A late charge to the finals?

[Biffen 12,944]

On 14/06/2016 at 5:44 PM, Return to Glory said:

It has been and I will!  However, have a peek at their draw Old Dee.

Half their team have Osteo arthritis and the rest are on a pension.

 

[titan_uranus 25,020]

If we beat Sydney this weekend, I'll consider it.

[Wells 11 5,406]

On 6/14/2016 at 6:35 PM, Ricky P said:

I hope this mob ends up better than the team in the late 80s/early 90s. Although they produced some wonderful memories and occasions, and made the finals every year between 1987 and 1991, they never finished above 4th at the end of the home and away season in a 14 team comp. To be brutal, they weren't good enough. 

A bit harsh. yes,  obviously "not good enough" as we didn't actually win  but we really could have. We were right in the mix. In fact we could so so easily have won in 1990. Sigh.   Gary lyon got  knocked out at training the Thursday before the WC final if I remember right. And earlier in the year 2 other real key players for us , Sean wight and Danny Hughes,  both suffered big injuries in the winning night final  and were never quite the same on return. Can that really be 26 years ago?? Jeez Im getting old. 

But  we were in  2 prelims in a row in 87, 88 and had, as I said, a real big show in 90. Its true in 91 they were just making up the numbers and the time had passed .. but boy they were close around that time. 

[Ricky P 757]

11 hours ago, Wells 11 said:

A bit harsh. yes,  obviously "not good enough" as we didn't actually win  but we really could have. We were right in the mix. In fact we could so so easily have won in 1990. Sigh.   Gary lyon got  knocked out at training the Thursday before the WC final if I remember right. And earlier in the year 2 other real key players for us , Sean wight and Danny Hughes,  both suffered big injuries in the winning night final  and were never quite the same on return. Can that really be 26 years ago?? Jeez Im getting old. 

But  we were in  2 prelims in a row in 87, 88 and had, as I said, a real big show in 90. Its true in 91 they were just making up the numbers and the time had passed .. but boy they were close around that time. 

But in 87 and 88 they only finished 5th at the end of the home and away season. And in 90 they only finished 4th. In a 14 team comp, I reckon that shows they were outside the top echelon. 

Sure, we had some magnificent septembers and we definitely had a side we could be proud of, but in the cold hard light of day, those sides weren't unlucky - they weren't good enough.

[Wells 11 5,406]

5 hours ago, Ricky P said:

But in 87 and 88 they only finished 5th at the end of the home and away season. And in 90 they only finished 4th. In a 14 team comp, I reckon that shows they were outside the top echelon. 

Sure, we had some magnificent septembers and we definitely had a side we could be proud of, but in the cold hard light of day, those sides weren't unlucky - they weren't good enough.

I guess if we WERE good enough we win one. Certainly despite how good we were as a team back then we did seem to switch off for periods of the season or for games. Eg Lose 5 straight after opening the season with  13 wins 3 losses, lose to north Melb by 150 odd points and blow a chance at the top 4 by dropping 8 odd points in our %. Was wierd how we did that.  When switched back on I felt we could beat anyone...and we did! but  I guess a premiership team doesnt lapse like that. However one step better than that team we had IS a premiership team so in essence I agree with you. I hope they are a group that A. get to a position where they can, and then B.  take that final step. 

[Ricky P 757]

15 minutes ago, Wells 11 said:

I guess if we WERE good enough we win one. Certainly despite how good we were as a team back then we did seem to switch off for periods of the season or for games. Eg Lose 5 straight after opening the season with  13 wins 3 losses, lose to north Melb by 150 odd points and blow a chance at the top 4 by dropping 8 odd points in our %. Was wierd how we did that.  When switched back on I felt we could beat anyone...and we did! but  I guess a premiership team doesnt lapse like that. However one step better than that team we had IS a premiership team so in essence I agree with you. I hope they are a group that A. get to a position where they can, and then B.  take that final step. 

What year did that loss to North happen?? They were certainly great times.

I reckon you need to set your side up for 4 or 5 'repeat entries' into the top 4 and hope for at least one you get a good run with injuries, form and luck (not playing one of the best sides of all time in the big dance would also help!).

[Wells 11 5,406]

5 hours ago, Ricky P said:

What year did that loss to North happen?? They were certainly great times.

I reckon you need to set your side up for 4 or 5 'repeat entries' into the top 4 and hope for at least one you get a good run with injuries, form and luck (not playing one of the best sides of all time in the big dance would also help!).

1990 it was. lost by 20 goals , a result that was really out of the blue considering we only finished one game behind the top placed dons. i just checked it,  we lost 13% that day in a year where ladder places 2- 4 ( where we finished)  were all decided on percentage.