Finish 3rd or 4th & we are doomed!

[fugitive]

Here's the nightmarish scenario for us:

Finish 3rd & play west coast in Perth in the first final.

Finish 4th & play Port at AAMI in the first final.

Loose any of them & possibly play all three finals on the road like Adelaide last year.

The two most important games that may save us:

West Coast Vs. Sydney at SCG

Port Vs. West Coast at AAMI

Ourselves vs. Port at Gabba (need to have our best 22 available)

 

[NathanD]

I'm not slitting wrists just yet, just wondering from where we can regain some pace and attitude.

There are still 10 rounds to go.

Injuries and form fluctuations can affect any team, as well as us.

WCE played a terrific brand of football, but nearly lost to the probable wooden spooners the week before.

Port are also red hot and have good players to come back, but anything can happen between now and then.

Of the top 3 teams it is the Brisbane Lions who have the most potential for improvement.

 

[Stocka]

Agree entirely, Nathan. Very well put.

I've had a look through the fixture today, and located 3 games for each of the current top 3 clubs, which I think will be crucial in determining whether or not they can clinch a top 2 position (assuming they win pretty much all of their other games):

Port Adelaide Power
vs. Brisbane Lions (Round 17 @ Gabba)
vs. Hawthorn (Round 18 @ MCG)
vs. Adelaide (Round 22 @ Football Park)

West Coast Eagles
vs. Sydney Swans (Round 14 @ SCG)
vs. Port Adelaide (Round 16 @ Football Park)
vs. Adelaide (Round 19 @ Subiaco)

Brisbane Lions
vs. Fremantle (Round 14 @ Subiaco)
vs. Essendon (Round 16 @ Docklands)
vs. Collingwood (Round 19 @ MCG)

Of course there are going to be other games which could turn out to be crucial, but I reckon the ones I have listed, will be the ones which I predict these teams will be the most vulnerable in. Of course, you can never discount upsets, and the like, as well as just turn-arounds in form.

Similarly, I would not yet write off the likes of Adelaide, Sydney or the Kangaroos as being able to sneak into the top 4.

 

[Grasshopper17]

Along with the Lions I am adopting the Swans and the Rooboys as my teams for next weekend.

Remember that the Swans were in front of the Power when the siren went this time last year and Port were probably in better form then than they are now! Sure this time it's at Moron Park but if the Swans turn up with the same frame of mind as they have recently they'll give it fair old shake.

I think Brisbane should really beat Richmond. Lose that one and I don't think we can just say the wheels are falling off as much as say they've gone spinning into the bushes and the vehicle is coming to a grinding halt. But if they show up with the right frame of mind and are prepared to persevere if things start going against them then there should be no problems.

And don't discount the Roos at Subi on the Sunday. I mean sure you'd expect the Eagles to come out of the break all freshened up etc to hit the ground running, but as everybody keeps saying, you can never write off that shinboner spirit!

And also remember that it only took the Lions 3 weeks or so to pull back I think it was something ridiculous like 16% on Port Adelaide. That happened following that embarassing loss to Melbourne, and started against Richmond. I'm getting a bit of a de ja vu here, I just hope it all works out the same! Including the home team winning in the Brisbane v Port game

 

[SpecialBruce]

Hey hey hey hey hey.

No point thinking that far ahead just yet. This is the danger period for us, however once we get most of our premiership team back together, watch out for the last 6 rounds.

 

[ian68]

If we get our best 22 back it will only matter that we finish in the eight. 3rd or 4th is OK, just ask Collingwood.

 

[Stocka]

Originally posted by SpecialBruce
Hey hey hey hey hey.

You sound like a father cracking it at his two-year-old son for riding his tricycle out onto the main road!

 

[SpecialBruce]

Originally posted by Stocka
You sound like a father cracking it at his two-year-old son for riding his tricycle out onto the main road!

Shhhhhhh