Premiership Contenders

[Blue and Silver]

Who are they at this point?

Collingwood looks a sure thing to at least make the GF, but with the rise of West Coast, and the lackluster form of Geelong has the field for the their likely GF day competitor opened up?

5 teams seem to be in contention. Pies, Cats, Blues, Eagles and Hawks. September could get very interesting

 

[NMFC 1811]

Collingwood.

Unless they get another 4 LT injuries, they are dead set certs.

 

[smashing]

It really is quite open. Any of those 4 teams can beat each other on their day, but it would take Collingwood being way off their game on grand final day for anyone else to take home the flag.

 

[DivideandMultiply]

Who are they at this point?

Collingwood looks a sure thing to at least make the GF, but with the rise of West Coast, and the lackluster form of Geelong has the field for the their likely GF day competitor opened up?

5 teams seem to be in contention. Pies, Cats, Blues, Eagles and Hawks. September could get very interesting

The Pies seem to be the favourites.

Only Geelong have show they can match it with them.

Below the Pies it could be anyone depending on the make up of the 4. WC can beat Geelong and Carlton. WC and Hawthorn seem evenly matched.
Geelong on their day could probably beat any team but have also looked vulnerable to all mentioned.

Hawthorn have injury issues and despite having a psychological edge over Geelong come finals time probably are a more likely chance against WC and Carlton.

Carlton I reckon are at the bottom of that pack. Whilst capable of putting up a good showing against the mentioned teams, haven't shown they will yet be a genuine threat against them come finals time. This could change though.

The way I see it you could group them like this:

Collingwood

Geelong, WC, Hawthorn

Carlton

 

[weagles_fan]

It is Collingwood's to lose. I can't see the Hawks winning the flag with all their players out, Carlton also don't have good enough key position players. That leaves Geelong and West Coast to challenge the Pies. A Geelong West Coast qualifying or preliminary final will decide Collingwood's opponent in the grand final.

 

[Blue and Silver]

West Coast beat us at our lowest ebb. Plenty went wrong that day. I won't go into the details but I don't think we are that far removed from Hawthorn, Geelong or the Eagles.

 

[DivideandMultiply]

West Coast beat us at our lowest ebb. Plenty went wrong that day. I won't go into the details but I don't think we are that far removed from Hawthorn, Geelong or the Eagles.

No I don't think they are yet if we had kicked straight it would have been a belting.

Both Geelong and WC had some key outs tonight, yet we still won.

So yeah at this stage I do think WC have an edge on Carlton, but things can change rapidly come finals time.

 

[DTShowtime]

Collingwood

6 goals.

Geelong / WC.

The rest are making up the numbers.

Kerr is back, Cox is the AA ruckman & his partnership with Natinaui is a wildcard. Shuey, Priddis & Embley round out a very underrated midfield. They are a superior side to Carlton who haven't beaten 1 side in the Top 6.

 

[Empire_Persian]

Collingwood



then

Geelong

then

Hawks, Blues, Eagles

 

[NMFC 1811]

West Coast beat us at our lowest ebb. Plenty went wrong that day. I won't go into the details but I don't think we are that far removed from Hawthorn, Geelong or the Eagles.

You started this thread in hope of someone boosting your confidence B&S.

Ya got no hope this year. I still think Judd will get your club a flag in the near future though!!!!! But only because of Judd.

 

[jonoman89]

Both Geelong and WC had some key outs tonight, yet we still won.

Who? Waters, Butler and Lynch?

Typical BF knee jerk. An upset occurs and that team will win the flag...

Wait until WCE loses a game and everyone jumps off the bandwagon. Happened with Essendon, Carlton and now Geelong.

1. Collingwood
2. Geelong
3. Carlton

Nothing will change that order. If WCE can manage to finish 4th then they could very well make a prelim. But a flag? Highly doubt it. In fact, statistically, it would almost be impossible.

 

[September_Glory]

West Coast are not true contenders I feel.

1a. Collingwood
1b. Geelong

Hawthorn, Carlton, WC and others after that.

 

[weagles_fan]

Who? Waters, Butler and Lynch?

Typical BF knee jerk. An upset occurs and that team will win the flag...

Wait until WCE loses a game and everyone jumps off the bandwagon. Happened with Essendon, Carlton and now Geelong.

1. Collingwood
2. Geelong
3. Carlton

Nothing will change that order. If WCE can manage to finish 4th then they could very well make a prelim. But a flag? Highly doubt it. In fact, statistically, it would almost be impossible.

lol Carlton were demolished in their own backyard 2 weeks ago by a far superior team. Get some key forwards or at least a superstar midfield (2 guns isn't a midfield) and then maybe they can win a final.

 

[September_Glory]

Also,

From the second tier contenders, I would feel much more comfortable playing Carlton in a final than Hawthorn.

 

[Rustin Cohle]

I'll probably cop flack for this but I think Carlton are better than Geelong and will prove it in the finals.

1. Collingwood
2. Carlton
3. Geelong
4. West Coast
5. Hawthorn.

 

[Slappery]

I'll probably cop flack for this but I think Carlton are better than Geelong and will prove it in the finals.

1. Collingwood
2. Carlton
3. Geelong
4. West Coast
5. Hawthorn.

yea you will

they have to win one first

 

[FGMPR]

Who? Waters, Butler and Lynch?

