Unfortunately we wont get within 4 or 5 wins of the top 8.

Unfortunately we wont get within 4 or 5 wins of the top 8.

Please...

I don't care about finals, we wouldn't win one so who cares?

I want to work through this rollercoaster in the latter half of the season and set-up 2012.

Judging from the first half of the season, I hope we don't make finals based on our form. If we do make finals, it is in the honest opinion of mine, that we would get severly embarrassed like the kangapoos in 2007

Judging from the first half of the season, I hope we don't make finals based on our form. If we do make finals, it is in the honest opinion of mine, that we would get severly embarrassed like the kangapoos in 2007

Or Essendon in 2009. I would have to agree at this stage. Can't see the merit in scraping into the finals unconvincingly and then getting smashed in a final by Sydney or West Coast (the likely 5-6 finishers at this stage). Unless by some miracle we produce a huge turnaround in the second half of the year of course and can make the finals in our own right.

5.5/6.5

ninth on the ladder on percentage

three highly winnable games coming up

September!

Next two weeks are key. Next week we need Hawthorn to win and to win. Puts us in the 8 guaranteed. Port winning would be a nice touch as it gives us a buffer to North too, and the Aints have the bye.

Week after, we beat the Dogs and their finals chances are shot (if they aren't before that if they somehow lose to the Schoolies), Richmond play Carlton and Essendon play Geelong. We win the next two, we're two wins clear of those two most likely.

Yeah Bombers should lose their next 2 (Hawks and Cats) So it all comes down to us actually being able to string together 2 or 3 wins. Next 2 are crucial, as they all are. But some tougher ones after the bye.

will we make the 8 ? yes

we will be there when it counts ? Im not so sure.

Until we can actually play 3 winning qtrs against teams that actually exert real forward pressure then we're not more than Show Ponies beating up the weakies !!

Some players are really coming on bit as a team were 100% susspect.

Very suspect at the moment. Our press against top sides is incoherent and dysfunctional, because the opposition's pressure breaks our press and we're totally dysfunctional.

Whenever we come up against a side that can't put the pressure on our press, we thrive. It shows there is a very distinctive difference between the good and bad sides at the moment...and we're right in the middle, with a fair distance from the top as well as from the bottom.

There is no top 8 threat atm that I am confident Melbourne can beat. We are suspect against pretty much every side once our Plan A is compromised. There is no Plan B. But once Plan A is mastered, there won't be a need for a Plane B. I don't think we're implementing this gameplan as well as it could be implemented, because not everyone is performing, and we still make a lot of errors and stupid turnovers.

I've just used the Bailey ladder predictor on the AFL website, and had our results as:

Rich - win

Bulldogs - win

BYE

Port - win

Hawks - Lose

Geelong - Lose

Carlton - Lose

West Coast - Win

Richmond - Win

Gold Coast - Win

Port - Win

On that, and based on other results, I have us finishing 6th in a home final against West Coast. If we lose to Port at AAMI as we always do in Round 24, then we finish 8th and face Sydney up there. Either way, I think we can make the 8 if we win the games that we are supposed to. As is the nature of footy however, I expect that we'll probably lose games we're meant to win, and possibly snatch a game that we're meant to lose.

I've just used the Bailey ladder predictor on the AFL website, and had our results as:

Rich - win

Bulldogs - win

BYE

Port - win

Hawks - Lose

Geelong - Lose

Carlton - Lose

West Coast - Win

Richmond - Win

Gold Coast - Win

Port - Win

On that, and based on other results, I have us finishing 6th in a home final against West Coast. If we lose to Port at AAMI as we always do in Round 24, then we finish 8th and face Sydney up there. Either way, I think we can make the 8 if we win the games that we are supposed to. As is the nature of footy however, I expect that we'll probably lose games we're meant to win, and possibly snatch a game that we're meant to lose.

The Hawthorn, Geelong and Carlton games are all certain losses. That, to me, is the only certainty of the lot. I can see us losing every other game, as well as winning every other game. Trying to predict what will happen is far too hard.

I also can't see us winning more games than West Coast. They're far better than us, probably the fifth best side in the league. They're likely to win every game they have left at home (I think they have Geelong though, which is loseable).

If we make the finals, we'll be finishing 8th. We'll most likely be travelling to Perth if that happens.

