The loss to Adelaide highlighted deficiencies we have over those teams realistically in the hunt for a Premiership.

I am trying to be measured here and some of this can be overcome but here is why we wont win a GF soon.

Key Forwards

TMac, BB and SW - there isnt anyone in that list comparable to Jeremy Cameron, Tom Lynch, Harry McKay, Tomahawk, Jack Riewoldt, Jack Darling, Josh Kennedy - could go on. Maybe SW will fulfil his promise - but that promise is getting on now. - BB just looks slow to me - TMac gets the best out of his 194cm but at that height we have modern midfielders - modern power forwards are 200cm.

Midfield

Gawn, Oliver, Trac, Langdon, Viney, Jackson - what is missing is another wing  - I'm unconvinced by Brayshaw / Baker as anything more than a stopgap - but overall midfield we are strong. Another winger is all I want.

Backs

Our strength this year - our system and skills are excellent, Salem, Lever, May, Rivers, Petty, Tomlinson but not Hunt who is a one trick pony - his tackling pressure is ineffectual, his kicking unreliable.

I worry that we don't have the height and bulk to take on the bigger key forwards - May uses his 100kg very well but at 193cm he isn't that big. Maybe Petty for the future but that lack of the big defender is a worry. Overall though with an upgrade on Hunt our defence is good enough.

I'm not saying we wont be competitive or our list cant progress.

Certainly our current level of performance means key forwards, a winger and a rebounding small defender are more likely to be attracted to us.

Can we win a GF with our current list?

 

Key forwards don’t have to be anything more than serviceable, needing great ones is a myth 

Geezus, MFCSS is still potent.

14 minutes ago, dino rover said:

The loss to Adelaide highlighted deficiencies we have over those teams realistically in the hunt for a Premiership.

I am trying to be measured here and some of this can be overcome but here is why we wont win a GF soon.

Key Forwards

TMac, BB and SW - there isnt anyone in that list comparable to Jeremy Cameron, Tom Lynch, Harry McKay, Tomahawk, Jack Riewoldt, Jack Darling, Josh Kennedy - could go on. Maybe SW will fulfil his promise - but that promise is getting on now. - BB just looks slow to me - TMac gets the best out of his 194cm but at that height we have modern midfielders - modern power forwards are 200cm.

Midfield

Gawn, Oliver, Trac, Langdon, Viney, Jackson - what is missing is another wing  - I'm unconvinced by Brayshaw / Baker as anything more than a stopgap - but overall midfield we are strong. Another winger is all I want.

Backs

Our strength this year - our system and skills are excellent, Salem, Lever, May, Rivers, Petty, Tomlinson but not Hunt who is a one trick pony - his tackling pressure is ineffectual, his kicking unreliable.

I worry that we don't have the height and bulk to take on the bigger key forwards - May uses his 100kg very well but at 193cm he isn't that big. Maybe Petty for the future but that lack of the big defender is a worry. Overall though with an upgrade on Hunt our defence is good enough.

I'm not saying we wont be competitive or our list cant progress.

Certainly our current level of performance means key forwards, a winger and a rebounding small defender are more likely to be attracted to us.

Can we win a GF with our current list?

 

Agree re forward line. BB looks like he needs a lot more football, that or he's shot. Weid is a bust. TMac good but needs support. But It's an even year so who knows, doubt Bulldogs can maintain current form the whole year.

Answer to question in thread title:  Correct, the GF is in September.

This is absolute classic Demonland.

I think there's definitely some valid points being raised.

The forward line was functioning more efficiently without BB and Weid as we were more mobile and less predictable.

The first  6 rounds we were really clicking as a team but as the pressure has come we have reverted back to a bit more individual play. 

The challenge is how we respond over the next 2 weeks, we have given ourselves a good headstart and now the real work begins

 

We have the list to win a GF compared to the other top teams at the moment. 

the main reason we don’t Win it will be mental toughness. Do we have the hunger and will to do what it takes week after week? Let’s see. I’m backing us in

If not this year, next 3. Tomlo out hasn't helped. Winger yes.

