I've said for years that the team that finishes 8th and scrapes into the finals (post 1992) is, with very few exceptions, just making up the numbers.  Often, the 8th placed team gets smacked by the 5th placed team in the first week, and I suspect that it does more harm than good.

Soooo, with Melbourne still a remote chance of finishing 8th after next weekend, the question takes a much more emotional element.  My key question is: will Melbourne's 2017 season preparation will better served by seeing us finish in or out of the finals?

Advantages of Finishing Eighth

1. The players get valuable experience playing finals that will benefit the finals campaign in 2017.
2. We have momentum, like 1987, that means that we'll be one of the exceptional 8th-placed teams that progress past the first week.

 

Advantages of Finishing Ninth (assuming we win against Blues and Cats)

1. Our team starts preseason at least 2 weeks earlier.
2. Players who need post-season operations can get them over and done with 2 weeks earlier.
3. Our players can spend the pre-season reflecting on the importance of switching on every week and not losing games like this year's Essendon game. Hence, they'll be even more ferocious and hungry in 2017.

• In other words the players can reflect that they were good enough and threw the opportunity away, as opposed to the risk of arriving fatigued to the first week of the finals and enduring a confidence-sapping loss (of course wouldn't happen to our Dee's but just supposing).

What do other 'Landers think?  Will our preparation for 2017 be enhanced or possibly handicapped by making the finals in 2016?

Lock this thread and don't come back.

Prefer finals for your reason #1 but will sleep well either way, provided we don't disgrace ourselves in the next two rounds.

I bet Hawthorn winning last year's premiership hindered their crack at this year's premiership too.

I think goals experience is better than no finals experience. 

Motivation breaks even for both options depending on how it is harnessed by the coaches. 

Pre season is worth codfish but I think the benefit of finals experience for both the players and the cub in general outweighs those additional two weeks. I mean we have had more preseason thine than any other club in the last decade and it hasn't really been of benefit!

I think what Clint thinks.

You take finals experience every time.

 

Are we there yet?

The advantage that you overlooked is the fact that making Finals this year might ensure we become a destination club during the Trade period, maybe swaying the Prestias of the world choosing us over Richmond, St. Kilda etc.

Another consideration is that making finals is infinitely better for your prospects of luring talent from opposition clubs than making 9th is.

It will suck if we miss the finals.  We havent made it since 2006, its easy to forget the excitement of playing in them and the week leading up to the game.

Make finals at all costs any chance you get, no way can it ever hinder a club. Our culture must be a winning one.

NO!

This is the worst post I've ever read.

Well done.

Surely urine extraction?

57 minutes ago, Clint Bizkit said:

Lock this thread and don't come back.

Nah, "Traja Dee" has been on this board since 2010 with rare posts; a man of few words...deserves a run with his thread.

For mine, prefer we make the finals.  Huge for confidence, belief and 2017 membership numbers!

Edited August 20, 20168 yr by Lucifer's Hero

1 hour ago, P-man said:

You take finals experience every time.

 

Even Casey.  Success breeds success!

 

You hit the finals in form.
Take a scalp or 2.
Go into next year pumping confidence.

 

 

Edited August 20, 20168 yr by Fork 'em

Are we there yet.....

My brother, who after paying good money to watch Melbourne tank refuses to buy a membership until we make the finals.So playing finals will help restore confidence in disenchanted Melbourne supporters.

Keep winning Demons...

2 hours ago, Traja Dee said:

I've said for years that the team that finishes 8th and scrapes into the finals (post 1992) is, with very few exceptions, just making up the numbers.  Often, the 8th placed team gets smacked by the 5th placed team in the first week, and I suspect that it does more harm than good.

Soooo, with Melbourne still a remote chance of finishing 8th after next weekend, the question takes a much more emotional element.  My key question is: will Melbourne's 2017 season preparation will better served by seeing us finish in or out of the finals?

Advantages of Finishing Eighth

1. The players get valuable experience playing finals that will benefit the finals campaign in 2017.
2. We have momentum, like 1987, that means that we'll be one of the exceptional 8th-placed teams that progress past the first week.

 

Advantages of Finishing Ninth (assuming we win against Blues and Cats)

1. Our team starts preseason at least 2 weeks earlier.
2. Players who need post-season operations can get them over and done with 2 weeks earlier.
3. Our players can spend the pre-season reflecting on the importance of switching on every week and not losing games like this year's Essendon game. Hence, they'll be even more ferocious and hungry in 2017.

• In other words the players can reflect that they were good enough and threw the opportunity away, as opposed to the risk of arriving fatigued to the first week of the finals and enduring a confidence-sapping loss (of course wouldn't happen to our Dee's but just supposing).

What do other 'Landers think?  Will our preparation for 2017 be enhanced or possibly handicapped by making the finals in 2016?

 

After Ten years.. Making the finals makes other teams sit up and take us seriously again.. 2-5k worth of bandwagon members come back and this once mighty club becomes RELEVANT again.

The OP confuses me.

How is it possible to win this years flag from ninth?

All players dream of playing finals, they would all rather play a final in 2016 (or four) rather than finish outside the 8. No one within the MFC would rather finish 9th. 

Finishing 2016 playing finals would be a huge step towards a flag tilt in 2017 and/or 2018.

Anyone who saw the '87 finals series would know just what is possible. Dare to dream!

Edited August 20, 20168 yr by Moonshadow

Like us the players will be investing in going forward, lifting their expectations and starting to think "we're in this", if we win through and North falter we're in finals!.

Or actually... FINALs!!!!!

Prep for next year? Let's finish this year first shall we.