After round 8, How are we travelling?

[robertg22]

I don't think we'll make the finals but wouldn't be at all surprised if we did. We are about where I thought we would be. The good thing about this year is that we are smashing the bad sides (round 1 aside), so the percentage is pretty healthy, which could prove to be important.
We need to potentially pinch a 1 or 2 against some of the top sides to be a serious threat for finals.

Last week's loss to Richmond could come back to bite us.

 

[jmac70]

We will make the finals comfortably.

 

[Prestigerrycomo]

I think apart from Richmond we've won the games we should have.

The lapses in the 2nd quarter will hopefully be a thing of the past a the young team gets more experience.

 

[Ketchup]

As can be expected, won what we should be winning. Lost all our 50/50s (Geelong, Richmond and Adelaide).

 

[TradeDraft]

We can make Finals but we need Things Go our Way and Stop having at least 1 Injury per game

 

[ThisIsJake]

We are traveling exactly how we are expected to given our age profile, no shocks.

This is a developement year and I can not complain at all.

Beat every team we should have beaten, lost to the 2 teams that are trying to contend and will likely make finals and just lost to Richmond who is a team that should finish around us(umps may have played a part ).

All this while we have had 2/4 best mids out(Sidey, Greenwood) and a midfield group and backline who haven't really played with each other at all.

I am extremely satisfied.

 

[Markfs]

currently we have won 5 and lost 3

 

[Apex36]

Line-ball for me.

But the big story for me is the introduction of the kids and return to form of Swan which makes a big difference (although his disposal, especially by hand, is a little hit-and-miss).

Whats made me most happy to date is to watch all the kids we've slipped in who are getting it done. That's all I wanted at the start of the year over whether we just made or missed the finals.

There's a good vibe around the club as the kids probably feel ownership about the future. How much benefit are we getting from developing these kids and still banking wins, enormous?

Look at the sub 50 game players getting it done: Crisp, Oxley, Ramsay, Frost, Langdon, Adams and Seedsman. Grundy and Witts are working on a ruck time frame and on that score are also getting valuable time and experience in. Then we have Broomhead and De Goey highly promising and Kennedy banging on the door along with Maynard.

Terrific.

You can scratch Adams of the sub 50 games list as of yesterday.

 

[Old Spice]

As can be expected, won what we should be winning. Lost all our 50/50s (Geelong, Richmond and Adelaide).

Adelaide played well early in the season before some injuries. Richmond we would have won without Schmitt and Geelong game was disappointing but about the 1st quarter.

 

[Bard]

As stated by a number of people the most promising thing is our ability to bury teams which we've never done consistently under Bucks even with a better side. This shows that even with Cloke and White's alleged woes, we're improving offensively.

Wont make finals this year, but arent that far away. Middle of the road, doubt we'll beat any top sides this year.

We'll beat 1 top 4 side, just a question of who.

 

[Soaring Magpie]

Would have taken 5 wins after 8 games before the season started, it's not about finals for me this year, although if we get there fantastic. I just want to see the continued improvement week to week and the progression of the young fellas improve the more games they play.
By the end of the year I'd like to think we would see the likes of sharenberg, Moore, freeman even Maynard all putting pressure on if not in the 22.
Keep working on the game plan bucks wants them to play, and set a real launching pad towards 2016, the future is bright down at the Westpac centre

 

[golazo]

Very happy with where we're at right now. Probably will miss out on finals, but there's so much to like about the direction we're heading in.

We've slaughtered 3 teams, won interstate twice and shown a lot of effort in every game. From here on in, we'll win a few games that we shouldn't and lose games that we should win. You get that with a young team.

If we get in a 'big fish' via free agency we might even be a chance for the top 4 in 2016.


Edit: Also worth mentioning that we'll improve as the season goes on...with returning players and current players finding their feet a bit more. Top 6 is a chance, but realistically I have us 9th or 10th

 

[Matt_352]

As stated by a number of people the most promising thing is our ability to bury teams which we've never done consistently under Bucks even with a better side. This shows that even with Cloke and White's alleged woes, we're improving offensively.



We'll beat 1 top 4 side, just a question of who.

PA

 

[frizzle]

Thought between 10-12th before the season started. Still think that's about right

 

[didaksrightfoot]

I think the loss to Richmond showed how far off we are. Pendles playing injured was a great chance for someone like an Adams, Broomhead, Crisp, etc to stand up and take the last quarter by the aggotts. Realistically we are 2 years away from finals but i think we will enjoy watching the young players develop

I disagree.

I think a close loss to Richmond shows exactly where we are - we are both teams that will be around, and probably just outside, the 8. Before the season I think I tipped us around the 6-12 mark, and the first 8 rounds have pretty much affirmed that. I'm not too fussed on whether or not we make the 8, as long as the team keeps improving and we don't have too many uncompetitive losses.

What must be mentioned is the AFL's fixturing. After years of being shafted by the fixtures (which comes from our run of top 4/6 finishes), our double-ups this year are all beatable teams. (Gee, Ess, Ric, Melb and Carlton)... and the devil's advocate in me wonder's whether another out of the 8 would give us an equally good, or better, fixture for 2016? (Which could work out well if that's the year we want to really start pushing up the ladder)... not saying I would ever want us to lose games intentionally (that just breeds failure) but that a drop off isn't always the worst thing.

