The race for the top 4

[RUNVS]

Wouldn't matter if the swan$ got Lockett and Tagh Kennelly back. 12 goal loss incoming

Difference is that Hannebery is not around 36 and 50+ respectively

 

[ROYISHUNGRY]

Reckon Franklin will have a massive game. Sydney's form and especially their forward line is just too good at the moment.

The race to top 2 will be damn interesting this year!!!

 

[Crawb]

Geelong haven't been great the last couple weeks, but they're still huge contenders IMO for Top 4. 5th place could easily make a preliminary final this year. I could see any one of the Top 5 winning the flag if they finish Top 4. Great contest this year.

Top 2 race is interesting as well between Port Adelaide, Hawthorn and Sydney. Think Port Adelaide and Hawthorn will edge Sydney out however.

Also whilst the race for 7th/8th looks interesting now, North and GC have better run homes than Adelaide/Essendon. So it's pretty safe to lock them in.

 

[estibador]

Yeah nah. You're all easily as arrogant. Possibly more.

Yeah nah. Sydney have a few arrogant ones like we all do, but nowhere near the sheer quantity of Hawthorn.

 

[Hawkinspired]

Hawks should be fine now. It's unprecedented that they have won the last 5 games, and further to that won them by an average of 5 goals plus. You could still make an argument about injuries but the reality is that the depth is better than expected and team selection isn't as clear cut as first expected.

 

[The Swans Blog]

Unbearable, really??? I, like most fans of any team, love schadenfreude! It is very enjoyable to sit back to appreciate the spectacle of the losing teams fans start 'whirling around in self-destruct mode'. However, we are all guilty of this, but some posters on BigFooty just don't stop!

Cheers
Justice

Haha it took a while for someone to pick up on that. If you watch my posts you'll always see something like that thrown in for good measure (and a few laughs)

 

[Seeds]

Hawks should be fine now. It's unprecedented that they have won the last 5 games, and further to that won them by an average of 5 goals plus. You could still make an argument about injuries but the reality is that the depth is better than expected and team selection isn't as clear cut as first expected.

You guys are in great form at the moment but you have Freo at Freo (most likely loss), Sydney (50 50), Geelong (50 50) and Adelaide in Adelaide (most likely win but no one would be surprised if you lose as the Crows are starting to look good). If you lose 3 more games then you won't make top four.

 

[Seeds]

Outside of their match v North at SS, the Cats haven't looked convincing for the past 2 months.

If the Hawks win their next 3 (Nth-Adel-Syd) we'll finish top 2.

That's not true. You still have Freo, Geelong and Collingwood to come after that. Lose two games for the rest of the year and you kiss top two good bye. Lose three and you kiss top four goodbye. Port will only lose 1 more game for the year with their draw and Freo will only lose a maximum of 2 and probably less then that.

 

[Hawkinspired]

You're always going to drop a game unexpectedly but weather or not Hawthorn win or lose from here, I expect they will go in favourites in all of their remaining games. If they have won against the odds and come so close to the challengers despite being undermanned, then it should be 'expected' that we win those big games.

Mitchell is back this week and Gibson is closer than expected. Chris Fagan said Gibson wants to play v Crows but will be held back until after the bye against Sydney. So seemingly by the time we hit Sydney we should be close enough to full strength.

 

[MinerBoy]

That's not true. You still have Freo, Geelong and Collingwood to come after that. Lose two games for the rest of the year and you kiss top two good bye. Lose three and you kiss top four goodbye. Port will only lose 1 more game for the year with their draw and Freo will only lose a maximum of 2 and probably less then that.

We beat Pies with our eyes shut. We will win at least one of Freo and Geelong IMO but even if we lost both, we would still finish top 4 and most likely top 2 if we won those next 3 I previously mentioned. The Hawks end of H&A placing gets determined in the next 3 weeks IMO.

 

[atdhe]

You're always going to drop a game unexpectedly but weather or not Hawthorn win or lose from here, I expect they will go in favourites in all of their remaining games. If they have won against the odds and come so close to the challengers despite being undermanned, then it should be 'expected' that we win those big games.

Mitchell is back this week and Gibson is closer than expected. Chris Fagan said Gibson wants to play v Crows but will be held back until after the bye against Sydney. So seemingly by the time we hit Sydney we should be close enough to full strength.

Hawthorn will probably finish top 2, have them at lowest 3rd in my predictions, but your logic is terrible. How does winning against the odds versus 'challengers' assure wins in 'big games'? And Hawthorn lost to Sydney and Geelong - were they not big games? (that makes 2 losses for the rest of the year if the result stays the same). Being expected to win is not a reason in and of itself for winning, I would've thought the 2012 grand final would've been enough to convince you of that.

