After round 7

A very quirky year as only 3 of last year's finalists are in the top 8 sitting 1,2,3.

Nearly every year 6 or 7 of the top 8 are virtual locks for the Finals after Round 7.  How many are locks this year?   3 maybe 4?

I can see Tigers and Eagles making it in and Freo and Saints out.  Not at all sure about the SA teams either.  In a year where 12 wins may get a team in, Brisbane is well placed with 5 wins.

Last year's bottom teams have easy draws.  Not the usual advantage for Freo, Lions and Saints as each of their games will shape the 8 whereas usually they are relatively inconsequential.

Except for a few teams there has been a lot of rubbish football this year.  So it may be a 'Bradbury' year.  Those left standing will make the 8 but quite a few will be just making up the numbers.

Other than hoping we make the finals (a slim chance), even if only for the experience it gives the team I fervently hope Essendon do not.

Edited May 5, 20195 yr by Lucifer's Hero

Brisbane I think will scrape in, they need to reign in their losing margins against top 8 sides tho. 5 wins and a % only just scraping 100% stands to hurt them. There's a sense of Melbourne 2010-2011 about them: lots of promise, big wins and big losses. It can go either way for them. 

TBH I think Saints are the only absolute lock to drop out. Tigers have looked fairly average all year and like Melbourne I feel are having an off year. They were really exposed down back against the Dogs.

I feel Essendon are a better chance than us.

We  will make the 8.

  On 05/05/2019 at 21:36, Petraccattack said:

We  will make the 8.

Bit early to be drinking Petraccattack..

  On 05/05/2019 at 21:26, praha said:

 Tigers have looked fairly average all year and like Melbourne I feel are having an off year. They were really exposed down back against the Dogs.

 

They are having an off year for precisely the same reason we are: injuries and interrupted pre seasons.

4-5 of their best 22 out (and 3 of their best four) on sat night and dusty clearly not fully fit or carrying an injury. Any team would struggle wirh that scenario  (and we are even worse off with  7-8 of our best out and multiple players not fit)

 Compare to the pies and cats. Hardly any key injuries and flying.

  On 05/05/2019 at 21:36, Petraccattack said:

We  will make the 8.

Not only will we have to win games, but we need to win big to get our percentage out of the toilet

Our path to the 8 relies on us losing  only 4 games, or 5 games and making up considerable percentage.  We almost have to win every game after the bye, and show rapid improvement.

Geelong, Collingwood and GWS all look like highly capable teams.  After that, there is a lot of hit and miss on the rest.  The quality of the football is way down this year in general.  Some games are simply awful to watch.

If we can get there, then who knows?  Clarko was right in his assessment that both teams on Saturday were a fair way off the pace.