Who do you think will or want to win the 2017 flag?

Who will win the flag?


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winty

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I dont know about geelong 'dominating'.
They havent won a flag for 6 years now, theyve strung a couple of good seasons together on the back of Dangerfield moving home but i think people forget they were bog ordinary for a few years (2014 comes to mind).
Nevertheless, they are a well run club and deserve the recent success they are having. If they win the flag this year its on their own merit, and f***whats 'good for the game', the AFL engineer far too much as it is.
So a 17-5 season and a finish in the top 4 is bog ordinary is it?
 

Rusty Brookes

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GWS seem to be running out of time for things to come together. Have best list in league but wouldnt surprise if they miss the top 4 now
I'd say they've still got around 3-4 weeks to get it right but you're right in that they will have to improve markedly if they're going to win the flag.

Geelong remind me a bit of Hawthorn last year - eeking out wins but winning nonetheless. Not sure if they can go all the way playing that way but you never know.

Adelaide look like they've had a slump and coming out the other end.

Sydney are probably the form side but still are on a razor's edge in that one slip up could be catastrophic for their flag chances.

Port's best is terrific but still doubts against top sides.

I'm not sure anyone else can win it to be honest although would be happy to be proven wrong.

I'm sticking with GWS. I reckon they would have learnt from last year and will attempt to peak slightly later than they did last year. But I'm far less certain now than I was two months ago.
 

Rotayjay

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With the Swans now quite likely to achieve a finals berth, it's still looking like rock-paper-scissors.

Adelaide will want to avoid Geelong (we'll see how the two sides match up again soon but recent history ain't looking good for us)

Geelong will want to avoid Sydney (probably, but we'll find out soon enough)

Geelong and GWS are literally 50/50. I'd back the Cats in a final over the Giants at the MCG though.

GWS will want to avoid Adelaide - on paper we are a worse side but we usually win comfortably

Port will want to avoid ... any top 8 side. Somewhat difficult to do in September :$

Logic says the most likely premiers are Sydney, Geelong, followed by GWS. Last year, logic said that the Bulldogs were cooked and would get easily eliminated by the in-form Eagles in week 1 ...
 

Macpotata

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Say what you want but you weren't challenging for a flag that year. Maybe not bog ordinary but definitely not Sydney and hawthorn level
Have to agree. We were average, and won several games that we could have easily lost. Weren't a very good top 4 side by any means. A lot like freo excluding their first 8 games in 2015. After that they went 9 and 5, played shithouse and had a bit of luck.
 

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Holy Rioli

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This year after 17 rounds, Geelong have had 5 games decided by under a goal, winning 4 (all by under 3 points) and a draw. They are 11 wins, 4 losses and a draw. They have a % of 118.1

Last year after 17 rounds, Hawthorn had 4 games decided by under a goal, winning all 4. They were on 13 wins and 3 losses and a % of 119.5.

Everyone was writing Hawthorn off because they only had the 7th best % of the teams in the top 8 (not that there was a great deal between 1-7).

Geelong are a fake team who, without umpiring assistance, would have lost their close matches against North, Port, Freo and Hawthorn. They shouldn't even be in the 8. They are a worse team than what Hawthorn were last year and will be found out in September.
 

Duskfire

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The way people talk about Sydney over Geelong it's as if they have some sort of 15 game winning steak. They aren't a bogey team like Fremantle or Collingwood, especially the latter who Geelong seems to struggle against regardless of ladder position. They are in great form and playing well but I don't know if Geelong are desperate to miss them in the finals like some claim. They certainly don't fill me with doubt anymore then playing GWS or Port or anyone else.
 

Superstar swan

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People are reading into the swans resurgance too much and its because of the dogs...to win the flag, you need to finish top 4...end of story... last year was a perfectt storm for the dogs...the bye, ridiculous umps being swept away in the fairy tale....last year was an outlier. Highly unlikely the swans pinch a top 4 spot
 

blitzer

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The Contenders (1-3)
Sydney (1): I'd have them favourites right now. Probably going a bit early as they do need to sustain their form a bit longer because of their poor start. What I like about them is they have a clear gameplan, they have experienced and reliable players that you know will perform in big matches (Franklin, Kennedy, Parker, Hanneberry).

GWS (2): Their currently in 2nd and sliding in my estimations. Too many injuries. I also didn't like the way they were playing against Sydney. Too much reliance on individual talent and not enough on system. I'm not the biggest Roos fan but I agreed with him this time. They have the best list but are running out of time to get them fit and up and running. Some players won't come back at their best.

Geelong (3): 3rd in my estimations. You know what you will get from them. I actually like their chances if they get to the Grand Final at the MCG. Dangerfield and Selwood won't let you down. I was ready to write them off immediately when I thought Dangerfield's injury could have been a long term one. They need their fringe players to step up in September to support their superstars.