 

[Hawkinspired]

Hawthorn will probably finish top 2, have them at lowest 3rd in my predictions, but your logic is terrible. How does winning against the odds versus 'challengers' assure wins in 'big games'? And Hawthorn lost to Sydney and Geelong - were they not big games? (that makes 2 losses for the rest of the year if the result stays the same). Being expected to win is not a reason in and of itself for winning, I would've thought the 2012 grand final would've been enough to convince you of that.

Just to clarify I said winning against the odds, (as in our last 5 games) and come close to the challengers (Port and Sydney). So my logic is that now that we will have a much stronger side come those challengers, we will be expected to beat them.

As you say expectation is fraught with danger, but I don't think any Hawthorn supporter thought we'd come through the last 5 games without a loss.

 

[SuperSub17]

Just to clarify I said winning against the odds, (as in our last 5 games) and come close to the challengers (Port and Sydney). So my logic is that now that we will have a much stronger side come those challengers, we will be expected to beat them.

As you say expectation is fraught with danger, but I don't think any Hawthorn supporter thought we'd come through the last 5 games without a loss.

In fairness those 5 games have been GWS, West Coast, Carlton, Gold Coast and Collingwood - the first 4 of which were over $4 to win those respective games, and Hawthorn also has a very dominant record over Collingwood.

None of those wins were unexpected to me

 

[The Swans Blog]

So what is everyone predicting the top 4 to be?
Port
Hawks
Freo
Sydney
???

Might be in for a surprise there folks...

 

[Arsene Wenger]

Jeez everyone has an opinion and seeing how Port lost over the weekend not only does port damage but on the broader scale makes it clear that upsets can happen. Hawks have a tough road home. For me, Geelong, Port and Hawks will battle it out for 3rd and 4th. I think Sydney and Freo finish top 2.

 

[Mogumber]

You're always going to drop a game unexpectedly but weather or not Hawthorn win or lose from here, I expect they will go in favourites in all of their remaining games. If they have won against the odds and come so close to the challengers despite being undermanned, then it should be 'expected' that we win those big games.

Dunno if you'll be favourite to beat Freo @Subi. would be close both sides of the ledger I would have thought.

 

[SuperCats9]

Hawks and swans will finish top 2 IMO, Freo 3rd and Port 4th.

Top 4 is set.

 

[MinerBoy]

In fairness those 5 games have been GWS, West Coast, Carlton, Gold Coast and Collingwood - the first 4 of which were over $4 to win those respective games, and Hawthorn also has a very dominant record over Collingwood.

None of those wins were unexpected to me

Agreed. I expected we'd win them all. Not to say I wasn't apprehensive, but they were all games we should have won.

 

[MinerBoy]

So what is everyone predicting the top 4 to be?
Port
Hawks
Freo
Sydney
???

Might be in for a surprise there folks...

I did a ladder predictor earlier and allowed us losses v Cats and Freo. Each of the other sides picked up a loss or 2 as well. Of course it's all guesswork and we might lose to Swans and beat Freo....whatever.

The end result though was that the Hawks finished top with 68 points. The Cats finished 5th with 68 points.

TLDR version: It gunna be tight.

 

[James44]

Port have lost Trengrove & Carlisle for 3 weeks.

I'd back Essendon this week, regardless of the venue.

 

[Rioli magic]

Port have lost Trengrove & Carlisle for 3 weeks.

I'd back Essendon this week, regardless of the venue.

Essendon don't have a forwardline.

 

[Arsene Wenger]

I have done the ladder predictor too and i tell you what - its going to be super tight at the top come the end and percentage will be key. Big games every week and not necessarily the top 4 playing eachother (e.g. north v Hawks this week, Port v Ess etc)

 

[Arsene Wenger]

Port have lost Trengrove & Carlisle for 3 weeks.

I'd back Essendon this week, regardless of the venue.

of course you would. Clurey will come in and do a job. Still have Jonas and Hombsch and Hoff can go back. Not ideal but i back us to bounce back.

 

[James44]

of course you would. Clurey will come in and do a job. Still have Jonas and Hombsch and Hoff can go back. Not ideal but i back us to bounce back.

You can't really expect a second year player to hold down a key defensive slot.

Depth is the reason Port will be found out this year.

Lobbe is struggling and if he cops an injury, Port's ruck stocks are expired.

In comparison to other Top 4 candidates, Port just don't have the squad of 28 - 30 players you need to challenge for a flag.

 

[atdhe]

Just to clarify I said winning against the odds, (as in our last 5 games) and come close to the challengers (Port and Sydney). So my logic is that now that we will have a much stronger side come those challengers, we will be expected to beat them.

As you say expectation is fraught with danger, but I don't think any Hawthorn supporter thought we'd come through the last 5 games without a loss.

Fair enough. I thought you meant expected to win as in favourites according to the media/football experts, etc.