Tigers were 8-6 this tune last year and had just been spanked by the Saints at Etihad, the rest is history.
I’ve been saying for a few weeks now, if we win the games we should (GC, Freo & Saints) maybe pinch a couple of the ones we’re not expected to (WC, Sydney, Richmond & Port) the rest is in our hands beating the teams we’re competing with (NM, Collingwood & Hawks).
If we win this week, and we really should given their outs and recent ordinary form just getting over Carlton & GC, we have an opportunity to boost % with a rudderless GC & Freo here without Sandilands & Fyfe. Unfortunately as the Carlton & Bulldogs debacles earlier in the season prove, our mental ability in those games has been lacking for years now.
We will know how far we’ve come if we play the way we should in properly applying ourselves mentally to those matches.
Given some of those teams ahead of us play each other, if we beat Collingwood, Freo, GC, Saints & Hawks, we really should only require one win from Sydney, Richmond or Port to make it. 14 wins to get into bottom half of the 8? Think the only time that happened was 2012(?) 13 should get us there IMO and unlike last year we can hit the finals with some momentum. Either way, the season will be relatively successful if we can maintain this intensity for the remainder of the year. If we miss out, middle 6 fixture (see Collingwood dream fixture this season), better draft pick and some genuine belief going into the pre season.
We are only one win from fighting for that 8th spot and 2 wins from a seat at the table.
Win this week and people will start to take notice, lose and we will just prove to most that we aren’t anything special.