Opinion Our next 6 weeks: Tougher than it seems

[sirlothie]

Gee, I just looked at their draw. I agree could go through without losing a game.

Luckily there is basically zero difference between finishing 1st and 2nd. It's probably better to finish 2nd as you don't have the pressure of being first but you still get the same road to the Grand Final. Assuming there's not a huge difference between the 3rd and 4th sides.

 

[The Royal Sampler]

No telling how players respond to concussion in those situations. Time will tell.

Would they debut Goddard if he doesn't get up? Was apparently good in the VFL.

Possibly! I didn’t get to keep up too well with the non-Pies games this weekend.

 

[FAIRANDBALANCED]

Our small-medium forward group are heavily reliant upon marking and that's an area of real strength for the Cats defence. That combined with their pace and agility makes them a very formidable group as they showed toweling up the Essendon small-medium forwards. Need to win the midfield to have any chance.

I don't think they have great match-ups for Stephenson, Elliott and WHE when they are all in the same forward line. I even think DeGoey will be too quick for all of their backmen, including Stewart (who is just about the best defender in the comp.)

I hope we take whoever gets a Connors or Harry Taylor, and take them to the goal square. It can work, but we need to be fluid and not allow them to defend as a group.

 

[manicmagpie]

Got to take full toll from the next 8 weeks as these are our opponents:



A tougher run home after that but on paper we shouldn't be losing to any of those next 8 teams.

Technically we only have 4 games left against teams that are currently in the 8 and we don't double up on any current top 8 side.

So much for a hard draw.

 

[76woodenspooners]

... But we'll go into each game as strong favourites in the current climate.

Unfortunately climate change is real

 

[jackcass]

I don't think they have great match-ups for Stephenson, Elliott and WHE when they are all in the same forward line. I even think DeGoey will be too quick for all of their backmen, including Stewart (who is just about the best defender in the comp.)

I hope we take whoever gets a Connors or Harry Taylor, and take them to the goal square. It can work, but we need to be fluid and not allow them to defend as a group.

I think they do, especially as they've still got Bews and Touhy to accommodate back there.

 

[neilk]

Got to take full toll from the next 8 weeks as these are our opponents:

View attachment 669281

A tougher run home after that but on paper we shouldn't be losing to any of those next 8 teams.

Technically we only have 4 games left against teams that are currently in the 8 and we don't double up on any current top 8 side.

So much for a hard draw.

But, but, we wouldn’t have beaten anyone above us on the ladder!

 

[Pragmatic Shill]

I didn't follow footy closely at all in 2015 - can someone explain to me what went so wrong after the bye? We were still top 4 at Round 12, sitting on 8-3.

 

[nahnah]

Essendon
Port

bring on le bleu's

Carlton

next

 

[76woodenspooners]

Carlton

next

Essendon and Carlton were both tougher than they seemed?

 

[nahnah]

Essendon and Carlton were both tougher than they seemed?

I actually expected both of those games to be tough, I think we will smash the saints

 

[Saintly Viewed]

Got to take full toll from the next 8 weeks as these are our opponents:

View attachment 669281

A tougher run home after that but on paper we shouldn't be losing to any of those next 8 teams.

Technically we only have 4 games left against teams that are currently in the 8 and we don't double up on any current top 8 side.

So much for a hard draw.

But we won’t have beaten anyone...

 

[Saintly Viewed]

I’m not picking we win by ten goals anymore.

Just take 4 points and I’ll be satisfied.

 

[jmac70]

I’m not picking we win by ten goals anymore.

Just take 4 points and I’ll be satisfied.

It’s a very even season. Four points is gold, and 14 wins will probably be top 4.

 

[Robroy22]

But we won’t have beaten anyone...

We haven't beaten anybody YET have we?

 

[jmac70]

We haven't beaten anybody YET have we?

We’ve beaten our three most hated teams. Happy days.

 

[Mkcaptain]

I didn't follow footy closely at all in 2015 - can someone explain to me what went so wrong after the bye? We were still top 4 at Round 12, sitting on 8-3.

 

[nahnah]

I’m not picking we win by ten goals anymore.

Just take 4 points and I’ll be satisfied.

Next time we play the tiges we will probably win by 10 goals... the lions game was pretty predictable (overrated team hyped up all week = disaster waiting to happen)

 

[Saintly Viewed]

We haven't beaten anybody YET have we?

No.

Nobody.

 

[The Royal Sampler]

I’m not picking we win by ten goals anymore.

Just take 4 points and I’ll be satisfied.

******* weird season isn’t it?

You think of how any team is going; they’re likely a game and some percentage behind us.

Richmond? We smashed them didn’t we? And then they lost a bunch of players, got stomped by the Bulldogs... where are they right now, way down the ladder, yeah?

No, they’re a game and percentage behind us. Same as Adelaide somehow, and West Coast.

Thank God GWS looked so crap today. One loss, which could so easily have happened against the tankers, and we’d be hanging on by our fingernails to the bloody 8.

 

[Saintly Viewed]

******* weird season isn’t it?

You think of how any team is going; they’re likely a game and some percentage behind us.

Richmond? We smashed them didn’t we? And then they lost a bunch of players, got stomped by the Bulldogs... where are they right now, way down the ladder, yeah?

No, they’re a game and percentage behind us. Same as Adelaide somehow, and West Coast.

Thank God GWS looked so crap today. One loss, which could so easily have happened against the tankers, and we’d be hanging on by our fingernails to the bloody 8.

Yep.

And we’re in second spot and ensconced.

Keep racking up the 4 points.

Learn from each game, improve.

 

[sr36]

But we won’t have beaten anyone...

I'm holding off celebrating any of our wins, because it's only at the end of the year that we'll know if we've beaten any top 8 teams. And wins don't count unless it's against a top 8 team.

 

[Saintly Viewed]

I'm holding off celebrating any of our wins, because it's only at the end of the year that we'll know if we've beaten any top 8 teams. And wins don't count unless it's against a top 8 team.

Agree.
We just can’t beat anyone.

It’s bad, it’s bad I tell you.

 

[sr36]

Agree.
We just can’t beat anyone.

It’s bad, it’s bad I tell you.

The really bad thing is it forces you to barrack for Essendon and Carlton, because if they win enough games and make the top 8, we'll get to enjoy having beaten them.

 

[Jafo]

We’ve beaten our three most hated teams. Happy days.

Just not the forth yet- Eagles.