Typical BF knee jerk. An upset occurs and that team will win the flag...

Wait until WCE loses a game and everyone jumps off the bandwagon. Happened with Essendon, Carlton and now Geelong.

1. Collingwood
2. Geelong
3. Carlton

Nothing will change that order. If WCE can manage to finish 4th then they could very well make a prelim. But a flag? Highly doubt it. In fact, statistically, it would almost be impossible.

What statistics are those?

Please, share away.

Also, I don't know if you noticed, but Lynch was BOG against you 2 weeks ago. That kind of makes him an important out, don't you think? Butler has been amazing all season too. A few Carlton supporters are still having trouble accepting that they got beaten by a better side...

 

[joeyavalanche]

1 Pies
2 Cats
3 Blues
4 Hawks
5 WCE

Pies are a class above
Cats' hunger could see them through
Blues are a very, very good side
Hawks may rival Blues when fully fit but are depleted atm
West Coast are a touch lower, but if the injuries continue to the 2 above anything could happen.

 

[jonoman89]

lol Carlton were demolished in their own backyard 2 weeks ago by a far superior team.

Yep, keep telling yourslef that mate. A superior team lower on the ladder than us?....Right. I guess you're better than Geelong too?

Collingwood, Geelong, Carlton and (probably) Hawthorn would beat WCE in a final at the MCG.

And it's at the MCG where you're going to have to play us. No way would any of those teams be scheduled at Etihad.

WCE will lose a game they are favourties in before the end of the H/A season, and everyone will jump off the bandwagon - bookmark it.

What statistics are those?

Please, share away.

Also, I don't know if you noticed, but Lynch was BOG against you 2 weeks ago. That kind of makes him an important out, don't you think? Butler has been amazing all season too. A few Carlton supporters are still having trouble accepting that they got beaten by a better side...

When has a team won the spoon then won the flag the next year? Has it ever occured?

Better side on the day for sure, no question. We got done. Same tonight against Geelong.

Better side overall? Nope, Blues and Cats have been better over the season. Gonna have to prove a bit more to take that mantle.

 

[FGMPR]

Come next week, there is a decent chance of us overtaking you on the ladder. You are aware of this, aren't you? Since a higher ladder place automatically equates to being a better side by your parameters, if that occurs, will that make us a better side than you?

The Eagles beat Geelong, something your mob couldn't do, and they also beat you convincingly at home. You have yet to take a big scalp, we have two. Those are the facts.

 

[jonoman89]

Come next week, there is a decent chance of us overtaking you on the ladder. You are aware of this, aren't you?

Essendon were above us in round 1 too.

Regardless, you'd have to thrash the Saints by a large amount to make up the % (provided we beat the Dogs)

Since a higher ladder place automatically equates to being a better side by your parameters, if that occurs, will that make us a better side than you?

At that point of time, yes, certainly. You'd be above us on the ladder, thus signifying you have been better than us.

But ultimately it's the final ladder that counts.

The Eagles beat Geelong, something your mob couldn't do, and they also beat you convincingly at home. You have yet to take a big scalp, we have two. Those are the facts.

And you have also lost games which we have not. Why is the game against Geelong more important than the other results?

And if you are clearly superior to us, why is beating us a big scalp? Shouldn't beating teams above you on the ladder rather than below be a "big scalp"?

You don't honestly think you can beat the Cats in a final at the MCG do you?

 

[FGMPR]

Essendon were above us in round 1 too.

Regardless, you'd have to thrash the Saints by a large amount to make up the (provided we beat the Dogs)



At that point of time, yes, certainly. You'd be above us on the ladder, thus signifying you have been better than us.

But ultimately it's the final ladder that counts.

oh come on. The AFL has to be the most unbalanced professional competition in the world. Until seasons consist of each team playing each other twice, once at home and once away, there is no way you can directly correspond ladder position to performance. Certainly not half way through either. If you want to argue that Carlton have been a better side so far, then you'll need to argue something better than that.

 

[FGMPR]

And you have also lost games which we have not. Why is the game against Geelong more important than the other results?

And if you are clearly superior to us, why is beating us a big scalp? Shouldn't beating teams above you on the ladder rather than below be a "big scalp"?

You don't honestly think you can beat the Cats in a final at the MCG do you?

The Geelong game is more important because that's the kind of team we need to be capable of beating come finals time. I doubt Sydney or Essendon are going to be capable of a top 4 finish.

As for doubting the Eagles... I've given up on that this season. Nothing is impossible.

 

[CoastersFlag No.5]

The final ladder counts. Carlton played a weakened side, Geelong had Selwood out only when we win at the MCG will the excuses stop. But what ever the fact is we are back and we have won flags before.

 

[bulletproof]

I think all the contenders are going to need Collingwood to have an off-day.

I was hoping this was going to be Collingwood's 08 hubris year but I think it might be more their 07 (no real competition).

The Grand Final opponent will depend on the draw and who avoids Collingwood in the Prelim.

Carlton would really fancy Geelong I reckon, Judd and Murphy will win the midfield and they have the pace to get at Geelong.

Hawthorn are the side most capable of an upset but injuries have cruelled them.