2 minutes ago, SaberFang said:

How do you figure that?

Saints are now equal wins with us -- if they win next week, they jump us on the ladder. If Richmond win, they move two wins ahead of us + superior percentage.

We really needed Saints to [censored] that up and create a bottleneck of teams on 7 wins and inferior percentage, rendering all results next week irrelevant.

Having said that puts Freo out of the race.

All the teams around us are playing each other next week - going to be interesting! 

Really need to beat those Tea-Baggers

Just now, martin said:

Having said that puts Freo out of the race.

Fremantle were never looking like contenders after the bye, their percentage tells the story.

It's the Brisbane effect -- we need bottom teams to keep pulling upsets on teams in that logja of 6-7 wins. It gives us breathing space until we get our injury list under control (which could take until Round 19).

Saints will certainly be praying for a Blues win next week.

And will quite possibly get it.

Realistically only six teams can make spots 5-8 .Port,StKilda,Bulldogs,West Coast, Sydney and us. From Essendon and below a lot would need to go right. The Carlton game is now very difficult but if we could somehow pull it off I'd be very confident we'll be there in September. Actually, would settle for one win in the next three. After that, hopefully the troops coming back for big run in to the finals!

Some massive games coming up for us 

Port at the G

Saints at the G

Of course they will be at full strength while we are smashed by injury

But lets take care of Carlton first....

20 minutes ago, Petraccattack said:

Some massive games coming up for us 

Port at the G

Saints at the G

Of course they will be at full strength while we are smashed by injury

But lets take care of Carlton first....

Carlton will beat us, way too many injuries.

Next week will shape the finals. I cannot stress enough how crucial it is that we beat Carlton. Round 16:

• Adelaide should beat Bulldogs at AO.
• Giants should beat Hawthorn at Aurora.
• Sydney should beat Gold Coast at SCG.
• Geelong should beat Brisbane at the Gabba.
• North/Fremantle result is irrelevant for now.
• Collingwood/Essendon result is irrelevant for now.

Now, the 3 most important matches:

• St Kilda V Richmond at Etihad
• West Coast V Port Adelaide at Domain
• Carlton V Melbourne at the MCG

The outcomes here will have a significant impact on the top 8.

If West Coast and St Kilda win, and we beat Carlton? We're 4th.

If West Coast and St Kilda win, and we lose to Carlton? We're 9th.

If we lose next week, we desperately need Port and Richmond to get up, because that keeps us in the top 8.

27 minutes ago, SaberFang said:

Next week will shape the finals. I cannot stress enough how crucial it is that we beat Carlton. Round 16:

• Adelaide should beat Bulldogs at AO.
• Giants should beat Hawthorn at Aurora.
• Sydney should beat Gold Coast at SCG.
• Geelong should beat Brisbane at the Gabba.
• North/Fremantle result is irrelevant for now.
• Collingwood/Essendon result is irrelevant for now.

Now, the 3 most important matches:

• St Kilda V Richmond at Etihad
• West Coast V Port Adelaide at Domain
• Carlton V Melbourne at the MCG

The outcomes here will have a significant impact on the top 8.

If West Coast and St Kilda win, and we beat Carlton? We're 4th.

If West Coast and St Kilda win, and we lose to Carlton? We're 9th.

If we lose next week, we desperately need Port and Richmond to get up, because that keeps us in the top 8.

Thanks for your efforts, now I'll be sleepless all week.

As they say in horse racing, simply forget the run against the Swans.

Regardless what team we field against Carlton, the boys surely know what's at stake now and all their hard work comes down to this. Like you stated Saber, one of the most crucial matches in our recent history, our backs are to the wall thanks to the footy gods but if we overcome the Blues it will say a lot for this group. 

The challenges have been endless this year and now I'm looking forward to one more.

 

6 minutes ago, Demon77 said:

Thanks for your efforts, now I'll be sleepless all week.

Yeah, it's frustrating. And it's the reason why we really needed the Saints to lose today, because it would've secured our top 8 position for another round regardless of results.

If we drop the next game or two, our backs will be against the wall big time. Considering Carlton nearly pipped Adelaide yesterday, you'd be foolish to consider next week anything but a massive challenge. Bolton's no mug and he'll have Carlton back in contention soon enough.

Xavier Campbell 

 

✔@XCampbell79

Not good enough. Not even close. Fans deserve so much better. 41,000 came out today and we let you down

Not a very happy CEO. Sorry Xavier but I enjoyed it. You didn't let me down. Not that im a fan. 

On another note feel for Sandilands. Out for the year with a hammy. 

Oh and Bucks says the pies are still in the finals hunt. Hilarious. 

26 minutes ago, SaberFang said:

Yeah, it's frustrating. And it's the reason why we really needed the Saints to lose today, because it would've secured our top 8 position for another round regardless of results.

If we drop the next game or two, our backs will be against the wall big time. Considering Carlton nearly pipped Adelaide yesterday, you'd be foolish to consider next week anything but a massive challenge. Bolton's no mug and he'll have Carlton back in contention soon enough.