I’m not prepared to throw in the towel yet. Adelaide were s**t hot on Saturday. We played well except for lapses when comfortably in front. We and they never gave up. They got lucky in the end and we were not smart enough to close the game down.  What irks me though is that most losing opposition side don’t seem to throw in the towel when playing us. They know we don’t have a killer instinct and always think they have a chance. We needs a step up in ruthlessness and intimidate.

 

 

Edited May 23, 20214 yr by John Crow Batty

I think our backline is as well placed as any in the comp to cover key forwards. I agree an extra ball carrier would help, and I also agree that BB and Weed are questionable. I think our game style will stand up in big games, but we can't afford any drop off in intensity.

Everything went right for the Crows, and lots went wrong for us. It was a classic couldn't-put-them-away result. We were definitely off our game, but Adelaide are not bad and we were due. The loss has been a few weeks in the making, but we were able to rest Salem and give Viney more time.

The worst thing about the Crows loss was that it could start a run of outs. Win it and losses to the Dogs and Bears look less serious than three in a row. We have a tough run from here too.

13 minutes ago, John Crow Batty said:

I’m not prepared to throw in the towel yet. Adelaide were s**t hot on Saturday. We played well except for lapses when comfortably in front. We and they never gave up. They got lucky in the end and we were not smart enough to close the game down.  What irks me though is that most losing opposition side don’t seem to throw in the towel when playing us. They know we don’t have a killer instinct and always think they have a chance. We needs a step up in ruthlessness and intimidate.

 

 

Your last point is spot on. We need that killer instinct. I’d like us to be a bit more unsociable. A bit more aggressive, niggle and bully a bit. Once we get on top, we then learn to bury teams. Once that becomes second nature, then will come the killer instinct.

1 hour ago, dino rover said:

The loss to Adelaide highlighted deficiencies we have over those teams realistically in the hunt for a Premiership.

I am trying to be measured here and some of this can be overcome but here is why we wont win a GF soon.

Key Forwards

TMac, BB and SW - there isnt anyone in that list comparable to Jeremy Cameron, Tom Lynch, Harry McKay, Tomahawk, Jack Riewoldt, Jack Darling, Josh Kennedy - could go on. Maybe SW will fulfil his promise - but that promise is getting on now. - BB just looks slow to me - TMac gets the best out of his 194cm but at that height we have modern midfielders - modern power forwards are 200cm.

Midfield

Gawn, Oliver, Trac, Langdon, Viney, Jackson - what is missing is another wing  - I'm unconvinced by Brayshaw / Baker as anything more than a stopgap - but overall midfield we are strong. Another winger is all I want.

Backs

Our strength this year - our system and skills are excellent, Salem, Lever, May, Rivers, Petty, Tomlinson but not Hunt who is a one trick pony - his tackling pressure is ineffectual, his kicking unreliable.

I worry that we don't have the height and bulk to take on the bigger key forwards - May uses his 100kg very well but at 193cm he isn't that big. Maybe Petty for the future but that lack of the big defender is a worry. Overall though with an upgrade on Hunt our defence is good enough.

I'm not saying we wont be competitive or our list cant progress.

Certainly our current level of performance means key forwards, a winger and a rebounding small defender are more likely to be attracted to us.

Can we win a GF with our current list?

 

THE MFCSS IS STRONG WITH THIS ONE. 

 

Edited May 23, 20214 yr by Guest

29 minutes ago, John Crow Batty said:

I’m not prepared to throw in the towel yet. Adelaide were s**t hot on Saturday. We played well except for lapses when comfortably in front. We and they never gave up. They got lucky in the end and we were not smart enough to close the game down.  What irks me though is that most losing opposition side don’t seem to throw in the towel when playing us. They know we don’t have a killer instinct and always think they have a chance. We needs a step up in ruthlessness and intimidate.

 

 

i have thought about this too. I think it also may have something to do with being undefeated. This brings the challenge to the other teams to be the first one to topple us over. The media wouldn't have helped either by saying we could go 10-0, which brings an unnatural determinism to our games.

1 loss and you might as well close the shop. 

Classic demonland.

We have all the pieces to win it this year

Richmond won a granny with Riewoldt and a swarm of midgets upfront

We just need to keep grinding away, secure top 4, time our run to ensure we are in good form and have a healthy list going into September. And hopefully the bounce of the ball goes our way.

