Looking ahead ... the Path to September

[dpositive 1,669]

We can and should win all three and hit the finals series with confidence that we can beat all teams above us.

North and GWS we did not adjust our structures and style to use the wind. This was disturbing as with little effort we could have won both and not have the current pressure.

To be in a situation where a final round of us or pies to get in would be the worst outcome as AFL, umpires and crowds would conspire to get them up at our expense.

The Adelaide match showed what is possible, just need to get the players heads right. I reject any issues of a young side being tired at the end of season. I'm old and tired but can still put in for one game of squash a week. I get over it by managing activity, these guys are full time professionals with masses of support. 

Select the players who  understand what success will do for club and them personally and are desperate for success. If they don't know tell them. I have said it before and in past seasons players should be exhausted at the end of this game having put every ounce of energy into a win. If they don't recover we have a replacement in the squad. Our injuries during the year showed we were able to win without Max Hogan Lewis vince. No one single player is indispensable, they all need each other. I can only hope that that was the structure and method that led to North and GWS losses.

GO DEES

[dl4e 5,851]

On 07/08/2017 at 2:47 PM, Ash35 said:

I've got Melbourne and probably the Bulldogs making up the top 8.

It seems form can be lost or found pretty quickly this year.  

Bulldogs – Tough run home. GWS at Etihad, Port in Ballarat, then finish with the Hawks. Could win all of them, or none of them. Should probably at least beat Port, which gives them 48 points at the very worst, beat the Hawks and they should make it.

Essendon – Adelaide this week is tough. Fantasia out, Zach Merrett likely suspended. I can’t see Essendon winning, a smashing at the hands of the Crows means a significant loss of percentage. Should, and I repeat should, win the last 2 games against Gold Coast and Freo, but funny things happen when Essendon play crap teams. 2 wins there give Essendon 48 points. It will all depend on the % lost this week to the Crows as to whether 48 points is enough.

WCE – Will beat Carlton at Domain this week, but then have GWS at Spotless and finish with Adelaide in Perth. At this stage, I’m giving them 1 more win, leaving them on 44 points.

Melbourne – Remarkably could lose to Saints and still make it. Play Brisbane and Collingwood to finish, both at MCG. I reckon Collingwood is a really tricky game to finish with though. But if they won both of them, including a big win over Brisbane, they finish on 48 points, with a % boost from the Brisbane win, they could leap frog both Essendon and WCE. Win this week against the Saints, and are just about in the box seat to make it.  

St Kilda – Due to their poor %, they really have to win all 3, which would include beating Richmond in the last round. Obviously a massive one this week against Melbourne, but will beat NM next week.   

 

 Kinda like your optimistic outlook but you seem to be staring at what you believe is obvious and in this season is a mistake. Now I hope I am wrong but I think we will get poleaxed by StKilda and that the Eagles will beat Adelaide in the last game because the crows will be in a top 2 position and having played Sydney the week before won't give a stuff about the result. Bulldogs are interesting. They will beat port but the other 2 is up in the air. The tragedy is that Essendon will probably make the 8. I hope I am wrong.

[Rodney (Balls) Grinter 10,842]

2 hours ago, dpositive said:

We can and should win all three and hit the finals series with confidence that we can beat all teams above us.

North and GWS we did not adjust our structures and style to use the wind. This was disturbing as with little effort we could have won both and not have the current pressure.

To be in a situation where a final round of us or pies to get in would be the worst outcome as AFL, umpires and crowds would conspire to get them up at our expense.

The Adelaide match showed what is possible, just need to get the players heads right. I reject any issues of a young side being tired at the end of season. I'm old and tired but can still put in for one game of squash a week. I get over it by managing activity, these guys are full time professionals with masses of support. 

Select the players who  understand what success will do for club and them personally and are desperate for success. If they don't know tell them. I have said it before and in past seasons players should be exhausted at the end of this game having put every ounce of energy into a win. If they don't recover we have a replacement in the squad. Our injuries during the year showed we were able to win without Max Hogan Lewis vince. No one single player is indispensable, they all need each other. I can only hope that that was the structure and method that led to North and GWS losses.

