The Lions, Finals and Me

[Dalions]

Its been cooked for well over a month. IDK why so many people have only just realised that or still think we are a chance this year or next.

Each to their own!

 

[cotter101]

Port and Sydney losing would be great for us.

 

[LongLion]

We haven't been playing great footy however it's not over till the fat lady sings and she ain't sung the song yet. Still time for us to get our mojo back and make our mark. Still, I don't think we have the players available at the moment to end up on the big stage on the last day unfortunately. The more finals experience we can get into our players the better though.

 

[jackess]

Who would we rather play first week of finals; GWS or Essendon?

I think I’d rather play GWS but that might require us losing this week

 

[dlanod]

Who would we rather play first week of finals; GWS or Essendon?

I think I’d rather play GWS but that might require us losing this week

Essendon by a country mile.

GWS can turn it on randomly when they get up for a game, as seen last week.

Essendon has only beaten one club in positive percentage - the Dogs. I'd use the "top 8" metric, but I don't consider the Eagles really a top 8 team - and they're Essendon's only other top 8 win.

GWS has beaten Melbourne at the 'G, Geelong in Geelong, Sydney at the SCG, and just for good measure also beat the Eagles.

Someone's going to have a strong chance to randomly losing to GWS (who have always won at least one game in a finals series) - I'd rather it not be us.

 

[davemc_lions]

problem this year teams either turn up or do not
Eagles look done.. first week against them be good.

I worry the second week if we do not get into Port side of the draw.
Dogs, Demons or Cats a worry

 

[Dalions]

problem this year teams either turn up or do not
Eagles look done.. first week against them be good.

I worry the second week if we do not get into Port side of the draw.
Dogs, Demons or Cats a worry

Meh!
Anytime, anywhere, we can beat them all.

 

[briztoon]

I’m definitely in the Eagles first week, Port second week camp.

 

[Tom14]

Essendon by a country mile.

GWS can turn it on randomly when they get up for a game, as seen last week.

Essendon has only beaten one club in positive percentage - the Dogs. I'd use the "top 8" metric, but I don't consider the Eagles really a top 8 team - and they're Essendon's only other top 8 win.

GWS has beaten Melbourne at the 'G, Geelong in Geelong, Sydney at the SCG, and just for good measure also beat the Eagles.

Someone's going to have a strong chance to randomly losing to GWS (who have always won at least one game in a finals series) - I'd rather it not be us.

Essendon's win against the bulldogs was the largest expected score reversal this year - won due to their insane accuracy, and characteristic but worse than usual inaccuracy from the bulldogs.



Essendon every day of the week. Parish scares me a bit, but they have no forward I worry about as we aren't running Josh Schache out there as our number one key back.

Best case scenario here is playing Ess week 1, Port week 2. I'd back us to make a prelim from there but then I won't believe that Port is a chance until after Ken Hinkley is holding the cup, and I will immediately write it off as a fluke.

 

[The Zork]

Along with Sydney we are the 2 teams that others could worry about in week 2.
Although we may start seeing the cost of being away from home start to show in the swans.

Last 2 seasons, finals have almost had a “don’t stuff it up” feel to it.
This year being out of the 4 gives us a dangerous edge and a bit of a nothing to lose mentality.
That’s the way I feel anyway as it will lessen the blow if we get rolled.

 

[bain22]

I just hope it's not Richmond in the first week.
That makes me very nervous.

 

[On the quiet]

Might get the Eagles two weeks in a row. Last round of H&A and first round of finals.

Cushy start. They suck.

Eagles do suck, especially away from Optus. Is young Jarrod Brander injured or something, pick 11 or 12 in the 2017 draft and Eagles have had him at times playing wing at around 195cm, but just cannot hold down a spot.

After last night, don't think Eagles will make it unless they flog Freo to up their percentage, think Bombers make it and the winner of Giants and Tigers this week. So think we will play 8th at the Gabba, love it to be Bombers but don't think Richmond are the threat they once were, so bring on whoever. Confident of a win in the first semi. Injury to Bruce might throw out the forward balance of the Dogs so would not mind playing them.

 

[On the quiet]

Who would we rather play first week of finals; GWS or Essendon?

