3 minutes ago, Webber said:

True that, Jaded. Form is a funny thing ….fragile and temporary. The trick to ultimate success is to have everything going right at the pointy end of the pointy end. Fingers crossed. 

Injuries injuries injuries. A blessed run is up there with the most important factor in winning it. We’ve been blessed by the gods so far. But it can all come crashing down quickly as Brisbane learnt tonight. We are a May/Lever injury away from complete nuclear meltdown. 

With Brisbane's loss tonight, it's now a lot more possible for us to lose to both the Dogs and Geelong and yet still finish 3rd (but with Geelong 2nd), or even 2nd if Geelong drops just one more game (e.g. to Richmond at the G or Fremantle in Perth).

2 minutes ago, Jaded said:

Injuries injuries injuries. A blessed run is up there with the most important factor in winning it. We’ve been blessed by the gods so far. But it can all come crashing down quickly as Brisbane learnt tonight. We are a May/Lever injury away from complete nuclear meltdown. 

Correct.

Brisbane is probably the only other side to have had as charmed a run with injuries this season as us.

To be fair to us, we've already copped one season-ending injury to a key position player who, to that point, was in strong form and was a vital part of our line up. 

If come round 22 we are no chance to drop lower than 3rd or finish below the Lions I wonder if we give a few key guys the week off. You’d hate to lose May or Trac or Salem the week before finals. 
Jumping the gun there completely, sorry!

3 minutes ago, titan_uranus said:

Correct.

Brisbane is probably the only other side to have had as charmed a run with injuries this season as us.

To be fair to us, we've already copped one season-ending injury to a key position player who, to that point, was in strong form and was a vital part of our line up. 

edit: Brisbane has had a charmed run with injuries for the past 3 seasons

2 minutes ago, Jaded said:

If come round 22 we are no chance to drop lower than 3rd or finish below the Lions I wonder if we give a few key guys the week off. You’d hate to lose May or Trac or Salem the week before finals. 
Jumping the gun there completely, sorry!

Definitely not, because of the week off before the finals. Don't want to have three weeks between games. If anything, perhaps think of resting players for the Darwin game...

1 hour ago, P-man said:

Pipe down filthy Southsider (…I assume)

Wouldn’t shock to see him finish top 5. Not like there have been many Saints to take votes off him.

Southsider! You're skirting around the edges of a major Demonland ban, there.

No, in my Canberra days I had the 'great honour' of always being a proper inner-north boy. Thanks to the combination of Canberra public transport and street tree planning, I'm actually a better kick with an acorn that a football.

4 hours ago, old dee said:

We seem to get teams coming back from a poor result e.g. GWS. 

...or half a dozen key players coming back into the side ?

On 7/9/2021 at 9:03 PM, Diamond_Jim said:

can someone please explain how we a team on top of the ladder lost to Adelaide ?

Umps

St Kilda could do a Geelong of 1993. End the season as the hottest team in the league and just finish outside the finals.

Middle of the road sides picking up the pace to win a finals spot. Essendon, GWS, Saints and Freo all looking solid. And we still can’t write off Richmond or WC. All will be competitive against the top sides for remainder of the season. No slacking off by us I hope. Swans will be pumped to beat the dogs. They don’t want to be battling with the hunting pack.

Edited July 10, 20213 yr by John Crow Batty

4 hours ago, Bring-Back-Powell said:

St Kilda could do a Geelong of 1993. End the season as the hottest team in the league and just finish outside the finals.

Or if you look at our form since those Freo/Swans losses - a Melbourne of 2020?

On 7/9/2021 at 4:06 PM, Diamond_Jim said:

Just cannot undertand how Bombers v Crows rates a Friday night.

Last roll of the dice perhaps for the Bombers but it's not that enthralling for the neutral supporter.

Was only scheduled when AFLPA refused Dogs toplsy on a 5 day btresk which would have been their second one ,  against their rules for player safety  . 

The Sun has just risen in Ballarat, we’re shrouded in fog and it’s bloody ? cold. I’m trying to figure out exactly what genius decided to play a game of AFL at Mars Stadium between two of our northern teams. Nobody here is interested and the reception for the Giants and the Suns will be no less frosty  than if they played it in Antarctica. I’m tipping the Suns to win and it’s not just a hunch. I remember how the Giants packed it in one night when they played the Hawks and it was snowing in Canberra.

