How many teams can win the flag this year from now?

[ziad]

It is April

 

[Sydney Bloods]

Am I the only one still not sold on North Melbourne as a genuine premiership contender?

Not denying their great early season form but only when they're put on the MCG in front of a decent crowd, a half hostile environment and still manage to get a convincing win will I start to believe they're capable of winning it all.

For what it's worth I don't think there's any more than three sides who are in the race.

I can see how they appear that way, they have a very flash in the pan feeling about them. i can see them being a bit hardened this year, but they seem to lack the next step past "generic finals run" much like many finalists have been over the last few years.

But looking at the draw i have them finishing 3rd and facing the hawks in a prelim, so whilst the gut feeling is they'll aren't genuine contenders. when i go game by game they are certainly looking like they are the real deal.

 

[shintemaster]

Lol. NM come out if you're taking Adelaide out. Beat us by 10 points when we handed you the game with ill discipline.

Got it. Adelaide losing doesn't count just cos.

 

[Rory Walkerfield]

Got it. Adelaide losing doesn't count just cos.

Huh? The point is if he wants to exclude Adelaide from the premiership race, then NM aren't that much better on evidence thus far!

 

[krisholio14]

I can see how they appear that way, they have a very flash in the pan feeling about them. i can see them being a bit hardened this year, but they seem to lack the next step past "generic finals run" much like many finalists have been over the last few years.

But looking at the draw i have them finishing 3rd and facing the hawks in a prelim, so whilst the gut feeling is they'll aren't genuine contenders. when i go game by game they are certainly looking like they are the real deal.

Aside from the fact Hawthorn won't make the prelim, my concern with North is that I don't believe they have the players that know how to play smart footy against tough opposition in big games when things get tight. If they are going to win one with this squad, this is the year, but they need an emphatic performance against a genuine contender to frank their credentials.

I also don't know why people are so quick to write off GWS. In Mumford, Shaw and SJ alone they have premiership experience, and that counts for quite a bit. It seems to me that people are forgetting they are a unique beast. They have a lot of guns maturing at the same time both physically and in terms of experience, and they are playing the sort of footy that wins flags. The thing that impressed me most tonight was how they manhandled Hawthorn. Even when the Hawks have been well beaten in recent times, they haven't been pushed around physically. The Giants monstered them completely. Make no mistake, the men in orange can win it this year.

I reckon the premier will come from one of Sydney, GWS, Geelong, Adelaide and North.

 

[Colonial]

18 teams can.
Though probably put a line through Freo.

 

[pinot]

For mine I can't see where Carlton can lose a game all year. You'd have to throw them in the mix as well

Good lad.

 

[pinot]

Adelaide better than Hawthorn.

North
Sydney
Adelaide
GWS

Geelong has played all the strugglers and lost to GWS.

Geelong playing WCE + Adelaide next so we shall see after that.

 

[whitelinefeva]

Gws
North
Hawks
Swans
Cats

 

[Sydney Bloods]

Aside from the fact Hawthorn won't make the prelim, my concern with North is that I don't believe they have the players that know how to play smart footy against tough opposition in big games when things get tight. If they are going to win one with this squad, this is the year, but they need an emphatic performance against a genuine contender to frank their credentials.

I also don't know why people are so quick to write off GWS. In Mumford, Shaw and SJ alone they have premiership experience, and that counts for quite a bit. It seems to me that people are forgetting they are a unique beast. They have a lot of guns maturing at the same time both physically and in terms of experience, and they are playing the sort of footy that wins flags. The thing that impressed me most tonight was how they manhandled Hawthorn. Even when the Hawks have been well beaten in recent times, they haven't been pushed around physically. The Giants monstered them completely. Make no mistake, the men in orange can win it this year.

I reckon the premier will come from one of Sydney, GWS, Geelong, Adelaide and North.

we'll have to agree to disagree with the hawks. But on the roo's i think we're seeing eye to eye. I'm merely pointing out that despite my gut feeling when look at them on paper and work out who will beat who based on form and personal, North push a lot deeper than most people think..... but thats on paper.

as for the giants of course they "can" win this season, you'd think the inexperienced excuse for why teams "cannot" win a flag would have died way public in 92. but footy operates on a delayed perception response to alterations in stimuli, people claim the SCG is "stamp" sized and that carltons a "big 4" team. its round 6 and the giants have never made the 8. people won't consider the giants a threat until they prove themselves in finals.

especially seeing as we've have these false dawns with new clubs every year "the suns will be unstoppable the AFL has created a monster" "the sky is falling" "10 flags between them, guaranteed" "this is the year they take flight" people grow tired of cries about wolves.

