Opinion It's Not Over Yet

[_RT_]

For those of you writing off our season already just want to point something out to you. By round 10 we will have played every finals side from last year. Before the start of the season most of us would have expected us to be on 2-3 wins by the end of round 10, so at this stage we are right where we expected us to be

To put it into perspective here are the current top 8 sides and how many of last years finals sides they will have played by round 10:

Essendon will have played only 3.
Sydney will have played only 2.
West Coast will have played only 3.
Adelaide will have played 5.
Collingwood will have played only 4.
Carlton will have played only 3.
Hawthorn will have played 5.
Fremantle will have played 6.

As you can see our draw has been very hard to start the season, the benefit for us is in the second half of the season our draw opens right up and if we can win the games we should win and steal a couple against Adelaide(away) Carlton Fremantle(away) & Essendon we'll be right in the mix for the 8 come seasons end.

So I urge all of us to jump on board for the ride because there is a long way to go and we're not out of this by a long shot.

 

[TheProwler]

Re: Its Not Over Yet

For those of you writing off our season already just want to point something out to you. By round 10 we will have played every finals side from last year. Before the start of the season most of us would have expected us to be on 2-3 wins by the end of round 10, so at this stage we are right where we expected us to be

To put it into perspective here are the current top 8 sides and how many of last years finals sides they will have played by round 10:

Essendon will have played only 3.
Sydney will have played only 2.
West Coast will have played only 3.
Adelaide will have played 5.
Collingwood will have played only 4.
Carlton will have played only 3.
Hawthorn will have played 5.
Fremantle will have played 6.

As you can see our draw has been very hard to start the season, the benefit for us is in the second half of the season our draw opens right up and if we can win the games we should win and steal a couple against Adelaide(away) Carlton Fremantle(away) & Essendon we'll be right in the mix for the 8 come seasons end.

So I urge all of us to jump on board for the ride because there is a long way to go and we're not out of this by a long shot.

Good onya mate for having a glass half full approach but take your tinted glasses off and look at where we are on the ladder and how many games behind those above us we are. It will be some ride if we make the eight this year and win lose or draw I am gunna be in it but we all know how this is gunna end.

 

[Madison]

Re: Its Not Over Yet

It doesn't matter how many of last years finalists we play, it matters about this years teams.

Adelaide away is suddenly an incredibly hard fixture, Essendon are on top of the table, when Carlton are on (first few rounds of the year) they look like they'll beat anyone and Freo away aren't going to drop any games (you would think).

We are on track, push for finals this year but fall short, make the 8 next year. Top 6 the following year and top 4 after that should be the way we track.

 

[Bojangles17]

Re: Its Not Over Yet

No , not by a long shot, Not unless you had us a lock for Top 3 ...we might struggle there. The reality is we ahve demonstrated with our performance against Top 4 sides that we are a worthy finalist. that means the MOST IMPORTANT games coming up will be against those teams we are competing for that 6-8 spot. that is st.Kilda, WB, NM, Freo, Crows et al...all must win games. I give us every chance against the hawks next week...they have been far from convincing this year..their form well short of top sides we have just fallen short of beating..eat'em alive

 

[Put a Lids on it]

Re: Its Not Over Yet

Honourable losses just wont get us there. Go deep this draft and attack next year head on.

 

[tugga]

Re: Its Not Over Yet

Reality says that if we make it or were ever going to make it this year, it was only going to be by sneaking into 8th spot, maybe 7th, and getting smashed in the first week of the finals anyway. However, that was always going to be our first step on the long ladder of finals success so the sooner it happens the better I suppose.
The thing is, we are now heavily reliant on beating every single team around and below us, and this is simply not possible when you consider we will need to do this another 9 times this season (12 wins will get you in this year, not 11 I reckon).
We are just as likely to lose to the Suns in Cairns again this year or something similar. Games against North Melbourne and the Bulldogs all of a sudden become absolute must wins, when they could go either way.
We needed to pinch one of the Geelong, West Coast or Essendon games. We could, and should, have won all three. Reality says we won none of them.

 

[PHX]

Re: Its Not Over Yet

For those of you writing off our season already just want to point something out to you. By round 10 we will have played every finals side from last year. Before the start of the season most of us would have expected us to be on 2-3 wins by the end of round 10, so at this stage we are right where we expected us to be

To put it into perspective here are the current top 8 sides and how many of last years finals sides they will have played by round 10:

Essendon will have played only 3.
Sydney will have played only 2.
West Coast will have played only 3.
Adelaide will have played 5.
Collingwood will have played only 4.
Carlton will have played only 3.
Hawthorn will have played 5.
Fremantle will have played 6.

