Looking ahead ... the Path to September

[Jaded No More 68,976]

12 hours ago, Dr. Gonzo said:

Lack of experience won't come into it. The only teams with experience are Cats and Swans. Once Melbourne gets on a roll in September we tend to ride the wave going back throughout our history and up til recent times.

Not true, Adelaide and Port have played finals recently, as have GWS, and the Dogs had a run before they won the flag last year.

Apart from Jordan Lewis, Hibbo and Melksham (?), who has played finals in our side? I don't consider Jones in 2006, as that was basically a lifetime ago.

Of course anything can happen in finals, we know that, but you have lots of teams inside the 8 who have recently played in finals, even grand finals. 

 

Edit: Vince has played finals, but so long ago!

Edited July 25, 2017 by Jaded

[bandicoot 1,395]

14 hours ago, Dr. Gonzo said:

Lack of experience won't come into it. The only teams with experience are Cats and Swans. Once Melbourne gets on a roll in September we tend to ride the wave going back throughout our history and up til recent times.

I agree. Our game style doesn't rely on finals experience to implement. It's a finals type style already. Not pretty, high pressure football. 

No team can beat us if we have a full squad. We should have beaten geelong if maxy didn't go off at half time, we should have beaten Richmond if spencer didn't go off at quarter time. We beat Adelaide and GWS are shaky. No one else is a real contender. 

The key to our success is a healthy Gawn and no more than 2 mids out at any one time.

we should be premiership favorites atm 

[Wadda We Sing 10,685]

On a side note.....GWS have Freo,(H) Melb,(A) Bulldogs,(A) WC (H) and Geelong (A). (assuming us, Bulldogs and Geelong beat them) then they are lucky to be playing Freo and WC at home.....drop one of those and they probably wouldnt even make the 8.

[old55 23,848]

Interesting that we've only ever played Richmond twice in finals, both in 1940, a long time ago, SF loss and GF win.

AFAIK we've never played Brisbane (Fitzroy twice), GC, GWS or Port in finals.

Our most recent opponent was Freo in 2006.  Other than Richmond, AFAIK our "longest since" is Sydney in 1987.

[Ted Lasso 19,568]

On 25/07/2017 at 1:21 PM, Wadda We Sing said:

On a side note.....GWS have Freo,(H) Melb,(A) Bulldogs,(A) WC (H) and Geelong (A). (assuming us, Bulldogs and Geelong beat them) then they are lucky to be playing Freo and WC at home.....drop one of those and they probably wouldnt even make the 8.

West coast might roll them also 

[Dees2014 2,377]

Just did a ladder predictor, with us winning four of our last five games and finishing 3rd. 

 

The eight is 

Adelaide

Geelong

MFC

Richmond

Swans

Bulldogs

Power

Hawthorn 

We beat Geelong at the MCG, then Hawthorn in the Prelim, and play the Swans in the granny which we win by 40 points. Perfect! 

[hells bells 2,023]

14 minutes ago, Dees2014 said:

Just did a ladder predictor, with us winning four of our last five games and finishing 3rd. 

 

The eight is 

Adelaide

Geelong

MFC

Richmond

Swans

Bulldogs

Power

Hawthorn 

We beat Geelong at the MCG, then Hawthorn in the Prelim, and play the Swans in the granny which we win by 40 points. Perfect! 

Swans would play Hawks first round.  If the Hawks win the Swans would be out. 

[Dees2014 2,377]

4 minutes ago, hells bells said:

Swans would play Hawks first round.  If the Hawks win the Swans would be out. 

Agree sorry. It was bulldogs, swans

[bananas 428]

A strange quirk of the draw this week is that the top nine teams on the ladder are all playing against the bottom nine teams on the ladder. This would be absolutely the wrong week for any of the top teams to drop a game as it's likely that most of the teams around you on the ladder will be winning.

Must. Win. Game.

[brendan 3,452]

17 minutes ago, bananas said:

A strange quirk of the draw this week is that the top nine teams on the ladder are all playing against the bottom nine teams on the ladder. This would be absolutely the wrong week for any of the top teams to drop a game as it's likely that most of the teams around you on the ladder will be winning.

Must. Win. Game.

Yes definitely must win, and the loser of bombers and bulldogs will find it tough 

[JTR 2,897]

Reiwoldt & Prestia both sidelined for Tigers this week while Gold Coast get Ablett & May back.

GC a sneaky chance? Definitely would help our push up the ladder if we can get over Norf and gain a couple of %

[What 18,810]

58 minutes ago, JTR said:

Reiwoldt & Prestia both sidelined for Tigers this week while Gold Coast get Ablett & May back.

GC a sneaky chance? Definitely would help our push up the ladder if we can get over Norf and gain a couple of %

Just posted this in the match preview thread.  They are big ins and outs.

I reckon Gold Coast will win, especially as its at home. THey already have the wood over Richmond, they seem to always beat them.

