Finals.... nearly there!!

[GFC MAD!]

I dont want to get too carried away [we have not won 12 yet], but we really should make the FINALS this year!!

How exciting is this!! I'm finals starved. We have not been there since 2000 [and that year went straight out] and we have not won a final since 1995.

Finals time is an exciting time in football, and the past few years I've had to watch other teams and their fans get that excited on the TV.

BUT THIS YEAR IT MAY BE US!!! WE'LL BE IN THE FINALS!! I'LL BE THERE!!

The anticipation throughout the week, the long quews for finals tickets, the atmosphere of the big grounds - it will be AWESOME [should we make it!!]

Come on Cats - we should make the finals this year. JUST 2 MORE WINS and I'll be able to see my team in SEPTEMBER!

IT's BEEN A WHILE and I'm PUMPED!

GOOOOOOOOOO CAAAAAAAAAAAAAAATS! Lets make the FINALS 2004!

I CAN'T WAIT! And hopefully if we make them we'll win at least one - how great would that be??

GO CATS!!

 

[you_idiot]

With the remaining run home featuring three matches over the last six rounds at Skilled Stadium, and us being unbeaten at home so far this season, there's no reason why we can't clinch a finals place soon.

I personally think we can even run the table against our remaining opponents in the home-and-away season, or at least come close to doing so, and that will build us plenty of momentum for said finals, and also give us a fighting bid at a double chance in the process.

Great post, GFC MAD!... definitely expresses the passion for the Geelong Football Club and the quest ahead that lies inside each and every one of us.

 

[LongBomb]

Yep, its pretty exciting!!!

been starved for finals footy for so long. Now I can't wait!

 

[Turbocat]

Look sorry for being the downer but just what have we achieved by just getting in the Finals. The guarantee of one game. In the year 2000 we finished 5th, one final , loss and see you later. I really feel the current finals system is a bit the minors and the majors. When we are one game from the Grand Final and two from the flag I’ll start getting EXCITTED

 

[LongBomb]

one final in 6 years, and you are not getting a little bit excited?

cmon mate, treat yourself - we have been doing it tough for so long.
We deserve a little bit of a celebration on making them this year.

 

[funktrain]

Yes c'mon all you CAT'rs its time to get excited about a finals berth! I've been waiting.......and perhaps 'expecting' the boys to fall off the pace (given the last few years), but to my surprise they have kept building all year (albeit not always with pretty football).........even despite injurys! Good signs for us.
*special mention to young Shannon Burns on debut..... having taken a mark on the 50, saying to one and all "take a breath boys I might have a crack at this"....... then slotting his first AFL goal with a great left foot kick. He was as excited as 'bouncing-smurf' in a candy shop and why wouldnt you be! We were too.

 

[gocats]

I'll wait until we got 12 wins on the board.

2002 still hurts me.

 

[Sammy D]

Originally posted by gocats
I'll wait until we got 12 wins on the board.

2002 still hurts me.

Fair point, but we are stronger, better & more experienced than in '02

 

[Rodion]

To quote big Kev, "I'm excited!"

While we will be a better side in '05 and probably next year and the year after will be our best shots at the flag, I think we can go a long way this year, maybe even all the way.

If we can avoid a 2002-style implosion, we'll definitely make the finals and not just be making up the numbers.

 

[Turbocat]

Just getting there is not enough. It would be like going to the pub without having a beer. Its like dancing with your sister !

I get excited watching GAJ kicking goals like yesterday , watching kids like Byrnes play. Its fantastic. Pure youthful football without the corruption of modern coaching ideas. I'm not a total finals troglodyte , I will go to the Vic Finals if we are good enough to get there, I'm sure my kids would love to go but I have seen to many big game loss's , had to many disappointments to get all revved up about playing a minor final. Finals is a time for teams with a realistic chance to go all the way. If we get to a preliminary we will be only two games away from the elusive ensign, two games at the top of your form from winning it all, two games were the only rule is to WIN, two games were the stakes are high and there is no tomorrow , two games from this endless perdition that I and many other Geelong supporters have been on all of there lives.

 

[nananana catman]

Huge chance over the next 4 weeks to really cement a home final, let alone top 8 if we keep playing well. It'l be great to be back in september.

 

[jim boy]

Originally posted by gocats
I'll wait until we got 12 wins on the board.

2002 still hurts me.

2002 hurt, but not that much. We were simply not good enough to be in the finals and would've got knocked out first week. Our mid-season run was as much down to luck as anything, check out how many times we played teams coming off a six day break after an interstate trip.

2003 we were a better team than the previous year, despite recording fewer wins.

This year we are a better team again, and we thouroughly deserve to be where we are now, that is in fifth spot. There is no chance we can make the four, someone would have to lose three matches while we would have to win all our remaining matches. Neither of these things will come to pass.

This years finals should be great, but I would forecast a first week win followed by an 'honourable' exit the following week (at which point I'll be livid). All good stuff for laying a great foundation for success in the following years.

