Top 8 hopes

[Holden Hillbilly]

No Ryder.

No Power.

 

[MotlopRules]

if you'd told me at the start of the week that we'd gain the same amount of premiership points as Sydney who were playing Gold Coast at home, I'd probably have taken it

you're plumbing new depths

 

[JimmyBeerCans]

The thought of the season petering out like last year with another off-season of false hope & "who will we snag to play a dull career sapping role in this s**t truck express" to follow is such a chore to ponder lol make it stop!

 

[tribey]

The thought of the season petering out like last year with another off-season of false hope & "who will we snag to play a dull career sapping role in this s**t truck express" to follow is such a chore to ponder lol make it stop!

In all seriousness, if we were so determined to double-down on the gameplan that saw us grind to glorious failure in last year's EF, why the hell did we go get the likes of Motlop and Watts?

Our team should be chockablock with Matt de Boer, Mitch Robinson and Jamie Cripps types.

Just try hard goers who grit'n'grind all day but are capable of the right amount of class when required.

Would've come much cheaper and been a better fit for what we're trying to do.

Or, welp, Aaron Young.

 

[Schulzenfest]

you're plumbing new depths

People on this board seem to forget that the PAFC doesn't exist in a vacuum. Our top 4 chances are relative to the performances of the teams around us. Sydney did more damage to their chances this week than we did. That doesn't make our performance acceptable by any means, but we're not any less likely to make the top 4 now than we were before this round.

 

[tribey]

but we're not any less likely to make the top 4 now than we were a week ago.

Well, we are, because to your point, the past two losses have allowed a stack of teams to get within striking distance.

ie, Geelong are 1 game behind in 9th but with superior %.

 

[Magpiespower]

Two weeks ago, I thought we were a lock for top 4, pushing hard for top two, but now I'm not even sure we'll make the eight, which is just inconceivable, ah s**t, I really don't know anymore, oh mama...

 

[RussellEbertHandball]

Dont have the skills to finish top 4.

Just as I was confident that WCE could finish 16-6 if they got at least 1 of Kennedy or Darling back when they had lost the first 2 of their 3 in a row, I'm now as equally confident we aren't good enough to finish top 4.

We wont win 4 of our last 5 games given the skills we have, the decision making our players make under pressure especially entering our forward 50, and Ken's favourites he picks time and time and again despite their consistent failures.

 

[philreich]

People on this board seem to forget that the PAFC doesn't exist in a vacuum. Our top 4 chances are relative to the performances of the teams around us. Sydney did more damage to their chances this week than we did. That doesn't make our performance acceptable by any means, but we're not any less likely to make the top 4 now than we were before this round.

But to improve our position on the ladder, we also have to win games of footy, and our diabolical skills, coupled with our tough draw, will make that bloody difficult.

 

[SureBuddy]

If we lose this week, there’s a high chance we will be 9th on the ladder.

Probably unpopular opinion, but you know the big reason we lost yesterday? GWS are *en scary good. They are starting to show their true potential and I see them at the very least second favourite for the flag, if not favourite.

 

[JUSTWORK]

If we lose this week, there’s a high chance we will be 9th on the ladder.

Probably unpopular opinion, but you know the big reason we lost yesterday? GWS are ****en scary good. They are starting to show their true potential and I see them at the very least second favourite for the flag, if not favourite.

No the big reason is because we didn't play a ruckman which gifted GWS stoppage dominance 7 goals from stoppages, which is massive, the dominated clearances 30 V 52. Add in not playing a ruckman through our forward line structure completely out of the window, the amount of times Watts was 1 V2 (or 3) and GWS rebounded easily because of out forward structure.

All of this and we managed to get within 9 points, and if Davis had been kept clear of Wingard like he should have been we get within 3.

This isn't whilst ignoring the gold passes to certain players.. The big reason we lost was selection Thursday night. Frampton plays, we more than likely win.

 

[King_Tredrea]

Well, we are, because to your point, the past two losses have allowed a stack of teams to get within striking distance.

ie, Geelong are 1 game behind in 9th but with superior %.

If we had of won the past fortnight (games that in reality should have been considered 90/10 and 65/35 games) we literally would be locks for Top 4 in every sense, and a good shout for Top 2. I dare say we are worse off for not winning those games.

 

[Enviable Tradition]

If we lose this week, there’s a high chance we will be 9th on the ladder.

Probably unpopular opinion, but you know the big reason we lost yesterday? GWS are ****en scary good. They are starting to show their true potential and I see them at the very least second favourite for the flag, if not favourite.

We dont exist to be 3rd favourite.

Sent from my SM-G960F using Tapatalk

 

[Adam Marrett23]

Dont have the skills to finish top 4.