Should win finals but not the premiership (4)
Adelaide (4): Good side and are capable of scoring extremely strongly. Will be found out by the superior midfield's of my first 3. Sydney in particular I view as being able to shut down their style of play.

Could win a finals game but won't pass prelim
Melbourne (5): I like their list a lot. I see them as a bit of a dark horse in this finals series. They would need Gawn and Hogan to find some form and to get back key players in Jones and Viney to make real headway. I think they won't get past prelim stage because of a lack of finals experience.

Richmond (6): Been good all year. Lack of a second key forward target leaves their forward line a bit lacklustre and leaves poor Riewoldt with too much on his shoulders. They play a defensive type game which I think could see them win a finals game but probably no more than that.

West Coast (7): Decent side and every chance to win a game at home. They are quite pedestrian though through the midfield with no Naitanui and the combination of Mitchell and Priddis being slow as treacle. Any finals side could beat them on their day.

Port Adelaide (8): I don't really rate them. They have fed all year on the bottom sides. They haven't been particularly competitive against the better sides. Their forward line in particular goes a fair bit better against the lower sides. They may win a final at home against the 7th or 8th placed team. That would be about it at best.

May make the finals - would be lucky to win a finals game
Essendon (9): No Guarantee to make the finals but I judge them as slightly more likely than St.Kilda or Bulldogs from here. I doubt we'd beat any interstate team if we did - but would give us a chance against Melbourne or Richmond or that type of team. I think Essendon's way of moving the ball and Daniher would scare a few teams.

St.Kilda (10): Classic hot and cold team as their last 2 performances clearly demonstrate. Similar to Essendon I reckon they may beat a Melbourne team at best. They do have a forward line that could trouble a few teams but I suspect the better midfields will be able to shut them down.

Western Bulldogs (11): Won't make the finals for mine. They still could but Its hard to see it right now. Its hard to find any improved players on their list which is surprising giving it's still a fairly young list on the whole. Their forward line is an absolute disaster. Their midfield needs to absolutely dominate to win games of football. If they did make finals from here they would be a decent threat to win a game or two but they aren't half the team they were last year.

Fremantle (12): Won't make the finals. You only have to look at their percentage to know they don't deserve to either. If Fyfe had come back in his brownlow form then they could have made finals and may have even looked similar to a team like Richmond but unfortunately he hasn't been able to find that level this year.
 

Mad_Hatter

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This year after 17 rounds, Geelong have had 5 games decided by under a goal, winning 4 (all by under 3 points) and a draw. They are 11 wins, 4 losses and a draw. They have a % of 118.1

Last year after 17 rounds, Hawthorn had 4 games decided by under a goal, winning all 4. They were on 13 wins and 3 losses and a % of 119.5.

Everyone was writing Hawthorn off because they only had the 7th best % of the teams in the top 8 (not that there was a great deal between 1-7).

Geelong are a fake team who, without umpiring assistance, would have lost their close matches against North, Port, Freo and Hawthorn. They shouldn't even be in the 8. They are a worse team than what Hawthorn were last year and will be found out in September.
So much salt, there there champ, not like you were going to do anything in finals anyway.
 

Seeds

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The way people talk about Sydney over Geelong it's as if they have some sort of 15 game winning steak. They aren't a bogey team like Fremantle or Collingwood, especially the latter who Geelong seems to struggle against regardless of ladder position. They are in great form and playing well but I don't know if Geelong are desperate to miss them in the finals like some claim. They certainly don't fill me with doubt anymore then playing GWS or Port or anyone else.
Agree. Last year our loss was more about the byes. Shell shocked in the first qtr as we are after every bye for the past four years but then dominated play but the swans simply flooded our forward line. Our best win of the season in 2015 was when we made the swans look second rate.
 

Rotayjay

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People are reading into the swans resurgance too much and its because of the dogs...to win the flag, you need to finish top 4...end of story... last year was a perfectt storm for the dogs...the bye, ridiculous umps being swept away in the fairy tale....last year was an outlier. Highly unlikely the swans pinch a top 4 spot
The bye applies this year too. A premiership from outside the top 4 will happen again, possibly very soon.
 

SBD Gonzalez

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Kidding, right?
The way people talk about Sydney over Geelong it's as if they have some sort of 15 game winning steak. They aren't a bogey team like Fremantle or Collingwood, especially the latter who Geelong seems to struggle against regardless of ladder position. They are in great form and playing well but I don't know if Geelong are desperate to miss them in the finals like some claim. They certainly don't fill me with doubt anymore then playing GWS or Port or anyone else.
True, but when we last met in a final it was all over by quarter time. Not sure if we could conjure that again, but it was devastating to watch.
 

Rockford

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The bye applies this year too. A premiership from outside the top 4 will happen again, possibly very soon.
I think you're right. Either way, especially in an even year like this one, I think the two teams that win their Qualifying Finals are probably going to lose their Prelims. If it goes that way it'll be the last season we have a Bye between the H&A season and the start of the Finals.
 
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