If we win week 1, we win the flag. Looking forward to playing Collingwood and Geelong in finals. It doesn't get bigger or better than that.

1 hour ago, Lucifers Hero said:

I'm too scared too look too far fwd so as not to jinx the team.

One-week-at-a-time😐

But I reckon we can do it!

This is the one time we're allowed to think two weeks a time 😉

1 minute ago, deelusions from afar said:

This is the one time we're allowed to think two weeks a time 😉

Well played 👏

2 hours ago, Deenooos_ said:

The only team that worries me in the finals is Collingwood, they have this enormous belief to win from anywhere. Carlton dominated the key stats even more so than we did when we played them and still lost, there's just something about the pies and I hate it.

Hopefully we don't have to play them but part of me wants them to beat Geelong so we don't play them in a prelim and if it does come to it, we roll them in the GF.

I also fear Collingwood and the main reason is the crowd factor.  It’s almost is like having a extra player on the ground for them. Not to forget how this can / does have an impact on umpiring decisions.

I’m still trying to get over our last home and away game against them.  I have no doubt in my mind that the crowd factor spurred them on enough to beat us.  Soooo….go cats

Edited August 22, 20222 yr by Wodjathefirst

I just want Richmond Collingwood & dogs out asap

26 minutes ago, old55 said:

If we win week 1, we win the flag. Looking forward to playing Collingwood and Geelong in finals. It doesn't get bigger or better than that.

Possibly.

The opposite is probably more accurate - lose week 1, we don’t win the flag. Would mean we have to beat Bris/Rich, then Geel/Coll, then Syd/Geel/Coll, all in a row. 

Collingwood have consistently won despite losing all the usual statistical categories that winning teams usually win.  Contested possession, clearance and inside 50s to name a few.  They don't fit the premiership model but it doesn't seem to bother them and they keep winning.  Definitely a threat.

Just now, BigFez said:

Collingwood have consistently won despite losing all the usual statistical categories that winning teams usually win.  Contested possession, clearance and inside 50s to name a few.  They don't fit the premiership model but it doesn't seem to bother them and they keep winning.  Definitely a threat.

Will be interesting to see if it holds up in finals. 
It’s a completely different ball game. 

1 hour ago, whatwhat say what said:

y'all not suffering from mfcss?!??

i'm worried about EVERY other team in the 8

one of the most even seasons of all time; i reckon everyone in the 8 COULD win it, but cats are - deservedly - favourites

Finished third in ‘21 but get eighth-hardest fixture in ‘22.  

And fixture-difficulty is only measured by quality of opponents, and doesn’t factor having nine games at the (weird, skinny) ground that they’re allowed to train on all week. 

Four games that were essentially free wins  - WCE/Nth Melb twice each.

Deserving?

Hmmmm  

 

First things first, we have not beaten any of the other teams in the top 4 this year. One of them has beaten us twice. I won't say who. For those who keep saying they'll go out in straight sets, yeah maybe, maybe not. They keep winning, and they are as many wins from a flag as we are. Scary. If we play them again, and we would likely need to at some point, they will have the crowd and momentum against us. So we need to be at our best. 

Ok, the good stuff. 

I think we're coming good, at the right time. But there's still improvement, which is good. We have not maxed out yet, nor would we want to. Until it counts. 

Some things, like our i50 improving a little, and particularly from unlikely sources, like Melksham. Kozzie hitting a purple patch, the backline looking a little more settled (except for that ridiculous shoot out against the Pies, which to be fair was not all their fault - and the Pies also got very lucky at times - luck they will likely not be able to replicate). Brown is looking  a lot better. Had good presence around the ground on Friday, took some good marks, and kicked some great goals. 

In recent years, we have not played the Swans well at the MCG. I would almost have preferred we play them up there! But that's silly, we will be at home, we need to capitalise on that and earn ourselves a week off before prelim. We can beat the Swans, we had them covered earlier in the year before we let them back in. We can't do that again. We have to make the most of this opportunity, the Swans at home is much better than the Pies/Cats IMO. 

Let's beat the Swans, then rest up and use the momentum and belief to knock over the Pies/Cats. Would be very sweet. 

 

It will be interesting to see if injuries and attrition has something to do with shaping the games ahead. Hope Geelong and. Collingwood destroy each other!

2 hours ago, BigFez said:

Collingwood have consistently won despite losing all the usual statistical categories that winning teams usually win.  Contested possession, clearance and inside 50s to name a few.  They don't fit the premiership model but it doesn't seem to bother them and they keep winning.  Definitely a threat.

yep.....luck of the irish x 10.  Massive crowds egging on each other to make a deafening noise.

Intimidates & rattles the players and umps except the Pies of course. Similar to European soccer. Collingwoods army is enormous . I hope its not a factor in September.

If Geelong are half serious this year they comprehensively beat the team that gave up 8 goals in a quarter to Carlton yesterday.

2 hours ago, BigFez said:

Collingwood have consistently won despite losing all the usual statistical categories that winning teams usually win.  Contested possession, clearance and inside 50s to name a few.  They don't fit the premiership model but it doesn't seem to bother them and they keep winning.  Definitely a threat.

Isn’t this similar to the Hawthorn model? I seem to remember they almost never won clearance or contested ball but smashed teams with their accuracy by foot, defence and ball movement.

Feels a lot tighter than last finals

Sydney, Freo and the Dogs were bloody ordinary over the weekend. Lions were embarrassed again. Geelong did what they had to. I didn’t see the Tigers or the Pies. What surprised me was the mindset of some teams considering what was at stake, there’s obviously the belief they can flick the switch and away they go.

week 1

Tigers

Dees

Cats

Dogs

week 2 

Pies

Swans

week 3

Cats 

Dees

GF

Dees

 

Freo would have to feel pretty comfortable playing the dogs in a final at Optus Stadium after our demolition of them last year. 

On 8/22/2022 at 9:16 AM, Clint Bizkit said:

Not sure how we are favourites against Sydney.

Great call.

On 8/21/2022 at 10:07 PM, Nascent said:

Week 1

Q1. Geelong vs Collingwood

Q2. Melbourne vs Sydney

E1. Freemantle vs Western Bulldogs

E2. Brisbane vs Richmond 

Semi Finals

S1. Collingwood vs Freemantle

S2. Sydney vs Richmond

Preliminary Finals

P1. Geelong vs Richmond

P2. Melbourne vs Collingwood

Grand Final

Melbourne vs Richmond

 

Norm Smith: Oliver

 

 

 

Nah.

9 minutes ago, Redlagged said:

Nah.

Was hoping this wasn't going to get bumped. I'm off to a great start...