Just as I was confident that WCE could finish 16-6 if they got at least 1 of Kennedy or Darling back when they had lost the first 2 of their 3 in a row, I'm now as equally confident we aren't good enough to finish top 4.

We wont win 4 of our last 5 games given the skills we have, the decision making our players make under pressure especially entering our forward 50, and Ken's favourites he picks time and time and again despite their consistent failures.

Our skills are horrendous. It was the difference yesterday, and it just gets worse each week. Surely we target some skillful players, and a decent ruck option in the off season. Plus after watching the Magpies on Saturday and again yesterday we are so small compared to the other sides. How we rectify that I'm not sure either, besides going to the draft and adding some key position prospects.

The optimism of a fortnight ago is now gone, now we are stuck in a battle to make the 8 instead of where we should be.

 

[JUSTWORK]

Our skills are horrendous. It was the difference yesterday, and it just gets worse each week. Surely we target some skillful players, and a decent ruck option in the off season. Plus after watching the Magpies on Saturday and again yesterday we are so small compared to the other sides. How we rectify that I'm not sure either, besides going to the draft and adding some key position prospects.

The optimism of a fortnight ago is now gone, now we are stuck in a battle to make the 8 instead of where we should be.

The difference yesterday was in the ruck, they dominated stoppages (7 goals came from stoppage which is massive) they smashed us in clearrences (and we are the best clearance side in the Comp) and first possession. Moving Dixon out of the foward line completely rooted out foward stouter and Watts was getting double/tripple teamed and couldn’t get near the ball.

Pick Franpton and we win, he doesn’t need to dominated and become the next Grundy. Just be competitive and take away the Giants massive advantage and allow Dixon to stay inside 50. Look at what happebyou d when Dixon went foward and Howard rucked. Lost the game at selection, the gold passes need to stop, Amon simply isn’t good enough where as S.Gray and Thomas have done nothing for a month, why pick them ?

Frampton, Farrel and Motlop must push these three out next week.

 

[OneGreatClub]

Part of me wants us to drop out of the eight.
At least our draft picks will be a bit higher then.
Only problem is that with this coaching group and game plan I fear we will just destroy whatever talent we bring in.
If only we could bring in a new coaching team before we hit rock bottom again because if we end up in the wilderness like in 2011-12 we won’t be able to attract anyone of quality.

 

[JUSTWORK]

Part of me wants us to drop out of the eight.
At least our draft picks will be a bit higher then.
Only problem is that with this coaching group and game plan I fear we will just destroy whatever talent we bring in.
If only we could bring in a new coaching team before we hit rock bottom again because if we end up in the wilderness like in 2011-12 we won’t be able to attract anyone of quality.

The big thing that could come from this is significant changes to the coaching group. But it’s another year without a premiership, I know Hinkley and the coaches are holding us back - but if we can’t win one with Ryder, Gray, Westhoff and Boak I don’t know when we will. All of these are going to be hard to replace, 3 of them incredibly hard to replace.

 

[Holden Hillbilly]

 

[Coobk001]

I think our top 2 chances were gone with the loss to Freo, and our top 4 hopes have now been extinguished with the loss to GWS. Personally my ladder predictor has us in a huge struggle just to sneak into the 8 on percentage.

 

[TeeKray]

No point worrying about end of season ladder positions now, we're firmly in the dog fight with everyone else now and every result will change the equation. Get a win next week and reassess.

 

[RussellEbertHandball]

I think our top 2 chances were gone with the loss to Freo, and our top 4 hopes have now been extinguished with the loss to GWS. Personally my ladder predictor has us in a huge struggle just to sneak into the 8 on percentage.

View attachment 531580

What happened? You have WCE on 18 wins. I said 16 to 17 a few weeks ago and you said no way.

What has changed your thinking?

 

[JimmyBeerCans]

No point worrying about end of season ladder positions now, we're firmly in the dog fight with everyone else now and every result will change the equation. Get a win next week and reassess.

We are not winning a flag so it's all fail from here

 

[Arsene Wenger]

If we win 3/5 i think we will finish 7th or 8th. 2 we miss the 8 and win 4 wel finish 3rd or 4th.

 

[JUSTWORK]

If we win 3/5 i think we will finish 7th or 8th. 2 we miss the 8 and win 4 wel finish 3rd or 4th.

Not going to be easy then, need a big win against the Dogs to start off the run home, the next 4 are all hard Crows, WCE, Coll and Essendon.

Looking at the predictor, drop 1 and I have us coming in 5th. Could realistic win them all but could very easily drop between 1-3. Freo loss in particular looking disastrous.

 

[JUSTWORK]

No point worrying about end of season ladder positions now, we're firmly in the dog fight with everyone else now and every result will change the equation. Get a win next week and reassess.

Not just a win next week, but need to back it up against the crows, losing either would be disastrous.