Barney’s 2010 AFL Crystal Ball Part 4: Geelong and Hawthorn

by Josh Barnstable

Geelong Cats:
The premiers, in decline maybe? You wouldn’t think so, as the only major loss from the premiership side of 2009 is captain Tom Harley, but form in the second half of the season pointed towards a change of form in the next couple of seasons. The forward line lacks a big forward who kicks goals regularly, but they have plenty of guys who pop up for a few goals each game. Paul Chapman is the X-factor, his starring role in the Grand Final win will be talked about in years to come, while Shannon Byrnes showed real promise by becoming a crumbing forward. The recruitment of experienced former VFL player James Podsiadly will give the Cats’ leadership if he can get a game. Cam Mooney put his goalkicking demons behind him and might possibly have a big year ahead of him, while Tom Hawkins took big steps this season. Steve Johnson is as extraordinary as ever, while Ryan Gamble and Tom Lonergan are ready made to fill any hole that may be left by an injured or suspended player. The midfield remains the strongest in the league, and perhaps the strongest ever. Gary Ablett finally won the 2009 Brownlow Medal, recognizing him as the best player of the year, while the usual old firm of Joel Corey, Corey Enright, Jimmy Bartel and Cameron Ling were inspirational. Joel Selwood is rapidly becoming one of the best players of all time, while David Wojcinski provides major speed and poise when in the side. The defence is committed and focused. Matthew Scarlett is the best Full Back of all time, while Harry Taylor was one of the best players in the ’09 Final, shutting down Nick Riewoldt. Harley is gone, but they can fill his void with recruit Marcus Drum or Tom Gillies. James Kelly was as prolific as always, while Darren Milburn will be willing to put his Grand Final demons behind him in what is possibly his last season in his illustrative career. Max Rooke is the swingman, he can play in defence with major effect, then go forward and kick a couple of goals, as evident this season, especially in the Grand Final. Josh Hunt will return after a year out with a knee injury, while Andrew Mackie remains one of the Cats’ most important players. Brad Ottens returned late in the year to take Shane Mumford’s position in the Ruck. Mumford is now gone, but Travis Vardy, a skilled tall man, has arrived. Vardy will be given game time, and may push Mark Blake out of the number two Ruck spot. If the Cats are going to be considered the greatest side of the latest era, they need to win one more premiership in 2010 or all these years of hard work and great form will count for nothing but a couple of trophies.

My prediction:
Leading Goalkicker: Cam Mooney
Best and Fairest: Gary Ablett

Hawthorn Hawks:
2008 was a surprise, 2009 was a shock, 2010 is a given. After a unlikely premiership in ’08, the Hawks fell from glory this season, missing the finals after losing in a bloodbath against Essendon in the final round of the season. With Lance Franklin and Jarryd Roughead fit, Luke Hodge over his injury complaints and some of the unsung premiership heroes finally ready to return to battle, 2010 is looking like it could be the year of the Hawk once again. The forward line is strong, Franklin and Roughead are the most potent duo in the league, rivaling Jonathon Brown and Brendan Fevola from Brisbane. Cyril Rioli showed how much promise he had in his debut season, this season he backed it up with a superb season, finishing second in the Best and Fairest. 2010 will be a big year for Cyril. Michael Osborne is a handy goalkicker, Beau Dowler is a young key-position forward, Liam Shiels is a handy crumber and the recruitment of Shaun Burgoyne and Rhan Hooper will give the Hawks more zip. Sam Mitchell and Hodge highlight the Hawthorn midfield, Burgoyne will fit in their nicely while Brad Sewell, Chance Bateman and Jordan Lewis will be rejoined by Clinton Young, Xavier Ellis and young gun Beau Muston, who finally debuted this year and showed great skill. Robert Campbell is gone, but the recruitment of Wayde Skipper will give the Hawks a mediocre Ruck combination with Simon Taylor, Brent Renouf and Skipper. The backline was troubled in ’09, but with the possible comeback of Trent Croad from a mysterious broken foot, Stephen Gilham getting full fitness back, the arrival of Josh Gibson (otherwise known as the traitor) and Rick Ladson returning to his role across half-back, the Hawks will find it easier to rebound attacks by opposition sides. If Franklin fires like he did in ’07 and ’08, the Hawks will be fighting their way to yet another premiership.

My prediction:
Leading goalkicker: Lance Franklin
Best and Fairest: Luke Hodge

Tomorrow: Melbourne (Steve Healy can’t wait!) and North Melbourne

To see Josh Barnstable’s other 2010 previews, click on his name at the right of this screen.

Comments

  1. *A delicious year coming up for Cyril

  2. Steve Healy says

    Just played some more backyard cricket, I only made another 42 from my 110 not out yesterday before I was caught behind for 152

  3. Steve Healy says

    How do you know I can’t wait? lol

  4. Steve Healy says

    Yes, the Dees have 18.742 members!

