Contenders and Pretenders 2019 ( edited - Page 32 current discussion ) Are Richmond now the team to beat?

[Lsta062]

I can’t see them beating the 3 teams I labeled contenders. I think there is the top 3, then a gap, then GWS and Richmond then another gap then the others that will make the finals

I see, that's fine

 

[The Falcon Strike]

And when they are not on they are woeful.

Yep - really woeful

Even the 2nd quartet against Adelaide

It wasn’t event the whole quarter that we were terrible - mainly the last 10-15 minutes

We were diabolical - almost disinterested

 

[Macpotata]

Big game next week looms, for a lot of teams.

The Crows have a chance to finally stake their claim next Saturday night against the visiting Giants who were victorious twice in Adelaide last season. The Giants have ran into a rich vein of form although the sides they've played have all been outside the 8. In fact, they've been against the bottom 3 sides of the competition. Adelaide also upstaged he 3rd bottom Demons last night erasing a 31 point deficit surviving a shot for goal in the dying seconds that would have seen them lose heart achingly again. Melbourne have produced some quality football at times this year and did so again at TIO Stadium. Three losses at home already for the Crows so a loss against the strong Giants wouldn't surprise, nor would a win either. A confidence boost for the winner.

Friday Night Richmond vs Geelong. A lot of recent history here and another ego boost goes to the victor. Richmond getting man handled against the Roos Friday night and a they wouldn't like another loss on the big stage during prime time. In last years Friday night encounter at the G Ablett missed a shot at the end that would have given the Tigers a rare loss. They find themselves in a form reversal this time around with the Catters sitting aloft the AFL Ladder and Richmond not as potent as they were expected to be.

Rivals Sydney vs Wce and Collingwood vs Melbourne for the traditional Queens Birthday Block Buster also see's some mouth watering encounters. West Coast have strugged against Sydney at the SCG having not won their since 1999. The Swannies scalped the Eagles twice last year in Round 1 at Optus, the first ever game there during the season proper, and also snapped a 10 match winning streak when they met in Sydney. Melbourne would be seething after blowing a massive chance to get their season back on track against the Crows in Darwin last night. Collingwood also lost a heart breaker at the end to Freo having their 7 match skid smashed to pieces.

 

[JT_the_Man]

This is how I see it.

Geelong
Collingwood
Daylight
GWS
West Coast
Daylight
Richmond
Daylight
Everyone else

 

[JT_the_Man]

For what it’s worth, my current ladder predictor has

Geelong
West Coast
GWS
Collingwood
Richmond
Brisbane
And then two of Port/Freo/Ess depending on how results between those teams fall in the last couple of weeks.

 

[Gavin Excell]

Collingwood loss an aberration?

Probably is but I still think they are a bit suspect with their key forward stocks

Also Beams? - seems a shadow of the player he has been last few years

 

[Coaster2012]

This is how I see it.

Geelong
Collingwood
Daylight
GWS
West Coast
Daylight
Richmond
Daylight
Everyone else

I dont see how Collingwood are daylight above WC or GWS. WC just beat the Crows on home turf and have already beaten GWS and the Pies. Pies just lost to Freo in Melbourne and GWS are monstering teams atm.

And how have you backed that comment up with a ladder where Pies finish 4th? Confusing.

 

[Cmarsh]

Not sure where Richmond stand after they were soundly beaten by North.

 

[JT_the_Man]

I dont see how Collingwood are daylight above WC or GWS. WC just beat the Crows on home turf and have already beaten GWS and the Pies. Pies just lost to Freo in Melbourne and GWS are monstering teams atm.

And how have you backed that comment up with a ladder where Pies finish 4th? Confusing.

Just because the fixture favours WC and GWS from here, doesn’t mean I don’t rate Collingwood ahead of them.

I still question GWS’ ability to turn up when it counts in September, and West Coast haven’t really been turning up for 4 quarters most weeks.

Daylight may have been harsh, but I still think Collingwood is ahead.

 

[RUNVS]

This year is super open as all the top teams have serious flaws. I genuinely think this is a year where if you make the top 8 you have a good chance of winning the flag.

 

[Americanpies]

I dont see how Collingwood are daylight above WC or GWS. WC just beat the Crows on home turf and have already beaten GWS and the Pies. Pies just lost to Freo in Melbourne and GWS are monstering teams atm.

And how have you backed that comment up with a ladder where Pies finish 4th? Confusing.

Each game needs to be taken on it's merits. Did you see that Adelaide game last night? They just let Melbourne do as they please for 85% of the game. Adelaide have serious problems. And did you see GWS 3 weeks ago against Hawthorn? They have monstered Carlton and Gold Coast.... hardly anything to brag about.

West Coast look slow and just disinterested.. I don't know what it is. GWS are the flat track bullies right now.. they beat up on rubbish sides, but falter against top sides.

