Will Showdown 26 come back to bite us?

[jenny61_99]

Not to get caught up with semantics, but didn't you say your preference was for us to finish 5th or 6th?

Any who. IMO any team who makes it in to the top 4 deserves to be there. IF we make it, then we deserve to be there regardless of the other teams that make up the remaining top three. And this in a year where we play the reigning premiers, Geelong and St Kilda twice.

Finishing 4th guarantees us at least two finals games. Even if we have a poor showing it will IMO give our younger players a taste of what's expected (including all the hullabaloo of the week leading up to it). Unless we get absolutely smashed, I can't see your point that finishing below 4th will outweigh the positives of finishing in the top 4.

But I guess that's the great thing about everyone having their own opinion, no matter how misguided they be .

Top 4 is the best option. I know that. I understand that my thinking is completely skewed , but I think I am being far more realistic than those sprouting a top 4 finish. It will be those people that then bag Craig for not winning another final! And seriously, let's face it, we probably won't win against either St Kilda or Geelong. Yes I know, there is always a chance, but let's just say I wouldn't bet my house on it.

 

[Smoooothy]

Top 4 is the best option. I know that. I understand that my thinking is completely skewed , but I think I am being far more realistic than those sprouting a top 4 finish. It will be those people that then bag Craig for not winning another final! And seriously, let's face it, we probably won't win against either St Kilda or Geelong. Yes I know, there is always a chance, but let's just say I wouldn't bet my house on it.

i would like to point out i have never bagged craigy for anything he has done!

but i genuinely think we can make top 4 - if we dont it wasn't meant to be, if we do, then i'll be happy as well

dont forget last year we were 15 minutes of football away from finishing 4th, this years team is much better

 

[Captain Pants]

For us to finish top 4 would be a massive over achievment from what I was expecting this year, I tought we would be lucky to scrape in to the finals But now we are so close I cant understand why anyone would want to finish outside the top 4. Historically top four teams are the ones to play in the GF especially with the current finals system.

 

[Crow-mo]

Top 4 is the best option. I know that. I understand that my thinking is completely skewed , but I think I am being far more realistic than those sprouting a top 4 finish. It will be those people that then bag Craig for not winning another final!

there's 2 problems with this statement

1. it shows a lacking of understanding/listening to the actual situation arguments surrounding those losses.
2. you again fail to grasp the idea of a double chance.

no one is ever going to complain if we lose an away final to St Kilda or Geelong; nor have they *ever* in such circumstances.

if however we lose a home final, to a younger, inferior performing, and more injury affected opponent then yes there will be plenty said about it.

 

[jenny61_99]

there's 2 problems with this statement

1. it shows a lacking of understanding/listening to the actual situation arguments surrounding those losses.
2. you again fail to grasp the idea of a double chance.

no one is ever going to complain if we lose an away final to St Kilda or Geelong; nor have they *ever* in such circumstances.

if however we lose a home final, to a younger, inferior performing, and more injury affected opponent then yes there will be plenty said about it.

Actually I understand criticism of particular finals losses, however there have been many comments during the course of this season which have indicated no level of forgiveness should he lose another final no matter the opposition.

I get the double chance! Absolutely, under normal circumstances, I'd agree. But this year we have two "super" teams, both able to leap tall buildings and crush their opponents with their bare hands. I am not convinced that our young kids need the experience of (or could recover from) a whalloping to the tune of 119 points (for example)!

 

[magtrev]

dont forget last year we were 15 minutes of football away from finishing 4th, this years team is much better

i agree, but this years team has a twice as difficult draw.

 

[Smoooothy]

i agree, but this years team has a twice as difficult draw.

and yet we find our selves in a similar position..

 

[magtrev]

as you said, we are better this year than last. If we manage to finish top 4 this year that is a significant achievement given our fixture, in my humble opinion. Last year we almost fell in to the top 4 face first.

 

[johnnypanther]

Actually I understand criticism of particular finals losses, however there have been many comments during the course of this season which have indicated no level of forgiveness should he lose another final no matter the opposition.

