Macca

2027? The larest is that he wants to go until he is 50. ? Just joking

My view is that you have to win your division. So you really only have to get in front of 3 other teams. Sounds odd but that is the reality Your divisikn is tough but a lot can change within the space of a year particularly in regards to the QB pisition.

You are right but with the way the playoffs work the AFC is exactly half the league. Works the same in the NBA. The regular season crossover games doesn't impact either conference either. Not to any great extent anyway

Yeah good points Wadda ... I'm probably going to pick the eyes out of the selections and go that way. A 4pick is to my taste but at a stretch a 5pick. I'll finalise my 2 picks later on ...may go baseball, soccer or rugby as I don't feel comfortable going against any Australian side. The Springboks will almost certainly win against Argentina -it's just the margin I have to work out. And then I'll find 1 soccer or 1 baseball Welcome to your thread haha ?

Belichick might disagree but then again, he really doesn't talk like a lot does he? The king of mumbling (Belichick-speak) though.

Best Bet ... Caulfield Race 6 No.1 Sunlight $3.50 If she brings her absolute A game she should win. Her rating is miles higher than any of her rivals. Drawn an inside gate (3) so she should be around the lead from the jump - which is her go.

Interesting development DZ ... here's Torcedor's form and in the video below, it's last race, run just over 2 weeks ago. It's a 2 miler, that's for sure. Just got on ... thanks for the heads up Wadda.

As previously mentioned there are 11 group races across 4 states to be run on Saturday with a lot of the now 3YO's returning as well as some standout WFA races featuring some old favourites. Here are 6 of the 11 races to keep an eye out for ... Randwick Race 4 Silver Shadow Stakes 3YO Fillies 1200m Group 2 Randwick Race 6 Winx Stakes WFA 1400m Group 1 Randwick Race 7 Show County Quality 1200m Group 3 Caulfield Race 5 Vain Stakes 3YO C & G 1100m Group 3 Caulfield Race 7 P.B. Lawrence Stakes WFA 1400m Group 2 Caulfield Race 8 Regal Roller Stakes Hcp 1200m Listed As well as the above 'Dollar for Dollar' is running around in the Spring Stakes in Adelaide, 'Sunlight' is running in the Quezette Stakes at Caulfield and 'Spin' is entered in the Up & Coming Stakes at Randwick. Unfortunately Alizee & Estijaab are both out for the Spring but both horses are expected to return to racing next Autumn. And 'She Will Reign' has been retired after mild inflammation was discovered in her lower airway. The horse was purchased for just $20k but won $3.2Million in prizemoney including a Golden Slipper & a Moir Stakes. In other news - on Tuesday morning a quartet of tipsters on RSN nominated their horses to follow for the Spring. Namely - Grunt, Miss Fabulass, D'argento, Hiyaam, Tosen Basil, Unforgotten, Homesman, Brutal & Land of Plenty. Listen to the full podcast here - features David Gately & Mick Sharkie

Well we're all demons here so I'll go out on a limb and say we will play finals after defeating GWS in round 23. I believe the best way to overcome adversity is to keep challenging yourself when the results don't go your way - eventually, by persevering, you will win. You never give up. With regards to the Packers, I always thank my lucky stars that I'm lucky enough to follow a professionally run team with a gun QB. Just don't get injured Aaron!

It's going to be another great season Dappa ... I'm hoping that our Demons can at least play a final or 2 as a nice lead-in/crossover so here's hoping. Packers don't get to play the Champs which is a bit of a shame as I'd like to see how we measure up against the Eagles but maybe in the playoffs? We do meet a number of teams that the contributors to this thread follow though ... vs 49ers, Bears & Vikings twice of course, @ Rams, vs Atlanta but not the Jags. Bring it on!

I'll say yes with the Browns being a possible landing spot (at least in terms of the $$$'s!) Whilst I'm here I'm assuming we keep the tipping comp going again if we've got enough starters ... for those uninitiated the comp involves nominating 3 road teams to win in any given week with 3 picks. I point on offer every time you get it right and we have a number of bonus point weeks. More details later.