 

[Leviathan Pie]

B at this stage in relation to the 2015 season.

Loss to a pretty ordinary side in Richmond, and somewhat of a smacking to the Cats will be the two costly losses when it comes to our finals hopes.

 

[Buckley is my hero]

Considering the players we have lost from last year, I am very happy where we are sitting. The main thing for me is that we have arrested our slide down the ladder each year during Buckley's tenure. Mostly likely we are likely to finish about 10th this year which is an improvement for me from eleventh last year. Players like Grundy, Broomhead and Ramsay are starting to play senior football and speculative pickups like Oxley and Seedsman are showing that they belong in the side. The lost of Beams has been balanced by the pickup of Crisp who has shown he can play as a tall defensive mid. De Goey will take time to adjust and Greenwood has yet to play. White is starting to show that he can combine with Cloke and Brown has settled back into the backline with Frost. Goldsack has shown his best position is down back where he can play on both smalls and talls.
The down side is that injuries are still taking their toll. We seem to be losing about one player a week. We get one player back and then another player goes down. We can't afford to lose players and we don't have the cover, especially with key position players, to cover for the players who go down.It doesn't help when two of your starting 22 aren't able to play at all.

 

[doppleganger]

Good start to the season, Richmond loss hurts and that one may cost us a finals spot.

Some end of season ladder predictors have a big log jam of teams ending the season around 11-12 wins....12wins with poor % may not be enough to get in

Can see us being similar finish to last year being a game or so out, and that being our bottom out before a return to finals footy and a quick return to PFs too.

 

[Countrypie]

Firstly its a real interesting year.

Results seem to indicate that there are three stand out teams teams I'd expect the current team to beat 1 time out of 10 - Hawthorn - who are 4/4 but could easily be 8 zip (the law of averages says we must be close to beating them) Freo (no chance) Sydney - our record against them is very good. realistically I would not expect to beat any of them this year.

Port have gone backwards and shooting stars like Adelaide and the bulddogs have come back to teh field.

I expect GWS to hit the same wall our young players did last year.

There are also a group of 4 that really are sub standard

Carlton Gold Coast, Brisbane, St Kilda.

The rest could land anywhere depending on draw injuries, luck and dare I say it umpiring decisions.

I think the Pies are good enough to beat any team I haven't mentioned between 4 and 6 times out of 10. Yes Geelong and Richmond beat us - I don't fear playing them again. Essendon similarly could turn the tables on us.

It will all get down to injuries and a little dumb luck (something that Buckley has had nothing of and it's time he did)
All that said, I'm not sure that right now finals would be the best thing for us. I don't think we're ready. But our time is coming. The three outstanding teams all have ageing lists and Freo will fall a long way when they go over the hill - The Ross Lyon legacy.

SO we could make anywhere between 5th and 12th. I'm betting on 8th to 10th

 

[Ant85]

I have us finishing 10th.

We could make finals if we win all the 50/50s (North, GWS, WCE, Richmond, Essendon etc.), but given where we are, I think that's unlikely.

After 8 rounds, however, I think there's a general consensus that we're on the right track with our development.

I'm really looking forward to the next two weeks. North and GWS will show us where we're at, I think a lot clearer than the top sides. We know we won't be able to match it with Freo, Hawthorn and Sydney, but if we can win one of the next two, I'd be impressed.

GWS game will be the one to watch, our kids vs theirs, two risings teams that I expect to contend and contest in the next few years.

 

[Baird]

We have a fairly easy draw this year. I think we'll make the finals.

North
Melbourne
GWS
Hawthorn
Fremantle
Port
West Coast (in Melbourne)
Bulldogs
Melbourne
Carlton
Sydney (In Sydney)
Richmond
Geelong
Essendon

It's hard to see where we're going to lose more than 7 games

 

[Big Bryza]

We're developing well and the signs are there for an exciting 2016-2019 period of sustained finals footy. For mine this year is similar to 2006. A new group of core players breaking through with some experienced stars mixed in. Whether we make finals or not (I always want us to) there's a really good feeling about where we are heading.

 

[10571z]

The only thing that gives me hope is that now port have gone to crap we could win 1 of that horror 3 run!

 

[Winston_Smith]

After round 8, How are we travelling?

Allow me to express my opinion through the medium of song...

 

[jackcass]

I disagree.

I think a close loss to Richmond shows exactly where we are - we are both teams that will be around, and probably just outside, the 8. Before the season I think I tipped us around the 6-12 mark, and the first 8 rounds have pretty much affirmed that. I'm not too fussed on whether or not we make the 8, as long as the team keeps improving and we don't have too many uncompetitive losses.

What must be mentioned is the AFL's fixturing. After years of being shafted by the fixtures (which comes from our run of top 4/6 finishes), our double-ups this year are all beatable teams. (Gee, Ess, Ric, Melb and Carlton)... and the devil's advocate in me wonder's whether another out of the 8 would give us an equally good, or better, fixture for 2016? (Which could work out well if that's the year we want to really start pushing up the ladder)... not saying I would ever want us to lose games intentionally (that just breeds failure) but that a drop off isn't always the worst thing.

Yep, finish 7-12 and we get another soft draw In 2016, finish in 9th and we get a top 10 draft pick. Neither of which is unlikely at this stage.