GO DEES

Absolutely, next three weeks are almost like finals for us now.  All our players should be absolutely desperate for success by now and leave the ground each week with nothing in the tank.  We do have some depth to rotate players like Brashaw, Hannan, Wagner, Stretch, JKH, Bugg and Hogan back into the side if needed.

Edited August 9, 2017 by Rodney (Balls) Grinter

[RalphiusMaximus 6,077]

Two wins should get us in, three make it a certainty.  We should win all three based on form this year.  If we fail to win two I will be very upset with the team. 

[Bring-Back-Powell 14,862]

I actually wouldn't mind Bulldogs beating GWS tomorrow night and then winning their remaining games. If they did and we snuck into 8th, the final 8 could look like this:

Adelaide

Richmond

GWS

Bulldogs

Geelong

Port Adel

Sydney

Melbourne

Week 1 - Geelong V Melbourne, MCG (It won't be at Simmonds IMO)

Week 2 - Bulldogs V Melbourne, MCG

Week 3 - Richmond V Melbourn, MCG

Week 4 - Adelaide V Melbourne, MCG

Sounds good, right?

 

 

 

[DeeWiz 296]

2 hours ago, Bring-Back-Powell said:

I actually wouldn't mind Bulldogs beating GWS tomorrow night and then winning their remaining games. If they did and we snuck into 8th, the final 8 could look like this:

Adelaide

Richmond

GWS

Bulldogs

Geelong

Port Adel

Sydney

Melbourne

Week 1 - Geelong V Melbourne, MCG (It won't be at Simmonds IMO)

Week 2 - Bulldogs V Melbourne, MCG

Week 3 - Richmond V Melbourn, MCG

Week 4 - Adelaide V Melbourne, MCG

Sounds good, right?

Steak and blowjob night every night also sounds good to me, but like this post, it's just a fantasy.

[david_neitz_is_my_dad 4,083]

You can keep dreaming about finals, from watching the last couple of games I wouldn't be thinking about it

[64" 97]

Totally agree with last comment.lm far from convinced from the amateurish effort from some players who wear our colours.

[picket fence 17,181]

Path to Septemnber,?? all I see is a muddied bog ridden road which leads to nowhere. We are light years away from finals. if you cannot beat a bottom 4 team twice when so much at stake and you play carp footy when you have the chance to redeem a week later vs GWS , Yeah I see no optimism whatsoever for "The Path to September" We are cooked!

Edited August 10, 2017 by picket fence

[leave it to deever 17,511]

On 8/9/2017 at 6:20 AM, Rodney (Balls) Grinter said:

a week or two to hit their straps upon return (i.e. Jones, Watts)

Watts had 3 weeks now and Tyson's form was right back in his first game back. Your argument doesn't hold water.

[david_neitz_is_my_dad 4,083]

For those dreaming of the F word grab the lube and read this http://www.afl.com.au/news/2017-08-10/who-plays-finals-who-wins-the-spoon

[Rodney (Balls) Grinter 10,842]

2 hours ago, leave it to deever said:

Watts had 3 weeks now and Tyson's form was right back in his first game back. Your argument doesn't hold water.

Gawn wasn't his usual self for a good few weeks.

Watching the game over the last few days, I actually think Watts's output was ok against GWS, given the woeful delivery into our forwardline.  He made a few pretty handy goal assists and kicked a few himself, as well as having 'some' impact around the ground.  Let's face it, the way the team has performed the past few weeks, it's been hard to pick any grear players, let alone a forward returning fron injury.

My argument completely holds water Re Tyson as I think I mentioned 'some execptions'.  Each player has their own unique injuries, recovery path and/or personalities.

Overall what I am saying is that generally speaking this is the same team that produced some great footall which had us all salivating at various stages earlier in the year.  We now know what they are capable of at their best, let's hope they can turn things around and project us into September.

[Rodney (Balls) Grinter 10,842]

1 hour ago, david_neitz_is_my_dad said:

For those dreaming of the F word grab the lube and read this http://www.afl.com.au/news/2017-08-10/who-plays-finals-who-wins-the-spoon

One thing I like about this is that most of the pundit's have Carlton picking up the spoon.  Just a pitty the AFL doesn't have that bottom 4 draft lottery in place yet, so they weren't garrenteed the No.1 draft pick.

