8 minutes ago, dees189227 said:

Just remember Brisbane are also without Gunston and Rich 

They're not really in the best 22.

Ch7 commentary box quite flat, during that last qtr. Collingwood loosing games has them rattled

19 minutes ago, Superunknown said:

Yep

GWS

Freo

Carlton

any others ?

The GWS, Freo and Essendon losses were pathetic on our part.

The Carlton loss was our best performed loss of the year and definitely no shame in losing to them. 

Another poster suggested the Port loss was a silly loss, but we gave it our all that night in trying conditions against a team in red hot form.

Hoskin Elliott getting carried off the ground in a losing  200th 😅😅

10 minutes ago, Bring-Back-Powell said:

For those thinking Collingwood could lose next week, just a reminder that they’re playing the team that beat West Coast and North by a combined margin of 10 points in their prior 2 games.

So how much better would their losing be?

9 minutes ago, Macca said:

As I mentioned to Jaded, the trend overseas of resting starters in games that don't matter is old news

If it was allowed, I'd be happy to play Casey against Sydney if that game had no impact on our finals position

But there's the whole disrepute stuff etc that would rear it's ugly head

Why risk injury to the best players? Makes zero sense

Risking injury by not playing is IMO fraught with danger - flirting with form: however not playing players carrying injury, which may be aggravated, is an entirely different matter.

2 minutes ago, dees189227 said:

 Look we finish where we finish. I'm confident come September we can beat anyone 

We can only beat those who turn up to play against us.

But WWWWW is all that concerns me.  They can lose the next one, as long as they win the next 5.

7 minutes ago, Call Me What You Will said:

Keep in mind, we have to win 1 more or Carltank lose both to stay top 4. I’d be happy to worry about week 1of the finals once that little issue is resolved.

Carlton only need to lose 1 more for us to stay in the top 4.

When it all came to pass we lost too many by under a kick. Fact.

At this rate I hope both us and port win our last games and we finish 4th and play the pies at the G round 1 of the finals.

2 minutes ago, monoccular said:

Risking injury by not playing is IMO fraught with danger - flirting with form: however not playing players carrying injury, which may be aggravated, is an entirely different matter.

I used to think the same way ... just 5 years ago.  But I've changed my tune

The flirting with form argument is ancient thinking.  Don't take that personally, it's more an observation of a way of thinking

Players not playing will still be simulating the playing of the sport without the contact or the pressure

A lot like le tour riders who still ride a lot of kilometers on the rest days

We must finish 4th and play a depleted pies at home. Make it happen Goodwin!

12 minutes ago, Bates Mate said:

Ch7 commentary box quite flat, during that last qtr. Collingwood loosing games has them rattled

Watching the fox coverage, Jonno brown said lock in gf day for Brisbane, Buckley said he wasn't to concerned about Collingwood & Gaz said I disagree & will show some concerning highlights 

2 minutes ago, agent 99 said:

We must finish 4th and play a depleted pies at home. Make it happen Goodwin!

How about we finish 3rd and play Collingwood, who finish 2nd because the Bombers knock them off next Friday night (and Freo beat Port this weekend)?

4 minutes ago, dees189227 said:

Watching the fox coverage, Jonno brown said lock in gf day for Brisbane, Buckley said he wasn't to concerned about Collingwood & Gaz said I disagree & will show some concerning highlights 

Of course he'd say that...

What are the chances of Pies losing next week and we stay in 4th? I can’t see Lions losing to the Saints which means playing Brisbane at the Gabba in a QF wouldn’t be great at all for us.

2nd spot gone now unless if the lions lose against the saints at home. The loses to freo & gws will haunt us & all we can hope is to finish 4th & pies hold onto top spot so we play @ the G 

14 minutes ago, Macca said:

I used to think the same way ... just 5 years ago.  But I've changed my tune

The flirting with form argument is ancient thinking.  Don't take that personally, it's more an observation of a way of thinking

Players not playing will still be simulating the playing of the sport without the contact or the pressure

A lot like le tour riders who still ride a lot of kilometers on the rest days

Exactly.

