Opinion Qualifying Final Changes vs. Sydney

[Eski3]

Today is the first day I have started getting nervous/excited about this game. Real season starts now boys and girls!!! Bring on Saturday!!!

 

[freddieflintoff]

Beware the wounded bull. Sydney have played better without Buddy last few months. Rain forecast makes selection more crucial. Rain = no Tabs. Did Macca train today?

 

[Righteo]

Yes!

 

[salim malik]

The stats tell us we have played the Swans 9 times in Perth and won 7 .

 

[purplerunsdeep]

Wounded bull yes - but we need to play who is in front of us. Ross will not let us underestimate them

 

[Spoken4]

Nick Smith is also out. Confirmed by Longmire at press conference.

No Parker, Jack, Smith or Buddy.

 

[Kram]

Gee god help us if we lose now, this place will go into meltdown.

 

[democritus]

Four huge outs for Sydney, seems the stars are aligning for a grand final berth.

 

[democritus]

On the team, I'd like to see us retain a Langdon or Weller type as the sub. That said, I still expect to see one M. DeBoer in the green vest come Saturday.

 

[Arcassius]

I think this game, and the next four weeks, is what the entire season has been planned around.

The lessons at the end of last year would have influenced decisions made in pre season. We started slowly in 2014, and had to scramble at the close of the season just to make top four. Ultimately that cost us, with injuries to important players hurting our squad in finals, and we went out in straight sets. We were tired and it showed.

I think Ross knew that with the age of our squad we couldn't start poorly again this year, and he set out to win a number of games early. We established a break on the competition in the first half of the season and effectively coasted into first place in the second half.

For all our poor form, this is what we have been building to. I don't doubt that Ross hasn't loved the way we've played, but we go into finals with McPharlin, Johnson, Ibbotson all fit, Ballas available and Fyfe on the cusp of returning, having rested for two weeks. Half the squad sat out the last round as well.

The only vulnerability is that Fyfe is not ready, but compared to Sydney's issues this is minor.

Oddly enough - there's a symmetry between our season, and how we played games in the first half of the season. Go hard early, ease off in the back half, have the supporters panic while the opposition catches up.

It's a bit like Inception. A plan within a plan.

(of course a rational man would know this wasn't planned this way... or was it )

 

[Spoken4]

Oddly enough - there's a symmetry between our season, and how we played games in the first half of the season. Go hard early, ease off in the back half, have the supporters panic while the opposition catches up.

It's a bit like Inception. A plan within a plan.

(of course a rational man would know this wasn't planned this way... or was it )

Or a dream within a dream, within another dream, within yet another dream.

 

[Banker]

Gee god help us if we lose now, this place will go into meltdown.

And rightfully.

To lose at home against a weak Sydney side, would be down right embarrassing considering we finished 1st.

 

[Gekko71]

Or a dream within a dream....

...caught within a thought,
...within a thought,
...In an ocean so deep,
he could drown in his sleep....

(...with Apologies to the Oren Lavie fans...)


As for Freo, I expect them to be back to their early-season, dog-hungry best next week.

The guys have got some serious unfinished business to attend to

 

[sproketman]

Oddly enough - there's a symmetry between our season, and how we played games in the first half of the season. Go hard early, ease off in the back half, have the supporters panic while the opposition catches up.

It's a bit like Inception. A plan within a plan.

(of course a rational man would know this wasn't planned this way... or was it )

I think there is definitely some planning in how we play from quarter to quarter. Lyon is trying to manage a side with important players over 30 that have had injury issues at the end of seasons over the past few years. Full throttle all game, each and every week would see us burnt out. And honestly, in the second half of the season we did look burned out. But we go into the finals with our best injury list in years, as fully fit as you could hope this time of year.

We may not be the best side in it, but I think we're the best prepared.

 

[Tazmania]

Oddly enough - there's a symmetry between our season, and how we played games in the first half of the season. Go hard early, ease off in the back half, have the supporters panic while the opposition catches up.

It's a bit like Inception. A plan within a plan.

(of course a rational man would know this wasn't planned this way... or was it )

 

[Marty Whitelaw]

On the team, I'd like to see us retain a Langdon or Weller type as the sub. That said, I still expect to see one M. DeBoer in the green vest come Saturday.

MDB has been pretty good in recent weeks, so suspect he will start against Sydney. But I agree with you about having someone with a bit more explosiveness come on as the sub...particularly if a close final is up for grabs.

 

[Arcassius]

View attachment 171189

Sums up our season doesn't it - not sure if we're the real thing or about to fall over at any second

 

[freo_wally]

just so long it isn't like the Matrix / Matrices...never could get my head around that plot

 

[Kram]

And rightfully.

To lose at home against a weak Sydney side, would be down right embarrassing considering we finished 1st.

Well no shit.

 

[StingBitten]

Or a dream within a dream, within another dream, within yet another dream.

 

[jedi mind tricks]

I wonder if Freo will play Tabs? Pav forward with the smalls running riot could prove invaluable.

 

[greatgatsby]

Four huge outs for Sydney, seems the stars are aligning for a grand final berth.

Too right. In the equivalent game last year - Parker 32 possies and a goal (BOG); Jack 25 possies and a goal; Buddy 3 goals, including 2 clutch in the last; Smith 25 possies (Ballas 7 possies). And free kicks, I hear you ask: Sydney 20; Freo 12.

 

[danstar]

We will get smashed on the free kick count this week prob something like 25 to 8 but we will dominate everything else

 

[ydraw]

Gee god help us if we lose now, this place will go into meltdown.

As well it should if we can't beat the 4th placed team at home with 4 of their best 10 out.

 

[Kram]

As well it should if we can't beat the 4th placed team at home with 4 of their best 10 out.

No shit Sherlock.