  5. Josh i will challenge ur Hawks best and fairest with Sammy Mitchell, now there’s a Captain! :)

  6. Haha fair enough Danni.

    Status – sending a text message to the herald sun

  7. Steve Healy says

    Paul Wheatley and Luke Williams added me on FB! YES!!!

  8. Who’s Luke Williams?

    Australia is facing a tough task to draw against Pakistan

  9. oh and Nathan O’Keeffe and Sam Wright added me too, i got Wright’s mobile number

  10. Steve Healy says

    oh I need to add both of them.

    You;ve neveer heard of Luke Willaims? Former Dees player who got delisted in about 05 I think

  11. Steve Healy says

    Yeah the Aussies have it wrapped up

  12. Damian Watson says

    How do you guys manage to coax these players to add you? maybe I should get Facebook!

    I wouldn’t be suprised if we won today, just one wicket remaining, c’mon aussies!!

  13. You should Damo, sign up with Facebook.

    Wooh go Aussies, Hussey will get man of the match easy. Did you guys miss out on half of that last over because of ads? I did

  14. I find it funny that there is a new article on the AFL Website about players adding heaps of random people on facebook lol, and they use Majak Daw as the picture!

  15. Steve Healy says

    Yeah, bowled out for 139.

    Nah Damo, the trick is to add 50-100 players and 1 or 2 of them is bound to accept/

  16. I’ve got Nathan O’Keefe, Sam Wright, Jesse Crichton, Conor Meredith, Kane Lucas, Aaron Black, Travis Colyer, Dustin Martin and Harry O’Brien as friends on FB

  17. Damian Watson says

    Nah I think I saw the whole last over, regardless I get sick of those stupid ads apart from the KFC ones.

    I reckon one of the turning points was when their keeper dropped four catches and most of them were ridiculously easy.

  18. Damian Watson says

    lol I just realised Gigs and his cricket stats were right.

  19. Guys, my sister said we can make a website if we want, and these two names are available:
    http://www.thefabfive.com.au OR
    http://www.thefab5.com.au

    Which should we use?

  20. Those KFC cricket adds are gold

  21. guess who got beeped at when they were driving today??? LMAOOO

  22. Hahaha, did you give them the bird after they beeped you Danni?

  23. no…lol i sat there pouting!!
    like hello!! the big yellow L means i dont know what im doing!! why would u beep at me!! Beep at a full lisenced person who should know better!! LMAOO

  24. Steve Healy says

    hahaha good on ya Danni.

    GO DEES!

  25. Your not the first Collingwood supporter to be beeped at on the road

  26. lol..it would be funny if the person that beeped was like…Toovey or something! lol

  27. Steve Healy says

    nah it’d be funny if it was Jack Anthony

  28. ..hahahhaah!! lol
    wait a sec..oh great..i just missed my chance at meeting him!! ARGGHH!

  29. Steve Healy says

    lol.

    I wrote on Jack Fitzpatrick’s wall, and he replied!!!!!!!!!!

  30. lol will if u ever get anything out of superman or nathan let me know.
    i think i will finally be getting a number for my gersey 2mro…maybee

  31. ..omg guys..i need reassurance…
    Sean Rusling..he hasnt retired has he???
    ….

  32. No, Croad has. Renouf was badly burnt too, where did you hear about Rusling? And guys check comment 19

  33. i like the second one.
    i saw the rusling thing in the comments for the Croad thing:

    Mick from Glen waverley Posted at 12:50 PM Today
    He was not as good as Sean Rusling

    Comment 10 of 14

    i was like……WHATTTTTTT

  34. Steve Healy says

    oh it was Renouf, cheers Josh.

    How are we?

  35. How did you get Rusling retiring out of that?

  36. Im goin to have a kick

  37. Steve Healy says

    But even so, that guy’s an idiot. Croad is way better than Rusling

  38. Damian Watson says

    Well the guy is from Glen waverley so that just says it all lol.

  39. Damian Watson says

    I don’t know about the name, who is going to search up Fab 5 on the Internet and it doesn’t really indicate that it has anything to do with footy, but hey what do I know

  40. Steve Healy says

    Right you are Damo, lol

  41. Steve Healy says

    yeah maybe it should be “fab5footy”, but who cares thefab5 is just fine

  42. Damian Watson says

    How did Renouf manage to fall into a beach fire?

  43. Steve Healy says

    he was wrestling with some guys and got knocked into it

  44. Damian Watson says

    I still can’t believe the Aussies won today.

    No backyard cricket tonight Steve?