No team has more players on their injury list right now than Collingwood (15), and we are still in the top 4. I believe it caught up with us yesterday... we just have too many pieces missing, and Moore/De Goey coming back from injury were definitely not 100%.

After the bye is where I would welcome anyone to judge us, because we'll have Cox, Elliot, Adams, Langdon and even Scharenberg. We'll have De Goey and Moore with a few more games under their belts and Reid is now going to be a good back up to Cox. Additionally... If you look at those players I mentioned all of them except one is a key position player. That's 6 key position forwards/defenders that will be playing in our side in 4 weeks that were either not playing or underdone yesterday. I'm really looking forward to Cox/Reid as a twin towers set up actually..

 

[HTT]

Geelong

Daylight
Daylight again

GWS
Collingwood
West Coast
Richmond
(those 4 in that order, but it's changing weekly)

The rest

 

[JT_the_Man]

On Adelaide, I’m yet to see a game which has changed my current opinion of them. They are nowhere near it, I genuinely thought they were a bottom 6 side before I took a look at the ladder this morning.

 

[Captain Morgan]

I dont see how Collingwood are daylight above WC or GWS. WC just beat the Crows on home turf and have already beaten GWS and the Pies. Pies just lost to Freo in Melbourne and GWS are monstering teams atm.

And how have you backed that comment up with a ladder where Pies finish 4th? Confusing.

Agree, WC and GWS are close to Collingwood and cats

 

[Americanpies]

Adding to my last comment....

I don't know why people think the loss to Freo was something that discredits how good the Pies are.

Injuries and excuses aside.... Freo actually have a very capable team. You can go back and check my comments from yesterday on the gameday thread BEFORE the game began. I mentioned that Freo could go close in this game and even potentially win. Because they do have a very capable side. Fyfe and Walters are guns, then they have these previous underage recruits that would have been top 10 draft picks - Matera, Hogan, Wilson... They have premiership players in Hill and Hamling... a good ruckman in Lobb, Andrew Brayshaw was number 2 in the draft, and Mundy is a champ too. And their backline has two guys that could make All Australian - Ryan and Pearce.

I don't want to make this thread about Freo... but they do have a very good list......... if they can pull it together, they are more than capable of beating anyone.

 

[Coaster2012]

Each game needs to be taken on it's merits. Did you see that Adelaide game last night? They just let Melbourne do as they please for 85% of the game. Adelaide have serious problems. And did you see GWS 3 weeks ago against Hawthorn? They have monstered Carlton and Gold Coast.... hardly anything to brag about.

West Coast look slow and just disinterested.. I don't know what it is. GWS are the flat track bullies right now.. they beat up on rubbish sides, but falter against top sides.

No team has more players on their injury list right now than Collingwood (15), and we are still in the top 4. I believe it caught up with us yesterday... we just have too many pieces missing, and Moore/De Goey coming back from injury were definitely not 100%.

After the bye is where I would welcome anyone to judge us, because we'll have Cox, Elliot, Adams, Langdon and even Scharenberg. We'll have De Goey and Moore with a few more games under their belts and Reid is now going to be a good back up to Cox. Additionally... If you look at those players I mentioned all of them except one is a key position player. That's 6 key position forwards/defenders that will be playing in our side in 4 weeks that were either not playing or underdone yesterday. I'm really looking forward to Cox/Reid as a twin towers set up actually..

And the same logic applies to us. If we win today, we are tied for 2nd while being slow and disinterested. What happens when we get fast and interested? After the bye we get back NN which is a massive x factor and historically has made as a much better team.

If we are 2nd while being average, look out when we start playing good footy. I'm still of the opinion our best footy is the best. We have already beaten a mostly injury free Pies at the G. I fail to see where Pies have surged ahead of us skill wise. They still cant seem to beat WC. If we get back to form, I have no doubts we would win again.

 

[JT_the_Man]

Adding to my last comment....

I don't know why people think the loss to Freo was something that discredits how good the Pies are.

Injuries and excuses aside.... Freo actually have a very capable team. You can go back and check my comments from yesterday on the gameday thread BEFORE the game began. I mentioned that Freo could go close in this game and even potentially win. Because they do have a very capable side. Fyfe and Walters are guns, then they have these previous underage recruits that would have been top 10 draft picks - Matera, Hogan, Wilson... They have premiership players in Hill and Hamling... a good ruckman in Lobb, Andrew Brayshaw was number 2 in the draft, and Mundy is a champ too. And their backline has two guys that could make All Australian - Ryan and Pearce.

I don't want to make this thread about Freo... but they do have a very good list......... if they can pull it together, they are more than capable of beating anyone.

I kinda agree with this.

Freo are that side who can upset anyone on their day right now imo. Their best is really good. It’s just that they don’t bring that enough.

 

[a_fighting_fury]

Not sure where Richmond stand after they were soundly beaten by North.

6th - currently equal points with last years Premiers.