[Diamond_Jim 12,722]

3 minutes ago, Petraccattack said:

Just posted this in the match preview thread.  They are big ins and outs.

I reckon Gold Coast will win, especially as its at home. THey already have the wood over Richmond, they seem to always beat them.

we can but hope... as I have said many times Toiges have a tough draw but with their win against GWS and the Saints seeming to drop form (they play the Tigers again in a couple of weeks) they should make the 8.

If they make top 4 or even 5th they will have played very well.

Hawthorn V Swans is also a big one.

[Pates 9,690]

1 hour ago, JTR said:

Reiwoldt & Prestia both sidelined for Tigers this week while Gold Coast get Ablett & May back.

GC a sneaky chance? Definitely would help our push up the ladder if we can get over Norf and gain a couple of %

Credit to the tigers, every time I've thought they might falter they have found a way to win. I still don't rate them as a top 4 team (regardless of whether that's where they finish) but they keep getting it done. 

Would absolutely love to play them in the finals. 

Interesting what bananas has pointed out, this is a shocking week for an upset but it wouldn't be the craziest thing in a few games. Hawks v Swans at the G, I can see the Hawks winning that (Swans are due for a loss too), Port are so overrated and have lost Wingard so Saints beating them wouldn't be the weirdest thing in the world, Doggies v Bombers is 50/50, and dare I say it the Roos have had the wood over us. 

Very important weekend of results. 

[Dr. Gonzo 24,460]

On 25/07/2017 at 0:55 PM, bandicoot said:

I agree. Our game style doesn't rely on finals experience to implement. It's a finals type style already. Not pretty, high pressure football. 

No team can beat us if we have a full squad. We should have beaten geelong if maxy didn't go off at half time, we should have beaten Richmond if spencer didn't go off at quarter time. We beat Adelaide and GWS are shaky. No one else is a real contender. 

The key to our success is a healthy Gawn and no more than 2 mids out at any one time.

we should be premiership favorites atm 

Sydney's the elephant in the room re: contenders but otherwise I agree. Our pressure rankings this year have been outstanding and consistent.

[leave it to deever 17,598]

On 7/26/2017 at 5:38 PM, Dees2014 said:

Just did a ladder predictor, with us winning four of our last five games and finishing 3rd. 

 

The eight is 

Adelaide

Geelong

MFC

Richmond

Swans

Bulldogs

Power

Hawthorn 

We beat Geelong at the MCG, then Hawthorn in the Prelim, and play the Swans in the granny which we win by 40 points. Perfect! 

I think the dons will make it,

[bandicoot 1,395]

On 26/07/2017 at 5:38 PM, Dees2014 said:

Just did a ladder predictor, with us winning four of our last five games and finishing 3rd. 

 

The eight is 

Adelaide

Geelong

MFC

Richmond

Swans

Bulldogs

Power

Hawthorn 

We beat Geelong at the MCG, then Hawthorn in the Prelim, and play the Swans in the granny which we win by 40 points. Perfect! 

Where is GWS? Would be the biggest fall in history 

[Dees2014 2,377]

1 hour ago, bandicoot said:

Where is GWS? Would be the biggest fall in history 

I have them not making it.....their form is dreadful, and have some challenging games ahead. I agree it will be a big fall. I also think they are in termoil over several of their so called stars wanting to leave at year's end. 

[bandicoot 1,395]

40 minutes ago, Dees2014 said:

I have them not making it.....their form is dreadful, and have some challenging games ahead. I agree it will be a big fall. I also think they are in termoil over several of their so called stars wanting to leave at year's end. 

I have the beating Melbourne and west coast which could see them between 3rd and 5th depending on percentage. Melbourne winning 4 will also see them between 3rd and 5th with Richmond. 

Will likely only be 1 game from 8th and 3rd. % will be crucial 

[CanberraDemon 214]

Well Round 19 started perfectly with the Swans loss to the Hawks. If we play as we should tomorrow then we're guaranteed of moving up at least one spot.

GO DEES!

[What 18,810]

18 hours ago, Dees2014 said:

I have them not making it.....their form is dreadful, and have some challenging games ahead. I agree it will be a big fall. I also think they are in termoil over several of their so called stars wanting to leave at year's end. 

They will beat Freo today. Thats about all they need to do and they are in the finals.  Unless they lost their last 4 games and a decent chunk of %, which is unlikely.

But they definitely look shaky to stay in the top 4.

[brendan 3,452]

How's everyone's ladder predictions looking now, if we play like we did yesterday I can only see us winning 1 maybe 2 more which just has us making up the numbers unfortunately 

[Schneider 220]

My latest attempt has us ninth with Hawthorn in the 8... Puke.

[beelzebub 23,390]

The path ahead just had the gate slam on us.

[Straight Sets Simon 23,113]

On 17/07/2017 at 8:42 AM, Clint Bizkit said:

North is 60/40, they are rubbish but we struggle against them, expect Ben Brown to kick a bag.

 

Death, taxes and...