  45. Steve Healy says

    No I played before, I had an early finish tonight cos a couple of balls got hit over the fence. I got an 84 off 30 balls but I was still frustrated

  46. I get rid of so many tennis balls in my backyard its not funny, should just give them to you Steve since you lose yours all the time.

    Hayley hasn’t made our website official yet, so we can still change the name, so what do you guys want? It all depends on whether it is available or not.

    That’s two off-seasons in a row that Renouf has done something stupid.

  47. Steve Healy says

    he’s a dumb sort of fella, Renouf is.

    Stuff some tennis balls and an envelope and send em to me Josh lol

  48. ..Excuse me but Rusling, if given the oppertunity with out the burden of injury could have matched him!!

  49. Steve Healy says

    Trent Croad’s had his fair share of injuries too Danni,

    when Rusling finally gets back on the field ill judge him

  50. …with his luck and the love for Toovey from the selectors..i dont know when that will happen..poor baby!! :(
    BuddyHell!
    :(

  51. could u imagine a Collingwood forward line of Anthony and Rusling…i would just dieeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee (lol josh)

  52. Danni, don’t get me started.

    Steve, you have something else coming, don’t worry.

  53. Steve Healy says

    come on, Toovey isnt the worst collingwood player.

  54. …you can name a collingwood player worse than toovey? on the current list???
    who!!??

  55. ohh come on Steve, Enlighten me!!

  56. Steve Healy says

    Ben Reid, Tyson Goldsack, Ryan Cook. Yeah thats pretty much it

  57. Leigh Brown, Ben Reid, Anthony Corrie

  58. ..nope i disagree.
    Reid and Toovey are on the same level, both cant kick a footy, hell i would do a better job in heels!
    Goldsack, iss wayyyy better, dont know what you were thinking there.
    Cook- didnt play enough for me to really decide.

  59. …ohh Leigh is not that baddd!! deff not worse that Toovey! he may not be a good kick on the mark but hes fine in random moments when we need him.
    Corrie- meh still didnt play enough.

  60. Not to mention all the rookies, Seamus McNamara is an American so Toovey has the jump on him

  61. Steve Healy says

    Cook doesn’t play enough cos he’s worse than Toovey. Toovey only missed one game for the whole year!

  62. HEY leave our pretty American alone thankyou! you know how i love Americans! i have an American flag in my room!

  63. Steve you may say that but i have to make the point that Rusling playing injured would be better than Toovey playing at his fittest!!

  64. Steve Healy says

    I have a dees flag in my room, 2 actually.

    Toovey has great determination, I think thats why hes on the team

  65. status- banging head on wall at second part of comment 64.

  66. I dont have any flags, i got a Roos scarf draped over my desk that’s all lol.

  67. well steve..answer me this TRUTHFULLY! Would you take Toovey to the Dees for a trade or not?

    I once took an online American citizen test randomly and i passed!! lol

  68. Steve Healy says

    i’ve got about 6 dees scarves, 2 I cant find. I’ve got flags but no flag pole so I just hang them around my room

  69. You gotta stop bangin your head on walls Danni, you’ll do even more damage to your brain. Going for Collingwood has already stuffed up most of it.

    Lolz :P

  70. ive got 3 flags..which is kinda stupid since i only take one with me to the footy….

  71. Steve Healy says

    no, because we don’t need Toovey. We already have running defenders in Bennell, MacDonald, McDonald, Grimes (even though he’s gonna be playing much more time in the midfield), McNamara, McKenzie and more

  72. Damian Watson says

    Why do you like Americans Danni? they’re too ignorant if you ask me.

    Toovey is probably the worst and the most uncoordinated out of the regular players at the club but Mick shows a lot of faith in him.

  73. thats the point! what else will i use as an excuse for a low Enterscore Josh??

  74. …DAMO..
    Hahahahhahahahahahahahhahahahahaha
    ahahhahahahaaahahahahahahahhahahahahhaha
    Hahahahhahahahahahahahhahahahahaha
    ahahhahahahaaahahahahahahahhahahahahhaha
    Hahahahhahahahahahahahhahahahahaha
    ahahhahahahaaahahahahahahahhahahahahhaha
    Hahahahhahahahahahahahhahahahahaha
    ahahhahahahaaahahahahahahahhahahahahhaha
    Hahahahhahahahahahahahhahahahahaha
    ahahhahahahaaahahahahahahahhahahahahhaha

  75. well Steve what if i didnt have those players and the Dees where trying to trade with other clubs, SURELY a different player and NOT Toovey would be in ur hopes of goig to the Dees right?

  76. Damo, he aint really that bad. Sure he might look dumb, but he does some pretty smart things. I just wonder if he’ll keep his spot in the Collingwood side when Bucks takes the reigns.

    Danni, you should do a report on Toovey, go into why you hate him etc.

