Not many will belive this, but providing we defeat the GC on Sunday, which let's face it, we will, the MFC will be in the top 8 for the first time since 2006. Regardless of what the other results are for the round, we will be 7th at worst by the end of the weekend, with the only other possibility of us going to 6th if North beat Freo in WA.

This will be the first time with Dean Bailey in charge, that we have been in the Top 8, so well done MFC supporters, and well done Dean Bailey, Jim Stynes, Cameron Schwab, etc. It has been a long time since we have been in that position, and while it may only be for one week, a lot has happened over the past 5 years, and we are starting to see the light at the end of the tunnel.

Nb. We were 8th at the end of Round 1, but only because of alphabetical order. This week it will/should be becuase of our actual results.

Yes, I do suffer from premature jubilation!

Let's hope we pump the suns.. although on the past couple weeks performance I'm not that confident

we could easy drop this match, but yes, we should be right

we'll be 2.5 out of 4, not bad at all

a few things give me some confidence about the year thus far:

-the likes of Bail, Martin, Jurrah, Moloney,Tapscott and Gysberts have stepped up a notch already

-many others are playing way beneath themselves and should improve, with Scull and Jordie to come back

-we have played brilliant footy for a few quarters, all we have to do is string it together

I think we'll be sitting in a pretty nice position, with a solid 22 and on the edge of the 8 for most of the year

And we'll be on top of either Carlton or Essendon... Whooo Hooo

Unless they draw...

Edited April 13, 201114 yr by PaulRB

On current form, Essendon and Carlton would smash us. I penciled us in for a win against Essendon but for some bloody reason*, Hird has been able to bring the absolute best out of that group and they should make the 8 easily this year.

* No doubt because he is a legend of the game and understand modern football really well

I am sure Melbourne were 8 after round 1 via the draw, M comes before S.

I am sure Melbourne were 8 after round 1 via the draw, M comes before S.

The OP'er made note of that.

The OP'er made note of that.

ops

Well if melbourne win by around 60 and the rest of the teams that are supposed to win, win, then Melbourne could possibly sit @ 6 with around 110%. that looks good to me

ladder position doesnt mean alot for a few more weeks yet. (as i keep telling the Eagles supporters who were over the moon after 2 rounds!)

would/will be nice to sit in the 8 either way though

Technically we were in the 8 after round, alphabetically! But yes this week, should we win as expected, will be an important step forward.

Technically we were in the 8 after round, alphabetically! But yes this week, should we win as expected, will be an important step forward.

As mentioned in the OP. But it's like saying we were equal top before Round 1.

ladder position doesnt mean alot for a few more weeks yet. (as i keep telling the Eagles supporters who were over the moon after 2 rounds!)

would/will be nice to sit in the 8 either way though

I appreciate that DWA, but it will be the end of Round 4, and it has been nearly 5 years since we were in there, regardless of what round it is. Just maybe it will give the boys a bit of belief when they can open the papers on Monday morning and we are in the first half of the table.

ladder position doesnt mean alot for a few more weeks yet. (as i keep telling the Eagles supporters who were over the moon after 2 rounds!)

would/will be nice to sit in the 8 either way though

Last season, after the round 2 Collingwood game a poster opened a thread saying Melbourne TOP 4

I think Melbourne will just miss the 8, but I would expect them to be 6-7 next season.

Yeh and if we were playing Richmond they would smash us and we'd sit around 13th on the ladder with a % of 75. Big Deal.

I'm amazed by the amount of people that couldn't give a rats about this.

I bet you were the ones sitting in the stands some 6 or so years ago in about Round 16-ish, when they showed a live ladder after we won at the MCG, and we were on top. It has the same meaning as this, which to some is jack shite, but others it is a positive.

Will it give players a bit of belief that no coach can teach? Maybe.

Or maybe it's just the fact that Bailey is improving where this team is at and some don't want to admit it.

I give a rats.

Being in the 8 after round 4 is historically/statistically important. There's typically not many teams who move in or out of the 8 after round 4. Having said that, it's a bit different this season with the byes.

We only have to travel 3 more times after round 4, and we have the Suns again later in the season...if we can hit a rich vein of form at some stage and cause a couple of upsets, we just might be able to stick in the top half of the ladder!

If I recall correctly history shows that on average seven of the teams in the eight after round 7 will still be in the eight after round 22. So, let's wait four more rounds before we get ahead of ahead of ahead of ourselves. (The first 'ahead' because we haven't played GCS yet; the second because it's not round 7; and the third because it's not round 22).

