Having looked through the ladder and next weeks games, I see a quite reasonable possibility that we might find ourselves in the 8 next week. We sit in 11th at the moment on 1 win. There are 5 teams in the 8 on 2 wins apiece. Of those teams, Geelong and Port Adelaide are playing each other, so a guaranteed 2/2 from one of them. Collingwood have the Hawks, which could go either way quite easily. Bulldogs have the Lions, again a coin toss. Sydney have North Melbourne at Etihad.

For us to make it into the 8 we need firstly to win against Richmond. Secondly, we need at least one loss from the teams on 2 wins. Thirdly, we need a big winning margin to get our % up around even.

The one loss is a given since two of them are playing each other, so providing results in other games are going our way, all we really need is a crushing win over the Tigers to get us into the 8 for the first time in years.

I don't really care if we're top 8 after 4 rounds. Nor do I really care if we are top 8 at the end of the year. As long as we play consistent football and our young guns put in performances and lead the side like they did today, then my expectations will rise. But atm, playing good football is more important than ladder position imo.

I don't really care if we're top 8 after 4 rounds. Nor do I really care if we are top 8 at the end of the year. As long as we play consistent football and our young guns put in performances and lead the side like they did today, then my expectations will rise. But atm, playing good football is more important than ladder position imo.

agreed.

i think us fans are getting abit to excited which is understandable since we havnt made the top 8 or even won a game third round into a season for a couple of years but we really have to keep our expectation simple. if we play like today i dont think we will win much games but if we continue to play like last week there will be a huge improvement which will then see us in the top 8 in the next few years.

they boys still need time and understanding.

this year is about getting to no how each player plays and getting the game plan to work and start playing as a team then in a year or two you will really see the dees play football

The last 2 weeks have shown that we are in for a really exciting season.

I am expecting 8-10 wins, and some close losses.

Basically we will become competitive again.

Its not out of the question that we can sneak ito the 8, however.

But atm, playing good football is more important than ladder position imo.

Correct.

We'll approach the difficuly games i.e Geelong however; I'll be content if we continue to try hard like we did yesterday & lose. I don't want to see them collapse like we did against the dorks - as we know they are capable of doing.

Waiting for a post that tips us for the flag...

Remember the season is long and list is young......

I make it a point to ignore anything that talks about percentage at any time before about round 18. It's just so irrelevant this early. I'd love to be 2-2 after four rounds, but as for winning margins, who else loses and so on, I'll be interested, but certainly won't be actively barracking for anything that doesn't directly involve Melbourne. It's just so pointless to me.

EDIT: I'd just like to add that in 2008, there were all kinds of tables and graphs floating around here before Round 22 about how if we beat Richmond by 70 points or more, we'd hand them the wooden spoon. What happened? We turned around and lost by nearly that margin. Also, it happened to Collingwood last week against us. I don't want us to do the same thing again.

You don't know what you've got till it's gone. Don't take anything for granted or you'll risk losing it too.

Edited April 12, 201015 yr by Chook

Correct.

We'll approach the difficuly games i.e Geelong however; I'll be content if we continue to try hard like we did yesterday & lose. I don't want to see them collapse like we did against the dorks - as we know they are capable of doing.

Stop believing the Glass is half empty-it's half full & filling up. Yes we are a young & very Raw side, but i saw yesterday a team that worked out a few problems at half time (we were not playing too badly in the first half-contested ball and marks, we just were not allowed to score) but after half time the side adjusted & then refused to lie down) This young side wants to win.

Next week we will be favourites deservedly so, & it will be a great test for Dean Bailey & co to keep the boys up.

If the team can play like we have over the last 2 matches for the majority of the whole season-yes we will be competitive, and that mind set will win games in this very even competition.

Making the 8 this year would be a bonus i agree, but it is possible if this side believes. It could be hard for players to crack into this team & that just means more competition within the club.

Cam Schwab spoke at the after-match yesterday & i can tell this club is waking up big time B)

Edited April 12, 201015 yr by why you little

The competition is anything but even and the first 3 rounds confirms it.

We are still a good way off the standard of the Top 8.

Great win on Sunday. But we really had to climd a mountain to get over an underdone side with only 18 fit men in the last quarter. If we were cleaner with our ball use, had forward target and matured the desire to win...we should have romped away with a 6 to 7 goal final quarter

No one questions the desire of the past 2 weeks but the execution and the know how to win is lacking at the moment. Its gets learnt over time. Small steps toward a big future.

Between positions 4-15 could be very even this year.

Our side is very raw & learning, but they refused to lie down in that second half-& that has got to be good for a young Group

Between positions 4-15 could be very even this year.

Our side is very raw & learning, but they refused to lie down in that second half-& that has got to be good for a young Group

Please do not get carried away as R.R states or infers. We won -Absolutely great. We had kicked a goal in the first half, when the Crows became decimated with injuries. However, we have improved dramatically and that is great.But keep the lid on the kettle.If we win 5 more games this season that would be great. Improvement is what we are about and we will have our ups and downs as R.R states the reasons.

Between positions 4-15 could be very even this year.

There will be a great difference between the side that finishes 15th and the side that finished top 4 (4th).

