Anyone else happy to be playing Saints this week?

[likka]

I honestly think losing to Bulldogs and dropping to fourth is the best way for us to make the GF.

Playing St Kilda in week one of the finals means that we will most likely play either of Geelong or Bulldogs in the preliminary final.

Even if we lose this week we are playing too well to go out in straight sets IMO, and I'm much happier at the prospect of playing for a GF berth against Geelong or Bulldogs, as opposed the Saints.

Anyone else agree?

 

[magpie_militia]

Saints and Cats are about the same imo. This way we get an extra day to rest, which could be useful for some of our players carrying niggles.

The Saints haven't been very impressive lately at all. Losing to the Kangas and Bombers and narrowly beating the Swans. They were pretty ordinary in the first half against the Dees as well.

This year is our year, go Pies!

 

[The Dawes]

St Kilda finished top and have the 'luxury' of playing us at our home ground with the same number of days break and where they have only played once this season.

Essentially they get no benefit from finishing where they did.

I'm happy we have finished in the top 4, if we are good enough from here anything can happen.

 

[pongo_3931]

I have a feeling the doggies will get trumped by Geelong this week, which means if we knock off the Saints, they're likely to be playing each other in a prelim. I like that scenario.

As for the OP's question? Happy's probably not the word but we need to beat them somewhere along the line to win. Here's where the rubber meets the road... and if we do lose, we just might get a second crack at them, revitalised and more experienced.

Really, not a bad outcome.

 

[Primetime Pricey]

Even if we lose this week we are playing too well to go out in straight sets IMO, and I'm much happier at the prospect of playing for a GF berth against Geelong or Bulldogs, as opposed the Saints.

Anyone else agree?

i disagree with this. We can go out in straight sets if we dont play at our best. If we lose to St Kilda we will get Adelaide at the MCG. Adelaide are playing excellent football and can beat us so its possible to go out in straight sets. This can be avoided by winning Sunday however

 

[likka]

We can go out in straight sets if we dont play at our best.

Of course we can, any top 4 team can if they don't play well enough.

My assertion that we won't go out in straight sets is more a probability call based on our form and consistency over the last couple of months. The lack of injuries at this stage of the year is also very positive.

I think we match up better against both Bulldogs and Geelong as opposed to St Kilda... and if we make it to the GF anything can happen (as proved last year).

 

[twoforjoy]

Would have preferred to be on the other side of the draw and play Geelong and IF we lost to have a crack at Carlton or Brisbane. But whatevs can't worry about that now.

 

[4#Didak#4]

Doesn't really matter who we played. We have to beat at least one of the Cats or Saints to succeed this year.

The extra days break is handy and the Cats will be massively fired up, while the Saints may be a little tentative & nervous.

If we lose we will face Adelaide as the Bombers are no chance in Adelaide. They are in as good a form as any so not very attractive. At the 'G but they did beat us there this year (not as bad a loss as it looked at the time). On the other side we may have played Brissy or Blues. Would not have been impressed playing the Blues in a knockout final and Brisbane are dangerous. So either way tough games!

Who we play is not important as it is a tough even competition with no easy games - as it should be in finals. They just need to concentrate on playing the best they can on the day - the rest will look after itself.

 

[emster]

Before the game I really didn't care who we played next week. I just wanted to beat the Bulldogs, and that meant playing Geelong and that was fine by me.

But now that it's the Saints I can see the positives. A 7 day break and playing at our home ground, we are a chance.

The main disadvantage is that we'll play Adelaide if we lose next week.

Our effort last night was disappointing, but can understand it with not a lot to play for. This is the 3rd year in a row we've been flat in the last round, but in the last 2 years it hasn't mattered come week 1 of the finals.

If we won that would have been 6 in a row, and then we'd hope for another 3. The odds would have been against us.

Also I don't mind that the media and everyone will jump off us now, takes a bit of pressure off.

 

[Sloth]

We need to beat them eventually anyway, so now is a good a time as any.

 

[Histrionics]

I would have preferred to have played Geelong because of their injuries and recent form.

I don't really care that it's St.Kilda though because their recent form hasn't been much better. Their first half against the Dees was far from convincing.

Extra day break doesn't hurt either.

 

[Swooop]

I'm not too upset with this result. The Saints have been very ordinary lately, scraping over Sydney, losing to the Bombers and the Roos and then beating the wooden spooners. And they haven't played a quality side in a while. (Us- Bullies, Brisbane, Adelaide etc)

Compare our form, and I think the Dogs game was an anomaly, we'd been assured Top 4. It's understandable the intensity wasn't quite there. The Saints have very little (recent) experience on the G, especially against quality opposition. The pressure is completely on them not to stumble.

I'm not expecting a walk over, I have no doubt the Saints will fire up. But I think we're a good chance. GO PIES!!

