Going to be tough. Favourites against North Melbourne who will come out breathing fire. Similarly, Gold Coast season will be on the line and they now have a two week break whereas we will only have six days to prepare for that game. Collingwood's season might also be do or die (if it's not already) by Queen's Birthday.

We *should* win all three but as we've seen, anyone can beat anyone. I suspect that by the end of the mid-season break, the top half will break away from the bottom half. We want to be established in the top 8-9 by then, top 10 if it's only one game difference as it is now. Winning the next three is pivotal. Walking away 6-5 at the halfway point is probably good, but once Gawn comes back we need to go on a tear.

Our form both as favourites and at the MCG has been poor this year. Need to turn it around at the home of football in particular, if nothing else but for the loyal supporters who turn up there!

Interesting game coming up. Battle of two teams who took apart the Crows.

I wonder if Arden Street has sufficient clout in the guts ( still standing ) to thwart ours ? 

No doubt they'll be trying to win the clearance count ( as will we )

Waite wil be back for them adding potency to their kicking ( lacking on weekend )

Ironically the Swans took apart the Roos much the manner they had the Crows by controlling the middle, winning stoppages and spreading better.

If we can back up the same game style as displayed sat then we should overcome them.

Funny season though.

We need to start performing better at our home ground the MCG. This year we've stumbled over the line against Carlton there when we were at full strength with Gawn and Hogan playing, then lost all our other games there to beatable teams. It's ironic that the MCG is now our weakest ground. We've been better at Etihad and now interstate swell after the weekend. Does our gameplan break down with the extra space of the G? Our high zone always seems to get caught out playing there this year and it's painful to watch when you're at the ground. Does Goodwin need to tweak something?

We've got 3 winnable games coming up, and if we win all 3 we are well placed for a tilt at finals. If we drop more of these winnable games to bottom 4-6 sides then kiss finals goodbye. Hopefully the win in Adelaide has given the boys belief and they can come out breathing fire and know they're capable of beating anyone as long as they keep working hard and playing their game.

5 hours ago, Dr. Mubutu said:

$$$

Is there a word for not taking into account factors that could generate just as much money as not playing those 2 NT games? Like 2 wins from playing those NT games at the MCG, taking us into the finals last year and generating a lots of money from a finals game and renewed interest in memberships?

I'm interested to see how hard they play for the two weeks pre bye/then onto Collingwood that they'll be up for. Might be 5-5. Could be 6-4, then into 7-4 if we beat Pies. Gawn and Spencer back too.

If we can grab the North and GC games before the bye, rest and reset, then get the Collingwood win on QBD, that would put us at 7-4 before our fixture goes mental:

1. Dogs at Etihad (on a 6 day break)
2. West Coast in Perth (another 6 day break)
3. Sydney (another 6 day break, and by this stage Sydney could be right back in the finals mix)
4. Carlton 
5. Adelaide (Darwin)
6. Port Adelaide
7. North (in Hobart)
8. GWS (in GWS, so that's back-to-back interstate trips)
9. St Kilda

We haven't won 4 in a row since 2006 and we'd need to do that to get to 7-4, but if we can that gives us a great platform and confidence to launch into the back half of the draw which is much, much harder than what we've had so far.

Well i said 5 out of 6.......(thinking the Crows game would be the loss)....on track so far. Your right Titan......its a lot harder, and we may hit a flat spot fitness wise somewhere in there as well. Gee we get Adelaide in all the best places dont we.

22 hours ago, Return to Glory said:

I hate these NT games. They're momentum killers. We generally lose to a team we should beat (that team is always one better suited to the conditions), come back rooted then lose to another team we should beat. I'm sure there's a reason we play them but I don't know what that is.

We have the bye after the GC game don't we? 

I would love for us to belt Collingwood and embarrass Eddie on queens birthday 

Still very much a one week at a time deal. This season is such an even year, Brisbane appear to be only team that regularly being beaten but even they have shown something at times. No easy wins, everything is on the line every week. 

