Our friend, the Draw

[Tempy Tiger]

I know we are traveling poorly at the minute (Played 9; Won 3, Lost 5, 1 Draw) but when you look at our draw for the rest of the season and the likely return dates for our injured players or suspended players, we could still pinch a spot in the finals...

Round 11: Essendon - MCG (Scully, Trengove, Dunn)
Round 12: Collingwood - MCG (Davey)
Round 13: Fremantle - MCG (Bartram)
Round 14: Richmond - MCG (Tapscott, Jamar)
Round 15: Western Bulldogs - Jihad
Round 16: Bye
Round 17: Port Adelaide, TIO (Bail, Garland)
Round 18: Hawthorn - MCG
Round 19: Geelong - Skilled
Round 20: Carlton - MCG
Round 21: West Coast - Jihad
Round 22: Richmond - MCG
Round 23: Port Adelaide - AAMI

IF we win the games in bold, that would leave us sitting on 10 wins, 10 losses, 1 draw. Could also be a chance to steal at least one of the other 5 remaining games, particularly against Essendon, Hawthorn or the Cheats.

7 out of the 12 remaining games are at the MCG where we play our best football, and we only travel twice.

Is the light I am looking at actually a train coming in the opposite direction?

 

[melbournemartin]

West Coast will likely smash us. Etihad is as good as an away ground for us. Same goes for the Bulldogs game. Port may be rubbish but we are more rubbish when it comes to playing in Adelaide. Hopefully the NAB cup mini wins help though.

I reckon we are far from locking in two wins against Richmond either.

 

[Gazza_11]

We should have beaten North and the Saints. Hurt by injuries, but mostly our own insipidity. Until we eradicate the latter, we're not going to beat any sides that are as good as or better than us.

Although I'd dearly love to win a few of the games against Essendon, Hawthorn, Carlton, Richmond and the Bulldogs. Even if we don't make finals, these games are really list defining. And I know we're capable! We were playing Hawthorn on our terms for a half. Blame their goal kicking but I was at the game and we were looking far more fluent. We can do that against anyone, even Collingwood.

 

[Gazza_11]

Oh and you forgot the Gold Coast in Round 23. Their first game at the MCG, should lock in a win their.

 

[Supermercado]

Don't care how shit Port are, chances of us winning at Football Park are about a billion to one.

 

[TheBoss]

I don't see MFC winning either game against Richmond

 

[Andy_Mac]

I don't see MFC winning either game against Richmond

If RIchmond were missing Cotchin, Lids, Martin and Reiwoldt they would be getting there asses handed to them on a silver platter.

They are rubish.

 

[THE STING2]

I reckon we are far from locking in two wins against Richmond either.

I don't think we could lock in any win TBH.

The draw isn't our friend because we stuffed up our chances to make the finals by losing to North and St Kilda, it could only be Bailey's friend.

I'm gonna be pissed if a favourable draw allows Bailey to keep his job. He can't coach, sack him now before we have any chance of having this problem.

9 and a half wins I'm predicting, THE MASTER OF MEDIOCRITY DOES IT AGAIN!

 

[BigSexc]

the draw could be our friend against the bombers next week

 

[Logger]

the draw could be our friend against the bombers next week

Our recent history suggests a draw wouldn't be unfriendly against the Pies too

 

[Demon Revival]

Don't care how shit Port are, chances of us winning at Football Park are about a billion to one.

Isn't this to be played in Darwin???

 

[BigSexc]

Our recent history suggests a draw wouldn't be unfriendly against the Pies too

i meant that teams struggle after the bye.

 

[Crimson Azure]

In the next month 7 of our best 22 will return, that will have a large effect on what happens off field & where we finish.

 

[RandB]

Isn't this to be played in Darwin???

We play them twice DR. The 2nd game is round 24 at AAMI.

 

[Ando727]

OP is rather optimistic, I'm afraid.

I see us winning 4-5 more games and finishing well out of the 8. If we get a caretaker coach that might shake things up a bit. The problem with us is that it's hard to say who we will beat. We are so inconsistent, you can't really pencil in anything for certain. We will drop lots of those "easy" games and we will win a couple of hard ones. The fact that you never know which Melbourne is going to show up is the most galling thing of all.

 

[Crusty Demon]

I can see us winning 3 more, and that is it. We haven't won at Etihad for years, so we won't start now when we are playing like sh*t. So cross off the Doggies and West Coast games. Same applies to AAMI Stadium in Adelaide. No matter how badly Port are going, they will beat us over there so cross that one off. Freo at the G is a 50/50 at best. And Richmond are simply playing better than us with more hunger, so I'd suggest we cross off one of those wins.

That leaves 1 win against Richmond, a win against Port in Darwin(again a 50/50 but I'll pencil it in) and a win against Gold Coast in Melbourne. They are the only matches I see us winning. Which leaves us at 6 wins and a draw for 2011. Regardless of injuries, that's a pathetic season and should see us comfortably in the bottom 4. In a way, I hope this does happen so Bailey and his cronies will be out the door...

 

[Canary]

I can see us winning 3 more, and that is it. We haven't won at Etihad for years, so we won't start now when we are playing like sh*t. So cross off the Doggies and West Coast games. Same applies to AAMI Stadium in Adelaide. No matter how badly Port are going, they will beat us over there so cross that one off. Freo at the G is a 50/50 at best. And Richmond are simply playing better than us with more hunger, so I'd suggest we cross off one of those wins.

That leaves 1 win against Richmond, a win against Port in Darwin(again a 50/50 but I'll pencil it in) and a win against Gold Coast in Melbourne. They are the only matches I see us winning. Which leaves us at 6 wins and a draw for 2011. Regardless of injuries, that's a pathetic season and should see us comfortably in the bottom 4. In a way, I hope this does happen so Bailey and his cronies will be out the door...

so returning players will have absolutely no effect?

