titan_uranus

I'm surprised there haven't been more "keep a lid on it, finals haven't started yet" posts by now.

I think it's near-certain we'll be playing on Saturday night next week. Presumably at the Adelaide Oval but not sure of venue yet.

Saturday night makes sense - we get the extra day off (Geelong get the 6-day break into the Port game), and they can play 5 v 8 on the Sunday which means that winner, and the winner of Sydney v GWS on Saturday afternoon, gets a six-day break into the semis.

https://www.foxsports.com.au/afl/afl-finals-fixture-2021-afl-finals-2021-who-plays-who-schedule-bracket-dates-venues-times-tv-how-it-works/news-story/fdf43203d959093c4a6d440cce2785c1

Lol Chris Scott saying they were in control. They played 20 (albeit near-perfect) minutes of football and we controlled the rest of the game.

But he's minimising the disappointment which I suppose is understandable. 

It's too early to call because of the raw emotion. Fingers crossed no surprise injuries.

Assuming we're all fit, I'd look at bringing Hibberd back for Smith (cost us early goals and provided no real oomph whereas Hibberd I think would).

TMac stays. Doesn't get dropped after one game back. Structure is important and we need forward half options against Brisbane's tall defence.

6 - Oliver
5 - Lever
4 - Gawn
3 - Langdon
2 - Pickett
1 - Salem

@joeboy calling TMac "embarrassing" after that is pretty low.

I'd argue that's pretty embarrassing from you, actually.

Dear lord.

What was that.

Let's be clear: we were the better side for all bar 20 minutes. Geelong played 20 perfect minutes of football and I thought we were going to lose top spot because of just 20 minutes.

But the better team won.

I'm sure there will be some on here who will say we over-reacted to that win but IMO it may well be the greatest H&A win we've ever had (surely top 5), secured top spot after a tough year, gets us control over our finals destiny, and beat Geelong in the process. The reaction IMO shows the unity of our side and how much we want to win, and want to be successful and relevant. 

Oliver should have just sewn up the AFLCA award and may have grabbed a Brownlow too. That was an elite performance.

It's no coincidence that our A-graders were the ones who were down in the second quarter (Gawn got belted, Lever/May owned, Oliver/Petracca nowhere to be seen), but simultaneously where the ones who dragged us back into it. Gawn got back on top, Lever and May in the second half rectified all their poor form, and Petracca lifted.

This could be a watershed moment for this club. 

I'm so proud, but mindful that we have to reset now because a minor premiership isn't the real thing.

A few reasons why I don’t think this is a dead rubber at all. 

Firstly, winning form is important. 

Secondly, I don’t want to play Port in Adelaide next week. 

Thirdly, the AFL will let the side who finishes 1st pick whether they play their QF on Friday or Saturday. I reckon if we get 1st we’ll ask for the Saturday as the Friday would mean a third consecutive six day break. If we lose, we’re giving that choice up and I can see Geelong taking the Sat and Port getting the Friday, and an extra day’s break. 

2 hours ago, Demon17 said:

Sesnsible summary I reckpm NS.

I am also looking at the positive from last night and that is if we lose tonight we play Port in Week 1, then importantly not again unless we both make the GF.

Any prelim we make WILL not be against Port at their home ground.

The same applies if we win tonight. We won't then meet Port in a prelim at Adelaide. We will get the option of ground selection

We will overall avoid the only team with a huge home ground opportunity until a GF and that will be in Perth anyway.

2 hours ago, Demon17 said:

Don't agree.  Our biggest threat is meeting Port in a knockout final in Adelaise.  That most likely dissappearde as a scenario last night no matter what happens.

Not sure of the logic here. 

If we win tonight, we can still end up in Adelaide for the prelim - they win their first final, we lose ours. Puts us in their half of the draw. 

4 minutes ago, BigFez said:

Almost prefer to play Port than Brissie tbh. 

Brisbane look good but they’ve barely even played a top 8 side since the bye, let alone racked up the wins against them. 

1 minute ago, Jaded said:

Clarry could seal the Brownlow tomorrow if he plays well. 
 

What an absolute disaster. Port get to host finals with their home crowd. Nothing surer than them making the grand final. If it’s at AO they can just about seal the deal. 

Well they said that last year and it didn’t happen. 

1 minute ago, Webber said:

But for a 3 point turnaround, tomorrow night’s game has gone from dead rubber status to first week of the finals status. Regardless of whether we’re a better side or not, playing Port in Adelaide with their crowd, and only their crowd, is a 4 to 6 goal harder job. We don’t want that, and neither do Geelong. Port are now in the finals box seat. As the only club who’ll get a home crowd for two finals at least, they have to now be favourites to make the Grand Final. Seems wrong, but there it is.

Nothing we can do about it but win and avoid it. 

It’s hard to think Port can be 4-5 on the ladder for most of the year and end up hosting two finals but that’s what happens when you win your last six, including Sydney, GWS and the Dogs. 

Would be grand if the Eagles pull off a miracle tomorrow. My preferred draw would be the Dogs right now. They look cooked. 

Disaster. 

Near certain now to play Port in Adelaide if we lose. Percentage is in play though, would need a tiny loss for Geelong’s percentage to drop below Port’s so that even if they win they stay 2nd. 

A win gets us a “home” final almost certainly against Brisbane.

Other than ours, the only game that truly matters to me is Dogs v Port. Dogs win and we can all breathe a sigh of relief in knowing that won't be playing Port in Adelaide in the first final.

