Which team do you realistically want to play in the first week of the finals?

[RUNVS]

Using the ladder predictor, and making the assumption that Sydney is going to beat St Kilda (dangerous I know) I have determined that Sydney's most likely opponent in the first week of the finals will be the winner of the Melbourne vs Brisbane game, with us to play the winner at the SCG (again a bit up in the air).

With the choice of Melbourne or Brisbane I would personally prefer Melbourne for purely practical reasons as Brisbane beat the Swans quite comfortably earlier in the year at the SCG and Sydney beat Melbourne in Melbourne earlier in the year. I also feel like Brisbane's form is getting better while Melbourne is still looking a bit shaky.

I also feel that the way to beat Melbourne is more simple than Brisbane, because if you can minimise Gawn's influence on the game you are much more likely to beat the Demons. Can't think of a specific player for Brisbane like that. That is not to say Melbourne are bad, they certainly are not, but I think they are a bit easier to plan for.

So if I had to choose from the realistic options I would go with Melbourne in the first week of finals.

What about you all, what teams are your teams likely to play in finals and of those teams which one would be your preference to play and why?

 

[CharacterFirst]

Freo.

 

[MrDanggazz]

Bulldogs or Carlton

 

[The Falcon Strike]

I'd have been happy with anyone to be honest

 

[Joose]

Assuming we finish 5th, then we match up best with Bulldogs I think.

 

[AFDogs]

Melbourne. Will be a cracker and we've beaten them this year.

2nd choice would be Richmond.

 

[Jimmy Yamazaki]

Lions

 

[Underarm]

Melbourne. Will be a cracker and we've beaten them this year.

2nd choice would be Richmond.

Dogs can't play Richmond.

Melbourne or Collingwood for the final in melbourne; then Brisbane, then Fremantle.

Would rather finish 7th though so we get the home Prelim.

 

[The Gong]

North Melbourne.

 

[Kanye West]

Geelong at Kadinia Park!

 

[M Malice]

If we win Friday night we will probably play the Swans in Sydney, don't mind that matchup, IMO we would be a massive chance.

If we lose Friday night, I would be happy to play anyone else in the bottom 4 of the 8 other than the Tigers, they play a brand of footy that really worries us.

 

[Cripps 'n' Blue Bloods]

Any of them.

 

[g_TRAIN]

We won't make it but if we were a 4-6th placed team I would be most worried about Richmond

They have the game style and the forward-half talent to do some damage.

If Dusty were to make it back as well...

 

[My Tilly]

Geelong at Kadinia Park!

It will likely be at the MCG.
I think Fremantle would be our preferred match up. You have injury concerns with Taberner, Fyfe and Lobb and you have only played at the ground once this season.
The crowd factor would also be in our favor.

 

[adammania9]

The old fashioned give us anybody. If we’re good enough, we’ll make our own luck against anyone

 

[Ricketz]

I have Brisbane pipping Melbourne at home, and Pies being a bit too quick for the Blues (sorry Carlton), so we should come up against them.

But I'd rather Carlton win and we play Freo - the trip plus their forwardline seem a bit easier proposition.

So, go Carlton?

 

[Sky]

I would like to vote anyone but Sydney but I agree they’ll finish second so hopefully we win the qualifying final for once…

 

[Mofra]

Anyone - we'll be lucky to scrape in and won't be doing damage this year.
A finals game will be great experience for Darcy & JUH though

 

[schmuttt]

I also feel that the way to beat Melbourne is more simple than Brisbane, because if you can minimise Gawn's influence on the game you are much more likely to beat the Demons. Can't think of a specific player for Brisbane like that. That is not to say Melbourne are bad, they certainly are not, but I think they are a bit easier to plan for.

Don't blame you if you want to play Melbourne as the Swans match up well on us, but Gawn was BOG against Sydney last time around and we lost. Two weeks later he didn't even play vs the Lions and we beat them by 10 goals. Beating Melbourne isn't a case of 'shut down Gawn and win' at all.

 

[RUNVS]

Don't blame you if you want to play Melbourne as the Swans match up well on us, but Gawn was BOG against Sydney last time around and we lost. Two weeks later he didn't even play vs the Lions and we beat them by 10 goals. Beating Melbourne isn't a case of 'shut down Gawn and win' at all.

True, but he was almost able to drag you guys over the line all by himself. He is a scary proposition come finals time.

 

[kaiserchief13]

I am hoping for this:

Geelong vs Collingwood (1 v 4)
Sydney vs Brisbane (2 v 3)
Melbourne vs Richmond (6 v 7)
Fremantle vs Carlton (5 v 8)

For above to happen Brisbane, Fremantle, Hawthorn, Sydney and Collingwood have to win this week

 

[Ancient Tiger]

I wish we could have played Geelong. We are like kryptonite to them, especially with a fit Dusty and without a KO'd Prestia!

 

[Iamspock]

If we fluke a place in the finals, I'd want to play us...

 

[AndyLucimitis]

I'll be happy to be playing ...period !

 

[Hoops]

Which teams can finish 4th?

Edit: only Sydney, Brisbane, Melbourne and Collingwood can finish fourth.
So in order would be;

1. Collingwood
2. Brisbane
3. Melbourne,
4. Sydney