Geelong, Adelaide, and Richmond have all shown how quickly things can change. 

But there is no team we can't beat this year, let's tick North off that embarrassing records list!

This season could start to get pretty exciting, if we win the next 3, get to 7-4 and hit the back half of the season with Max and Hogan coming back in, J. Smith and potentially Brayshaw pushing for spots in the side.  

BUT - we must win 2 of the next 3 IMO.

On 5/15/2017 at 1:48 PM, sisso said:

Our form both as favourites and at the MCG has been poor this year. Need to turn it around at the home of football in particular, if nothing else but for the loyal supporters who turn up there!

Consider this:

We have won 3 x as many games away from the MCG than at our home ground!

after losing to Hawks, Freo and Tigers at home what gives folks the confidence we will win the next 3?

3 similar teams.  I think we have the ability to pull a great performance out of the bag like against adelaide but going off our form this year we will win 1 or maybe 2 of the next 3

31 minutes ago, DubDee said:

after losing to Hawks, Freo and Tigers at home what gives folks the confidence we will win the next 3?

3 similar teams.  I think we have the ability to pull a great performance out of the bag like against adelaide but going off our form this year we will win 1 or maybe 2 of the next 3

Our form is building though. If you look at the likes of Viney, Jones, Tyson, Vince, even OMac, they are all coming into better form over the last 3 weeks, it has been really clear that individually they are getting better but are also gelling more as a group. This was evident even in our losses.

Saturday showed that as a group and as individuals they may have hit the form they were looking like hitting. Hopefully it isn't just a random peak. 

I reckon we just need one really good performance at home with the Southern/Members Stands rocking in the last quarter as we bring it home to get our form back at the MCG. I cant really see it being a gamestyle issue as to why the side has lost there so far....maybe we need to play a little more direct at the G? Lot of messing around with the footy in our losses there, way more handballs than kicks etc 

It's a  cliche but I'm very much over focussing on anything other than the game against North this week. It's difficult enough predicting next week let alone weeks ahead

Yes we've had some really poor sides over the last decade but the dimple fact weve not beaten them in so long  is my first concern. Our inconsistent form is also a concern.  

I'm also aware of the emotional effort the boys put in last week for a teammate and whilst they rose above expectation against the Crows it can be mentally draining and can effect performance the following week.

So I'll worry about North, hope we win and then turn my attention to the Suns

23 minutes ago, Pennant St Dee said:

It's a  cliche but I'm very much over focussing on anything other than the game against North this week. It's difficult enough predicting next week let alone weeks ahead

Yes we've had some really poor sides over the last decade but the dimple fact weve not beaten them in so long  is my first concern. Our inconsistent form is also a concern.  

I'm also aware of the emotional effort the boys put in last week for a teammate and whilst they rose above expectation against the Crows it can be mentally draining and can effect performance the following week.

So I'll worry about North, hope we win and then turn my attention to the Suns

totally agree.Suspect the lads were "supercharged" for the Crows game. Lets see them repeat it.The Russell YoYo Demons are a little all over the place

Hopefully we can account for the Arden St Pretenders

On 15/05/2017 at 6:27 PM, titan_uranus said:

If we can grab the North and GC games before the bye, rest and reset, then get the Collingwood win on QBD, that would put us at 7-4 before our fixture goes mental:

1. Dogs at Etihad (on a 6 day break)
2. West Coast in Perth (another 6 day break)
3. Sydney (another 6 day break, and by this stage Sydney could be right back in the finals mix)
4. Carlton 
5. Adelaide (Darwin)
6. Port Adelaide
7. North (in Hobart)
8. GWS (in GWS, so that's back-to-back interstate trips)
9. St Kilda

We haven't won 4 in a row since 2006 and we'd need to do that to get to 7-4, but if we can that gives us a great platform and confidence to launch into the back half of the draw which is much, much harder than what we've had so far.

7-4? Are we aiming for the double chance ie play one game in a month before a losing home prelim, target?