We might do ok and take it up to the All Blacks but their rugby is as strong as ever ... in the recently completed Super Rugby season their 5 provincial teams just continued to win freely. They would be more than competitive with 2 or 3 international teams. I understand the huge rivalry but I can't help but admire the New Zealand team. I'm thinking New Zealand 11-20 and that is paying $4. But I do like to look for a bit of value layz. Welcome to the thread by the way ... there should be a couple/few more join us over the next few days. NFL tips might be your go?

Reasonably certain that both the All Blacks & the Springboks will win their respective Rugby Championship games (vs Wallabies & vs Pumas) but have to decide on what margin suits The odds are surprisingly good for a lot of the options ... picking against Australia doesn't seem right either but the All Blacks are all-conquering. Both games are being held on Saturday (7.40pm and just after midnight)

Spot on Smokey But the bs sells if the story is juicy enough Talking us up knowing that we almost certainly can't meet those lofty expectations and be ready to stick the boot in when the expectations aren't met. With a gullible audience, the bs is easily sold. When our own supporters buy-in it just creates an even bigger problem The team is only ever going to become a great team when it actually becomes a great team ...not before.

I wonder if the MC might be thinking of resting a few of the young guns against the Eagles in the wake of the Hogan injury? Ready for a full assault against GWS in round 23. If the Eagles shore up 2nd spot with a win then GWS may not have much to play for. A few things would have to fall into place but it's just a thought. A number of teams have rested a number of players pre finals including the Saints, Freo, Geelong & North. Adelaide last year as well?

And the 'most' may be wrong. Ask any Collingwood fan who their worst player was in their 2010 flag win BN. Or Essendon of 2000. That is the benchmark but both those powerhouse teams only won 1 flag each. No weak links. Intersting fact is that we lost 8 gamss in 2000 and 9 games in 1988 yet many are bitter about the fact that we lost both GF's. I have the opposite view.

Our list is the problem if we think we're in a position to challenge for a premiership or contend for premiership right now. Any team that can periodically contain 6 - 8 average (or worse) players just can't be regarded as a powerhouse. Or a future powerhouse unless those types are replaced by much better players. My measurement is the best of the best ... not thereabouts or maybe's. As supporters we influence virtually nothing but of course we can all observe and pass comment. And a lot of those comments are often based on hope, faith, trust, belief systems and what we're led to believe. But facts are facts and if we are continuously falling short against the better sides then there is usually sound reasoning on why that keeps happening ... we can point the finger at the coaching, game plan, systems, umpires, culture, ego's or the like but it usually all boils down to talent levels AF. We need more good players at the club. At least 5 or 6 more. But despite the above I have rated our season to date as about an 8/10. Finals were a goal obviously and they still are but if we miss out I won't see the season as a failure. The injuries that we've had generally happen to all the teams so that gets factored in.

Ok ... forget my description of a 'good' player and lets call them gun players ... how many gun players have we got - 10? More? Less? I stand by my figure of 11 but I'm being a little generous with 1 or 2. And 3 of the 11 are unavailable through injury - injuries also always need to be factored in when evaluating the 'how many'. Speaking of which ... how many of our last 6 - 8 players picked would even get a game in the great Brisbane team of the early 2000's or the Geelong or Hawthorn premiership teams of late? I'd say none. Not one. 6 - 8 fringe players in the team means any hope of contending requires a huge amount of luck. The big chance at a flag isn't going to happen AF until we improve the list by another 5 - 6 "Gun" players. Because that is how good you have to be as a team to even win 1 premiership. Forget aberration moments like the Bulldogs flag of 2016 - aberrations moments are just that - aberrations. We are overrated pure and simple and the reason why we can't beat the good teams is simply because we are not that good. Top players make great decisions on the ground even under extreme pressure but we've got an abundance of players who turn the ball over as a matter of course under very little pressure. As a team we make basic fundamental errors that a top side would never make. As for players with great vision, we don't have a lot of them either. We've got an average to above average list but to be a true contender you have to be great. We've been talked up ad nauseum in the media but I refuse to buy-in to the talk unless I can see great. But here's the thing .... we are a team on the rise and we can get to be great. We are just nowhere near that level right now. Right now I believe we are doing about as well as we can do given our level of talent.

