The Road Ahead

[DeadlyAkkuret]

This is how I see it

Collingwood (ANZ) 40/60 I'm probably being generous, our record against the Pies speaks for itself.

Richmond (MCG) 80/20 The Tigers wont do to us what they did to West Coast.

North Melbourne (SCG) 60/40 I would have said 70/30 but the Roos have looked good over the last month or so, putting in some big efforts against the Lions and Blues. If we're serious, we'll still beat them quite easily.

Carlton (Etihad) 40/60 Assuming we win the two games prior to this one and we're still in the race, this game is absolutely huge. While I'd definitely have Carlton as favourites, in my opinion we're more talented than they are and this will be an "us or them" encounter.

Melbourne (MCG) 60/40 Despite how promising some of the young Dees are we still should go into this game as favourites and should account for this inexperienced side. There's not much more to say, it's a must win.

Geelong (ANZ) 40/60 We ran this side so close last season and many have argued that we're better this time around. Players like Goodes, Bolton, O'Keefe and McVeigh will need huge games for us to win this, none of the experienced guys can afford to be passengers.

Hawthorn (SCG) 60/40 Much like the Carlton match this encounter will go a long way to deciding just how good we are. Again, let's assume we've won all the games we should to this point and Hawthorn are in good form, then whoever wins this will probably knock the other side out of finals calculations.

Fremantle (Subiaco) 30/70 God help us, just pray that Fremantle of about 2 years ago shows up to this one.

Bulldogs (SCG) 40/60 I know this is at our beloved SCG but our record against the Dogs is pretty depressing, we'll need every ounce of home ground advantage if we want to come out of this one alive. Getting off to a flyer against them will be the key here.

Brisbane (Gabba) 50/50 I'll admit it, I don't rate Brisbane. Unless they're ripping it up at this stage we should take the points and hopefully book ourselves a home final first up.


Teams in green are the ones I think we'll beat

 

[Dangas]

we have a tough road ahead, I'd be happy to have 5 or more wins considering the draw, but would love to beat the Pies this week

 

[Stevie Ray Swan]

still, if these predictions were to pan out, we wouldn't have beaten anyone above us , leaving us sixth and probably with an early finals exit, still not a bad effort though. I'd still like to beat at least one of the pies, saints, cats, or dogs in particular this season.

 

[Swans120]

With where our list is, stocked up many quality young players, the majority of our players are between 0 and 80 games, if we can finish the last 10 games with 5 or 6 wins and this complete the year with 12/13 wins i say that is a very successful year.

 

[DeadlyAkkuret]

still, if these predictions were to pan out, we wouldn't have beaten anyone above us , leaving us sixth and probably with an early finals exit, still not a bad effort though. I'd still like to beat at least one of the pies, saints, cats, or dogs in particular this season.

Carlton?

 

[GoTheSwannies]

that's quite generous DA...but the optimist in me agrees...

i think the carlton & hawthorn games are real danger games...carlton's a little up & down so hard to guage but I expect a win...hawthorn, I'd like a win....but think it's really 50/50...and an in-form brisbane would also be 50/50...but on current form I'd expect a win...

I'm really hoping we can beat collingwood, that'd really set us up for a good season....i think we can do it....but being our bogey side it's mote 20/80 than 40/60....but we have improved since 09...and we were pretty much in the game until the 4th quarter...so being optimistic we're definitely a chance...but based on history....it's a huge ask...

I also think we may catch Freo running out of gas towards the end of the season and think we can manage a win against them

geelong & the dogs would require a huge effort and everything would need to go right for us to overcome them...

 

[disgruntled goat]

For the first time in a while, I'm quite confident of beating the Magpies. It's the first time we've come into the game with some reasonable form, and because of that form, we've got momentum. Two good wins to follow up a much-improved second half against Hawthorn; meanwhile, the Pies staggered over the line for their draw, have some serious questions being asked of them and there's no doubt their form has gone off a bit.

Maxwell seems likely to miss and there's clouds over others, and their forward set-up remains brittle.

The most significant thing could be the rucks. In recent years Jolly has struggled to match Fraser (and that Wood bloke last year); this time round Jolly's one of theirs and we've got Mumford and an improving Pyke (who's physicality and all-round confidence are really starting to impress).

We also have a much younger, faster, more aggressive midfield and, if Bradshaw returns, three big forwards capable of testing their defence, which looked more and more fragile and confused as the game wore on against the Demons.

I'm not getting ahead of myself, just think we're a real chance on Saturday week, and that might spur us on to further improvement.

I think we can certainly beat the Dogs and Saints, if we maintain form.

Of course, if we're not at our close to our peak, we'll struggle against all the better teams, as has been the case for several seasons.

 

[Ed_Gein]

We don't play the Saints again in the H&A, but would be happy to beat them in a final.

Collingwood - Loss
Richmond - Win
Nth Melb - Win
Carlton - Loss
Melbourne - Win
Geelong - Loss
Hawthorn - Win
Fremantle - Loss
Bulldogs - Loss
Brisbane - Win

That would leave us on 12 wins for the year. I've pretty much pencilled in the games we should probably win on paper. But if we can keep the squad injury free i don't see why we can't jag another win here or there against the teams i've put down as a loss and snag a home final in the 1st week.

