So... should we mock those who wouldn't make plans for September?

I thought this could be a good place to discuss our finals hopes.
As it stands, after 16 games we are just outside the 8, with 8 wins and a decent run home. 6 games to go (Norf, Dogs, Crows, Blues, GCS away, Freo), 5 of them against teams below us on the ladder, so we should start favourites in all except the Crows game (which is at Etihad and I think we have a good chance of winning it if we have managed to beat Norf & Dogs in the leadup).
It would seem that we will need to win 5 of the 6 games to ensure finals action, 4 probably won’t be enough.
I think we have the best chance of dislodging Melbourne or the Saints, but hot on our heals are West Coast who also have a pretty good run home.
In our favour, our injury list is pretty good, we are still getting better and we have a lot of pressure on us to make sure we are motivated to win. We have rested players throughout the season so they are fresh and we have some decent depth in the VFL with Stanton (36 touches, 2 goals), Laverde (6 goals)and Langford (4 goals) all putting their hand up plus a host of enthusiastic kids, dont forget Smack and Luey have been threatening alongside Howlett, Jerret & Hocking.
What we do know is that we are capable of doing some damage in finals NOW, but we haven’t been playing like it for half of the season, whereas the teams in the 8 have, so its all about what we can do from now on.
Recent history suggests there is no frigging way we can win 83% of our remaining games, because we are inconsistent and we havent won more than 2 in a row, and we lost to the bottom side 3 weeks ago. Basically all of the games we would like to pencil in as wins are danger games.
We also play a style that is exciting and damaging, but it also leaves us spent after 3 quarters and susceptible to being over-run late in games. It can also mean it’s hard to get “up” each week especially with short turn arounds, and that injuries might be lurking around the corner.
Woosha did say our 2nd half of the season would be much better, but we have won 2 in a row to get to this point, 7 wins from our last 8 matches would be extraordinary.
So. Who among you think we can play finals? Why or why not?
Personally, Im of the belief that we will make it. But so much can go wrong between now and then.

Have already booked time off from work to head OS in anticipation of us missing out. Might hold off on booking flights for a couple of weeks just in case

2 Likes

Beat North.

Then discuss.

20 Likes

Close thread until Saturday night. Any positive posts about our chances this week should be cause for a ban. Play your role people.

10 Likes

FWIW, I did the Ladder predictor and we came eighth on 12 wins (I let Footscray and Adelaide have the wins against us).

Richmond came ninth.

We keep them and West Coast out on percentage.

(We then beat Port Powerless over there, destroy Melbourne, do 17 points better against GWS away, and our forward line is better than Adelaide’s on a bright day at the MCG.)

25 Likes

We can only afford one loss. 6 games to go. Let’s assume One honorable loss. Can we keep Essington at bay for 5 weeks, for the first time in 13 years? I remain sceptical.

4 Likes

Nope. One game at a time. Beat north first, then focus on the next game.

4 Likes

Think we could possibly drop 2 and still make it but we need Freo and FCFC to do us a favour today

1 Like

I’ve run the predictor a few different ways and I still think 13 is the number this year

As we’ve seen all year, there is no such thing as an easy game these days. If we only drop 2 more games for the year I think we’ve done pretty well. If we only lose 1 more it’s look out ■■■■■■■! Here we come!

Beat north, dogs and Dees and we are right in it. If I had to guess I think we will take the saints spot on % and sneak in at 8.

I can see us dropping one of the Gold Coast/freo/dogs games.

If we make it, we will really deserve it.

Fcfc?

I have us or the eagles 8th

Pray the power beat Melbourne next week too

Yeah, I think it could be asking a bit much. The heart says yes but the head says no. A few sides might be tanking, that could help us in a few games…

But IF we do we make it will be the form side of the comp, peaking at the perfect time. Still sounds unrealistic.

I think we might need to rest some guys and bring in some new talent just to keep us on edge and make us a bit unpredictable for the Norf game, we really need to combat the complacency and flatfooted-ness that plagues us against poor sides.

Gonna be an exciting ride methinks.

Fcfc and norf are far from certainties but Cripps being out and norf falling off a cliff give me some confidence.

The dogs producing a September throw back performance in a last stitch effort to save their season is a worry but I don’t think they have the cattle to contain our fwd line

1 Like

If the power beat the dees next week and We beat north, we’re gonna go into the 8

1 Like

Think saints play tigers and demons, so either way if we keep winning, it doesn’t matter what way those games go. Saints win we catch the other two. The other two win, we rakensaints spot.

We’re going to have a let down at least once in the next 6, just need to scrape over the line when we do.

On the other hand we’re just as likely to beat the crows as we are to lose to fark carlton or Gold Coast

1 Like

Fark Carlton Football Club.

You must be new here…

1 Like