[SDK]

Redlegs are and will be the biggest improvers and now they have had a couple of hard fought wins they are on the way. Look out ! Look at the age of their list and the players in the reserves.
Think Westies are far from a poor team and when they gel more as a team will surpise a few again. Just need to keep their players each year.
Sturt...nope not for mine....not this year.
Glenelg....mmmmm surprising thought they might improve...still time though.
South....so so cant see them as a threat though. Also cant keep players each year.
Eagles......strange form so far but will click soon. Certain finalists.
Port patchy but will be around in September.
North are the second best team but cant win big games....time running out for a Rooster flag I think.
Centrals.......God yet another grand final ! They play a good style of footy though and believe.

Standard....never better.....no one is an easy beat....even comp very healthy.
Me I prefer to watch SANFL.....real football....AFL is far too antiseptic and over umpired over controlled.

[Thiele]

From my point of view i think we (West Adelaide) have improved but there are still areas of the game were can improve

[Wedgie]

IMHO the standard of SANFL has dropped considerably this year, North's 2006 side would kill the 2007 side yet we've still only lost to one club this year.
I don't think Centrals are that much better than previous years, just that other teams (aka the Eagles and North) have gone backwards.
Port were a better side last year and came 5th yet are sitting 2nd on the ladder this year.

First year in a long time that Ive felt the SANFL has gone backwards a step as opposed to forwards, probably happened in the late 90s a couple of times too.

[smac]

IMHO the standard of SANFL has dropped considerably this year, North's 2006 side would kill the 2007 side yet we've still only lost to one club this year.
I don't think Centrals are that much better than previous years, just that other teams (aka the Eagles and North) have gone backwards.
Port were a better side last year and came 5th yet are sitting 2nd on the ladder this year.

First year in a long time that Ive felt the SANFL has gone backwards a step as opposed to forwards, probably happened in the late 90s a couple of times too.

Spot on. Dogs are probably on a par with last season, perhaps a little better yet have always managed to step on the opposition at some stage every game. We would be 4-3 or 5-2 at this stage last year playing the way we have so far. I think the fact that there is little separating all of the teams makes for a more interesting and subsequently more entertaining competition.

[topsywaldron]

Disagree. Personally reckon the games against Port, the game against Centrals and the first half against North have been amongst the best SANFL games I've seen in the last five years in terms of skill.

Mind you as a Norwood supporter I'm coming off a lower base than most.

[clayts_05]

From my point of view i think we (West Adelaide) have improved but there are still areas of the game were can improve

I reckon we have improved to. Although - we always start great, competitive untill about 3/4 time than always lose it in the last quarter. Pretty much the same as last year but atleast it didn't take 9 games to score a win this year.

[Grahaml]

The dogs team of 2004 and 2005 was probably better given Marco Bello, Simon Arnott, Daniel Healy, Paul Scoullar, Tyson Hay, Heath Hopwood and Nathan Steinberner were around and playing. Don't think we've got a team to quite rival those teams just yet. Definitely better than 2006, so would say we're probably about as good as 2003. Think we're better than 2000,2001 but it was such a different team back then. Overall, it's hard to say. The other teams are still not as good......

[Hondo]

It bothers me that Centrals seem suddenly so much better than everyone else when most of us were tipping them to finish 3rd-5th and they didn't seem to have masses of hot new recruits. Or at least no better recruiting list than the other teams.

Don't get me wrong, well done Doggies but TBH the other 8 teams have had 8 years to catch up and still seem a way off. Sign of a strong comp is some variety at the top.

Early days tho .... as someone said on another thread this time last year, Centrals looked gone.

[Aerie]

I think the Eagles may be better than the 2006 team. Mainly due to the fact that we had a number of first year players in the team last year and they are now better for it. Players such as Salter, Stewart, Fairclough and Hier. Dabrowski hardly played last year, he is showing signs of improvement. Grocke is a better player this year.

A lot depends on how well Inkster, Cicolella and Colville return from injury and whether Lindsay, McKenzie, Powell, Cooper, Treeby, Jarrad, Fiacchi, Symmons and Passador can keep injury free again.

We are missing Skipworth, Shattock, Jacobs, Potter and Westbrook - but in their place come Stewart, Vince, McGregor, Klun and Batsanis. Of course you never know when some of these will be required by their AFL teams.

We also currently have Pedler and Schwarze playing reserves and I still think Petrenko will have an influence on the league team when he gets a chance.

North and Port will still be dangerous come finals time and I don't think either will be any worse than last year. Central have improved no doubt and they are the team to beat at the moment. Norwood and Sturt have improved and will be looking to make the 5. West have improved, but I don't think will make the 5 and Glenelg and South have been disappointing.

[Aerie]

It bothers me that Centrals seem suddenly so much better than everyone else when most of us were tipping them to finish 3rd-5th and they didn't seem to have masses of hot new recruits. Or at least no better recruiting list than the other teams.

Don't get me wrong, well done Doggies but TBH the other 8 teams have had 8 years to catch up and still seem a way off. Sign of a strong comp is some variety at the top.

Early days tho .... as someone said on another thread this time last year, Centrals looked gone.

Were you on another planet in 2006?

[johntheclaret]

It bothers me that Centrals seem suddenly so much better than everyone else when most of us were tipping them to finish 3rd-5th and they didn't seem to have masses of hot new recruits. Or at least no better recruiting list than the other teams.

Don't get me wrong, well done Doggies but TBH the other 8 teams have had 8 years to catch up and still seem a way off. Sign of a strong comp is some variety at the top.

Early days tho .... as someone said on another thread this time last year, Centrals looked gone.

Were you on another planet in 2006?

Yeah, planet Roosterland, with the rest of us North fans, getting our hopes dashed like a fly getting the swat

[sturt1]

We have improved but it is a long season and alot can happen. It feels good to be in the top 5 though.

[Hondo]

It bothers me that Centrals seem suddenly so much better than everyone else when most of us were tipping them to finish 3rd-5th and they didn't seem to have masses of hot new recruits. Or at least no better recruiting list than the other teams.

Don't get me wrong, well done Doggies but TBH the other 8 teams have had 8 years to catch up and still seem a way off. Sign of a strong comp is some variety at the top.

Early days tho .... as someone said on another thread this time last year, Centrals looked gone.

Were you on another planet in 2006?

Fair call Aerie ...

I was talking generally over the 8 year span .... altho I should have said that 7 teams need to catch up to the Eagles & Centrals seeing as those 2 teams have played in 5 of the last 7 GF's.

[Jar Man Out]

Scary thing for the comp is Centrals have improved.

[Aerie]

Scary thing for the comp is Centrals have improved.

Have they improved by more than 76 points though?

[Jimmy]

Scary thing for the comp is Centrals have improved.

Have they improved by more than 76 points though?

gotta pay that aerie