Our game plan has changed a fair bit since last year and we've added some great players, so no doubt going on results in previous years makes it a bit harder to predict, but we could make a real go of it against the Pies and break that hoodoo. If we can steal a win, we'll be looking pretty good to win 5 on the trot again heading into the Carlton game, which is a real danger one.

Geelong are simply awesome and the odds are stacked against us no matter where we play them, going to Perth is going to be very, very difficult. Like someone mentioned, if they start running out of petrol tickets we could steal it, although unlikely. Bulldogs, they have our measure at the moment.

 

[Swansujelly]

i generally agree with the above..right, now. While I know that a Collingwood gamae at ANZ is generally a good draw crowd wise, this year, I rekon we will be lucky to crack 50,00. The size of that ground has always suited C'Wood, so, lets put wins over crowds and play them at a PACKED SCG next year and take the financial hit in return for a fuller( and louder) ground, and a proper home ground advantage. A Collingwood win at a half a empty ANZ this year must end this arrangement until we are really motoring, when the fairweather fans (not a gripe, we need them and I do love chatting to first timers who really like it, or are drunk) come back. And for any western living Sydney fans, sorry, I just really want to see Collingwood at the SCG..

 

[The Panther]

A Collingwood win at a half a empty ANZ this year must end this arrangement until we are really motoring

If you end the arrangement, you will only get a home game once every 2 years & you will have to play us on the MCG.

 

[bedford]

Who cares, who wants to look at a crowd full of toothless ferals.

 

[vonn]

^ hahahahahaa

 

[SouthSwans]

R14 Richmond
R15 Nth Melb
R16 Carlton
R17 Melbourne
R18 Geelong
R19 Hawthorn

We have to get the points in five of those six to be considered a threat and give ourselves a chance.

Collingwood is a huuuuuuuuuuuge game, win that and we can set our sights on the finals at the other end of the tunnel.

Our last three games are killers, 1/3 is good enough, 2/3 is sensational.

 

[Costanza_]

Loss (Collingwood)
Win (Richmond)
Win (North)
Loss (Carlton)
Win (Melbourne)
Loss (Geelong)
Win (Hawthorn)
Loss (Freo)
Loss (Dogs)
Win (Brisbane)

12 wins. Should be enough.

 

[DeadlyAkkuret]

If you end the arrangement, you will only get a home game once every 2 years & you will have to play us on the MCG.

I'd take it, why should the MCG hold any fears when we can't beat you at that shithole ANZ anyway. At least we'd get a serious home ground advantage at the SCG and I'd take the MCG over ANZ any day!

 

[db swannie]

This is how I see it

Collingwood (ANZ) 40/60 I'm probably being generous, our record against the Pies speaks for itself.

Richmond (MCG) 80/20 The Tigers wont do to us what they did to West Coast.

North Melbourne (SCG) 60/40 I would have said 70/30 but the Roos have looked good over the last month or so, putting in some big efforts against the Lions and Blues. If we're serious, we'll still beat them quite easily.

Carlton (Etihad) 40/60 Assuming we win the two games prior to this one and we're still in the race, this game is absolutely huge. While I'd definitely have Carlton as favourites, in my opinion we're more talented than they are and this will be an "us or them" encounter.

Melbourne (MCG) 60/40 Despite how promising some of the young Dees are we still should go into this game as favourites and should account for this inexperienced side. There's not much more to say, it's a must win.

Geelong (ANZ) 40/60 We ran this side so close last season and many have argued that we're better this time around. Players like Goodes, Bolton, O'Keefe and McVeigh will need huge games for us to win this, none of the experienced guys can afford to be passengers.

Hawthorn (SCG) 60/40 Much like the Carlton match this encounter will go a long way to deciding just how good we are. Again, let's assume we've won all the games we should to this point and Hawthorn are in good form, then whoever wins this will probably knock the other side out of finals calculations.

Fremantle (Subiaco) 30/70 God help us, just pray that Fremantle of about 2 years ago shows up to this one.

Bulldogs (SCG) 40/60 I know this is at our beloved SCG but our record against the Dogs is pretty depressing, we'll need every ounce of home ground advantage if we want to come out of this one alive. Getting off to a flyer against them will be the key here.

Brisbane (Gabba) 50/50 I'll admit it, I don't rate Brisbane. Unless they're ripping it up at this stage we should take the points and hopefully book ourselves a home final first up.


Teams in green are the ones I think we'll beat

Pretty much agree with most of this, except the Carlton situation has now changed (due to injuries for them) making it IMO at least a 50/50 game.

Geelong to me is almost a write off (20/80), they are playing better footy than last year, have a more deadly forward line, great depth, few injuries...They are a footy machine ATM wherever they play.

Freo to me is a 50/50, only because I think that their youngsters have to tire at some stage. It will have been a long season by then and - as good as they've been - I expect them to come back to the pack late in the season.

Oh, and I think we are better than 50/50 to beat Brisbane. They will limp into round 22, and most of their players will be worrying about what Fev's going to do to them on Mad Monday. 70/30