Can North go all the way?

[Engimal]

Your side just made a preliminary final an hour or so ago... and you keep coming back to taking solace in the idea that you'll lose, but at least the team that beats you will itself get badly beaten the following week. Enjoy the moment and have some faith, man!

ok m8 :^)

 

[Lunchlady Doris]

We won't win this year but jeez, look out next and many coming years.

Take Boomer and Dal Santo out and I'm not so sure.

 

[SimonH]

meh not even fuss if we lose or win next week. Im just hoping we'll be competitive and make it close one.

Season has already been a success by winning our first final game. Everything from today onwards is just a bonus.

The 2 (outta 28 who've tried) 5th-8th sides to play a prelim so far in the current final 8 structure, have acquitted themselves far better than anyone expected. Hawthorn (finished 6th, 13-9) came within 9 points of Essendon (1st, 17-5) in 2001 and then Collingwood (6th, 13-9) nearly caused an amazing boilover over Geelong (1st, 18-4) in 2007, going down by 5 points—a result that might have crushed what turned out to be a dynasty, if it had gone the other way.

Weird historical fact: among EF contestants, only 6th-placed teams have ever made it through to PF. Never one that's finished 5th, 7th or 8th. (And those that have gone through, have only ever been drawn to play the minor premier in the PF.) Bad news for Port tomorrow.

 

[Frigate]

If North play well on any given day they can match it with any team. Still they had Geelong on the ropes and nearly blew it. Also against the Dons they just got over the line. Petrie is a mini barometer. They are probably at their strongest right now with Wells, Swallow, Zeibell... all in the one team. It is a good mix.

I still question their defence structure though. Also if Petrie is bad he is woeful. But his second half of the year has shown dividends and corresponded with Norfs rise.

Hard to see them overcoming Sydney, but I will roo for the blue and white. Would say more in my choice of teams but... oh yeah not allowed to mention $ and clubs on here. Did I say ALLOW...E

 

[PayFL]

North deserved to win tonight. If cats pinched it at the end it would have been an injustice.

I hope they beat the swans next week, just to let someone else have a crack at a premiership.

People saying it's a failure to go out in straight sets for the cats, I say it's a success to even be in the top 8 to be honest, we've been ordinary all year, scraped through and won some close ones. We're fighting against the inevitable slide down the ladder, so I still think this year was a huge success winning 17 games.

Good luck North next week and Port tomorrow

 

[R00StaR]

Yes......because our best can beat anyone. Doesnt mean we will, just means we can......problem is from 6th we need to win (excluding the first final) 3 x 50/50 games .....IF we play our best. All we can do is play one at a time and see how we go. So far so good.

 

[B0SK]

I would dearly love to see them get past Sydney next week but I just don't see it happening.

Even if North are somehow able to match it with them for most of the game I doubt they'll have enough left in the tank, they looked out on their feet at the end of tonight's game. Also likely the Swans will stifle their running game much better than Geelong did and I can't see Petrie & Thomas being allowed as much space either.

Hard to see a young team with not much finals experience pulling off two finals boilovers in a row, but they will at least have supporters of 16 other clubs cheering hard for them!

 

[PayFL]

I would dearly love to see them get past Sydney next week but I just don't see it happening.

Even if North are somehow able to match it with them for most of the game I doubt they'll have enough left in the tank, they looked out on their feet at the end of tonight's game. Also likely the Swans will stifle their running game much better than Geelong did and I can't see Petrie & Thomas being allowed as much space either.

Hard to see a young team with not much finals experience pulling off two finals boilovers in a row, but they will at least have supporters of 16 other clubs cheering hard for them!

I hope North smash the Swans, however I just cannot see it happening either. Geelong were garbage tonight, deplorable until the final 10 minutes. We looked like a second-rate VFL side up until then. Unless there is a miracle and Franklin and Tippett and McVeigh and Kennedy and Hannebery all go down at training, it's looking like Swans v Hawks again...

 

[B4Bear]

They'll get belted tonight.

Good call that.

