Toast Path to finals - We're in the Eight baby!!

[GoTheSwannies]

We have a really interesting path to finals in that we play every team that is equal on points with us, or above us on the ladder. We play every team sitting 4th to 14th bar St Kilda.

So if we're good enough, we'll win our way through and have the added bonus that each game we win, also gives our closest competitors a loss.

So just about every match from here on is an 8 point game.

 

[Dan87]

It'll be like playing mario kart after being red shelled half a dozen times in the first two laps but you know you've got most covered

Go Swans

 

[Swan4Life]

We are two wins off fifth spot, with a superior percentage to all teams above us with the exception of the Crows and Cats, who are both less than 2% ahead.

I still think we'll come up short but it's now at least possible. The Cats game is an absolute line in the sand game for multiple reasons.

 

[GoTheSwannies]

It's funny because the saints game was my line in the sand game, particularly since we were sitting under 100%. But that Eagles demolition gave us a huge 15% boost and put us back in the hunt. There's no overstating how important that win was for us.

But it all starts again against Geelong, and I'm hopeful and optimistic that we can get the job done.

 

[caesar88]

Right now the path feels like this



One week at a time

 

[The King!]

It'll be like playing mario kart after being red shelled half a dozen times in the first two laps but you know you've got most covered

Go Swans

We are on Rainbow Road

 

[Kiama Chris]

I like simple. This is simple. Win. TBH I can't realistically see us doing better than 6th but every week the task is simple.
We have shown ourselves how again. Pressure, teamwork, consistency.
Not easy but definitely simple.

 

[The King!]

We have to beat Geelong imo, massive psychological win, plus close on the ladder.

If we can do that imo we start favourites the next two

then need one of freo/essendon

 

[Heeney2Franklin]

Oh god put it down to the Suns to derail our season again in round 22.

 

[Heeney2Franklin]

Thats actually a pretty brutal run home so many 60-40 type games.

 

[swanssince2002]

Oh god put it down to the Suns to derail our season again in round 22.

At least its at the SCG... oh we got our asses whooped in 2018 at home.

 

[bloodsbigot]

Thats actually a pretty brutal run home so many 60-40 type games.

Grand finalists always get tough fixtures I guess.

 

[bloodsbigot]

Oh god put it down to the Suns to derail our season again in round 22.

Don't think they will without Rankine. If anything the crows will beat us with him.

 

[Kennedy Parker]

Pretty confident of making finals if we can score 200 points every week.

 

[Swan4Life]

In his last presser before the Weagles game, Horse was asked if missing Buddy was made a little easier due to playing a nominally weaker opponent:

"If he's fit, he plays. Fitness is the only factor"

Now I'm not sure about others, but that statement worries me when it is clear that he may not always be the best option. Time will tell I guess.

 

[momentbymoment]

So we are using the F word now?
Bold move.
Not sure it’s a smart move.
But bold …

 

[RUNVS]

So we are using the F word now?
Bold move.
Not sure it’s a smart move.
But bold …

Steven Bradbury probably had his doubters halfway through that final lap

 

[MF]

There's plenty of reasons to think we'll improve on the run home but I want to see how we go against Geelong before I even vaguely entertain the idea of making finals this year.

 

[Punts]

Gotta start beaten teams above us

 

[S120]

I doubt very much we'll make finals given how many we'll likely have to win in the run home, how tough our run is, and how log-jammed the middle of the table is right now. Of course I'd love us to and will be hoping we do but I think it's very unlikely. I'm more interested in seeing how we fare against these top teams in the run home to set us up for next year where I expect us to be back in contention for the top 4 and will be disappointed if we aren't. If we can steam home to finish the year, beat a number of good teams, bring in a couple of ready-to-go best 22 players, and have a big pre-season on the track, I'll be very excited for 2024.

 

[J_Moore]

I don’t think we can do it - and had we won one of the Port/GWS games that slipped through our fingers, I feel like it’d still be unlikely. We needed to win at least one of those games against Freo + Saints earlier.

Very tough draw this year. No room for error.

 

[MR0808]

It's a stretch, let's see how this week goes, because we need to turn the SCG back into the fortress for the rest of the year

 

[Kiama Chris]

There's plenty of reasons to think we'll improve on the run home but I want to see how we go against Geelong before I even vaguely entertain the idea of making finals this year.

I'll go week by week in terms of expectations but always have Hope.

 

[momentbymoment]

Steven Bradbury probably had his doubters halfway through that final lap

Could be …

He had 3 go down in the final lap.
We need 3 teams to self destruct before the finals.

I am seeing a pattern

 

[RUNVS]

Could be …

He had 3 go down in the final lap.
We need 3 teams to self destruct before the finals.

I am seeing a pattern

I could be wrong but I think it was 4 that went down.