But St Kilda v Fremantle and Essendon v Collingwood are interesting games if you're looking at who finishes 8th. If Fremantle win, Essendon has to win. Would be far more interesting if Fremantle gets up, putting the pressure on Essendon to try to avoid doing a 2017 Melbourne.

1 hour ago, Lord Nev said:

Errrrr that's the whole point of my post....

58 minutes ago, jnrmac said:

OK missed that!

Can see him being used on Rohan in any case, Can run, is string enough and can stop him marking

But isn't the argument that this week he's being "moved" out of May's role and into Hibberd's role (which in turn is Hunt's role)?

(Which, by the way, I'm not a fan of).

1 hour ago, radar said:

Wow. Thx so much - really appreciate it. Been wondering and shows how far MFC have come in 7 years. 
Poor Roos didn’t have a lot to work with. 
From 2018 to today, every extra player a real upgrade. 
Jackson

Kossie

Rivers

Jordan

Bowey

May

Langdon

Petty

Brown

 

Matter of interest, where did you manage to locate those teams?

Google, then random websites like Triple M.

7 hours ago, radar said:

I’d like to see a R1,MFC team v St K - first game under Roos. Was it 2014?
Also same team for Goodwin’s first game in R1 2018.  

Interested in personnel changes. 
Thinking only Gawn and TMac from current best 22. 
Hibberd, Melk and Brown at other clubs. 
 

Other than Giants, MFC only team in finals that hasn’t won a flag this century. 

Round 1 2014. Only TMac in the side (Jones the only other member of that 22 on our list).

B: Dean.Terlich, James Frawley, Jack Grimes
HB: Lynden Dunn, Tom McDonald, Bernie Vince
C: Jimmy Toumpas, Jack Watts, Dom Tyson
HF: Rohan Bail, Jack Fitzpatrick,  Daniel Cross
F: Shannon Byrnes, Cameron Pedersen, Jeremy Howe
Foll: Jake Spencer, Nathan Jones, Jack Trengove
I/C: Viv Michie, Matt Jones, Jay Kennedy-Harris, Alex Georgiou
EMG: Daniel Nicholson, Sam Blease, Michael Evans

Round 1 2018. Only 8 of that 22 in the side this week (Lever, Salem, Petracca, Harmes, Fritsch, Gawn, Oliver, ANB), plus Brayshaw an emergency and a further 4 (Hibberd, Jetta, Hunt and Melksham) on the list.

B: Michael Hibberd, Jake Lever, Neville Jetta
HB: Jayden Hunt, Oscar McDonald, Nathan Jones
C: Bernie Vince, Jordan Lewis, Christian Salem
HF: Christian Petracca, Cam Pedersen, James Harmes
F: Bayley Fritsch, Jesse Hogan, Jeff Garlett
Foll: Max Gawn, Clayton Oliver, Alex Neal-Bullen
I/C: Jake Melksham, Mitch Hannan, Corey Maynard, Josh Wagner
EMG: Angus Brayshaw, Dom Tyson, Sam Frost, Tom Bugg

I disagree with Smith holding his spot over Hibberd and Sparrow holding his spot over Jordon.

But, neither is an egregiously bad decision.

If Port wins, I truly hope Smith proves me wrong. 

1 minute ago, Dr. Gonzo said:

Not only that, considering it's likely there will be a week off either before or after the Prelims winning week 1 isn't that big of a deal either. Of course going out in straight sets would be a nightmare but assuming you get over the semis it wouldnt be the end of the world to lose week 1.

Except that if we lose this week, there's a chance Port ends up our preliminary final opponent.

The best way to avoid playing a final in someone else's territory is to finish top 2 and win the first final.

34 minutes ago, Wadda We Sing said:

When was the last time we went through a H&A season without losing 2 games in a row?

Must be a bit of a first for us.

 

(apologies if this has been posted before and was mentioned on the last Podcast)

Funnily enough, 1964.

So that record has now been broken.

17 minutes ago, Pates said:

Lol do you get a choice but not the choice you want 🙄. Call me a party pooper but I’ll take us playing at the G with no crowds over a neutral venue with crowds. 

If this is the case then I would choose us playing at Adelaide Oval for a “home final” against WB or Geelong. Against Port….GABBA or Western Sydney. 

Either way I think that’s bulltish and makes me wonder why the F we should bother playing our best team this weekend. 

12 minutes ago, Bring-Back-Powell said:

I agree with you.

There’s no home ground advantage, and after begging and pleading to finish top 2 all year, I don’t really care anymore.

Saturday night is a dead rubber unless we have to win to avoid Port over there in week 1.

If Port wins, Saturday night is very much a live rubber.

A neutral venue hosting Geelong or the Dogs is a better option than having to play Port in Adelaide or Geelong in Geelong for the first final.

The Age is reporting that the clubs who get to host week 1 finals are going to be allowed to choose their venue, but Melbourne venues are off the table because the choices will be limited to venues with crowds.

https://www.theage.com.au/sport/afl/melbourne-could-face-difficult-venue-choice-for-qualifying-final-20210817-p58jin.html

2 hours ago, Clint Bizkit said:

Port Adelaide don’t really scare me but last time we played them they had a a fair few players out so it is tough to judge them properly but I think they are still my preferred opponent (not in Adelaide though).

On current form I'd have the Bulldogs as my preferred opponent.

Port away from Adelaide Oval is a beatable side but as you say, they've been reintegrating missing stars into their 22 the last few weeks and they're probably as good now as they've been all year, whereas the Dogs I think are tracking the other way.