 

[The_Eagles]

If they do they will become the equally most successful team in AFL history

Fair effort

 

[B4Bear]

Yeah, I don't know why we even bother with a top eight.

Just let the top two play off for the cup.

Nah, puck it. Dream big and give It a red hot crack.

See you Next week Swans.

Bring your 'A' game, you are going to need it.

 

[caitsith01]

Well done Geelong - First top 4 team to bomb out of the finals since 2007.

What kind of dismal excuse for a human takes pleasure in this as a signature?

 

[PayFL]

What kind of dismal excuse for a human takes pleasure in this as a signature?

If you had lost 11 in a row to the one club while dominating everyone else you'd have some unresolved psychological issues too

 

[The_Eagles]

If they do they will become the equally most successful team in AFL history

Fair effort

 

[BlakeyNoFlakey]

I'd be very surprised if they beat the Swans next week. Sydney a better team IMO.

 

[MaddAdam]

This could be a quote from any of the last 10 years.

Not from me, I've always been very acutely aware of our position in the great cycle of footy life.

 

[MaddAdam]

Take Boomer and Dal Santo out and I'm not so sure.

Both got two years in them easy.

And the best player for us over the night was Goldy. Jack Ziebell kicked the decisive goals in the last. LT kicked the fast start goals.

We also won a final with Boomer out and NDS tagged heavily.

 

[Grogg]

Good call that.

He don't football.

 

[Bigeasy]

Ok legend I think this is going to be about all for tonight, Enjoy the last week of Norths season.

We will, it's been a blast. Let's hope it a cracking game next week.

 

[se17enteen]

Sydney a better team IMO.

They did finish on top of the ladder for a reason.

 

[Frigate]

Nope

 

[ep2018]

If they somehow beat Sydney next week, I expect Hawthorn or Fremantle to dispatch them.

In fact if I was a freo supporter I'd be hoping and praying that Sydney choke next week and you beat Hawks, that's the best chance of winning the flag this year.

 

[Bollox]

Unlikely scenario based on history but have been a borderline top 4 mob all season so there's a chance.
If it wasnt for dropping a game or two they should have won, they would have finished 4th and noone would question their credentials.
Have beaten the top 4 types this year. Better mob than Geelong this year and proved it last night.

Dont dismiss them next week. We wont be.
Worthy prelim finalists which means they are a chance.

We would have preferred to play Geelong next week and North beat us early on in Syd. That says it all.

Congrats to North for chasing and trading for Dal Santo. Been immense all season and taken a lot of the heat in the middle allowing old man Harvey to have a very good season. Dal Santo has played with the hard tag his whole career...Harvey cannot handle it so it has worked like a dream for them. Has been a brilliant pickup for them but neither will be given any space next week up here.

Goldstein a massive advantage.

 

[MaddAdam]

Unlikely scenario based on history but have been a borderline top 4 mob all season so there's a chance.
If it wasnt for dropping a game or two they should have won, they would have finished 4th and noone would question their credentials.
Have beaten the top 4 types this year. Better mob than Geelong this year and proved it last night.

Dont dismiss them next week. We wont be.
Worthy prelim finalists which means they are a chance.

We would have preferred to play Geelong next week and North beat us early on in Syd. That says it all.

Congrats to North for chasing and trading for Dal Santo. Been immense all season and taken a lot of the heat in the middle allowing old man Harvey to have a very good season. Dal Santo has played with the hard tag his whole career...Harvey cannot handle it so it has worked like a dream for them. Has been a brilliant pickup for them but neither will be given any space next week up here.

Goldstein a massive advantage.

Good post apart from the Boomer hard tag claim.

Out of interest, who, if anyone, will you guys seek to tag?

There's the obvious candidates in Dal Santo, Boomer and Wells. But Sam Gibson showed that if he's allowed to run unchecked he'll kill you as well.

 

[Kickit2brown]

Good chance against the swans IMO. Still it's hard to see them making it all the way through.

I'd love to see a club win the premiership from the bottom half of the top 8. Spice things up a bit.