Predict the top 8

[Jezzitizle]

they won't beat freo at Launceston, those two clubs have a hatred toward one another stemming from that 80+ turn around all in the space of a few weeks back in 2010.

They have now got a coach who employs defense as his highest priority and with the likes of McPharlin, Silvagni, Dawson, Grover & Ibbotson at his disposal, they have most of those Hawthorn forwards covered except for Franklin which no one can quite cover effectively.
They also have a superior ruck division and Sandilnads by all reports along with most of the Fremantle squad are having a grueling and excellent pre-season so you can't see Hale (dud), Bailey or Pattison beating Sandilands, Johnson or Clarke

That's what makes Fremantle a scary prospect in 2012, those rucks in Clarke & Johnson are two of the most athletic in the comp and no one beats Sandilands due to his bulk and size.
Their midfield will be fit having Barlow back and their forward line is pretty potent as well with the young boy Fyfe on the up as an elite player and pushing forward more often than he did in 2011.

Freo will beat the Hawks by 24 points down there

Johnson will be lucky to play this year, Griffin is a good ruckman though. Clarke will be played forward mostly. And McPharlin is good enough for Franklin if anyone is. But it's a bloody long way to Tassie from Perth.

 

[marshhhhh]

Johnson will be lucky to play this year, Griffin is a good ruckman though. Clarke will be played forward mostly. And McPharlin is good enough for Franklin if anyone is. But it's a bloody long way to Tassie from Perth.

It is, but don't forget that your cross-town pals almost toppled them last year down here.

 

[H E Pennypacker]

You have to factor in the uneven draw this year, which basically has us playing good teams twice and mediocre teams (from last year) playing other mediocre teams twice. It's exactly why West Coast made the top four last year and why they'll probably drop off a bit this year - last year they had an incredibly easy draw, this year it's going to be tougher on them. North Melbourne plays GWS, GC and the Bulldogs twice, which will probably be six wins for them, right off the bat. Seriously, if they can't make at least make the finals with the draw they've got, they might as well wind it up.

I've been saying this all off-season to the cocky pricks over here in the West, they can't seem to get their head around it. West Coast will be bottom of top 8 next year for exactly this reason. They will be shown up against the higher class teams.

 

[muttweed]

what's it to you if i pick geelong to finish 14th? why be afraid you don't agreewith my stupid preseason prediction? means buggerall to anybody, you have faith in our team to make top 4, great, i'm not asking for your support, and to be frank, i def think freo will finish higher than us, and as i said, this is before finals.

Cool your jets, it's an expression.

I didn't say my support was necessary, but it's a public forum where everyone writes down an opinion. So naturally I will write down an opinion. Y'know?

I'm sick of everyone writing us off is all. Do we have to go through this every year guys?

 

[marshhhhh]

Cool your jets, it's an expression.

I didn't say my support was necessary, but it's a public forum where everyone writes down an opinion. So naturally I will write down an opinion. Y'know?

I'm sick of everyone writing us off is all. Do we have to go through this every year guys?

I haven't really noticed anyone around here writing us off.
And as for opposition supporters...bring it on.
Just makes it all the more sweeter I think.

And as a very wise man once said...You stuck it right up em'!

[YOUTUBE]kWkJhsv0Mto[/YOUTUBE]

 

[muttweed]

I haven't really noticed anyone around here writing us off.
And as for opposition supporters...bring it on.
Just makes it all the more sweeter I think.

And as a very wise man once said...You stuck it right up em'!

[YOUTUBE]http://youtu.be/kWkJhsv0Mto[/YOUTUBE]

The person who I replied to for Exhibit A.

Most people from the Ladder Predictions thread for Exhibits B-Z.

Enough said. We've won three flags, are the best team in the comp by a loooong way, yet we won't make finals. It's disgusting. The club works so hard only to be doubted every year.

It makes things sweeter, sure, but I think the club should get more respect.

 

[marshhhhh]

The person who I replied to for Exhibit A.

Most people from the Ladder Predictions thread for Exhibits B-Z.

Enough said. We've won three flags, are the best team in the comp by a loooong way, yet we won't make finals. It's disgusting. The club works so hard only to be doubted every year.

It makes things sweeter, sure, but I think the club should get more respect.

I think anybody honestly believing we will miss finals this year is just a little lacking up top.

I'm not one to let the lid off too easily, and I'm certainly not going to say we will or won't dominate this season, but I will say, in my opinion, 100% we will be top 8.