41 minutes ago, Jaded No More said:

So if you just heard Richo, he said no side in the last decade has lost more than 2 games between round 17 and 23 and went on to win the flag. This is the Pies third loss. 
AFL is all about being up at the right time given how long and grueling our game and season is. 
Pies have hit their worst form in August. Terrible timing. 

Richo quoting stats?  What would he know?  He's just a talking head to me ... blah blah blah

The Pies will be thereabouts when the whips are cracking.  Their best is very good

We need to take care of our own backyard.  We haven't been at our best since the game against the Pies and that's 2 months ago now

Let's face it, are we confident about beating the Hawks?  If we were in our best form, we'd obliterate them

And we'd all be super confident of a victory. 

 

Edited August 18, 20231 yr by Macca

Really difficult to gauge the thinking of the club with the possible dilemma we are about to face.

If we beat the Hawks on Sunday we have sew up 4th spot and a possible game against QF against Collingwood and the G Friday night/Saturday Arvo week 1.

That game against Sydney throws up all sorts of possibilities, I've played enough sport to know you don't want to flirt with your form.

The thought of an away QF at a dewy Gabba track and air travel does not entice me in any, way, shape or form i can only imagine what the players and coaching staff thoughts are on it.

Smart play would be to obviously stay in Melbourne and play a banged up Collingwood.

Enough food for thought lets just beat these Dawks on Sunday.

1 minute ago, Macca said:

Richo quoting stats?  What would he know?  He's just a talking head to me ... blah blah blah

The Pies will be thereabouts when the whips are cracking.  Their best is very good

We need to take care of our own backyard.  We haven't been at our best since the game against the Pies and that's 2 months ago now

 

Exactly - just bloody well win.  It is entirely in our own hands.  But if we can't get second (highly unlikely) then from a purely selfish point of view, Collingwood 1st and us 4th would mean that us Victorians have the opportunity to see it all live at the Melbourne CG.

1 hour ago, YesitwasaWin4theAges said:

Enough food for thought lets just beat these Dawks on Sunday.

And if we were at our best, we'd win and win well.  I'm normally reasonably confident but the Hawks are up and about and if we give them a opportunity, they can beat us

I'm a great believer in blowing lesser teams out of the water but for whatever reason, we often make hard work of our wins

Edited August 18, 20231 yr by Macca

Hey @Deebauched!!!  Fages has got his ridiculousness going on! Lions will surely bomb now. 
 

Just now, WalkingCivilWar said:

Hey @Deebauched!!!  Fages has got his ridiculousness going on! Lions will surely bomb now. 
 

Is that Bailey Fritsch? I can’t tell under all that ridiculous political nonsense being shoved down my throat.

2 minutes ago, monoccular said:

Exactly - just bloody well win.  It is entirely in our own hands.  But if we can't get second (highly unlikely) then from a purely selfish point of view, Collingwood 1st and us 4th would mean that us Victorians have the opportunity to see it all live at the Melbourne CG.

Right now, we can't catch Collingwood and if Brisbane beat the Saints next week, we won't catch them either

The Lions will be up for a home QF final

So it's 3rd or 4th for us, six of one, half a dozen of the other

Beat the Hawks and rest up for September

Put it this way, I wouldn't be risking Oliver if we're playing in a dead rubber.  Or Gawn.  Or Petracca

There are no easy games in finals. Here or Gabba or AO. 
 

Last weeks pressure was pretty good. We need to repeat that performance and try to better it this week and next. You cannot expect to just turn it in finals. 

Just now, Macca said:

Right now, we can't catch Collingwood and if Brisbane beat the Saints next week, we won't catch them either

The Lions will be up for a home QF final

So it's 3rd or 4th for us, six of one, half a dozen of the other

Beat the Hawks and rest up for September

Put it this way, I wouldn't be risking Oliver if we're playing in a dead rubber.  Or Gawn.  Or Petracca

It is a real tough one @Macca it will be 3 weeks since there last game if we rest players.

We will know at 7.20 pm next Saturday night what we need to do.