 

[Sainters08]

I'm not too upset with this result. The Saints have been very ordinary lately, scraping over Sydney, losing to the Bombers and the Roos and then beating the wooden spooners. And they haven't played a quality side in a while. (Us- Bullies, Brisbane, Adelaide etc)

Compare our form, and I think the Dogs game was an anomaly, we'd been assured Top 4. It's understandable the intensity wasn't quite there. The Saints have very little (recent) experience on the G, especially against quality opposition. The pressure is completely on them not to stumble.

I'm not expecting a walk over, I have no doubt the Saints will fire up. But I think we're a good chance. GO PIES!!

We played Adelaide Round 16 (57 Points win) and Doggies Round 17 (45 Point win)

Whilst both of those matches we kicked terribly and could of completely blown them outta the park.

 

[mattys123]

We played Adelaide Round 16 (57 Points win) and Doggies Round 17 (45 Point win)

Whilst both of those matches we kicked terribly and could of completely blown them outta the park.

I personally would say 6 weeks is a while.

 

[Frankie23]

Well i doubt Pendles would've played on the Saturday...

 

[Optimax]

We played Adelaide Round 16 (57 Points win) and Doggies Round 17 (45 Point win)

Whilst both of those matches we kicked terribly and could of completely blown them outta the park.

so more then a month then mate

 

[rose jam]

happy to be getting the 7 day break after playing the dome late on a sunday

 

[Brent24]

3rd would have been easier to make the PF, but we're going to have to beat whoever we face to win the flag. Bring them on.

 

[rose jam]

in essence we get a home final and a double chance. That's all you can do in H&A.

 

[captain peanut]

i am more than happy to be taking on the saints. geel have been waiting for the start of this sept for 11 months. they haven't played in a game with anything riding on it for 2 months. the dogs won the booby prize on sun evening. geel will be ready to explode on sat arvo even without s johnson. they will make a complete mess of the poor old dogs

the saints on the other hand i do not see as being as formidable as the cats. whilst they have been on fire this year the saints team is full of players who have folded under the september spotlight in the past. i can't see why this year, and this sunday, will be any different esp at the G

 

[Swanny36]

For some reason, Don't ask me why, but I am extremely confident that we can knock the Saints off..
Like I said don't know why, Just am..

CARN PIES!!

 

[Markstar]

Personally I'm happier to be playing St Kilda. I want to know NOW if we're good enough. If we lose to St Kilda and then Adelaide then so be it. I'd much rather that than having a soft draw, making the GF and then getting done in the Grannie. 2002 and 2003 are still very painful for me. To be the best you have to beat the best - Bring on the Saints!

 

[KissStephanie]

Saints and Cats are about the same imo. This way we get an extra day to rest, which could be useful for some of our players carrying niggles.

Prior to last Sunday's match, I thought for sure that Collingwood will be playing on the Sat'day night against Geelong if able to hold third spot. If I had known it would be Sat'day afternoon instead, I wouldn't have been happy with that. I definitely wanted to beat the Bulldogs, but if we had, I wouldn't have jumped up and down about it because Geelong are a hard team to beat as well. Particularly so after a shorter week, and they have a much better record on the M.C.G than St.Kilda too.

Collingwood have a great record of beating a higher ranked team in the first week of the finals following a Round 22 loss. The Qualifying Final win in 2002 against Port Adelaide was one of the best wins I can remember, and it happened last season too when we beat 5th placed Adelaide after losing to Fremantle in Round 22. Only after next weekend we will know whether it was good or not to slip to 4th, and there is a good chance that both Western Bulldogs and Collingwood will win.

 

[Ant85]

Let's not underestimate the Saints here.

Hawthorn stumbled into the finals last year with a few bad losses (i.e. Richmond), and turned into top form as soon as the finals hit.

The finals are a new ball game. The Saints will come out firing, and I expect us too as well.

 

[KissStephanie]

Let's not underestimate the Saints here.

I don't think anybody is going to underestimate St.Kilda. They are on top with only two losses, and won the earlier match this season by 88 points even though it was a different ground and very different players available.

Hawthorn stumbled into the finals last year with a few bad losses (i.e. Richmond), and turned into top form as soon as the finals hit.

Stumbled? Hawthorn were definitely in better form than St.Kilda coming in to last seasons finals. They won in Round 18 by 54 points, Round 19 by 69 points, Round 21 by 71 points and Round 22 by 78 points. They had also played ten matches at the M.C.G before last years finals for seven wins, and many of them by large margins. St.Kilda certainly has not done that.

The finals are a new ball game. The Saints will come out firing, and I expect us too as well.

I'm quite sure they will lift their game to another level on the weekend too though. They have been building for this for quite some time. I'm confident that Collingwood will as well, and if both teams play close to their best, then Collingwood is capable of beating them.