That's quite a trio of high quality races ... Santos might again cross paths with the Rosebud winner from Saturday (Sandbar) In fact, following the paths of a lot of the 2YO's from the Autumn could be quite fruitful. A lot of those now 3YO'S will be racing over the next 2 or 3 weeks. For instance, Sunlight, Mig Energy, Rock Hard, The August, Long Leaf & Setsuna could all be running around at Caulfield on Saturday.

I made an executive decision BM and started up another thread for the sports picks ... here We chatted about it a bit here and reached a bit of an impasse but I'm confident that both threads will thrive between seasons. Feel free to lend your expertise over there - you and @Dee Zephyr both went 2 from 2 last weekend whilst I dipped out completely and Wadda got 1 from 2 and just missed on his 2nd pick. The Rugby Internationals return next weekend so I may do better with that sport rather than baseball. And we've missed your best bets too so it''s good to have you back ... there's some good racing coming up at Randwick & Caulfield next Saturday albeit a bit tricky with so many horses coming back from spells. First up form and trial form will no doubt be a pointer though.

Almost back into full swing with 10 Group races this coming Saturday ...the mighty mare Winx returns in a Group 1 race at Randwick named in her honour whilst the feature event at Caulfield features any number of prominent horses that have been nominated. Here's an article from Racenet.com with regards to the race ... The P. B. Lawrence Stakes Group 2 1400m

We are building nicely ... but we've hit that spot where we are testing ourselves against good opposition and we keep coming up short. It's frustrating because we're in a hurry to be successful ... supporters don't like losing and they're going to vent. That's fair enough too. Me ... I want the list to be so strong that the close losses don't happen. Goodwin is a winner and he will hate these losses as well but he needs to keep a cool head. Ignore the noise and stay the course will be his M.O. At other times I've seen very little to be enthused about and have said as much ... this place included. I have genuine hope this time around but we need some more good players - preferably with a yard of pace. As for the present ... win next week and we are in the hunt again. All is not lost.

He is down on form this year and again, it's not that I don't want to rate Jetta highly it's just that his absolute best form is needed to be classed as a true difference maker. But it's only 1 player Dave ... in the whole scheme of things we are still 5 or 6 good players away from being a genuine consistent contender. Lewis I included but only just - we need him to be a distributor, not as a ball winning in and under in crowded areas. That is not his go these days. My ambition for the list is to 5 goals better than the 2nd best team ... at various stages of football history we've seen any number of teams achieve that ideal. Multiple flags often eventuate from that position of strength. We've been there ourselves but that was a long time ago. We are in a far far better position now than what we were 10 years ago or even 5 years ago but we are still a fair way off. But that is just my opinion ... others are free to disagree. With the salary cap and the draft it's very hard to add any more than 2 or 3 good players in any given season ... so to get to a really strong position with regards to the list requires great recruiting and a fair dose of luck.

The bottom line is that I don't rate the list that highly and we're about where I thought we'd be with regards to ladder position and with regards to our win/loss ratio. And my argument has been a consistent one too. And I don't overrate players or underrate them either ... there is no bias, no favour, no one player is ever in the gun nor do I play favourites. Petracca, Melksham, Jetta & Harmes aren't match-winners nor do they impact games to a point where I can categorically call them good players. And to me a good player is a player who plays well in 4 out of 5 games, impacts games in that period of games or beats his opposite number for that amount of games. Other people might use a more descriptive word than just good - like very good, excellent or gun. I've always just used the word good. If we had 15 or 16 good players we would be winning more games (even with the 4 injured players) Losing these close games against decent opposition is no surprise to me ... if we were winning them it wouldn't be much of a surprise either. We're talking fine lines here.

Good analysis DS but we differ on a few ... Quality players are only quality players if they can produce the goods 4 out of 5 games. Or perhaps 3 out of 4. Beat their opposite number or impact games. Over time in a consistent manner. So Petracca, Melksham, Harmes & Jetta fall short. That is not to say that any or all of them aren't on the cusp but they are not there yet. 3 are on the rise whilst 1 is struggling for his best form. Salem & Brayshaw have stepped it up. A top 4 team would be able to cover for our injured 4 but we are not a top 4 team in the traditional sense.