A late charge to the finals?

[The Chazz 4,077]

2 hours ago, old dee said:

We would need to play much better in the second half than the first adc.

We have beaten one team in the top eight.

The fixture is harder from here as we play a higher ratio of the better teams.

We have improved substantially this year to IMO a mid ladder side 9 - 11.

We are still a long way off beating the better sides keep in mind we have the youngest team going round at present.

Young players tend to drop off as the year goes on.

Old Dee, I always agree with this sentiment.  However...

I reckon this year we are seeing a far superior way of managing our younger players.  We've seen Oliver rested twice, Petracca has had a delayed start, the likes of Angus and Salem are out for health reasons.  We've also given ANB and Newton a taste, but now they're back at Casey.  I am confident that if any of our young players start to show signs of tiredness, there are players that have had an "easier" year (at Casey) more than capable of coming in and playing their role for 2, 3, 4 games straight.

Our finals ambitions will be made clear after this Sunday.

[DubDee 26,795]

You only need to look at Adelaide and WC to see we will not play finals this year.  WC have a easy run coming up.

Our 'final' will be when we play adelaide at home in round 13.  win that and we are an outside chance,  

I still think we are too young - we will play some great games and some shockers 

[qwerty7 326]

Have a funny feeling we might just get up and beat the Swans - or at least play competitively -  this weekend now that they have Tippett out and we have big Maxy Gawn. However, they will want to bounce back after their match against GWS. 

I don't have any expectations that we will make finals this year, but I don't think anyone could write Melbourne off yet, or even a team like Port. To make the finals we would need to secure at least two big wins against either Sydney, Geelong, Adelaide, West Coast or the Hawks and I think if we bring our A grade footy we can. In addition, we need to hope that some of the current top 8 sides might start to slip in form and such teams could be West Coast or even North Melbourne (especially given North's hard fixture for the rest of the year, but still this is pushing it). It is also important that we don't have any dodgy games and lose to sides that we really should beat (e.g. Essendon round 2). 

Ultimately, I think our inexperience and therefore inconsistency will hinder us from reaching finals this year, but I see us being a strong force to make finals in 2017!

[old dee 24,093]

23 minutes ago, billy2803 said:

Old Dee, I always agree with this sentiment.  However...

I reckon this year we are seeing a far superior way of managing our younger players.  We've seen Oliver rested twice, Petracca has had a delayed start, the likes of Angus and Salem are out for health reasons.  We've also given ANB and Newton a taste, but now they're back at Casey.  I am confident that if any of our young players start to show signs of tiredness, there are players that have had an "easier" year (at Casey) more than capable of coming in and playing their role for 2, 3, 4 games straight.

Our finals ambitions will be made clear after this Sunday.

Whatever you do billy do not say it is our GF!

And I hope you are right

[bush demon 2,209]

4 hours ago, america de cali said:

Back in 1987 after a promissing start to the season we faltered somewhat and after round 12 we only had five wins and seemingly little chance to the make the finals. We all know what happened then. This season has started in a somewhat similar fashion. Sparkling form mixed with some backsliding performances and a radical new game plan that hasn't quite clicked in a consistent manner. A missing ingredient is confidence to maintain 100% effort and work rate with good sides  and shake off some long standing bogeys.

I remember it well. We were down against Richmond and came home with a wet sail. every game after that was like a carnival, with the dees creating a sense of euphoria with each victory. a truly wonderful season which should have netted a premiership, IMO.

[doc roet 1,302]

We will come to rue that loss against essendon then the next week by a kick against North.

Could be 8 and 4,then we may have been in with a chance,but looking at the draw now I don't

think so.

[old dee 24,093]

19 minutes ago, doc roet said:

We will come to rue that loss against essendon then the next week by a kick against North.

Could be 8 and 4,then we may have been in with a chance,but looking at the draw now I don't

think so.

My God Doc you must be getting on.

Not many would remember Dr. Roet.

[Skuit 10,031]

If we lose to Sydney, we could win the next 9 straight after the bye and conceivably still miss the finals. Such is the season.

[The Reverend 1,736]

9 minutes ago, old dee said:

My God Doc you must be getting on.

Not many would remember Dr. Roet.

He was my first wife's GP. So I must be getting on too.

[old dee 24,093]

4 minutes ago, The Reverend said:

He was my first wife's GP. So I must be getting on too.

Am I correct that he played as an amateur?

And yes you are!

[The Reverend 1,736]

3 hours ago, america de cali said:

That sentiment is for the players. Supporters can fantasise as much as they like. 

Yeah, fair enough.

noun

 

1. 1.

   the faculty or activity of imagining things, especially things that are impossible or improbable.

   "his research had moved into the realm of fantasy"

   synonyms:

   imagination, fancy, invention, make-believe;

    

[The Reverend 1,736]

2 minutes ago, old dee said:

Am I correct that he played as an amateur?