Your pessimism astounds me.

 

[CowboyFromHell]

so returning players will have absolutely no effect?

Your pessimism astounds me.

Returning players will be handy but even when we did have the players on the park we looked second rate thanks to our game plan.

The next few weeks will be very interesting indeed.

 

[Crusty Demon]

so returning players will have absolutely no effect?

Your pessimism astounds me.

Ahhh, I'm a Melbourne supporter! Never seen my club have any success whatsover! Why should I have any cause for optimism about the clubs fortunes this season? Nothing I have seen this season gives me hope of turning around what will surely be a bottom 4 finish. So what is so astounding about the pessimism? I've actually been very optimistic about our list and where it could take us.

Of course Jamar, Garland, Trengove & co will have an impact. But with the lack of confidence in our players and key players horribly out of form with a gamplan stuck in the last decade, unfortunatley these returning players won't be able to turn around a season spiralling out of control. Scully is the only player returning from injury that we haven't seen yet this season! And if people are pinning there hopes on a 2nd year player who has his future more than likely elsewhere, then they are sadly mistaken.

 

[eskimo]

So many people on this board must be close to necking themselves. The negativity astounds me!


For people to actually want us to fail so the coach gets sacked is seriously ******ed!

Wouldn't you much prefer the players actually pulled their fingers out, put in a 4 qtr effort, we make finals, put up a good show and go into next year with momentum? No of course not, let's hope we win 3 more games for the year and Bailey gets the arse.

 

[Chip_]

In reality, the draw means shit all.

At the start of the year I looked at our draw & thought that if we play well & a little luck we should be above 50% after 11 games (at least 6 wins). We're 9 games in & no one gives us much chance in the next 2 games, so instead of 6 wins were at 3 & 1/2.

Even with 5 wins from the first 11, we would've been a decent chance to win 6 in the 2nd half of the year, finish on 11 wins & be a finals chance. That would've been an improvement from last year & a move in the right direction.

Finals are a pipedream now, but to be any chance we'd need to win one of the next 2.

 

[Djcjdees]

So many people on this board must be close to necking themselves. The negativity astounds me!


For people to actually want us to fail so the coach gets sacked is seriously ******ed!

Wouldn't you much prefer the players actually pulled their fingers out, put in a 4 qtr effort, we make finals, put up a good show and go into next year with momentum? No of course not, let's hope we win 3 more games for the year and Bailey gets the arse.

agree with this. Takes no skill to run, chase and tackle, just determination and belief. We have injuries. Welcome to the real world! Good chance to show your true colours and cement yourself a spot in the team, from a player's perspective.

I reckon if we can focus on winning the tackle count each week, we'll be thereabouts in the game. Happens almost every game of afl, the team with the most tackles is usually in front, but if not always in the game. Go Jordie

 

[Crusty Demon]

So many people on this board must be close to necking themselves. The negativity astounds me!


For people to actually want us to fail so the coach gets sacked is seriously ******ed!

Wouldn't you much prefer the players actually pulled their fingers out, put in a 4 qtr effort, we make finals, put up a good show and go into next year with momentum? No of course not, let's hope we win 3 more games for the year and Bailey gets the arse.

Why does the negativity on this board astound you???? What have we seriously got to be positive about from what we have seen this season? We have seen slight improvement from only a few players and we have beaten 3 teams on our home ground who let's face it, most teams will beat this season.

And yes, I would gladly sacrifice the season if it means Bailey will get the sack at seasons end. Gladly!!!! Why is that so hard to understand? So you would be happy if we scratch out a few more wins and Bailey keeps his job? He cannot coach! He is unable to take us any further. Of course I'd love us to win every game for the rest of the season. But It is not going to happen because the players have lost faith in the coach, and the coach has lost faith in the players. Time to move on, and if losing most games for the rest of the season will open the boards eyes to the fact we need a new coach, then I'll gladly hope for that to happen.

 

[AFL is Number One]

I can see us winning 3 more, and that is it.


I agree with the C D.

We have had the draw from heaven, but injuries from hell.

In any case...the sad truth is that we will ( again ) be around the 13th, 14th , 15th mark on the ladder at season's end.

This is not being "pessimistic" or "negative". Instead...Crusty Demon is being a realist.

I'd rather read comments which are truthful than some of the blue sky stuff going around.

Our season is shot & gone...lets plan for next year. Thats the reality guys.

 

[Tempy Tiger]

I know we are traveling poorly at the minute (Played 9; Won 3, Lost 5, 1 Draw) but when you look at our draw for the rest of the season and the likely return dates for our injured players or suspended players, we could still pinch a spot in the finals...

Round 11: Essendon - MCG (Scully, Trengove, Dunn) WON
Round 12: Collingwood - MCG (Davey)
Round 13: Fremantle - MCG (Bartram)
Round 14: Richmond - MCG (Tapscott, Jamar)
Round 15: Western Bulldogs - Jihad
Round 16: Bye
Round 17: Port Adelaide, TIO (Bail, Garland)
Round 18: Hawthorn - MCG
Round 19: Geelong - Skilled
Round 20: Carlton - MCG
Round 21: West Coast - Jihad
Round 22: Richmond - MCG
Round 23: Port Adelaide - AAMI

IF we win the games in bold, that would leave us sitting on 10 wins, 10 losses, 1 draw. Could also be a chance to steal at least one of the other 5 remaining games, particularly against Essendon, Hawthorn or the Cheats.

7 out of the 12 remaining games are at the MCG where we play our best football, and we only travel twice.

Is the light I am looking at actually a train coming in the opposite direction?

Time to get on board, the steam train is about to leave the station!!