Analysis The pressure is off

[fargothegreat]

As shitty as losing Rance for the season is, there is one positive we can take out of it.

We're not the overwhelming favourites for the flag now. We're not expected to win any more.

We might be able to get back to being the hunters, rather than the hunted, which is a lot easier for the players mentally

 

[parmy2balmey]

fk off, we are the predators and the comp is danny glover tied to his own toilet

 

[chriso11]

As shitty as losing Rance for the season is, there is one positive we can take out of it.

We're not the overwhelming favourites for the flag now. We're not expected to win any more.

We might be able to get back to being the hunters, rather than the hunted, which is a lot easier for the players mentally

Yeaaah.... nah
No need to put lipstick on the pig

 

[Mr Unbelievable]

fk off, we are the predators and the comp is danny glover tied to his own toilet

Brilliant !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[Zoom]

6th - 10th

 

[Shazza_]

6th - 10th

should tank to get top 5 pick and win flag in 2020

 

[RFCGloryJC]

Top four still.
15 wins normally for double chance.

 

[Zoom]

should tank to get top 5 pick and win flag in 2020

2017 was mint

 

[RFCGloryJC]

Collingwood and Melbourne will face pressure this year.
Collingwood needs to go one better, Melbourne has to make a GF.
Both have difficult draws this year.

 

[Madtiger2006]

Do you have Rances scans?

 

[_Wang_]

fk off, we are the predators and the comp is danny glover tied to his own toilet

jesus calm down man

 

[living_in_syd]

With the news of rance, we are now $6 from $5. Pies favourites now

 

[juss]

The pressure is still there. We will be expected to prove we aren't a one man team. We will be expected to prove one season ending injury doesn't derail our whole season, like it didn't with the Eagles or the Bulldogs.

In all honesty, premiership teams can overcome these things. If we are good enough, we will make it happen.

It did just get a whole lot harder though.

 

[This Is Anfield]

As long as we are in our present age and experience demographic the pressure will be on.
The H&A season is all about positioning yourself to give the best possible chance in September, we capitalised in 2017 and failed to do so in 2018.
You can almost guarantee that all teams will have significant injuries and setbacks during the season, we may have more.
We are contenders, nothing more.

 

[Waca Jr]

Pressure is off i agree. Up to coaches to develop a defensive system now, similar to our small forward of 17 to find an edge. Top 4 the goal and work from there.

 

[Tigersfan35]

The season is not over, far from it. Even without Rance our defence is still elite and easily top 6 in the league. We have some key personal who can come into the squad and give us a boost such as Caddy, Castagna and Towna. Big year ahead.

 

[Ma Xiao Long]

Pies favourites now

****, it just keeps getting worse

 

[JAKLAUGHING]

Don't stress it's just football!

 

[Michaels]

I don't think the pressure is off.

the club will still have the expectation of making top 4 and i think thats great.

 

[Hawkie_McHawkHawk]

Look how often in recent seasons the underdog on grand final day has gotten up, just about every season including our three peat (maybe not against Freo tho).. if the season plays out like I think it will Richmond will do enough to make top 4, let someone else take all the pressure into the finals and turn it up a notch on the way to the flag.. and as much as Rance is no doubt a loss you have all season to tinker with the defense.. as Clarko says one soldier out another one in.

 

[This Is Anfield]

I don't think the pressure is off.

the club will still have the expectation of making top 4 and i think thats great.

Unless we've misread things and we can only field 21 players for the rest of the season.

 

[ReaperX]

****, it just keeps getting worse

That's awesome actually, would rather be 2nd or 3rd favourite.

The impact of losing Rance will be felt strongly, but the best message our boys can send is by beating the Pies next week.

We still have Lynch and Riewoldt up forward, we still have Cotchin, Martin, Prestia, Lambert, and Edwards in the middle, and we still have Astbury, Grimes down back. Our spine has been hurt, but if we can get games into a guy now, even though it's not ideal, it may actually place us in a better medium-long term position.

Imagine if we could pull of a flag without Rance... that would mean the reigning premiers of 2019 essentially get a new recruit for 2020 in a 5x AA, 1x AA captain, premiership player, and arguably best defender of his generation.

Plus, for 2019, Alex will still be around the club, and I wouldn't be surprised if he did what many star players that have season-ending injuries early in a season do, and that's join in on some of the stuff in the coaches box.

There is also a chance that he may decide to retire too, we all know Rance's #1 priority isn't football. I don't think he will, but either way, this gives us a good chance to bring in a new face while still maintaining a strong, contending team.

Personally, I think we should try and turn Balta into the replacement, he reminds me of a young Rance in more ways than one.

 

[EasternTiger]

2017 we climbed Everest.

This year we climb El Capitan.

Hoping Mrs Hardwick can kindly ask Damien to pick a ****ing smaller mountain.

 

[theyellowsash]

2017 we climbed Everest.

This year we climb El Capitan.

Hoping Mrs Hardwick can kindly ask Damien to pick a ******* smaller mountain.

whad did we climb last year, mt dandenong?

 

[CaptchaProofBot]

whad did we climb last year, mt dandenong?

some dunghill...