 

[Coaster2012]

6th - currently equal points with last years Premiers.

By tonight you wont.

 

[Forward Press]

By tonight you wont.

These kind of stupid posts are just asking for a bump if an upset occurs today.

 

[Coaster2012]

These kind of stupid posts are just asking for a bump if an upset occurs today.

Dont be a pussy and back us in. I like to live dangerously

 

[Carringbush2010]

Each game needs to be taken on it's merits. Did you see that Adelaide game last night? They just let Melbourne do as they please for 85% of the game. Adelaide have serious problems. And did you see GWS 3 weeks ago against Hawthorn? They have monstered Carlton and Gold Coast.... hardly anything to brag about.

West Coast look slow and just disinterested.. I don't know what it is. GWS are the flat track bullies right now.. they beat up on rubbish sides, but falter against top sides.

No team has more players on their injury list right now than Collingwood (15), and we are still in the top 4. I believe it caught up with us yesterday... we just have too many pieces missing, and Moore/De Goey coming back from injury were definitely not 100%.

After the bye is where I would welcome anyone to judge us, because we'll have Cox, Elliot, Adams, Langdon and even Scharenberg. We'll have De Goey and Moore with a few more games under their belts and Reid is now going to be a good back up to Cox. Additionally... If you look at those players I mentioned all of them except one is a key position player. That's 6 key position forwards/defenders that will be playing in our side in 4 weeks that were either not playing or underdone yesterday. I'm really looking forward to Cox/Reid as a twin towers set up actually..

That's a little optimistic as we're not really a personnel reliant team, tbh our system is what got us to the dance last year and at the minute we're only part dancing in songs............. even then we've only shown close to our best form in two games to date against lions and tiges the rest has been pretty unconvincing.

Yesterday we lost on our home deck to a team not considered a contender with 3 names back in. If we really are a contender we're gonna have to show some solid 4 qtr performances to warrant it.

Sure we have the potential to smash any team but potential is just that. Start showing some form like the cats have for the bulk of the season so far then yeah ok until then I reckon we've been highly over rated.

 

[Macpotata]

It's a funny one. If we're not judging West Coast on what they did earlier season because it's the '' past '' then what are we only going off the now? That's what we tend to do logically and if that's the case the Pies just got rolled by Freo, and the Giants are beating up on bad teams ( the bottom 3 as mentioned ) who Freo also rolled at Spotless. The Eagles also smashed GWS at Optus and beat Freo all of a sudden making it look even more impressive. West Coast also dismantled Collingwood at the G and won their last two games in impressive circumstances, one on the road to the Crows ( who beat Freo )

You also can't just go off one game though and have to look at things as a whole. Some people ( including me ) will also base their theory or some of it on the assumption that a specific team will rise when it matters. As Coaster said, he's also entitled to do that with West Coast and him not believing they've hit their ceiling yet.

Where we sit right now there's no disputing who the best two teams in the comp are - Geelong and West Coast. We're top of the ladder having beaten the likes of Collingwood and the Eagles with our only loss occurring to the Giants. We've also dismantled most in our wake and have looked really impressive while doing so.

The Giants beat us and let's be honest an injury hit Richmond, another heavyweight. They have lost to the Eagles and Dockers and were touched up on the MCG to Hawthorn.

Richmond lost unexpectedly to the Doggies and Kangas on the weekend. They did come over to Perth again riddled with injuries as they did against the Power and put Freo to the sword convincingly. Smashed by the Pies and Giants as mentioned but the Tigers have suffered injuries.

Collingwood went down to the Eagles, Cats and Dockers who have the best scalps out of the lot and have good showings on the Ladder. The Pies strung together 7 straight wins but looked unconvincing in many.

The Eagles are still to play today and should they suffer a surprise loss will put fresh claims and inject even more doubt about where they sit as a contender in 2019. Right where they are AT this point in time, they're the second best side in the comp.

 

[Macpotata]

1. Geelong
2. West Coast

3. Collingwood

4. GWS/Richmond/ Freo
5. Brisbane


If you can beat the Giants and Pies away, you deserve to be right there at this point in time. Narrow losses in Gold Coast, Adelaide and Essendon ( where they struggle anyway against those sides ) and knocked off the Lions too. Freo have been impressive.

 

[Duskfire]

1. Geelong
2. West Coast

3. Collingwood

4. GWS/Richmond/ Freo
5. Brisbane


If you can beat the Giants and Pies away, you deserve to be right there at this point in time. Narrow losses in Gold Coast, Adelaide and Essendon ( where they struggle anyway against those sides ) and knocked off the Lions too. Freo have been impressive.

Nah they are nowhere near GWS level. Far too inconsistent. Sure they have played some great games, but they have also played some truly horrible ones. I doubt come seasons end they will be able to string together a bunch of good games to contend.

Agreed they are dangerous and capable of beating anyone on their day. And probably the team that has surprised me most this year. But a season or two early.