As you can see our draw has been very hard to start the season, the benefit for us is in the second half of the season our draw opens right up and if we can win the games we should win and steal a couple against Adelaide(away) Carlton Fremantle(away) & Essendon we'll be right in the mix for the 8 come seasons end.

So I urge all of us to jump on board for the ride because there is a long way to go and we're not out of this by a long shot.

Problem is you now need to look at how we get to 14 wins to get into the 8, because it will take nothing less to make it this season.

Even with an "easy" run home we have our work cut out for us and you can basically kiss it goodnight at 3-7 if we lose to Hawthorn and St Kilda in the next couple of weeks, which would just cruel for the improvement this team has shown this year.

Huge couple of weeks coming.

 

[Livonski]

Re: Its Not Over Yet

If this season is going to be the most "open" in decades then it stands to reason that 12,13,14 wins may not be required to get in.

 

[BF Tiger]

Re: Its Not Over Yet

While everyone says that we have been competitive against five (really) good sides and that is great, two of our three wins have come against Port and Melbourne. We have failed the test against the top teams, so we may only be at break even against the middle of the road sides. If we are to make finals it will require more than what we are showing at the moment.

 

[Bojangles17]

Re: Its Not Over Yet

While everyone says that we have been competitive against five (really) good sides and that is great, two of our three wins have come against Port and Melbourne. We have failed the test against the top teams, so we may only be at break even against the middle of the road sides. If we are to make finals it will require more than what we are showing at the moment.

who have Hawthorn beaten and lost to so far....

 

[smasha]

Re: Its Not Over Yet

WE have a great base to work from now.
We know what we need and how to improve.
GET OUR FORWARD LINE IN ORDER and some more back up for the other lines.

But we need a KPP forward pronto.

I don't want Clokey though.

We have not been thrashed yet in a game all year.

I really thought last night was the night.
I was fearing a 60 plus point thrashing.

Richmond were brilliant in the second half with their endeavour.

The game was lost in the first last night funny enough.
Bannisters brilliant game for the Dons had em over the line at quarter time.

 

[_RT_]

Re: Its Not Over Yet

Good onya mate for having a glass half full approach but take your tinted glasses off and look at where we are on the ladder and how many games behind those above us we are. It will be some ride if we make the eight this year and win lose or draw I am gunna be in it but we all know how this is gunna end.

The point is while we have had a hard run to start the season and, at this stage, we're about where we thought we would be after the first 10 games.

Those giving it away now are jumping off at the wrong time as far as I'm concerned, after all this year was never about us finishing in the top 4 and being a contender for the flag. It was about us being in contention for the 8 and quite frankly we are right in the mix.

IMO we should beat Freo in Melbourne and GWS in the next month before the bye, that would see us sitting at 5-7, pick off Hawthorn or the Saints and we're 6-6. From there anything can happen.

 

[sante]

Re: Its Not Over Yet

The point is while we have had a hard run to start the season and, at this stage, we're about where we thought we would be after the first 10 games.

Those giving it away now are jumping off at the wrong time as far as I'm concerned, after all this year was never about us finishing in the top 4 and being a contender for the flag. It was about us being in contention for the 8 and quite frankly we are right in the mix.

IMO we should beat Freo in Melbourne and GWS in the next month before the bye, that would see us sitting at 5-7, pick off Hawthorn or the Saints and we're 6-6. From there anything can happen.

This.

 

[captain blood 17]

Re: Its Not Over Yet

**** the nay sayers, i aint heard no fat lady sing yet.

 

[SA TIGER]

3 & 5 with a percentage of over 100! It's been several seasons since we have been in this position. The Bummers really worked hard to shrug off a determined yet wasteful Tiger outfit. No excuses now, as we need to snag at least 2 from 4 to stay in the hunt. An unlikely 3 from 4 matches will be a huge bonus!

 

[TJTIGER]

Re: Its Not Over Yet

**** the nay sayers, i aint heard no fat lady sing yet.

I have 'nt heard her song yet either ! Cb17

 

[smasha]

We dominated the second half but again couldn't sink the killer blow.

Very up and down season so far.

I don't know who is going to win the flag yet.

Still early days.
If our lads just keep playing with the same enthusiasm,the cream will rise to the top and that will be us.

Gee the lid would've blown off if we won last night.

