Hi all,

After last weeks fantastic win even Mike Sheahan is getting on the bandwagon which is great. However now that we have (hopefully) gotten over our terrible starts - although a sparrow doesn't make a summer - there is one more painfully obvious issue we need to address before we can be taken seriously for contenders in future Septembers:

Our record away from the MCG.

A little history. I remember a few years ago when we were playing better football than in more recent years (this year excluded). We were pretty much unbeatable at the MCG and we made the finals. Having a chat to Cameron Bruce he said that had we beaten Fremantle in Subiaco in the semi final, then who know what would have happened as our remaining games would have been at the MCG and having such a strong record there, anything would have been possible. But alas we did loose to Freo and this is the point of the post.

There is no point been unbeatable only at the G. We need to drastically improve our away game record in order to finish in the top four in the coming years. If we remain the team that can't be beaten at the MCG than, whilst that will be great, we will inevitably play a final away from home as we need to win both home and away to finish in the top four. That is an unacceptable risk. Winning away in the coming years will enable us to finish high on the ladder which means our finals will all be played at the MCG giving us our greatest chance of securing our next flag.

This ALL STARTS on SATURDAY NIGHT. This is a must win game for us, not so much for this season but in setting us up for coming seasons - all aways games are. There is no real excuse for losing either, we are in form, the Lions aren't. It IS as simple as that.

Prediction:

Melbourne by 24 points. BECAUSE WE MUST.

Dusty Hill

Edited July 27, 201015 yr by Dusty_Hill

Winning away from home will come as we become stronger minded as a team. Even a substandard team (which we have been for some time) can lift with the crowd behind them. It is when there is not a whimper of noise when you kick a goal that it becomes difficult to maintain the pressure and momentum.

Just on that Freo win.

What would the media be like if we scraped into 8th, and Freo made 5th? The last final we played, 4 years ago almost to the day week, we lost to them. I reckon if we won every game and DID make the 8, and they limped their way to 5th they'd be more than a bit concerned.

Not likely of course, and it's not smart to be talking finals. Still. Fun to think about what it would be like.

BTW, I love that we're in the "run home" calculations this deep into the season. I'd hoped we'd get to the last 3 round before we were officially out of the race, and it looks like that will happen. Tow big percentage boosting wins against the Lions and Tigers would really have people talking.

BTW, I love that we're in the "run home" calculations this deep into the season. I'd hoped we'd get to the last 3 round before we were officially out of the race, and it looks like that will happen. Two big percentage boosting wins against the Lions and Tigers would really have people talking.

Just two wins and these boards would go into meltdown alone.

With the draw in hand, the percentage is pretty much irrelevant. Unless the Hawks fell in a heap.

Prediction:

Melbourne by 24 points. BECAUSE WE MUST.

Melbourne by 100 points. Because I will be there, and that would make me a VERY happy boy! LOL

(I've left the Gabba on too many occasions in the past, with my tail firmly between my legs. Not THIS time!!!)

Hi all,

After last weeks fantastic win even Mike Sheahan is getting on the bandwagon which is great. However now that we have (hopefully) gotten over our terrible starts - although a sparrow doesn't make a summer - there is one more painfully obvious issue we need to address before we can be taken seriously for contenders in future Septembers:

Our record away from the MCG.

A little history. I remember a few years ago when we were playing better football than in more recent years (this year excluded). We were pretty much unbeatable at the MCG and we made the finals. Having a chat to Cameron Bruce he said that had we beaten Fremantle in Subiaco in the semi final, then who know what would have happened as our remaining games would have been at the MCG and having such a strong record there, anything would have been possible. But alas we did loose to Freo and this is the point of the post.

There is no point been unbeatable only at the G. We need to drastically improve our away game record in order to finish in the top four in the coming years. If we remain the team that can't be beaten at the MCG than, whilst that will be great, we will inevitably play a final away from home as we need to win both home and away to finish in the top four. That is an unacceptable risk. Winning away in the coming years will enable us to finish high on the ladder which means our finals will all be played at the MCG giving us our greatest chance of securing our next flag.

This ALL STARTS on SATURDAY NIGHT. This is a must win game for us, not so much for this season but in setting us up for coming seasons - all aways games are. There is no real excuse for losing either, we are in form, the Lions aren't. It IS as simple as that.

Prediction:

Melbourne by 24 points. BECAUSE WE MUST.

Dusty Hill

Good post Dusty.

It is the problem that has affected the Saints. They are awesome at Etihad. Not so good elsewhere.

Sydney are in that boat to a degree too.

I too believe it will come as the team develops but this week will be a big hurdle to jump in their development.