And yes you are!

An amateur GP? Thank God she never got pregnant!

[ignition. 1,478]

We're definitely not out of finals contention.

We just need to play more often like we did in that second quarter of the QB clash, be sure to beat the teams below us, and take a few scalps above us.

Then with a little luck, hopefully one of the current top 8 teams dwindles off a little and loses form.

[old dee 24,093]

3 minutes ago, The Reverend said:

An amateur GP? Thank God she never got pregnant!

Ha ha very clever but am I correct?

[Ricky P 757]

Ok, here's the breakdown folks.

Games we should win

Freo

St Kilda

Gold Coast

Carlton

Dees win 3.

Games we have a small chance of winning

Adelaide

Hawthorn

West Coast

Dees win 1.

Games we have almost no chance of winning

Sydney

Cats

Dees win 0.

So that gives us 10 wins. 

BUT, as I said above, and what the OP is alluding to, is huge momentum and a fairytale run. This could be brought about by a win against one of the top sides. Not probable, but possible. 

[The Reverend 1,736]

1 minute ago, old dee said:

Ha ha very clever but am I correct?

No idea really but there is a faint bell ringing somewhere in the depths of my pre-Alzheimer's consciousness. 

[P-man 13,367]

We're not playing like a finals side yet. Yesterday was great, but there were still ALOT of mistakes that better teams would've punished. 

Port could possibly take someone like West Coast's spot but that's the only change I can realistically see happening.

For us I think finals become a more realistic aim next year.

[doc roet 1,302]

22 minutes ago, old dee said:

Ha ha very clever but am I correct?

Yeah old dee,I guess I have been around a while.Long enough to have enjoyed those glory years.

Tassie,Hassa,johnny Townsend.Those days you could get into the rooms at !/2 time.

I remember seeing John Lord dragging on a smoke at the 1/;2 time address by Norm Smith.

Brian "doc" Roet was CHB during those years.According to Demonwiki,he may have played as

an amateur throughout,which would make him the last MFC amateur player.

[H_T 3,049]

4 hours ago, america de cali said:

An important consideration for us ATM is that there is still incentive for the players to make the finals. Last couple of seasons at this stage our window was already closed.  A major factor with the modern game is attrition. If we can keep our best players on the field  we are a good chance if one or two of the current 8 fall off. Remember last season with GWS. Injury ruined their season.  Still a lot of ifs and buts but our season ain't over just yet.

Totally agree with this.

I've done my predictions and I can see North falling off the radar from where they are now - more like a cliff. The way I see it, we'll be in a battle with Port, West Coast, North for the last 2 spots. 

Crystal Ball gazing, that's all. 

[old dee 24,093]

3 minutes ago, doc roet said:

Yeah old dee,I guess I have been around a while.Long enough to have enjoyed those glory years.

Tassie,Hassa,johnny Townsend.Those days you could get into the rooms at !/2 time.

I remember seeing John Lord dragging on a smoke at the 1/;2 time address by Norm Smith.

Brian "doc" Roet was CHB during those years.According to Demonwiki,he may have played as

an amateur throughout,which would make him the last MFC amateur player.

I think so doc.

Lots of things have change most for the better but not for the fortunes of the MFC.

Still we can dream this is the start of the new dominance.

[Ricky P 757]

6 minutes ago, doc roet said:

Yeah old dee,I guess I have been around a while.Long enough to have enjoyed those glory years.

Tassie,Hassa,johnny Townsend.Those days you could get into the rooms at !/2 time.

I remember seeing John Lord dragging on a smoke at the 1/;2 time address by Norm Smith.

Brian "doc" Roet was CHB during those years.According to Demonwiki,he may have played as

an amateur throughout,which would make him the last MFC amateur player.

Please explain this. What do you mean by amateur player? Did some of the players opt not to be paid or something?

[Sir Why You Little 37,498]

5 minutes ago, Ricky P said:

Please explain this. What do you mean by amateur player? Did some of the players opt not to be paid or something?

Up until during the 50's i know that only the senior side got paid. 

If you were in the 2's you went hungry...

[beelzebub 23,392]

buckleys

[ArtificialWisdom 4,047]

2 hours ago, Moonshadow said:

I've got 3 or 4 possible wins to come. But boy it would be good to knock off Hawthorn and/or Sydney. That would illustrate significant progress this year. 

I think WC over there is the big one. They are bullies and it takes alot just to compete in perth. I want to see a statement that game. Come out and say we ain't taking this [censored] from anyone anywhere anymore! 

[old dee 24,093]

9 minutes ago, Ricky P said:

Please explain this. What do you mean by amateur player? Did some of the players opt not to be paid or something?

Some players chose to play for no money.

They played as Amateurs. By the sixties they were few and far between but from my memory Doc Roet was one. I am confident  he played as an amateur in the 64 premiership.