1 hour ago, dino rover said:

 

Backs

Our strength this year - our system and skills are excellent, Salem, Lever, May, Rivers, Petty, Tomlinson but not Hunt who is a one trick pony - his tackling pressure is ineffectual, his kicking unreliable.

 

 

 

We need to get Bowey in for Hunt sooner rather than later.  The team will improve even further with that swap.  Our skill level will improve dramatically.

1 hour ago, dino rover said:

The loss to Adelaide highlighted deficiencies we have over those teams realistically in the hunt for a Premiership.

I am trying to be measured here and some of this can be overcome but here is why we wont win a GF soon.

Key Forwards

TMac, BB and SW - there isnt anyone in that list comparable to Jeremy Cameron, Tom Lynch, Harry McKay, Tomahawk, Jack Riewoldt, Jack Darling, Josh Kennedy - could go on. Maybe SW will fulfil his promise - but that promise is getting on now. - BB just looks slow to me - TMac gets the best out of his 194cm but at that height we have modern midfielders - modern power forwards are 200cm.

Midfield

Gawn, Oliver, Trac, Langdon, Viney, Jackson - what is missing is another wing  - I'm unconvinced by Brayshaw / Baker as anything more than a stopgap - but overall midfield we are strong. Another winger is all I want.

Backs

Our strength this year - our system and skills are excellent, Salem, Lever, May, Rivers, Petty, Tomlinson but not Hunt who is a one trick pony - his tackling pressure is ineffectual, his kicking unreliable.

I worry that we don't have the height and bulk to take on the bigger key forwards - May uses his 100kg very well but at 193cm he isn't that big. Maybe Petty for the future but that lack of the big defender is a worry. Overall though with an upgrade on Hunt our defence is good enough.

I'm not saying we wont be competitive or our list cant progress.

Certainly our current level of performance means key forwards, a winger and a rebounding small defender are more likely to be attracted to us.

Can we win a GF with our current list?

 

Yes, we can certainly win a GF with our current list. We'll go deep into September and in those last couple of weeks of the football year, anything can happen.

Regarding your points on height and key forwards, Darling (191cm) is shorter than McDonald, Riewoldt (194cm) is the same height and Cameron and Kennedy are both within 2cm.

What we're talking about there is just a tiny factor in their effectiveness as forwards. Vertical leap, taking the ball at the highest point, timing and movement mean a hell of a lot more and Tom Mac is doing those four things very, very well at the moment. He is a class forward.

Just now, Pickett2Jackson said:

 

We need to get Bowey in for Hunt sooner rather than later.  The team will improve even further with that swap.  Our skill level will improve dramatically.

I agree we lack another good ball user but Hunt's still a weapon when he plays okay - is there room for both?

9-1 and apparently the sky is falling. Take a deep breath everyone, we we're beaten for the first time this year against a team at home playing well. So what, it's not like we were never gonna lose a game again ... 

a 1 point loss after 9 in a row and we are pretenders...cmon 

Seriously. Catch a grip.

2 months ago before the season started almost no one had us playing finals. Now we look set to play finals. 

If you focus on what you don’t have life will be long and hard. If you appreciate what you do, and believe that tomorrow can be a better day you’ll often have a smile on your face.

This team makes me smile a fair bit.

We'll know a lot after the next 2 games. Need to win 1 at least.

We're clearly top 8. At best easily top 4. Finish top 4 and we are genuine chance.

Richmond started 5-0 in 2017, lost 4 in a row, and were belted a few times throughout the season. Including against a terrible Saints side late in the season in a match they were losing by 100 at one point.

We could lose the next 3-4 and it won't matter. So long as we end the season strong.

We have set ourselves up by starting 9-0 to have a very strong season.

Suggesting we can't fit a flag because we lost by 1 point in hostile territory against a criminally underrated Crows side is classic MFCSS. We are literally one bad umpire call (or non-call) away from being 9-1-0 or 10-0. 

We undoubtedly have the strength and list to at least get to the GF. We are going to bed faced with many close games this year. If we can keep our losing margin to <20 points and win 7-8 of our remaining 12 games then we are locked into a double chance.

For goodness sake please put an apostrophe in ‘won’t’.