23 minutes ago, praha said:

Sydney won't go all the way, but if they do it'll be one of if not the best premiership win of all time. To start 0-6 and then be switched on for 22-23 straight weeks is unbelievable. They've had very close to zero margin for error up until last week's game against Adelaide when they clinched a finals berth. Imo that will have its mental strain and they'll hit a wall eventually. 

I think sydney in sydney would be the best possible test for this Demons team.

I don't gamble but if I did I'd be backing Sydney.

Incredible to think how good they still are after losing Tom Mitchell.

If we get through it will only be by beating the filth. Port, Swans and tigers will win so we would play Sydney in Sydney. Port play GCS and Sydney play Carlton. Port will have the higher percentage. StKilda no good at MCG.

8 minutes ago, dl4e said:

If we get through it will only be by beating the filth. Port, Swans and tigers will win so we would play Sydney in Sydney. Port play GCS and Sydney play Carlton. Port will have the higher percentage. StKilda no good at MCG.

Definitely a do or die game as far as I'm concerned.

FCS (i) get there (ii) beat whoever comes at us

One step at a time.  This is all the type of cr@p I heard around round 20 last year.

 

That's the important part, get there first.

As Goodwin said we haven't achieved anything yet!

Talking about finals opponents & we haven't qualified yet!

Thats the culture we need to be rid off!

2 hours ago, Clint Bizkit said:

Melbourne losing by 20 points and West Coast winning by 20 points wouldn't exactly be a "miracle".

Which is why the last 15 minutes on Sunday were very disappointing

If we lose to Pies 80 - 100

And WC beat Adel 100 - 80

We miss finals.

Wouldnt shock me one bit if WC beat Adelaide in Perth.

I really wish we kicked on / held that 32 point last quarter margin vs Brissy!

Still a very real chance we miss finals

IF (emphasis on 'if') we get there and happen to come up against Sydney, it'll be nice to just get a final under the belt. I feel like the experience of going into a finals game and the pressure that goes with that will be huge for the players. Even if it's just a taste for next season.

Having said that, there's no reason we can't do what the Bulldogs did. They got beaten badly over in Perth and suddenly found form. A big win over the Pies would certainly generate some excitement in the playing group.

 

Absolutely west coast are a chance. It's the last Subiaco game EVER. They will come out firing 

Collingwood aren't terrible. Nothing short of our best footy will get the job done on the weekend. Bucks has lots to play for.

Richmond at the G would draw 80,000! Sure 50 of them would be in yellow and black, but that other 30 know something and that something is we are better than the tigers. And we could roll them!

 

3 hours ago, TeamPlayedFine39 said:

Port and Swans to win this weekend.

Tigers to lose to Saints.

 

We'll play Richmond at the G.

I reckon that's how it will turn out too.  I'm more confident that we'll beat the Pies than St Kilda winning but your scenario is ideal.  Our best footy is ahead of Collingwood's so if we bring our best game, we'll be playing finals.

Interesting fact that the Demons & Tigers have only played in the same final series a few times and only met in a final twice (both times in 1940*) ...they won the 2nd semi and we defeated them in the GF of that year.  Generally when we've been good they've been poor and vice-versa. 

 

*Stand corrected on that one.

Round 23 last year result - West Coast 100 to Adelaide 71 and the stakes for both sides were similar.

4 hours ago, Glenn Molloy said:

Sydney aren't unbeatable...the Hawks and Bombers showed earlier this year that the SCG isn't a fortress. 

And no way should we use the MCG loss to them as a barometer...we were cooked on the back of three six day breaks and were the most lethargic we've been all year.  Sure, we'd go in as big underdogs but I think we'd give them a huge shake. 

Plus we were missing 

Jones, Viney, Salem, Watts, Jeffy, Tyson and Brayshaw. 

It was Hogans first game back and Gawn's second.

 

As I hav said before.....just do it.  And do it well. 

I don't give a brass razoo who else gets there (hope Druggies don't) and who we play.....just win FCS. 

Edited August 21, 20178 yr by monoccular

7 hours ago, Lord Travis said:

Our 3 likely opponents are:

Sydney in Sydney
Port in Adelaide
Richmond in Melbourne

Sydney are the form side of the competition, they're 12-2 over the past 14 weeks. They belted us at the MCG already this year. They'll most likely make the Grand Final IMO. On current form, if we met them in week one they'd most likely belt us again and we'd be out in straight sets.

Port are fickle. They've struggled all year against decent teams that apply pressure to them. We've already beat them once this year at the MCG, and beat them late last year in Adelaide too. We'd have to travel to Adelaide, but if we are on and apply pressure again then we'll be a big chance to beat them. 

Richmond have had a great year considering they are a flakey team with an average list propped up by a few stars. We've beaten them repeatedly over the pst few years and had them beat when we played them this year, only to suffer injuries and be two men down for a half and have our structure ruined. I'd back us to beat them any day. It's almost guaranteed Richmond will sh*t the bed come finals time, it's built into their DNA! This is the ideal week one match up as we get to stay in Melbourne, played at our home ground in the MCG, and play a mentally fragile team that have a recent history of poor finals performances.

Richmond in straight sets and we part of that , mmmmmmm  very tasty indeed

 

We are not there yet. Just get at least 2 points & we are in. If we lose by 20points & West Coast win by 20Points we are out. So let's just make sure of the Collingwood match first that is all we can control we can't control how much Port or Sydney win by to determine who we play or even if Richmond lose & we play Richmond. Lets just get the result first.

lets beat collingwood, then beat who ever where ever is next to progress. one week at a time, we should not be afraid to play any team, we should have the confidence to know if we are playing well we can beat anyone anywhere. We have already proven we can win interstate this year. so nothing new here, just a matter of who do we face first up.

Agree completely

Yeah we're definitely not there.  Stating the obvious, but we need to beat the pies.  

Coming into Sunday twilight game, Ade has a high chance they have top spot sewn up.  They'd go in bruise free away from home.  WCE with everything to play for and on their home deck, could easily win by 20-40 points.  

I bloody hope we come to play.

7 hours ago, demon-4-life said:

Yeah we're definitely not there.  Stating the obvious, but we need to beat the pies.  

Coming into Sunday twilight game, Ade has a high chance they have top spot sewn up.  They'd go in bruise free away from home.  WCE with everything to play for and on their home deck, could easily win by 20-40 points.  

I bloody hope we come to play.

Cant see any team wanting to enter a final series having lost their last two games.

We aren't there yet BUT - 

I have no doubt we would beat Port or Richmond.

And I would like our chances against the Swans. We are one of the few teams that can go with them in the midfield.

They beat us when we had guns out injured and those 6 day breaks on top of each other, while they had almost a full strength team.

 

9 hours ago, Deecisive said:

lets beat collingwood, then beat who ever where ever is next to progress. one week at a time, we should not be afraid to play any team, we should have the confidence to know if we are playing well we can beat anyone anywhere. We have already proven we can win interstate this year. so nothing new here, just a matter of who do we face first up.

at last some sanity 

I want Sydney in Sydney. At full strength and rested we can beat them and the belief gained could drive us to a grand final.

17 hours ago, stevethemanjordan said:

Sydney in Sydney it'll be.

No greater test than playing the Swans away in a final. 

Will truly see which players will stand-up.

Sydney are beatable up there. Lost to hawthorn and essendon had them on the ropes. The smaller ground also helps our contested game style. If we are on andrhey are slightly off we will win