[What 18,810]

17 hours ago, RalphiusMaximus said:

Two wins should get us in, three make it a certainty.  

Two wins will only get us in if Essendon lose to the Crows, and we overtake them in percentage over the final two rounds. (This is assuming both teams lose this week and win their last 2.)

We need to win all three.

Edited August 10, 2017 by Petraccattack

[deelete my account 1,194]

14 minutes ago, Rodney (Balls) Grinter said:

Overall what I am saying is that generally speaking this is the same team that produced some great footall which had us all salivating at various stages earlier in the year.  We now know what they are capable of at their best, let's hope they can turn things around and project us into September.

Only three weeks ago really against Port. An incredible first half and a gritty mature second half.

[trout 385]

Well at least Saint Nick is out so he is not going to kick 5 one last time against us. Not sure it helps us win given how mentally week we are though.

[John Crow Batty 8,871]

13 minutes ago, trout said:

Well at least Saint Nick is out so he is not going to kick 5 one last time against us. Not sure it helps us win given how mentally week we are though.

Yeah it was also a bonus North were tanking on the end of 8 consecutive losses and GWS in the doldrums with their entire forward line injured. Now Nemises Nick is out. What Joy! 

Edited August 10, 2017 by america de cali

[GoD's67 111]

Hannan, Wagner & Brayshaw come in for some run & fresh legs. Pedersen, Hunt (rested) and one more of the younger guys running up and down in the one spot rested.

Our competitive best will do it!

This is the week to turn up and support the Dees.

 

[Ash35 425]

On ‎9‎/‎08‎/‎2017 at 10:00 AM, dl4e said:

 Kinda like your optimistic outlook but you seem to be staring at what you believe is obvious and in this season is a mistake. Now I hope I am wrong but I think we will get poleaxed by StKilda and that the Eagles will beat Adelaide in the last game because the crows will be in a top 2 position and having played Sydney the week before won't give a stuff about the result. Bulldogs are interesting. They will beat port but the other 2 is up in the air. The tragedy is that Essendon will probably make the 8. I hope I am wrong.

I agree that just locking in obvious wins is dangerous this season. And on top of that, there are some real 50/50 games.

Plus there are a stack of unknowns, things like which teams have "Checked out", which players might be rested, Rocket sacked from Gold Coast, how does that change them.

I really am being honest when I say I think Melbourne are in the box seat. Simply Melbourne have the best run home of all the teams vying for a finals spot. The Bulldogs are a game ahead, but they probably have the toughest run home.

Unless there are some crazy results, Melbourne could lose this week and still make it.

[Diamond_Jim 12,598]

This week's selections have certainly seen a change in the direction of our path.

Fingers crossed it does not lead us to a cul de sac

[PaulRB 6,392]

If we can win the next three. I have it as a (theoretically) possibility we'd finish 7th and play the following finals...

Elimination Vs Geelong (G)

Semi Vs Richmond (G)

Preliminary Vs Adelaide (Adelaide)

Grand Vs GWS (G) 

So 7 wins from here gets the flag, with 6 possibly at the G. It all starts (or finishes) tomorrow.

Edited August 12, 2017 by PaulRB

[praha 11,240]

9 minutes ago, PaulRB said:

If we can win the next three. I have it as a (theoretically) possibility we'd finish 7th and play the following finals...

Elimination Vs Geelong (G)

Semi Vs Richmond (G)

Preliminary Vs Adelaide (Adelaide)

Grand Vs GWS (G) 

So 7 wins from here gets the flag, with 6 possibly at the G. It all starts (or finishes) tomorrow.

Lol if that's the case it would mean two more Finals losses for Richmond. Their fans would riot and Hardwick likely wouldn't survive. 

[What 18,810]

Doggies and Bombers lost, and the Eagles gained no percentage at home vs Carlton. 

The path is wide open for us now.  For christ's sake don't screw it up again, Melbourne.

Edited August 12, 2017 by Petraccattack

[Diamond_Jim 12,598]

3 hours ago, Petraccattack said:

.  For christ's sake don't screw it up again, Melbourne.

Perhaps that should be on the banner tomorrow... it has a certain resonance

[beelzebub 23,380]

umm

Edited August 13, 2017 by beelzebub
wrong thread