2010 Draw

[thewhitelama]

Hey guys, i'm not aware if this has been discussed yet, i've been away for a while so havn't been on for some time....

I was just looking over the draw for next season...and its pretty bloody worrying.

Things that stood out:

1.We could potentially be 1-5 come round six. Dogs and Saints will be extremely tough, and the way we have constructed ourselves against the Hawks in recent times doesnt fill me with joy. Melbourne, i believe, we should beat...then the ever present danger of Essendon and Carlton Games - regardless of form, these 2 games cannot be predicted.

2.We do not play ANY of the interstate sides twice. Further, we only play two of the interstate sides here in Melbourne (WC at Ethihad, and Adelaide at the MCG). I know we travel well, but the point still belongs on the cons list.

3.We play Hawthorn, Geelong, St.Kilda, and the Western Bulldogs Twice.

4. Finally...why do we always play the bloody Dogs twice a year at Ethihad! Have i missed something? Surely theres an explanation for this...

Whilst i hold our chances for next season in high regard, after seeing the draw, it certainly has got a lot tougher. We definately, cant afford to be dropping the "winnable" games anymore, it will hurt us a lot more next year than in seasons gone by. The boys will need to work extra hard to make that top 4...it is certainly far from locked in, as some i know are suggesting.

 

[Paddywhackers]

The season is way too far away to tell. Form and injuries are 3 months a away to gauge upon, this is metaphorically light years away.

 

[thewhitelama]

The season is way too far away to tell. Form and injuries are 3 months a away to gauge upon, this is metaphorically light years away.

Fair enough. Although In regards to Geelong, St.kilda and the dogs, i really cant see much of a decline in the way of form, or the ability to beat us on the day.

Playing interstate teams...the concept will never change, you always want to play them down here. The fact that we don't play any of them twice, has left us with only 2 games against them in Melbourne.

Likewise with the Essendon, Carlton games...the concept never changes. Regardless of form, injuries or ladder position, these games are always a toss of the coin.

You are right, the season is a long way away, and i've only made predictions....but to be honest, i dont think the predictions are too far off the money.

 

[Wooljay]

Yeah the draw itself is the only thing that has me seriously concerned. However the way I like to look at it is that if we can't make the eight, or if we can and can't beat the better teams, then the point is moot because it means we aren't going to win the cup regardless.

 

[mattys123]

The problem with depicting our 2010 draw as "hard" is that in no year in the current finals system existence has the final 8 actually been the same, meaning that games that are classified as "hard" now might actually turn into very easy wins.

Our draw on paper looks hard, but we will beat the Dogs once (at least), Essendon twice, Carlton twice, Melbourne twice and we always beat Sydney, so that there is 8 wins without even counting the 50/50 games.

We are still certainties for the finals, it's just a matter of where we finish, and this will most likely hinge on how many close games we win against the better opposition of 2010.

I ranked our best 22 second on talent (behind Geelong) and based on our supposedly hard draw dropped our position to 3rd or 4th after 22 games, and this season come finals time, hopefully we have a better run with injuries and one thing for sure is we have a better list then last year.

Bring em all on, MM and our players won't be afraid of anyone.

 

[Pie eyed]

I agree.
There is no "harder draw"
We have to beat the teams we need to to make the 4...period.

We need to be the team the others need to beat and we can be.

 

[Wooljay]

Really the only thing about this draft that has me worried is the physical stress levels on the players when up against the harder teams. Last thing we need is for the wheels to come off in Rnd 22 :\

 

[Kirby]

I agree that on last season's form that we have a very tough draw, especially the first month or so.

It's a much harder draw than we've had for a very long time.

 

[Old Spice]

Yep, makes it tough. I predicted on another thread we might end up 5th - not because we've gone backwards, but by virtue of playing those 4 teams twice. Of the 8 games, I expect we might win three.

That means to make the top 4 we probably need to win 11 out of the remaining 14 games. Brisbane and Adelaide will be tough also, so there's no margin for error if we're to sneak into the top 4.

I agree about playing the dogs twice at Etihad - not good terrain for us.

 

[Quicky]

I agree.
There is no "harder draw"
We have to beat the teams we need to to make the 4...period.

We need to be the team the others need to beat and we can be.

Until they make every team play each other the same amount of times certain teams will be given a harder draw. On paper we look to have gotten one but we can only say that in retrospect. At the end of the day if we want to be the best we still got to beat the best but with a harder draw that may knock us around a bit and make it that much harder when and if we make the finals.

 

[BeRnArD_ToMiC]

Very tough draw, how come we always seem to get difficult draws? It is pretty unfair when other teams basically get a free ride into the finals.

 

[magpiewarrior]

With the recruitment and development of our younger players, coupled with their experience in finals, I think the sides that we play twice should be lamenting their tough draw. No side in the comp should be able to beat us twice and I believe that our draw will better prepare us for the finals than it has in past years.

 

[King Woodie]

Regardless of whether you think we will be the best team in the comp, or the worst team in the comp, there are still harder and easier draws, and this one is a hard one.

To say that no draw is harder is ridiculous. Which is harder - play twice each of Geelong, ST Kilda, Hawthorn, Western Bulldogs, or play twice each of Melbourne, Richmond, North and Freo? Clearly the first one.

Granted, if we are good enough, we should win some of these games anyway, but the fact remains it is still a hard draw.