Looking back in anger

[disgruntled goat]

NOW it seems we've built some momentum with good wins the past two weeks, despite the injury list growing, how important now are the two-point loss to Hawthorn and the three-point capitulation against the Tigers???

 

[Dangas]

It is all "ifs" and "could haves" and at the end of the day we lost, we move on from those disappointments and look forward to Roosy and Kirky's last finals campaign!

 

[BarneyBent]

Massive losses. We'd be in with a genuine shot at a top 4 spot with those wins. But then, we won close ones against Essendon and Freo. Swings and roundabouts.

 

[Rhino5]

Close games are lost and leads are blown every season. It happens to everyone. We could have lost the Freo or Essendon games too, but we didn't. All in all, we are where we should be on the ladder - this is not a top 4 team.

 

[GoTheSwannies]

without the richmond game we may not have beaten freo...i'm sure the players took alot away from that performance...alot of the younger players haven't been in that position where we've let a game slip so it's all a learning process...they'll be better for the experience

 

[CAS79]

On the other hand Mr Goat, I agree at least with the Richmond game. The Hawks game we had trouble penetrating their zone and it was as much good play that shut us out. Richmond game we took our foot off the pedal and slumped. The game has been costly. Not so much as a top 4 spot but wrapping up a spot in the eight earlier and competing for a home final. Getting a home final in week 1 while the top 4 go head to head in their qualifying final.

 

[TheMase]

Given our injuries, to be where we are given we dropped those games it is very good.

I am happy with 2010 regardless of outcome as we got gametime into some future players.
We are not a real premiership threat.

 

[Tedeski]

It's still a better season then last year...........& we've still 2 rounds to go.
11 wins & 9 losses.............yep.............we've had a great year considering where we thought we might end up after the retirements of MOL, Leo, Crouch & departure of Hall midway through the year.

To think we've had all these injuries & the tough draw that we've had & come through to this point. It's only going to stand us in good stead for the future.

Who knows! We're a BIG chance to win a final whether it be at home or in Melbourne.

Let's test the Doggies next week. They got us after we'd been softened last time but this time it's on our terms & with the big Mummy dropping in front of Bazza.
Go Bloods!

 

[disgruntled goat]

It's still a better season then last year...........& we've still 2 rounds to go.
11 wins & 9 losses.............yep.............we've had a great year considering where we thought we might end up after the retirements of MOL, Leo, Crouch & departure of Hall midway through the year.

To think we've had all these injuries & the tough draw that we've had & come through to this point. It's only going to stand us in good stead for the future.

Who knows! We're a BIG chance to win a final whether it be at home or in Melbourne.

Let's test the Doggies next week. They got us after we'd been softened last time but this time it's on our terms & with the big Mummy dropping in front of Bazza.
Go Bloods!

We are DEFINITELY in better shape than this time last season.

 

[BWassa14]

Be happy with what you have. We're in the finals when no other team thought we would.

 

[BWassa14]

[YOUTUBE]r8OipmKFDeM[/YOUTUBE]

seems relevant

 

[bedford]

Not really

 

[db swannie]

On the other hand Mr Goat, I agree at least with the Richmond game. The Hawks game we had trouble penetrating their zone and it was as much good play that shut us out. Richmond game we took our foot off the pedal and slumped. The game has been costly. Not so much as a top 4 spot but wrapping up a spot in the eight earlier and competing for a home final. Getting a home final in week 1 while the top 4 go head to head in their qualifying final.

Agree on the Hawks game but still think we were beaten by the better team on the day against Richmond. Even when we were well up they looked cleaner with the ball and more direct...

Still, no reason to look back in anger on this season. Jetta, Rohan, TDL have all shown great promise, Hanners is going to be Rising Star, Pyke has progressed immensly, and all our recruits have at some stage shown great value. I guess the only real concern is Braddie's injuries, but as has been said many times, we got him for nix, and we knew the risks.

As for close losses, each team has them every year. If we started whinging about them we may as well make friends with Brad Roo and his mates and learn the Norf song.

 

[bungee]

Anger is a bit strong, it's all in the past.

Have we learned something from these games ?

i) Caning of Hawthorn
ii) Tight win against Fremantle

YES it would seem we have.

 

[disgruntled goat]

Frustration, rather than anger, might have been more apt.

 

[liz]

The Richmond game might end up costing us a home final, but the way the draw is for the last two games, we're actually a pretty good chance to snare one, even if we lose this weekend. (If we lose to the Brownless Lions we've no right to one!)

We're not going to make up percentage gap on either Carlton or Freo and the Hawks percentage is irrelvant due to their draw. So we need to win one more game than the Blues OR two more games than the Dockers and hope that the Hawks don't win both their remaining games.

The Blues play Geelong this weekend. I know they beat the Cats earlier in the season but I can't see them doing it again, with the Cats still atoning for their game against Collingwood.

The Hawks and Freo play each other, so clearly they can't both win.

Next weekend, Carlton and Freo play each other (at Subi) so they can't both win. And Hawthorn play Collingwood, so the Hawks would have to pull one out of the bag to win that.

So assuming both Geelong and the Pies do the business against our contenders, the possible outcomes (ignoring draws) are:

Freo lose 2, Carlton win 1 and the Hawks win 1 (We'll finish 6th if we beat the Lions, 5th if we can pull off something this weekend.) or

Freo win 1, Carlton lose 2, Hawks win 1 (Same result for us as above) or

Freo win 1, Carlton win 1, Hawks lose 2 (We'll finish 7th unless we can beat the Dogs.)

The third scenario has Freo beating Hawthorn in Tassie and then losing to the Blues in Perth, which doesn't seem particularly likely but could happen.

Whichever way it pans out, we should be reasonably optimistic about round 1 of the finals. Not saying we'll necessarily win, or even be favourites but we have beaten each of our possible opponents over the last couple of months (including North, who are still an outside chance), two of them away from home.