I've just used the Bailey ladder predictor on the AFL website, and had our results as:

Rich - win

Bulldogs - win

BYE

Port - win

Hawks - Lose

Geelong - Lose

Carlton - Lose

West Coast - Win

Richmond - Win

Gold Coast - Win

Port - Win

On that, and based on other results, I have us finishing 6th in a home final against West Coast. If we lose to Port at AAMI as we always do in Round 24, then we finish 8th and face Sydney up there. Either way, I think we can make the 8 if we win the games that we are supposed to. As is the nature of footy however, I expect that we'll probably lose games we're meant to win, and possibly snatch a game that we're meant to lose.

Agree with most of that except I think we will lose to the Eagles (I think we play them at Ethihad as a home game).

Honestly, who the frack would know?

Let's get off the 'effort rollercoaster' we are on and see where we are left.

I have no idea whether we are better than the Tigers and the Dogs.

But I would like our effort to plateau at a reasonably high level and see where that leaves us at the bye.

OK so we have had an up and down year but I for one am pretty happy to be sitting on 4.5 wins 5.5 losses

The side has shown what they can do even missing 5 of their best 22

It's time to put our eye back on the original goal

Coll - mark it down as a loss but it has to be acknowledged we step up against them and we have some form and confidence

Freo at the G - win

Rich - win

Dogs at ES - should win

port at Darwin - should win

Hawks - loss

Cats - loss

Carlton - loss

Eagles at ES - should win

rich - win

GC -win

Port at aami - probably lose

for mine that puts us on 11.5 wins and 8th spot

Just keep on slapping that back there C&B.

We've done better since we've been under the Pump. Nevertheless, you keepon blowing on their tyres for them, just so they don't get a cold. B)

Honestly, who the frack would know?

Let's get off the 'effort rollercoaster' we are on and see where we are left.

I have no idea whether we are better than the Tigers and the Dogs.

But I would like our effort to plateau at a reasonably high level and see where that leaves us at the bye.

This is the entire problem,playing in finals on even years,to 160 point turn arounds every second week.I know we can't beat half good teams(St kilda,as they sink into the mire)or North Melbourne as there 13000 members follow them to Tassy,instead of the life saving gold coast deal.

But I will and have remembered Melbourne spanking nth melb in finals,more then once!In fact I remember MFC spanking nearly every team(SA included)playing footy.Really can't stand norf,probably their obnoxious owners,the carlton football club.

This is the entire problem,playing in finals on even years,to 160 point turn arounds every second week.I know we can't beat half good teams(St kilda,as they sink into the mire)or North Melbourne as there 13000 members follow them to Tassy,instead of the life saving gold coast deal.

But I will and have remembered Melbourne spanking nth melb in finals,more then once!In fact I remember MFC spanking nearly every team(SA included)playing footy.Really can't stand norf,probably their obnoxious owners,the carlton football club.

sweet memories - '87 elimination final and the 2000 prelim - looking forward to belting them again - hopefully with the squealer harvery still on board

Would love to win an Ethihad game and a couple more games against Melbourne based teams. That will set us up well for next year.

to make finals we will have to break a few "hoodoos"

win at etihad sandpit stadium

win in adelaide

be consistent

oh duck it, im clearly dreaming. and even if by some fluke we managed to make it, what then? a trip to perth? woo.

so far, so good

so far, so good

Just wait for us to lose to Hawthorn, Geelong and Carlton. That will send someone like North, Richmond or St Kilda over us.

What I'm saying is being in the eight right now means jack-shite.

Could go has high as fourth, would not put any money on it but once you hit form you can beat anyone. One week at a time.

Just wait for us to lose to Hawthorn, Geelong and Carlton. That will send someone like North, Richmond or St Kilda over us.

What I'm saying is being in the eight right now means jack-shite.

well no, if you read the OP I have conceded we will lost those games and still make finals

On topic, West Coast winning has worried me more than anything else, no way that's a guaranteed win.

The big three games are obviously against the Cats, Hawks and Blues. Winning one of those three would be a mammoth effort, although after the way they played today, I think we are capable of beating Carlton.

It could well come down to winning three of the last four games to getting a spot. Hopefully we are putting in more consistent efforts by that stage in the season.

The way I see it, 10 and a half will get us in.

That means four wins at least. Dogs, Port twice , Gold Coast and Richmond. I definitely think we will win at least 4 of them.

I can also see us winning one of Hawks, Cats, Blues and Eagles. I just feel like we're into that mode (like 04-06ish) where we'd get on a run and be pretty good against sides we should beat - generally.

5 would guarantee us IMO, 4 should get us there and I think we'll do it.