Only matters to me after Round 22.

We have to improve our form by about 25%, We need some of the Mongrel and skill of the Melbourne Storm.

Bellamy and the FD over there must be incredible, after what happened last year.

I am not having a go here, but the Demons (as a team) have got to fire up.

I think this is why Bailey started to get really pumped last week, it's time to climb demons, against the Top Sides, & to treat the rubbish sides with the disdain they fully deserve.

I bet you were the ones sitting in the stands some 6 or so years ago in about Round 16-ish, when they showed a live ladder after we won at the MCG, and we were on top. It has the same meaning as this, which to some is jack shite, but others it is a positive.

Don't remind me. I was there and I was also at the stolen elimination final.

If I recall correctly history shows that on average seven of the teams in the eight after round 7 will still be in the eight after round 22. So, let's wait four more rounds before we get ahead of ahead of ahead of ourselves. (The first 'ahead' because we haven't played GCS yet; the second because it's not round 7; and the third because it's not round 22).

Don't think any of us positive people are getting ahead of ourselves (apart from assuming we will win this week - pardon me for thinking tha twe will win against a side that is around 200 points behind on aggregate in 2 games).

The point I made was that it is a significant achivement to be (potentially) in the Top 8 for the first time in 5 years. Maybe it means we have had a softer draw this year as opposed to previous, probably is on paper, but you still have to win those games, and this year, more than previous, we are (regardless of how attractive/unattractive they have been).

some people need a reminder that we did actually beat Brisbane. In past years we would drop games like that, but even though we were shizen we secured the points. That's progress... and mind you we didn't switch on at the start and got 5 goals behind. After that we thumped them. In the Hawks game we were bad, but at least for one quarter we flogged a premiership contender. We could well beat GC, WC, and the crows at home and be sitting on 4.5/1.5! I'm really not sure what the naysayers are so upset about.

some people need a reminder that we did actually beat Brisbane. In past years we would drop games like that, but even though we were shizen we secured the points. That's progress... and mind you we didn't switch on at the start and got 5 goals behind. After that we thumped them. In the Hawks game we were bad, but at least for one quarter we flogged a premiership contender. We could well beat GC, WC, and the crows at home and be sitting on 4.5/1.5! I'm really not sure what the naysayers are so upset about.

Why didn't we switch on??

We never do, and other sides do it weekly....WHY?

I'm amazed by the amount of people that couldn't give a rats about this.

I bet you were the ones sitting in the stands some 6 or so years ago in about Round 16-ish, when they showed a live ladder after we won at the MCG, and we were on top. It has the same meaning as this, which to some is jack shite, but others it is a positive.

Will it give players a bit of belief that no coach can teach? Maybe.

Or maybe it's just the fact that Bailey is improving where this team is at and some don't want to admit it.

If we continue the form thus far I won't be celebrating.

There is little evidence that Bailey is improving where the team is at IMO and so, have nothing to admit here. Yes it will be nice to look and see us sitting in there but it will be like so many meaningless stats that don't really tell the full story.

Any half decent forward inside Brisbanes forward 50 would have seen us lose that game. On the form exposed, had it been in Brisbane we would have likely lost after that start and we should be beating them anywhere. At least showing a bit more than was on display.

Don't let the ladder position suck you in.

No point getting into the 8 if we are just going to bounce right out. The aim is to stay there, and with the competition that lies ahead in the next few weeks we have the chance to set that up with some road wins against weaker opposition.

If we continue the form thus far I won't be celebrating.

There is little evidence that Bailey is improving where the team is at IMO and so, have nothing to admit here. Yes it will be nice to look and see us sitting in there but it will be like so many meaningless stats that don't really tell the full story.

Any half decent forward inside Brisbanes forward 50 would have seen us lose that game. On the form exposed, had it been in Brisbane we would have likely lost after that start and we should be beating them anywhere. At least showing a bit more than was on display.

Don't let the ladder position suck you in.

Thanks Red Sox for the advice re Not getting sucked in. I will sell my GF tickets that I had obviously pre-purchased.

Anyway, if you look at it as an optomist, you will notice that we are in the Top 8 and playing very ordinary football. If we continue to play that standard, of course you would expect us to drop out. Even if we improve our standard we could drop out. I know as well as anyone that it is only round 4.

I apologise if I am seen to be getting too excitied for the liking of some. I take little milestones like these as progress. Others don't want to know about them until we are in a GF.

Sounds like the Bailey-theory. I'm happy winning quarters, some of you just want to win games. Each to their own.