Don't feel too bad now.

Was gutted last night but in the long run this team will be very very good.

Just need to get that forward line humming.

 

[Rustof]

Top 6.

 

[TheProwler]

I like to look on the positive side too but from here we will need 10 wins from our next 14 games.

Yes still mathematically possible but gee its gunna be tough and we cant have one more game like last night or the WCE or Geelong games. We should have won at-least one, maybe two and we would be sitting pretty at 4& 4 or 5&3. Sheet happens though and we didn't so we still need 10 wins.

Gunna be a good next couple of months if we end up making it though

 

[Barnzy]

Sorry RT can't agree. While I don't think finals are totally out the picture just yet they will this weekend when we likely lose to Hawthorn. We aren't making finals from a record of 3-6. We've improved but we aren't that good. Especially not with the even comp this year and the GC, GWS, Melb and Port giving teams easy wins. You're going to need 14 wins or 13 and a massive % (at least going off my ladder predictor I did).

That means we'd have to win 10 of the last 13 games at least. What chance do you give that? Also keeping in mind an injury or 2 to an important player and we're screwed given our non existant depth. Grimes just for these next 4-5 weeks (hopefully only that) is going to hurt enough as is.

 

[_RT_]

Sorry RT can't agree. While I don't think finals are totally out the picture just yet they will this weekend when we likely lose to Hawthorn. We aren't making finals from a record of 3-6. We've improved but we aren't that good. Especially not with the even comp this year and the GC, GWS, Melb and Port giving teams easy wins. You're going to need 14 wins or 13 and a massive % (at least going off my ladder predictor I did).

That means we'd have to win 10 of the last 13 games at least. What chance do you give that? Also keeping in mind an injury or 2 to an important player and we're screwed given our non existant depth. Grimes just for these next 4-5 weeks (hopefully only that) is going to hurt enough as is.

No worries Barnzy, I just feel that we're still in with a shot, especially with sides above us losing games i.e. Carlton Fremantle Saints Geelong & North. Thats why I said the next month is key for us. Go 2-2 and we make up ground on a couple of those sides. Lets not forget that we still have to play those 4 sides you mentioned. That means we need to win 6 of the remaining 10 and IMO that is still quite possible.

 

[1980]

Re: Its Not Over Yet

No , not by a long shot, Not unless you had us a lock for Top 3 ...we might struggle there. The reality is we ahve demonstrated with our performance against Top 4 sides that we are a worthy finalist. that means the MOST IMPORTANT games coming up will be against those teams we are competing for that 6-8 spot. that is st.Kilda, WB, NM, Freo, Crows et al...all must win games. I give us every chance against the hawks next week...they have been far from convincing this year..their form well short of top sides we have just fallen short of beating..eat'em alive

Cant believe you are capable of compiling a credible post. When the hell did you start taking your medications? Or has an imposter hacked your account?

 

[Spluff]

It's over if we don't get Grimes back in a real hurry. The odds are against us with the Hawks anyway, but if we don't get him back after that it becomes very very difficult.

 

[Themi#9]

Great thread, not worth sooking about last night! but what a comeback, shows that the boys cared about the game and brought a relentless attitude to the contest in that second half, and yes i know they should have started like that from the get go, we are still young and these things are expected, we nearly got those pricks in the end but we will learn from this and we will win that close one and it will snowball....the players hurt just as much as we do and there apatite will get bigger each week which i havent seen in my 22 years that iv loved them, so lets take the foot off the throat as supporters and get ready for a tough contest against the Hawks which imo will be a rebound win i hope!!! Carn the tiges heads up!!

 

["The Roar Is Back"]

The comp has tightened up and some of the sides in last years top eight have slid whilst others outside have risen . We've been closer in most games yet not been able to get the chocolates .
We have little to no depth , we have a number of players who are struggling like Ellis, Conca , Houli, Nahas , King, Miller , Vickery and with the injury to Grimes we are going to be forced to play someone who is either not ready or out of position . Gus by all accounts appears to be our most consistant player at Coburg, whilst Maric has been enormous and doesn't appear to be tiring , which surprises me .
Unfortunately I think it's unlikely , due to the workload they are carrying that some won't drop off in form as the season progresses .
If White , Griffith , Post , Arnott ,Astbury Connors, Moore and Derickx , where regularly featuring in our best players at Coburg , suggesting they are ready to step up when others tire, I'd be a little more optimistic about our chances of sustaining the current form or improving, however that ain't happening .