I get the double chance! Absolutely, under normal circumstances, I'd agree. But this year we have two "super" teams, both able to leap tall buildings and crush their opponents with their bare hands. I am not convinced that our young kids need the experience of (or could recover from) a whalloping to the tune of 119 points (for example)!

I think i know where you're coming from Jenny even though i disagree with your conclusion.
Several points
- always strive for the best

- by finishing 4th and despite having to play one of the 2 "super teams" gives us 2 benefits: (i) the chance of winning and proceeding directly to a home prelim final
and (ii) contrary to your thoughts, i think the reverse applies in regards to the young kids experience - i think that they would actually benefit even if we lost - and in any case, i cannot see our players hoisting a white flag like the powerpuffs do when faced with adversity - sure, we may get thumped but we wont give up and that is acceptable if they have given 100% effort.

- never fear the consequences of losing! its precisely that attitude (the fear) that largely lead to Port Power winning most showdowns (prior to Craig) and i think that fear of losing still permeates through a lot of our supporters particularly in showdown games. Fortunately, Craig seems to have got the players mindset correct.

Finally, i do agree with you in regards to the criticism of Craig's finals record - certainly, criticism is warranted for particular games (as you & Cro-Mo indicated) where we played inferior sides but as you say....there are people just waiting to castigate Craig for the next finals loss no matter the circumstances.
Since Craig has been there, we have performed above commentators & supporters and (IMO) Club expectations, unfortunately, the finals criticism ("destination disease" - as those jumping on the bandwagon of criticism call it)
is almost like Craig being a victim of his own success.
Nevertheless, we should always keep aiming for the highest finish we can get - thats the nature of a competition


PS Sorry for the rambling lines .... i dont have time (or the ability ) to rewrite the above more succinctly as i'm working at the same time and constant phone/work interruptions whilst writing tend to make one lose their train of thought.

 

[DaveW]

Actually I understand criticism of particular finals losses, however there have been many comments during the course of this season which have indicated no level of forgiveness should he lose another final no matter the opposition.

I get the double chance! Absolutely, under normal circumstances, I'd agree. But this year we have two "super" teams, both able to leap tall buildings and crush their opponents with their bare hands. I am not convinced that our young kids need the experience of (or could recover from) a whalloping to the tune of 119 points (for example)!

Several problems with this:

Firstly, your reasoning rests on the assumption that a semi-final win is more likely to be preceded by a win than it is a loss. What's the basis for this reasoning? The statistics show that since the introduction of the current finals system the semi-final winners have in the vast majority of cases been top four sides, i.e. teams coming off qualifying final losses. Similarly, our thrashing at the hands of St Kilda two weeks ago did us no harm at all.

One could counter your confidence hypothesis (wins translate into wins) with a rebound hypothesis (our chances of winning increase following a loss). I'm not arguing in favour of that, but it strikes me as no less valid.

Secondly, you're far too dismissive of the guarantee that comes with a top four spot. No game, not even an elimination final at home against the eighth placed team, is a gimmee. This lesson was taught to us in 2008. We don't need a repeat. The guarantee that we'll live to fight another day is not something to be blithely dismissed.

Thirdly, home ground advantage. Whoever we play in a semi-final, whether Collingwood or Brisbane or the Bulldogs, surely it's far more preferable it be at home than away.

Notice I haven't even referred to the possibility of beating Geelong or St Kilda. Like you, I'm taking it as a given that we lose. But that doesn't mean we don't want to play them. On the contrary, such are the rewards for finishing top four, that even a drubbing at the hands of one of these sides would be worth the humiliation.

 

[RealSlimShady]

sorry mate, don't bet.

look at the draw, stranger things have happened..

of the remaining games, we can legitimately win 4 of these. we have 1 real 8 point game left, collingwood still have 2 or 3, brisbane have 2 or 3, as do the bulldogs. we on the other hand only have 1..

and how about having a bit of faith on the club you support...

yep lucky you dont bet.
having faith is one thing and being realistic is another, I tend to steer towards the later but that doesnt mean I dont support my club.