I think I’d rather play GWS but that might require us losing this week

If Richmond beat GWS this week, very likely Richmond at the GABBA. Tigers will be full of bluff and attitude but their form is average. Lost to Freo (who are average) and took awhile to overcome a spirited Nth (who are last). Like you probably prefer GWS but bring on either Bombers or Richmond, it wont matter at the GABBA.

 

[trikster]

I’m definitely in the Eagles first week, Port second week camp.

I don't think the AFL ever schedule 2 byes in a row

 

[Cubs2Lions]

 

[Jivlain]

That would be utterly bizarre.

 

[Section 5]

That would be utterly bizarre.

Compared to what in the last 2 years

 

[M Malice]

Of our probable opponents in week 1 of finals my least wanted match up would be Tigers > Bombers > Giants > Eagles > Saints > Dockers.

Tigers getting troops back at the right time, hoping Giants beat them tomorrow night and put them out of contention, Bombers have a side with plenty of weapons, if on they can beat just about anyone.

 

[chopperduck]

At this point, they are probably better off having a week off before the Grand Final to give themselves some time to be able to change locations, relocate teams, prepare venues etc. Just so hard to know what the landscape is going to be in 6 weeks.

 

[cotter101]

Think we’ll such a much better Lachie Neale

9

Lachie Neale

Age

30

Ht

178cm

Wt

84kg

Pos.

Mid

Career

Season

Last 5

D

27.0

5star

K

11.5

4star

HB

15.5

5star

M

4.0

4star

T

3.7

5star

CL

5.9

5star

D

28.3

5star

K

13.9

5star

HB

14.4

5star

M

4.6

4star

T

4.0

5star

CL

5.9

5star

D

12.0

3star

K

4.6

2star

HB

7.4

5star

M

2.0

3star

T

1.0

3star

CL

0.4

3star

this week. He, Gardiner and Adams get back in form and we’re a hard match up for any team come finals.

 

[pulpdriver]

Think we’ll such a much better Lachie Neale this week. He, Gardiner and Adams get back in form and we’re a hard match up for any team come finals.

They way we played against Freo was revitalising. Hopefully can take more two wins playing in that form and a fit and firing best 22 into the finals. Could argue in terms of overall spread we're entering the finals with a similar or better team than the one that beat Richmond in the qualifier last year, assuming Robinson comes in for Prior when fit.

Hipwood - Daniher
Lester - Adams
Rayner - Cockatoo
Stef - Fullarton

 

[BangyBangy]

They way we played against Freo was revitalising. Hopefully can take more two wins playing in that form and a fit and firing best 22 into the finals. Could argue in terms of overall spread we're entering the finals with a similar or better team than the one that beat Richmond in the qualifier last year, assuming Robinson comes in for Prior when fit.

Hipwood - Daniher
Lester - Adams
Rayner - Cockatoo
Stef - Fullarton

Bailey, Starc, & McCarthy are considerably better & more consistent this year too.

 

[Cubs2Lions]

Bailey, Starc, & McCarthy are considerably better & more consistent this year too.

Plus we have Zorko playing more consistenly football again this year in the Midfield/Forward, compared to last season, when he injured his Achilles and had problems with that throughout that year (even if he was performing well for us then).

 

[fugitive]

I think the bombers will edge out the Eagles to take the 8th spot (if we beat Eagles in Rd 23) and will most likely be our week 1 opponent in an elimination final, I would prefer to play them over the giants I think given the latter’s talent and finals experience. Win that and we will need to be on the road for the rest of the finals series for the ultimate prize, not undoable but an extremely tough ask with only one team winning a flag from outside the 4 in last 20 years. So in summary we will need to play like men possessed (aka dogs 2016) to have a shot at the flag from here.

 

[Nunez]

I think the bombers will edge out the Eagles to take the 8th spot (if we beat Eagles in Rd 23) and will most likely be our week 1 opponent in an elimination final, I would prefer to play them over the giants I think given the latter’s talent and finals experience. Win that and we will need to be on the road for the rest of the finals series for the ultimate prize, not undoable but an extremely tough ask with only one team winning a flag from outside the 4 in last 20 years. So in summary we will need to play like men possessed to have a shot at the flag from here.

I think we can do it. I wouldn't have thought so last year, but our best is good enough to win it from 5th. Three home games in a row leading to the away game stretch helps a hell of a lot. I think we found the recipe for away game success last week and back us in to give it a red hot crack.