 

[nananana catman]

Originally posted by Jim Boy


This year we are a better team again, and we thouroughly deserve to be where we are now, that is in fifth spot. There is no chance we can make the four, someone would have to lose three matches while we would have to win all our remaining matches.

the Saints have essendon this week, which the bombers will be fired up for ud expect, or hope if u were an Essendon supporter. They also play us down here. If those results were to go our way and they only had narrow wins, while be won all our reamaining games and pumped Carlton Richmond Hawthorn and even perhaps Fremantle down here it might be close. Optimistic i know, but never say never.

 

[GFC MAD!]

Good to see some fellow Cat fans getting pumped up with me!!

You'd have to say that at this stage of the season, it will be a massive dissapointment to finish the year without a finals win. At least ONE finals victory is all I want this year [hopefully FOUR, but if not this year, I'll be happy to wait 'till next year!!].

Top four would be awesome, but I wouldn't mind maintaining 5th spot and getting our first final in Melbourne against Freo or Sydney.

All in all, I'm ready for some finals success this year.

GO CATS!!

 

[catattack]

Originally posted by Sammy D
Fair point, but we are stronger, better & more experienced than in '02

Very good point. That’s the defining factor between the Geelong of 2002 and the Geelong of 2004, IMO.

 

[LongBomb]

Sammy D, I reckon we are some chance of knocking St. Kilda out of the top 4.

look at their run home:

Essendon (dome)
Geelong (skilled)
Adelaide (york park)
Kangaroos (dome)
Brisbane Lions (gabba)
Fremantle (dome)

now, that is what I call a nightmare run!

They will definately drop 2. Could lose up to 4 I reckon.

We just have to make sure we beat them. This is crucial.

With our run home, we could win all 6. It is a tough ask, but not impossible.

 

[SpRiGgZy]

it's great to see everyone like this! makes me even more excited! everyone who i speak to(non-cats supporters) are sitting there trying to tell me that we wont even make it...but firstly look at our run home! if we keep up the good form we can definately win all 6! which i believe we will do anyway....im not going to listen to those stupid clueless people who are always trying to bring geelong down because we have done very well this year and it's only going to get better, even if we don't win in the finals we are going to come out firing next year, with better form, more experience, a great deal better than we already are! Like alot of us here im getting a bit ahead of myself but i can see us going very far this year.....im dying for some finals action it's been a long long wait, but well worth every second!
CUMON CATERZ!!!!!!

 

[you_idiot]

Originally posted by LongBomb
With our run home, we could win all 6. It is a tough ask, but not impossible.

I believe that, too. And I have for a few weeks now.

I'm going to move all my chips into the middle of the green felt and say that we can run the table, between now and the end of the home-and-away season.

If we can do that, we have a good chance at the top four.

 

[Sammy D]

The next 3 weeks are very important. I expect us to drop probably one of them for the following reason.

Carlton - Boys will be pumped up to revenge the disgrace that was Rnd. 2
St. Kilda - Pumped up with the rivalry that is starting between us & them
Adelaide - Pumped up to win our first game interstate

Im sure with all the emotion in the next 3 matches it will be very hard to win all our remaining matches let alone the next 3 matches.

Bomber did say the boys were very flat after the Collingwood victory.

 

[jim boy]

Originally posted by nananana catman
Optimistic i know, but never say never.

With the Bombers being obliterated, I would say now is a good time to say Never. Still on the positive side, Centrebet are no longing taking any bets on us reaching the finals.

 

[skywalk750]

Ill say without shame that I have been braught to tears three grand finals recently, was only a whee boy in 89 and am really excited about this crop of kids.

The sparks are there and you would have to be very negetive to say that we cant win all 6, yes 6 six of our remaining games and give the top of the ladder a shake comes september and really build some momentum.

Go you good thing catters!!!!

 

[jim boy]

Originally posted by skywalk750
Ill say without shame that I have been braught to tears three grand finals recently, was only a whee boy in 89 and am really excited about this crop of kids.

The sparks are there and you would have to be very negetive to say that we cant win all 6, yes 6 six of our remaining games

To be honest the next six don't worry me so much, win the next the next four, and we'll be playing dead rubbers at seasons end, such is the huge gap between fourth and sixth..

I'd rather win the four matches after that!

 

[jim boy]

There was an interesting article by Rohan Connolly today. Basically we could be in pretty good seat coming fifth. If the ladder ends up.

Bris
Port
StK
Melb
Geel

Then first week we play, 75% chance it will be an interstate club and it will be in Melbourne.

2nd week, we play the team that has just been battered by Brissie

3rd week, assuming playing Port, but the match will be played at the MCG due to the AFL-MCC contract.

Remarkably, even if we play every week we could play every week in Melbourne with interstate teams making up the opposition on 3 occaisions.

 

[benny's buddy]

12 wins...we're there. Looking forward to getting back into September action.

Who would've thought we'd be here after Round 2. Amazing turnaround.

 

[LongBomb]

Really looking forward to the finals!

Just goes to show - don't call for the coaches head too early.