Did North want to lose?

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gocatsgo

Club Legend
Apr 30, 2000
1,052
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Melbourne
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Geelong
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Great win today Pies (I never thought I'd ever say that) but one gets the feeling that North may have had a hidden agenda going into this round. Maybe Hansie and the Indian Bookmaker have struck again? Like it did in 1997.

In 1997, North lost to Collingwood in the last round thus relagating them to 7th and a final against 2nd place Geelong at night at the MCG. If they had beaten Collingwood, they would have had to play Adelaide in Adelaide. I'm sure they would have much preferred to play Geelong at home than Adelaide away.

I somehow get the feeling that North were playing for 4th, after all their last two weeks have been terrible - Not taking anything away from Collingwood and Sydney.

Suddenly, Melbourne have slipped into third and look set to stay there and will meet Carlton, then probably Essendon in the Preliminary Final

Correct me if I'm wrong, But if 1 plays 4 and 2 plays 3 in the first week of the finals and all results go according to script up to the preliminary final, That now means that North won't play Essendon again until the Grand Final, where they would certainly be in with a chance.

If they aren't thinking that, maybe they want to play Essendon in the first week given Essendon's current run of injuries and maybe suspensions. Maybe they can see themselves getting a week off if they finish 4th.

Next week, if the Bulldogs beat Hawthorn on Friday night, Geelong could not miss the finals, and the Bulldogs would finish 5th. It would be better for Geelong to lose to Syndey than win.

If Geelong win, they would finish 6th and have a home final against Brisbane (Definately at Colonial) - Geelong have no hope in beating Brisbane, no matter where it is played.

However, if they lose and finish 8th, they would play the Bulldogs, in Melbourne - A side that Geelong matches up well against and have already beaten this year.

Of course, this is all reliant on Richmond beating Carlton. If Geelong lose and Carlton win, they would finish 7th and play the Lions in Brisbane. - Goodbye Catters.
 

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I know it sounds far-fetched Dan24, but think about it.

Didn't Denis Pagan sign a sponsorship deal with a betting company, just recently?

And wouldn't you much rather finish 4th and know that after the first week, you wouldn't have to play the top team until Grand Final Day, no matter what the results? Provided you make it yourself.

Especially now with Essendon's injury concerns and possible suspensions.
 
I think you're reading too much into things. If there's one thing about Pagan, he leaves nothing to chance. If North won yesterday, then we would've been guaranteed of finishing no lower than fourth and he could've "rested" players next week against the Saints and then play out that scenario where we lose to Essendon in week 1 of the finals and then meet up with them in the Grand Final. As it is now, North can still finish as low as 5th (we lose, Doggies win).

As for yesterday's result, it came down to this. North were scared of losing. Collingwood wearn't afraid to win.
 
Given Carltons horrible run of injuries, I would have thought they would have given themselves a good chance to beat them, especially on the MCG. If they beat Carlton they avoid Essendon untill the Grand Final as well.
Now, they can get rolled and finish up 5th!
Im not overly suprised, they have scraped over the line in many games this season, and had they have lost 2 or 3 of the close ones, they would be touch and go for the finals like a few other clubs.
 
Don't expect the finals to go according to script. Melbourne is in 3rd place purely because it's draw worked out easier than those in ninth and tenth. The positions from third right down to tenth are more a reflection of the draw than any team's particular prowess. (eg melbourne played Essendon, Carlton only once and St Kilda twice)

So expect anything in the finals. Perhaps the good form of Essendon, Melbourne, Bulldogs, and possible also Hawthorn, Brisbane and Sydney as more of a pointer. Only Brisbane can get any home ground advantage. Perhaps even carlton are now closer to the pack than previously.
 
What are the roo's doing at training at the moment?

Maybe he is flogging them to get them up to peak fitness for the finals.

In 97 Blight & Craig increased Adelaides training in the weeks leading up to the finals so that come finals time we would be able to run out 4 quarters better than the other teams. It probably cost us 1 or 2 h&A games late in the year but it worked. Maybe the roo's are doing the same thing.
 
Drakey

I think it's always a bad sign when a club mentions past glories in the hope of inspiring a finals campaign. I remember Essendon footballers in the media talking about "this feels just like '93" during their '96, '98, and '99 finals campaigns...it was almost as if they were trying to convince themselves it was their destiny. In '97 and '98, North players also made mention of '96. Last year, there was no mention of '96 in the North camp, and I'd be surprised if Essendon start talking about '93.

Last week, Pagan made mention of Adelaide's H&A form before landing the '97 and '98 Premierships.....I just kind of think that just by saying that, Pagan doesn't really believe that North can turn things around quickly enough to mount a serious assault on the premiership. It's almost as if he's grasping at straws. I don't think our players are any better or worse than those of the clubs around us on the ladder (and yes, that includes you too Essendon), but the right mental attitude, the hunger, the determination, and the belief just aren't there. There's just over half a dozen players that have played their heart out for North week in week out....Carey, McCartney, Bell, Pickett, King, Blakey, Burton and Harvey. A few more have shown patches, and two have played very well since coming back from injuries (Stevens and Colbert). But the rest seem content or unable to get to the next level. 8 players don't win you a premiership.

But we're in the finals and I'm keeping the faith. There's that small bit of inspiration and hope called "Adelaide '97 and '98".
 
Yes of course the orange pumpkins wanted to lose.
And Essendon wanted to lose because they respect the doggies so much.
And Carlton wanted to lose because the believe any team called the magpies at some stage in their history are better than the blues.
And the Eagels wanted to lose because they felt sorry for freo and wanted to finish below them for the first time.

Yeah right. Thats why Pagan is having the biggest dummy spit and sook of all time. i though he was going to cry orange tears at the press conference.

The oranges turned into lemons. The Pies stuffed up Norff's finals campaign as they did in 79 and 80.

Off to Southport where you belong you big orange bags of urine.
And they think they can beat Essendon. Let me remind you at 1/4 time 7 5 47 to ZERO BUPKISS, NOT A SAUSAGE.
Up yours Miller and Marmalade. Come to think of it, it must be Orange Marmalade!!!!!!!!
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Did North want to lose?

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