I find this interesting but it's all just a sideshow.

We get to twelve wins we make finals.

3 hours ago, Deestroy All said:

Why does Dwayne say "bends it back" for every shot whether it's bending or not?

Why? Because he and BT are the joint kings of cliches 

3 hours ago, Diamond_Jim said:

Richmond play St Kilda next week so we win either way

Not really. We need to accept that Richmond is going to make the finals and may well finish top 4.

So, we are better off with them winning as many games as possible (along with GWS, Geelong and Adelaide) and beating our real competitors (Port, West Coast, the Dogs, Sydney, St Kilda and Essendon).

We really could use a Richmond win over St Kilda. Somewhat helpfully, that game is on Saturday night (which gives St Kilda a six-day break coming back from Perth).

1 hour ago, dees189227 said:

 

Oh and Bucks says the pies are still in the finals hunt. Hilarious. 

More like in the spoon hunt after the Lions got up today.

I'd just like to say how great the Collingwood midfield is. Top class, top class.  I rate it highly, like Champion Data does. It's done them the world of good this year. Shame about their backline....... and their forward line...... and their coach who's done a marvellous job so far. 

Roosy has been talking about the pies lately, seems familiar

21 minutes ago, brendan said:

Roosy has been talking about the pies lately, seems familiar

Lazy $50?

How on earth does Brad Scott and North keep flying under the radar!  They have now lost 20 of their last 24 games and are wallowing at 17th on the ladder.

It could be said that there are a lot of other 'newsworthy' stories making headlines but there are few worse football performance stories than North.  Surely some media heat needs to go there way.

Well done brisbane

Suck it drug cheating scum

11 hours ago, dees189227 said:

Xavier Campbell 

 

✔@XCampbell79

Not good enough. Not even close. Fans deserve so much better. 41,000 came out today and we let you down

Not a very happy CEO. Sorry Xavier but I enjoyed it. You didn't let me down. Not that im a fan. 

On another note feel for Sandilands. Out for the year with a hammy. 

Oh and Bucks says the pies are still in the finals hunt. Hilarious. 

Got to love a CEO commenting on the footy to the fans... 

1 hour ago, Lucifer's Hero said:

How on earth does Brad Scott and North keep flying under the radar!  They have now lost 20 of their last 24 games and are wallowing at 17th on the ladder.

It could be said that there are a lot of other 'newsworthy' stories making headlines but there are few worse football performance stories than North.  Surely some media heat needs to go there way.

Has me stuffed how they keep beating us 

Has Beveridge gone soft:  "Beveridge has been concerned by some of the treatment (to JJ) and on Wednesday criticised Hutchings for bumping Johannisen in the back during the first quarter..."Hutchings ran off the bench without him looking. It's cowardly and we got a free kick from it," he said.  http://www.afl.com.au/news/2017-07-05/simpson-hits-back-over-cowardly-comment

I didn't see the incident so can't comment about its cowardliness.  But to hear an AFL coach use it to deflect attention from his player who stands there like a dummy with head cowed is quite astonishing.  Maybe JJ needs to learn to niggle back a bit.  He is like a sitting duck at the moment.

Its no wonder the bulldogs have lost there way this season.  Last year they were fast and slick but never played unsociable football and now complain when it the going gets tough. 

This further confirms my view that the bulldogs will miss the finals!

On 7/3/2017 at 8:12 AM, Lucifer's Hero said:

How on earth does Brad Scott and North keep flying under the radar!  They have now lost 20 of their last 24 games and are wallowing at 17th on the ladder.

It could be said that there are a lot of other 'newsworthy' stories making headlines but there are few worse football performance stories than North.  Surely some media heat needs to go there way.

It sounds a little simplistic in terms of an explanation, but it could come down to something as simple as the club being one of the most irrelevant in the competition.  They could go with these stories, but, who really cares?  To me they have the most apathetic supporter base and people might raise an eyebrow at those stats but nothing more.

Collingwood, on the other hand... it would be all over the back page.  

5 minutes ago, Wiseblood said:

It sounds a little simplistic in terms of an explanation, but it could come down to something as simple as the club being one of the most irrelevant in the competition.  They could go with these stories, but, who really cares?  To me they have the most apathetic supporter base and people might raise an eyebrow at those stats but nothing more.

Collingwood, on the other hand... it would be all over the back page.  

Because North made finals for at least the past two years and Collingwood haven't for five is one of the reasons why North and Scott arn't copping the same attention as Bucks and the Pies.  It's also I think acknowledged that North are now in somewhat of a rebuild stage, so I think there is some grace being given for that too.

The fact that North needed this rebuild is the thing which should be more heavily scrutinized.  For the preceeding four or so years, they were touted as a side that had talent, was on the rise and about to crack open the field and be a serious premiership contender.  In reality, I think they hardly even got close and were a fairly mediocre side that never made it.  That to me would be almost as disappointing as the 10 years we have had at the MFC and I really do hope that the mantra of Roos and Goodwin that we are building a team that is capable of seriously challenging and a game style that stands up in finals eventuates.