 

[muttweed]

I think anybody honestly believing we will miss finals this year is just a little lacking up top.

I'm not one to let the lid off too easily, and I'm certainly not going to say we will or won't dominate this season, but I will say, in my opinion, 100% we will be top 8.

Absolutely. I think top 4 is a lock for us, if not top 2. Not many teams fall down 7+ spots, let alone a triple premiership team full of stars.

 

[DanA]

I have it as a really competitive year.

Collingwood & Geelong are still right up there
Hawthorn fully fit and injury free are definately contenders
Westcoast you'd think will improve again
North & Melbourne will surely improve with an older list
Goldcoast will be better but probably still not there yet
Massive standard deviation I'd have on where Freo can finish.



My ladder H&A

Hawthorn
Collingwood
Westcoast
Melbourne
Fremantle
Carlton
North
Sydney

Richmond
Adeliade
Gold Coast
Essendon
Dogs
Brisbane
Port
GWS



Geelong as premiers

 

[marshhhhh]

My ladder H&A

Hawthorn
Collingwood
Westcoast
Melbourne
Fremantle
Carlton
North
Sydney

Richmond
Adeliade
Gold Coast
Essendon
Dogs
Brisbane
Port
GWS


Geelong as premiers

Hate to poke holes but you have no Geelong or St Kilda on that ladder...

Melbourne at top 4 is super unlikely IMO, and Essendon below Gold Coast just won't happen.

 

[muttweed]

Hate to poke holes but you have no Geelong or St Kilda on that ladder...

Melbourne at top 4 is super unlikely IMO, and Essendon below Gold Coast just won't happen.

Yeah, and I can't see Brisbane bottom three. Especially with their current group PLUS a fit JBrown. Top 8 at least.

 

[Farmer2Goggin]

Haven't looked at the draw in detail but I would have Essendon and Swans slipping out of the 8 being replaced by Kangaroos and Fremantle.
Rough stab at the order would be : Hawks/ Pies/ Cats/ Blues/ Freo/WCE/ Saints/ Kangas. Watch out if we finish top 4 and manage to be competitive in the Ruck.

 

[bobbycatsfanme]

Yeah, and I can't see Brisbane bottom three. Especially with their current group PLUS a fit JBrown. Top 8 at least.

Lions won't make the top 8 imo, losing Clarke will hurt them more than they believe and they don't have enough forwards to kick goals. The top 8 teams will need to have at least 6 or more players who can slot through 30+ for the season and although McGrath is good for 30 odd, Brown a lazy 80...name some more forwards who will do the damage against those similar teams like the Dogs, Swans, Tigers, Roos, Dees and Bombers who have a bevy of goal kickers

 

[marshhhhh]

Lions won't make the top 8 imo, losing Clarke will hurt them more than they believe and they don't have enough forwards to kick goals. The top 8 teams will need to have at least 6 or more players who can slot through 30+ for the season and although McGrath is good for 30 odd, Brown a lazy 80...name some more forwards who will do the damage against those similar teams like the Dogs, Swans, Tigers, Roos, Dees and Bombers who have a bevy of goal kickers

Agree.
Unfortunately for the Lions they have some really good kids, but they are only 2 or so years away from losing some very, very important senior players at the club (Brown, Black, McGrath)
I don't think that will be enough time for them to get to the stage they need to be to have a fair tilt at the big one.

 

[muttweed]

Lions won't make the top 8 imo, losing Clarke will hurt them more than they believe and they don't have enough forwards to kick goals. The top 8 teams will need to have at least 6 or more players who can slot through 30+ for the season and although McGrath is good for 30 odd, Brown a lazy 80...name some more forwards who will do the damage against those similar teams like the Dogs, Swans, Tigers, Roos, Dees and Bombers who have a bevy of goal kickers

Banfield, Karnezis, Polkinghorne and Cornelius are still on the improve. Their midfield is one of the best, if not THE best of the teams that didn't make finals. Probably would be above some of the top 8 teams' too.*Leuenberger is capable of going forward.

They had players like Staker and Brown out. Those two can make any team move up a couple of spots.

Not just all that, but they were fantastic against the top teams this year. When Brisbane met with the top 4 teams, the wins were unconvincing.

Brisbane's problem is they have trouble playing four quarters, which has them give up the lead or make the gap bigger. If they can improve their endurance, I have no doubt they'll finish much further up the ladder.