I foresee some late season percentage boosts for us. Both Hawks and Crows putrid this round. Both have their minds on the beach so anything other than big wins for us when we play them will be a missed opportunity

6 minutes ago, Better days ahead said:

I foresee some late season percentage boosts for us. Both Hawks and Crows putrid this round. Both have their minds on the beach so anything other than big wins for us when we play them will be a missed opportunity

Missed opportunity? I’ll take unexpected loss to one of them for $1 million dollars Eddie!

9 hours ago, titan_uranus said:

With Brisbane's loss tonight, it's now a lot more possible for us to lose to both the Dogs and Geelong and yet still finish 3rd (but with Geelong 2nd), or even 2nd if Geelong drops just one more game (e.g. to Richmond at the G or Fremantle in Perth).

Assuming we finish third and Geelong finish second, would that mean a final at Kardinia Park or still at the MCG?

This thread seems as an appropriate place as any -

 

Ash Barty, women's Wimbledon champion. 

 

What a bloody legend she is.

 

Edited July 10, 20213 yr by Rodney (Balls) Grinter

8 hours ago, John Crow Batty said:

Middle of the road sides picking up the pace to win a finals spot. Essendon, GWS, Saints and Freo all looking solid. And we still can’t write off Richmond or WC. All will be competitive against the top sides for remainder of the season. No slacking off by us I hope. Swans will be pumped to beat the dogs. They don’t want to be battling with the hunting pack.

Last week Fox Footy statistical analysis had Dees finishing 2nd.  They argued that although we have a hard run home, its is likely one or more of our key opposition in Top 4, Cats, Dogs and Lions, will drop a game against unexpected lower teams. 

At the time I thought  - really?

It came to pass last night, and I see its now possibly Freo could do some damage in Perth and the saints again in Melb.

Feeling better about at least 3rd, and amyabe ahead of Lions hopefully.

1 hour ago, Boots and all said:

Assuming we finish third and Geelong finish second, would that mean a final at Kardinia Park or still at the MCG?

75K crowd demand, or even 90K like 2018, will see it at the G.

11 minutes ago, Demon17 said:

Last week Fox Footy statistical analysis had Dees finishing 2nd.  They argued that although we have a hard run home, its is likely one or more of our key opposition in Top 4, Cats, Dogs and Lions, will drop a game against unexpected lower teams. 

At the time I thought  - really?

It came to pass last night, and I see its now possibly Freo could do some damage in Perth and the saints again in Melb.

Feeling better about at least 3rd, and amyabe ahead of Lions hopefully.

Was looking at the fixture for our run home and thinking how some of our Geelong and the Western Bulldogs must be thinking they have a hard run home because they have to play Melbourne.  As much as playing these teams represents challenge to us finishing top 2, it also represents an oppertunity, both to test our selves against the better teams and also to deny them the win and finish above them.

Asides from Freo and the Saints, quite a few of our near ladder rivals like Brisbane, Port, Geelong etc, also play teams like Richmond, GWS and West Coast, which while the form of those teams has been fickle, they are also quite capable on their day and will all be scrapping to attempt to secure a finals birth.  Makes me look back and think how normally that's the MFC's lot in life and what a great position we are currently in with half a dozen games to go. 

Beating Port on Thursday was such an important win.

Edited July 10, 20213 yr by Rodney (Balls) Grinter

1 hour ago, Boots and all said:

Assuming we finish third and Geelong finish second, would that mean a final at Kardinia Park or still at the MCG?

No. They don’t play finals down there against Victorian teams. Not enough seating.

2 hours ago, Jaded said:

No. They don’t play finals down there against Victorian teams. Not enough seating.

[censored], yes!!! I wasn't sure if they had increased the capacity enough with works over the years. Brisbane losing to St Kilda is a godsend. Thanks, Jaded!

2 hours ago, Demon17 said:

75K crowd demand, or even 90K like 2018, will see it at the G.

Thanks, Demon17!!

12 hours ago, titan_uranus said:

With Brisbane's loss tonight, it's now a lot more possible for us to lose to both the Dogs and Geelong and yet still finish 3rd (but with Geelong 2nd), or even 2nd if Geelong drops just one more game (e.g. to Richmond at the G or Fremantle in Perth).

Hopefully we play Dogs and Cats at a time they can’t change ladder position.