  77. I’d take Toovey for North, it just depends who we would trade for him. I’d be happy with a Toovey-Hale trade

  78. Josh have you been Watching Collingwood games with Toovey coloured glasses?? He looks very weird and uncomfortable when he has the footy. He doesn’t know what to do with it and it’s the most unnatural thing I have ever seen!!

  79. ..omg Josh, you want him? TAKE HIM!!

  80. Obviously i dont watch Collingwood games as closely as you Danni

  81. Steve Healy says

    No one’s touching of ours.

    Toovey’s pretty fast ill admit

  82. ..Fast and uncoordinated dont make a good combo!!

  83. Steve Healy says

    Collingwood are the team I watch the most

  84. Steve Healy says

    Watch as in watch on TV or listen to on radio

  85. I’d trade Urquhart for someone else good

  86. Damian Watson says

    Well Collingwood have more Free to Air games than any other team.

  87. yeah Josh, pay more attention!
    you guys all think I only look at the pretty things like Nathan Brown’s shorts and Jack Anthony’s hot number nine back! But im not all about pretty, believe it or not I do pay attention to skill, confidence, speed and which of my players are not working.

  88. Steve Healy says

    Yeah exactly Damo

  89. Well, which player doesn’t work the most? And don’t say Toovey, he is a hard worker.

  90. ..no hes not!! steve Toovey is there for the thrill, the same reason most of the anzacs signed up for worldwar one.
    he doesnt know what hes doing but he enjoys the fans and spotlight ( who could blame him) if he gets near the ball its only lucky and then whatever he does with it next is never pretty, im talking missing a target stuff here.

  91. that should say Steve and Josh, since Damo agrees with me :)

  92. He kicked 3 goals on debut and been a handy contributor almost every week. Sounds like a guy, a rather dumb-looking one, who wants to do his best.

  93. Steve Healy says

    Mick Malthouse always says things like “if the players aren’t hard workers we won’t play them” and stuff like that. Im sure mick wouldn’t play Toovey if he’s not a good player and tries hard

  94. Damian Watson says

    Sorry Danni I don’t agree with you IN that aspect.

    Every player on the field works hard and prepares to give 100% for their club and it is rare to see a player take a backward step and become lazy.

    I agree that Toovey’s skills aren’t sharp and he is hesitant but he does work very hard out on the field.

  95. Is your definition of a handy contributor a player who fumbles with the ball, misses targets, kicks either sloppy or over the head of his team mates, runs fast but in the end gets caught with the ball after not knowing what do with it?
    Because thats not my opinion of that definition.

  96. okay Damo, point taken but then why doesnt he rack up the same numbers as Swannie who makes me tired just by watching his working.

  97. Because Swan is a star, plus he is a midfielder. Toovey is a defender, he probably does a lot of one-percenters you don’t see on the TV Danni

  98. Damian Watson says

    Well although he doesn’t rack up the same lofty numbers of Swan he does a fair job in his given position.

    You can’t question his work ethic although I agree that his efficiency is poor.

  99. Steve Healy says

    Because he’s a different player Danni, Swan’s an inside midfielder, Toovey’s a running half back.

  100. look at it like this, two players.

    Pendels and Toovey
    both try hard and give their all on the field, both get in hard to try and clear the ball the difference.
    Pendles can produce a cleanhanded clearance while Toovey normally comes out sloopy and may even lose the ball in the end.
    So who would you prefer on your team?

  101. Danni, Toovey might be your worst player efficently, but he may be one of your best for tackling, shepharding, providing run and so on, of course Pendlebury is better but Toovey is probably better at defending than Pendles is

  102. Steve Healy says

    Yeah, Toovey was 2nd for tackles for the Pies, and he still averaged 13 odd possessions

  103. Demons and Roos are up.

  104. Thanks Gigs

  105. Damian Watson says

    Danni although ball handling is an important skill it is only one aspect of the game.

    Believe it or not some players don’t have a reputation based on skill and finese’, Glennn Archer was known for his grit and determination and his defensive work.

    Toovey’s purpose is to play in defence and although his efficiency isn’t great he is still an integral part of the defensive structure.

  106. Understood Damo but atleast Archer could hit a target!

  107. Steve Healy says

    Yeah, remember Danni, if Toovey really was their worst player, there’s no way he’d have played 24 games and averaged almost 4 tackles

  108. Josh do you seriously think Toovey is a better defender than pendels?
    i might be getting a little personal here but if i could compare my netball skill to any player id say Pendels and guess what i was used in defence as much as i played attack.

  109. Steve Healy says

    Toovey can hit targets, Danni. He makes a few errors, but you’re talking like he misses the target every time he gets the ball, thats wrong

  110. Steve, then please tell me why i have to close my eyes or turn around anytime i see him near the footy?

  111. Damian Watson says

    Should we switch threads?

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