After Round 8: How Do The Top 9 Teams Stack Up?

[willydave]

Jack Anthony kicked 50. Nuff said.

What happened to that bloke?

 

[tim_saints]

We've dealt with you guys, and will again later in the year at the 'G. Saints couldn't handle it when the game went up a level.

Lol yeah you're right round 1 is the be all and end all I forgot that teams don't get better after the first game of the year, when we beat you later in the year I'll come back and refer to this post. Hopefully you aren't too offended when it happens.

 

[BEaston]

Again, injuries, everyone has them. Get over it. If Gawn wasn't injured we would be 6-2.

You could also have dropped games to North, and Richmond. Don't talk about players you don't have. And who are your injured players?

Sure everyone gets injuries but some clubs are worse off than others and to ignore the difference is idiotic. Saying that everyone gets injuries is as redundant as it is obvious. What's important is the difference of the quantity and affected player quality of injuries in comparison to the other teams. Yes, St Kilda (least games missed) have had injuries but relative to the Bulldogs (most games missed) they've only lost about a quarter of the games to injury that the Dogs have. (Ref: http://www.afl.com.au/news/2017-05-11/prelim-final-trio-feeling-the-most-injury-pain). Dogs' finals last year were a perfect example of how much impact having a relatively full list of players to choose from can have. So, ignoring that is silly.

(And I'm not arguing for excuses for the Dogs here, I simply picked the teams with the best and worst injury from the link. Just saying they must be considered.)

To answer your question: Cloke, Roughead, Wallis, Redpath, Dickson, Morris, Dunkley, Stringer, Crameri, Campbell off the top of my head have all been injured for parts of the season.

 

[vozzon]

Think it goes as the below:

GWS - have had injuries but have the team to be top after H&A season
Crows - have recently dropped off but will be top 4
Bulldogs - would be top 2 but have 6-8 players injured who would normally start. Expect them to be a top contender in the finals. Seem to be able to play a tough finals like game style.
Westcoast - should be in the top 4. too good at home really like there team with mitchell.

Geelong - Still think they are good but just out side the 4
Port - like to think were close but at the moment cant beat the top teams.
Saints - Really picking up form, can see there young guys getting better and could do some damage in the finals.
Melbourne - a bit inconsistent due to having some young mids but there best is very good, should make the 8
Freo - like how there playing, still have an issue of consistency.

 

[NathanMX]

We've dealt with you guys, and will again later in the year at the 'G. Saints couldn't handle it when the game went up a level.

Bring it!

In Round 1 Gawn dominated Hickey, 49 hitouts to 18. Pretty sure whoever is ruck now wont be doing that to the same dominant extent and as you know first hands on the ball means plenty.

Bring your form against Adelaide and yes you win, but bring your form against the Hawks or Fremantle and you will lose.

Curious though, how can you be so certain you will beat us when your team runs hot and cold?

 

[kaiserchief13]

We've dealt with you guys, and will again later in the year at the 'G. Saints couldn't handle it when the game went up a level.

Melbourne at MCG 1-3 in 2017

 

[willydave]

Bring it!

In Round 1 Gawn dominated Hickey, 49 hitouts to 18. Pretty sure whoever is ruck now wont be doing that to the same dominant extent and as you know first hands on the ball means plenty.

Bring your form against Adelaide and yes you win, but bring your form against the Hawks or Fremantle and you will lose.

Curious though, how can you be so certain you will beat us when your team runs hot and cold?

We run cold when we have no bench in the last Q. Our game style is so taxing on the players. I feel we're starting to manage this a little better, hence the confidence.

Loving the way the Saints are going about it, by the way.

Saints and Dees (obviously) the next two we need to see lifting the cup.

 

[LeverPuller]

Melbourne at MCG 1-3 in 2017

This is oddly weird and I haven't worked out why it's happening yet. Not a fan of it though.

 

[NathanMX]

We run cold when we have no bench in the last Q. Our game style is so taxing on the players. I feel we're starting to manage this a little better, hence the confidence.

Loving the way the Saints are going about it, by the way.

Saints and Dees (obviously) the next two we need to see lifting the cup.

Best of luck for the weekend and the weeks beyond, I love your positivity

 

[Coaster2012]

It could have something to do with injuries. West Coast at full strength besides Natinui last week and dogs missing Wallis, Morris, Murphy, Dickson, Cloke, Stringer, Roughead from best 22. Come up with a decent post mate.

And our entire ruck division, and Cripps. Least do some research before making such a claim.

Are you actually denying we'd be 8-0 or 7-1 if not for us again having the most injuries in the top 8? The fact that our biggest loss has been 16 points is a testament to our depth, despite losing 3 players last season who are all arguably best 22 at their new clubs.

The "So Brave" meme died when we won 4 finals in a row due to our unmatched bravery.

Here we go again. Or perhaps, you just aren't playing good footy? Sick of Dogs fan's saying they would be the second coming of Christ if they didn't get injured so much.

 

[dean33]

And our entire ruck division, and Cripps. Least do some research before making such a claim.



Here we go again. Or perhaps, you just aren't playing good footy? Sick of Dogs fan's saying they would be the second coming of Christ if they didn't get injured so much.

The amount of frees they get makes up for their injuries.

 

[Ichabod Noodle]

1. GWS (huge depth will see them through)

Currently available listed players healthy but not playing seniors this weekend...

Himmleberg (6 games), M. Kennedy (8 games), Dawson Simpson (28 games between 2010/15) and Tim Mohr (43 games 2012/14 and a game and less than a quarter last year) along with Flynn, Tiziani and Cummings who haven't played and a couple of Cat B Rookies in Sproule and the commonwealth games decathlete-crossover-just-learning-footy Stein

And with doubts over Lobb and Stevie J emerging this afternoon, two of those might end up playing anyway.

Depth?

Not a lot of depth left mate.