Definitely ahead of the likes of Essendon, Fremantle and St Kilda.

Whether they make their way up next season, I don't know. But we all know it'll happen soon.

 

[RogersResults]

The top 8 teams will need to have at least 6 or more players who can slot through 30+ for the season

Probably meant 20+ for the season. Three of the top 4 in 2011 had 3 players who kicked 30+ and Hawthorn just 2.

But even then....

Number of players who slotted through 20+ goals in 2011 - Top 8 teams:

Geelong 9
Collingwood 9
Essendon 8
West Coast 7
Hawthorn 5
Carlton 5
Sydney 4
St Kilda 3

Source: http://www.finalsiren.com/

 

[marshhhhh]

Definitely ahead of the likes of Essendon, Fremantle and St Kilda.

Ok now I really don't know about this...

Here are those teams best in my opinion.

Brisbane:
Adcock, Banfield, Black, Brown, Leuenberger, Maguire, McGrath, Merrett, Staker, Redden, Rockliff

Essendon:
Crameri, Davey, Fletcher, Heppell, Hille, Hocking, Hurley, Lonergan, McVeigh, Monfries, Prismall, Ryder, Stanton, Watson, Winderlich - and Zaharakis purely since he won their B&F

Freo:
Ballantyne, Bradley, Barlow, Clarke, Crowley, Dawson, Fyfe, Grover, Hill, Johnson, Mayne, McPharlin, McPhee, Mundy, Pavlich, Sandilands plus a whole heap of good young kids

St Kilda:
Dal Santo, Fisher, Gilbert, Goddard, Gram, Hayes, Jones, Kozi, McEvoy, Milne, Montagna, Riewoldt, Schneider + a heap of decent experienced players.

No way known will Brisbane finish ahead of these teams.

 

[bobbycatsfanme]

fair enough...I just don't see the Lions as that good of a team and they will struggle to get near the 8 imo.

I really believe North Melbourne have a stronger midfield and a better backline than the Lions and they will even finish ahead of them. St Kilda will do what we did this year and play a new attacking style that will catch teams off guard but it will eventually break down at the business end of the season but they'll only just make finals.
Carlton I don't quite rate as highly as some but you'd have to say they have the quality and finals experience to now at least make the 8, there is us, Collingwood and Hawthorn.
Then you got West Coast who have a terrific home field advantage and favorable draw which will secure a top 8 spot so that's 6 teams already and then there are those last 2 spots up for grabs and Sydney have proven to be the more consistent of the remaining teams so include them in which leaves one spot open...either Richmond, Essendon, Fremantle (I rate as a top 6 certainty), Melbourne, North Melbourne, Adelaide and the Lions.

Sorry but Lions were doomed the moment Michael Voss was appointed coach and his past decisions have hurt the club and it's chances of becoming a force to be reckoned with again. Lions will finish 10th

 

[marshhhhh]

fair enough...I just don't see the Lions as that good of a team and they will struggle to get near the 8 imo.

I really believe North Melbourne have a stronger midfield and a better backline than the Lions and they will even finish ahead of them. St Kilda will do what we did this year and play a new attacking style that will catch teams off guard but it will eventually break down at the business end of the season but they'll only just make finals.
Carlton I don't quite rate as highly as some but you'd have to say they have the quality and finals experience to now at least make the 8, there is us, Collingwood and Hawthorn.
Then you got West Coast who have a terrific home field advantage and favorable draw which will secure a top 8 spot so that's 6 teams already and then there are those last 2 spots up for grabs and Sydney have proven to be the more consistent of the remaining teams so include them in which leaves one spot open...either Richmond, Essendon, Fremantle (I rate as a top 6 certainty), Melbourne, North Melbourne, Adelaide and the Lions.

Sorry but Lions were doomed the moment Michael Voss was appointed coach and his past decisions have hurt the club and it's chances of becoming a force to be reckoned with again. Lions will finish 10th

Agree.
And the WA teams will have a good year. Maybe 4th and 5th.

 

[muttweed]

Ok now I really don't know about this...

Here are those teams best in my opinion.

Brisbane:
Adcock, Banfield, Black, Brown, Leuenberger, Maguire, McGrath, Merrett, Staker, Redden, Rockliff

No RICH?!! No STILLER?! No HANLEY!!? No Polkinghorne? No Raines? No Hawksley?

