Worrying times ahead?

[Westy Boy]

From what I gather, we've all decided not to discuss the Carlton 'match'? .... fair enough .... but as bad as it was, it at least gives us an opportunity to put the rest of the season into perspective.

Not wanting to get ahead of ourselves, but this is how I think we'll go in the run home:


Essendon -- Loss -- Not without a chance, but based on yesterday's performance I struggle to see us getting up. Last year's win is history, and if anything, will provide Essendon further incentive to bury us..... stranger things have happened though.

Freo (H) -- Win -- We bloody better!

St Kilda -- Win -- Despite their recent results, I still rate them, but we should get over the line. Can't underestimate them, and could see another upset ala round 1.

Richmond -- 50/50 -- Too tough to call. Irrespective of how we went against them last time (and the Libba 'pay back etc), they're right up there, and I still don't like our defence's chances of containing the likes of Richardson, Ottens, Holland and possibly Gale.

Brisbane (A) -- Loss -- Again, I give us a chance, especially since we beat them fairly convincingly at Colonial, but given their form up at the Gabba ..... it's gonna take a bloody good effort to topple 'em.

Collingwood -- 50/50 -- We had a shocker, (but only one quarter set us apart imo) and i think (hope!) that we wont put in another performance like that against them. But judging from our first half yesterday.... we could be in big trouble.

Hawthorn -- 50/50 -- Despite having fallen back to the pack over the past few weeks, their talls still pose a problem... but we weren't THAT far off them in round 5. .... could be the most important match in the run home.

Port (H) -- 50/50 -- Like Hawthorn, fallen off the pace a bit, and at Colonial, i think we may have the edge over them. Not having Darcy last time was a huge factor in our loss, so it'll be interesting this time around.

Melbourne -- Win -- They have fallen apart, and possibly the result will decide whether we're good enough to see some finals action for a 5th consecutive season.


So if all goes according to plan (as it always does in our case of course!), we should should have around 10-11 wins...... 8 losses.... and the results of the 4 "crunch matches" will decide our fate. Of those, we should win at least one, IMO.

So approx 10-13 wins..... 7-10th on the ladder...

Any games you agree / disagree with? Considering our poor percentage, what do you guys think of our chances?

 

[Waltzing Woof Biscuit]

I think you've summarised it pretty well Westy. Based on some of our shallackings against decent opposition this year, I wouldn't be confident of beating any side except the cellar dwellers.

Of the 50/50s, Port at Colonial would be our best bet. We played them with half a side last time, when they were in red hot form. May surprise against Hawthorn too. We don't tend to lose too many in a row against the same team...a backs to the wall thing.

 

[Top Dog]

Yeah well summarised but i think the more worrying thing is when we lose we lose by quite a big margin and with such a poor percentage we cant afford to do that any more, and considering we have a game at the gabba where there average winning margin is 60pts. We just cant afford to get hammred again.

I think the crunch games will be VS the Saints and Freo if we can beat them both by considerable margins we will be half way there.

 

[HahnPremium8]

I have to admit that i'm a bit worried after seeing that shocking performance on Saturday. We have some tough games coming up. The good thing is the teams below us like adelaide, and sydney lost on the weekend so we're still one game ahead. I pretty much agree with your assumptions westy.

 

[Chicago1]

I guess I'm not as optimistic as you, Westy Boy. Of course I haven't seen any coverage this year. I agree with most of your predictions, though I think we'll lose against Richmond and Collingwood. I also might put Hawthorn in the loss column based upon recent history and the height factor.

Oh well, at least I'll save a few thousand dollars by not having to fly to Melbourne for the finals.

 

[K9-54]

Need to win 2 of the 50/50s. We would be stiff to win 12 and miss out but that's possible.

I think we can. If we can't, then not much point making it anyway. We'd just be headed for a first round knock-out. If we can win 3 of them, then we should be able to take a little bit of hope into the finals series.

 

[Barking_Dog]

Not bad Westy.

I reckon the Essendon game will be suprising.
I reckon the bulldogs have a better chance than what others think. After the Doggies had a miserable lose against carlton they will be eager for a win. And we have only lost 2 in a row twice this season. I reckon we can do it!

Fremantle and St.Kilda we should beat. However I wouldnt get ya hopes up the Bulldogs only win the games they have to win, and usually dont perform to their up-most best against the bottom sides.

Richmond should be the most evenest game till the end of the year. I cant pick a winner there.....

Well lose to brisbane and collingwood...

Beat Hawthorn as we have won our last 5 round 20 matches.

beat port and also beat melbourne...

GO YOU GOOD THING!!!!!

 

[Captain Sensible]

Ok I am going to be a heretic here and you can hold this over me later in the season.

I'm not overly concerned with making the finals this year. That was never going to be my measure of success for us this season.

I think that we have done very well this year. The introduction of players that will play good footy for us over the next decade has, in my view, gone very well. The retention of these players in the senior side must take precedence over any short term needs. This means things like not dropping a player such as Giansiracusa or Gilbee for a players like Romero.

This might sound a little odd, but we must be looking towards the future. The football club is going through its most successful period in its history-outside of 1954.

But what have we achieved? Nothing thats what. We haven't won a flag. We haven't even made a GF.

So play the kids and wear the results. Our supporters will stick, if they can see the future is brighter. Give them game time and the future will be brighter.

 

[bulldogs1]

OK Westy, I am going to put my hand up and state that the Tiges will be a big win for us, despite current form. We have had their measure of late, and match up well.

Brisbane. Hmm. Again, if its not a final we have shown we can win up there, so pencil in a win there. If they want it enough.

Port. A win. Power have dropped the ball, and won't travel here too well.

The rest I agree with, and with our little lead on Sydney (?) at the moment, I think we can scrape in. Start saving C1!