The great difference being approx. 10 wins greater for the side that finishes 4th as opposed to the side that finishes 15th. (regardless of who finishes in between)

Between positions 4-15 could be very even this year.

Our side is very raw & learning, but they refused to lie down in that second half-& that has got to be good for a young Group

Not your best work WYL.

I'm going to assume you're thinking that 1-3 will be St Kilda, Geelong and the Bulldogs. 4th would then be a raffle of Brisbane, Hawthorn, Collingwood or maybe even Fremantle.

Collingwood aside, all those teams have played much, much better football than we have. Much better.

7-12 will be relatively even. Not 4-15.

Hmm, I hate to be so negative, but at the end of the day, we still struggled to beat a side that was severally hampered by injury, and with no bench. We played good, not great.

We will have our ups and downs. Would be nice to see more goals kicked from marks in the forward line.

Would love Nieter and Robbo in this side.

Is great to see the momentum has shifted. There are other sides struggling to kick goals at min. We have had good inside 50s just need to convert some more of them to goals. Was frustrating watching the ball go in the 50 then be rebounded out.

the great thing is they never gave up.

Go Dees

Not your best work WYL.

I'm going to assume you're thinking that 1-3 will be St Kilda, Geelong and the Bulldogs. 4th would then be a raffle of Brisbane, Hawthorn, Collingwood or maybe even Fremantle.

Collingwood aside, all those teams have played much, much better football than we have. Much better.

7-12 will be relatively even. Not 4-15.

Yes, but after the Football i have watched over the last 3 weekends & the pace and intensity of the games-a few injuries to any side will bring them straight back to the pack.

What position we end up this year is not important-my point was that apart from Richmond, all clubs can play.

Positions 4-15 might be a lot different to what we see now by Round 22

Anybody have The Shockers sitting 2nd 3-0 before the season started?? B)

I think finals for next season is now a realistic goal - finals this year would just be a bonus.

I think, considering all of our next 19 matches, 7 wins would be breaking even at this stage. 7-15, so we are winning a third of our matches. Next season, winning half of them would be the realistic aim. Don't get me wrong, I think we could win 10 this year, and goals can and should be readjusted when required, but double-wooden-spooners can't expect to win three times as many games the following year.

Sydney of 2009 would be a good case of the type of season I would like us to have this season (in terms of breaking even, better than that would of course be fantastic). They got a lot of matches in to players who are going to become key for them and this season they look to have taken a significant step up. Sydney won eight matches last year.

we haven't won interstate for 3 years

the teams we have beaten after round 1, 2007 have all been interstate teams at the MCG, apart form richmond

once we win interstate and against a half-decent team anywhere, we will be a chance to make the 8.

not before then.

1.8 at half time says no

1.8 at half time says no

I cannot fathom why people are so negative

we were brilliant r2 and should have knocked off a top4 side

r3 we were well below our best and still took the bikkies over the highly-rated crows

all this missing several key players

we are the youngest side in the comp and the performances of the last 2 weeks have us well ahead of the curve

not sure how much convincing people need. Time to back the club and look at us like winners

I cannot fathom why people are so negative

we were brilliant r2 and should have knocked off a top4 side

r3 we were well below our best and still took the bikkies over the highly-rated crows

all this missing several key players

we are the youngest side in the comp and the performances of the last 2 weeks have us well ahead of the curve

not sure how much convincing people need. Time to back the club and look at us like winners

Yes lets not forget that Adelaide were about 7 seconds from playing in a prelim last year & the filth took that spot.

These kids are learning fast now-i know they will flatten out, but so will other sides.

Winning interstate is Dean Bailey's next big test over the next 2 years.

Nearly did it against West Coast in Perth last year, had Davey and Sylvia been on the ground in the last 5 minutes the result might of been different. I'm also concerned about Etihad as well.

I'd love a win at Football park or Subi.

I'm also concerned about Etihad as well.

Yes good point, maybe the Etihad situation needs to be addressed before interstate, our record there is pitiful.

When it first opened we did alright there, but over the last 4-5 years i would guess our record is close to or if not the worst in the AFL at wining at the airport.

But once again "Baby Steps" are what we need as long as they are in the same direction!!

Hmm, I hate to be so negative, but at the end of the day, we still struggled to beat a side that was severally hampered by injury, and with no bench. We played good, not great.

agree.

Its' a great feeling to be back on the winners list, but a performance like that against better opponates would = a loss...I think i'll be looking at it, on a week to week basis.

Hopefully the team can take some confidance from this win.

I cannot fathom why people are so negative - No doubt you cant work it out. If anything people are being realistic without suffering any premature outbreak of hubris.

we were brilliant r2 and should have knocked off a top4 side - We were better than round 1 but could not do the finishing work to beat a top 4 sider3 we were well below our best and still took the bikkies over the highly-rated crows- Firstly, we played to our peak but we are a limited team at the moment in a number of areas. Secondly, the Crows werent highly rated at all. They were underdone with many key players having limited pre seasons. They also lost 4 players to injury during the game.

all this missing several key players - And Adelaide werent???

we are the youngest side in the comp and the performances of the last 2 weeks have us well ahead of the curve - No we are tracking according to plan- Promising performances mixed with dog awful performances

not sure how much convincing people need. Time to back the club and look at us like winners - You're too easily convinced.