Essendon:
Crameri, Davey, Fletcher, Heppell, Hille, Hocking, Hurley, Lonergan, McVeigh, Monfries, Prismall, Ryder, Stanton, Watson, Winderlich - and Zaharakis purely since he won their B&F

You know your team is a failure when Zaharakis wins your B&F.

Freo:
Ballantyne, Bradley, Barlow, Clarke, Crowley, Dawson, Fyfe, Grover, Hill, Johnson, Mayne, McPharlin, McPhee, Mundy, Pavlich, Sandilands plus a whole heap of good young kids

Dawson
That's based on how he performed with St Kilda, how do you know he'll be any good at Freo?

St Kilda:
Dal Santo, Fisher, Gilbert, Goddard, Gram, Hayes, Jones, Kozi, McEvoy, Milne, Montagna, Riewoldt, Schneider + a heap of decent experienced players.

You know something is wrong when Gram is one of your best.

Half of those players are on the brink of retirement. We have a lot of old players too, but the Saints are nowhere near as good as us.

No way known will Brisbane finish ahead of these teams.

That's your opinion.

I felt you were just filling up numbers for those teams. I wouldn't consider many of those players better than their Brisbane equivalent. I would be embarrassed if the likes of Gram, Dawson, Davey, Monfries, Prismall and Ryder were in our best 22.

Having said that a team of champions doesn't make a champion team, and there's no guarantee Brissy will get their shit together.

 

[marshhhhh]

Ok I'll give you Rich totally missed him.
Not sold on the others.

Take Dawson out of Freo and there is still alot of talent there.

I agree with the Zaharakis point but I still think he is a way ahead of alot of the kids Brisbane will field.

Gram is a good solid player I think, and we're not comparing to us, we're comparing to Brisbane.

Pretty confident Zaharakis and Gram would both be walk up starts at the Lions.

I'm not saying they are no good, but I just don't think they are ahead of the 3 teams stated.
Happy to see them be, as long as their behind us I'm really not too fussed

 

[muttweed]

Ok I'll give you Rich totally missed him.
Not sold on the others.

Take Dawson out of Freo and there is still alot of talent there.

I agree with the Zaharakis point but I still think he is a way ahead of alot of the kids Brisbane will field.

Gram is a good solid player I think, and we're not comparing to us, we're comparing to Brisbane.

Pretty confident Zaharakis and Gram would both be walk up starts at the Lions.

I'm not saying they are no good, but I just don't think they are ahead of the 3 teams stated.
Happy to see them be, as long as their behind us I'm really not too fussed

Nothing wrong with having a different opinion. I just see a huge amount of potential in Brissy, but maybe 2012 isn't the year they start to act on it. I still put them there, as my bold prediction of 2012 and because they're my second team.

 

[marshhhhh]

Nothing wrong with having a different opinion. I just see a huge amount of potential in Brissy, but maybe 2012 isn't the year they start to act on it. I still put them there, as my bold prediction of 2012 and because they're my second team.

Ah yes the old second team thing
Last year I had big expectations of Melbourne as my second team because I thought they were really promising too.
I still see them being as promising this year and can't wait to see Mitch Clark.
And I'm not writing them off for the top 8 either.

 

[muttweed]

Ah yes the old second team thing
Last year I had big expectations of Melbourne as my second team because I thought they were really promising too.
I still see them being as promising this year and can't wait to see Mitch Clark.
And I'm not writing them off for the top 8 either.

Melbourne has huge potential, would hate to see another 186 happen to them...unless it's against us

 

[Vdubs]

No RICH?!! No STILLER?! No HANLEY!!? No Polkinghorne? No Raines? No Hawksley?



You know your team is a failure when Zaharakis wins your B&F.


Dawson
That's based on how he performed with St Kilda, how do you know he'll be any good at Freo?


You know something is wrong when Gram is one of your best.

Half of those players are on the brink of retirement. We have a lot of old players too, but the Saints are nowhere near as good as us.


That's your opinion.

I felt you were just filling up numbers for those teams. I wouldn't consider many of those players better than their Brisbane equivalent. I would be embarrassed if the likes of Gram, Dawson, Davey, Monfries, Prismall and Ryder were in our best 22.

Having said that a team of champions doesn't make a champion team, and there's no guarantee Brissy will get their shit together.

Do you remember a GF back in 2009? Chappy won the NS medal. Do you remember who he won that award from on a count back? GRAM. He's no dud.

I'd have Ryder in our starting 22 easily. Apologies to West, but he is simply better.