Looking at our draw this year.

[Didak_attack]

I must say I often don't listen to the whole easy draw/hard draw debate as it often just raises pointless debate, but looking at ours this year, being the top of the ladder its quite impressive given we have.

Played the other teams in the top 4 6 times (the maximum possible)

Played the other teams in the Top 8 12 out of a maximum 14 times - by the conclusion of the season. The two games we missed were Sydney and Freo, BOTH at home - This is what really stood out for me, while I mean no disrespect to Freo or Sydney I would have through freo and sydney at the MCG would be two of our easier games from teams we played in the top 8.

I think this is a pretty impressive stat and if we can win our last 2 and finish 6 points clear, it would really reflect the strong season we have had thus far.

Hope this track record continues deep into the finals and we can belt out Goold Old Collingwood Forever on the last Saturday of September.

GO PIES!

 

[cfx_1]

I'm looking for the 'like' button..

 

[Cousin of Daicos]

I'm amazed.

Ask anyone on here, I had tipped us to finish outside the 8 given our past history with most of the teams in our draw.

I'm simply gobsmacked that we're going to finish top (top 2 at MINIMUM) with the hardest draw we've had under MM.

Not sure if they still truly believe it, I think they said it thinking it would never happen, but my uncle and dad said before round 1 "If Collingwood can make top 4 with this draw, they'll win the flag".

They've kind of backtracked now since at the time I dont think they actually believed that was going to happen.

 

[thecig]

can we sticky this thread for the idiots that say we get an easy draw? Would could call it "Exhibit A"

 

[Zahki]

can we sticky this thread for the idiots that say we get an easy draw? Would could call it "Exhibit A"

Then they just point to the number of matches at the G. If we had 2 games against West Coast at Subi, 2 games against Brisbane at the Gabba and 2 games against Sydney in Sydney you can bet your bottom dollar that they'd then claim our draw is soft because we play shit teams. There's no possible way to win because frankly they don't care if our draw is soft or not they just want an excuse for us playing so well.

 

[Bloben]

That is fantastic! Also if you look at it, from my quick calculation there are only two teams in the bottom 8 we will have played twice. Essendon and Melbourne and both are pushing for the top 8.

 

[Magnus the Magpie]

Then they just point to the number of matches at the G. If we had 2 games against West Coast at Subi, 2 games against Brisbane at the Gabba and 2 games against Sydney in Sydney you can bet your bottom dollar that they'd then claim our draw is soft because we play shit teams. There's no possible way to win because frankly they don't care if our draw is soft or not they just want an excuse for us playing so well.

Exactly!

I'm sick of arguing this but, unless a Vic-based team is playing a non-Vic side, the G is neutral territory (and the same goes for Docklands). To suggest that we have some sort of advantage when we play Carlton, Essendon etc. at the G is, quite frankly, absurd - and our relatively poor record at that venue over the years confirms it.

As you note though, you can't win arguing with people who make Gillard and Abbott look even-handed - and there is certainly no point arguing with morons!

 

[thecig]

Exactly!

I'm sick of arguing this but, unless a Vic-based team is playing a non-Vic side, the G is neutral territory (and the same goes for Docklands). To suggest that we have some sort of advantage when we play Carlton, Essendon etc. at the G is, quite frankly, absurd - and our relatively poor record at that venue over the years confirms it.

As you note though, you can't win arguing with people who make Gillard and Abbott look even-handed - and there is certainly no point arguing with morons!

It's a serious Douche/Terd sandwich debate

 

[Boris the Contradiction]

Our draw was bad when we got it but the improvement of Sydney, Freo, Melbourne and Hawthorn from last season has made it just about the worst in the league. We've played 5 of the other 7 top 8 teams twice each and the other 2 only once, but interstate. That is the hardest possible draw considering how the ladder has panned out. As people have said though, ignorant complainers will still try to devise ways to discredit it. Idiots all of them.

Also, as was mentioned above, we only play the bottom 6 teams once each (other than Essendon) and 2 of them interstate and yes, Essendon is crap but the only other bottom 8 team we play twice is Melbourne and they're the best team who won't be playing finals IMO.

Our record this year has been seriously dominant and if we finish 1st and win the flag having had this draw, our season will be up there with Geelong's in 2007. Unlike that Geelong team though, our main flag challenger won't be missing its 3 best players (2 of them Brownlow medallists) come finals time. Imagine Selwood, Ablett and Bartel don't play in September!

Go Pies..

 

[Histrionics]

Na but da Colliflogs always play at da G and neva travel interstate. Ezy as draw use have.

 

[mattys123]

Great thread, Great OP.

If we finish first (which seems certain now) we have simply deserved it.

I rated our draw as significantly harder then the other "contenders", and thus tipped us to finish 2nd or 3rd, not 1st.

Last year we were probably top 4 based somewhat on our draw, but this year no one can say we haven't earned top spot.

I'd love to win our last 2, and go into September with only 3 losses, it would be a staggering achievement with a side no one rated pre season, and with the draw as explained above.

I'm always optimistic about our chances, but to finish on top was a dream I though we wouldn't achieve.

Great year so far, 5 wins left till dreamtime becomes reality.

 

[PieGal]

I started this thread on the main board:

http://www.bigfooty.com/forum/showthread.php?t=704718

a little while ago based on this and only very few rival posters agreed. They hate to look at facts when talking about the Pies.

When the draw came out, I was schocked at how difficult it looked initially and didnt hold much hope in the Pies even making the 8.

I am so impressed we have overcome this "Draw" and finished top 4.