 

[Colonial]

especially seeing as we've have these false dawns with new clubs every year "the suns will be unstoppable the AFL has created a monster" "the sky is falling" "10 flags between them, guaranteed" "this is the year they take flight" people grow tired of cries about wolves.

True. But the tears on here and the vfl journos are a joy.

Especially after the 5 years of being told we were the worst club of all time.

 

[momentbymoment]

Sydney will win the flag this year.
You heard it first here.

I think I read that Sydney is sliding this year

 

[momentbymoment]

Fair point hawthorn shouldn't be considered a flag contender. Our percentage reflect where we truly are at.

We're missing Roughead.

Sent from my E6653 using Tapatalk

Roughead won't save you.

 

[Boomerfan99]

Aside from the fact Hawthorn won't make the prelim, my concern with North is that I don't believe they have the players that know how to play smart footy against tough opposition in big games when things get tight. If they are going to win one with this squad, this is the year, but they need an emphatic performance against a genuine contender to frank their credentials.

I also don't know why people are so quick to write off GWS. In Mumford, Shaw and SJ alone they have premiership experience, and that counts for quite a bit. It seems to me that people are forgetting they are a unique beast. They have a lot of guns maturing at the same time both physically and in terms of experience, and they are playing the sort of footy that wins flags. The thing that impressed me most tonight was how they manhandled Hawthorn. Even when the Hawks have been well beaten in recent times, they haven't been pushed around physically. The Giants monstered them completely. Make no mistake, the men in orange can win it this year.

I reckon the premier will come from one of Sydney, GWS, Geelong, Adelaide and North.

GWS did lose to Melbourne.

 

[Hobbes]

The ladder doesn't lie.

How GWS can be contender when they've never even played a final is baffling.

The ladder can be very deceiving when a team has played Melbourne, Brisbane, Fremantle and Gold Coast in their six matches.


Just like the ladder was very deceiving when Gold Coast were 3-0 having played Essendon, Carlton and Fremantle.

 

[ItsAllAboutMe]

Hawks, Sydney & Geelong IMO are the only ones that can win it... GWS and North could mke a granny but dont have the quality players to win it.

 

[OK Computer]

I can't believe how overrated North are. Dogs played so piss-poor on friday night that ****ing Melbourne could've beaten them. And to only win by 20 points against a side that played as bad as I've ever seen? They've done absolutely nothing to deserve this besides beating the Crows. Premiership teams don't have an average winning margin of 20 points against the likes of Freo, Brisbane, Suns and Melbourne. Yes, they will go 9-0 thanks to the easiest draw in the league, but then they have Syd-Rich-Cats-Hawks-Adel-WC in consecutive weeks after that. Won't even be in the top 4 come the bye. They will also end their season with Dogs-Hawks-Syd-Giants. I'd say they will just barely make the top 8.

 

[PatrickBateman]

GWS did lose to Melbourne.

Logic has no place in this thread, you know that.

 

[David the Cat]

Hawthorn remind me of Geelong 2014.....they'll win enough to make finals.....then eat it big time.

 

[marty36]

Would love to see a GWS v Sydney GF, one because it would be great to see and two because it would open the debate on where the GF should be played

 

[Just4Kicks]

I can't believe how overrated North are. Dogs played so piss-poor on friday night that ******* Melbourne could've beaten them. And to only win by 20 points against a side that played as bad as I've ever seen? They've done absolutely nothing to deserve this besides beating the Crows. Premiership teams don't have an average winning margin of 20 points against the likes of Freo, Brisbane, Suns and Melbourne. Yes, they will go 9-0 thanks to the easiest draw in the league, but then they have Syd-Rich-Cats-Hawks-Adel-WC in consecutive weeks after that. Won't even be in the top 4 come the bye. They will also end their season with Dogs-Hawks-Syd-Giants. I'd say they will just barely make the top 8.

Played just crap teams, blah, blah, easiest draw ever, blah, blah, wait until they hit real opposition, blah, blah. Always the same crap. But we are overrated, sure .

 

[OK Computer]

lalalalalalalalalalalalalalalalal

 

[beert]

If you're still doubtful then just ask the great squiggle - it's predicting a GEE v SYD GF at the moment.

A quick tip on squigglology. The forecaster is not great at finals. In this situation, you are better off using the flagpole, which currently has Geelong 8th in threateningness.

 

[Seeds]

Gws is the team to beat. Look at the way they are winning people. They look destructive. Geelong and Sydney are the next in line. Then big gap to the next lot.

 

[JT_the_Man]

Once every other team has 12 players go down to suspensions, I can see the Dons giving it a good shake.