I didnt give our players enough credit to be able to overcome it. Just shows the amount of talent we have at our disposal.

I firmly believe now that we are on the verge of a premiership, and we will FULLY deserve it when it happens.

 

[notorious_zhang]

We all knew this season was going to be pretty tough.

Coming off from top 4 in 2009, when the draws first came out we knew that it was going to be tough.

Even MM said it was going to be tough.

But I guess that just shows you how much we've improved.

 

[Prince_Rhodesia]

Then they just point to the number of matches at the G. If we had 2 games against West Coast at Subi, 2 games against Brisbane at the Gabba and 2 games against Sydney in Sydney you can bet your bottom dollar that they'd then claim our draw is soft because we play shit teams. There's no possible way to win because frankly they don't care if our draw is soft or not they just want an excuse for us playing so well.

Even if we do finish on top and they acknowledge that our draw was one of the most difficult (highly unlikely), they will then go on to say that the last time we won the minor premiership we went on to lose the GF. You can't win with these flogs. And why would you wanna? They're obviously stupid because they don't barrack for Collingwood in the first place.

 

[Visions]

Even if we do finish on top and they acknowledge that our draw was one of the most difficult (highly unlikely), they will then go on to say that the last time we won the minor premiership we went on to lose the GF. You can't win with these flogs. And why would you wanna? They're obviously stupid because they don't barrack for Collingwood in the first place.

About 70% of the population are stupid. Of that 70%, at least 97% are opposition supporters here on Bigfooty.

You cannot I repeat cannot debate with people who are uneducated tools.

 

[Swooop]

Any sane football follower would acknowledge that both Collingwood and Essendon had the worst draws.

Similarly, St Kilda were given the draw from heaven, almost as if for compensation for losing the GF last year.

AFL prattled on about wanting blockbusters, then gave Saints the Cats once, and Dogs once...theoretically the two toughest opponents, as things stood at the time.

Having said that, IMHO usually Collingwood does get a pretty good go most years, so I guess we were due a tough one.

 

[sr36]

We've had the easiest draw in the league.

Many teams have had to play the best team in the league twice, some only once. Whereas we haven't had to play them at all.

 

[thecig]

We've had the easiest draw in the league.

Many teams have had to play the best team in the league twice, some only once. Whereas we haven't had to play them at all.

 

[Gambit78]

had a read of the adelaide board and the draw came up again - particularly the fact that we play so many games at the MCG. This is what I posted on there - thought I'd throw it out to you guys, because it was something I was told, but never had verified:

As I understand it, back in the day the MCC had a deal with the AFL that there would be at least one final at the MCG each week regardless of who the teams were. So you had the situation where West Coast (early 90's), for example, despite finishing higher on the ladder, had to come to Melbourne to play their 'home' final.

Clearly that wasn't fair and the AFL sought to change the contract. If I remember correctly, the contract was for some ungodly length of time - like well into the 21st century. The MCC played hardball and in the end requested significant compensation for losing finals games at the MCG. The compensation was that Collingwood would play the majority of its H&A games at the MCG.

Anyway, that's how it was explained to me. If anyone can verify that (or otherwise) feel free too.

 

[Kirby]

^ There was a deal done with the MCC but I'm not sure it was specifically Collingwood related. The deal was that more blockbusters would be scheduled during the regular season at the MCG to entice them to renegotiate the contract.

I think we are just the major beneficiaries of this deal as we are a tennant of the ground and the biggest crowd pullers.

Someone will correct me if I am wrong no doubt.

 

[Magnus the Magpie]

had a read of the adelaide board and the draw came up again - particularly the fact that we play so many games at the MCG. This is what I posted on there - thought I'd throw it out to you guys, because it was something I was told, but never had verified:

As I understand it, back in the day the MCC had a deal with the AFL that there would be at least one final at the MCG each week regardless of who the teams were. So you had the situation where West Coast (early 90's), for example, despite finishing higher on the ladder, had to come to Melbourne to play their 'home' final.

Clearly that wasn't fair and the AFL sought to change the contract. If I remember correctly, the contract was for some ungodly length of time - like well into the 21st century. The MCC played hardball and in the end requested significant compensation for losing finals games at the MCG. The compensation was that Collingwood would play the majority of its H&A games at the MCG.

Anyway, that's how it was explained to me. If anyone can verify that (or otherwise) feel free too.

No. Home finals for non-Vic sides were introduced in 1991 I'm pretty sure - I recall hawthorn upsetting WC at Subiaco in that year. The sticking point after that was the requirement that at least one PF be played at the MCG and that wasn't recitified until around 5-6 years back.

Our draw had very little to do with these negotiations - the essence of it has been in place since we did a deal (re. moving from Vic Park) back in 1999.

 

[Gambit78]

No. Home finals for non-Vic sides were introduced in 1991 I'm pretty sure - I recall hawthorn upsetting WC at Subiaco in that year. The sticking point after that was the requirement that at least one PF be played at the MCG and that wasn't recitified until around 5-6 years back.

Our draw had very little to do with these negotiations - the essence of it has been in place since we did a deal (re. moving from Vic Park) back in 1999.

I do recall finals being played interstate back then - we lost to the eagles in '94 for instance - but wasn't sure when the obligation to play one final a week at the MCG was abolished.

As pointed out, maybe it is just the blockbusters being scheduled at the MCG and we just happen to be the team involved in most of them - it's just that I recall someone official in Collingwood saying that it was a 'deal' - in other words we had to actively say 'yes' or 'no' in the negotiations...my memory is sketchy.