Collingwood are anything but shoe-ins

[ferball]

Agreed, I think Melbourne (with Oliver and without Grundy) is the most dangerous team, followed by Collingwood, with Carlton and GWS making their run, can't see anyone else doing anything.

I'd have you guys ahead of Melbourne but but GWS and Blues might be the only other teams that really challenge. Be mildly surprised if Brissie make it past the prelims and very surprised if Port do.

 

[ChristianBoy]

Have to win it best injury list of all the challengers.

 

[Frank Grimes]

This is probably the most even year I can remember. The top end are starting to show vulnerabilities. Except for the bottom 3 there really isn't much between the teams from 1st to 15th.

 

[SBYM]

This definitely isn’t a season for the ages.

I completely disagree. Anyone can beat anyone at the moment. Teams are constantly in and out of the 8 on the back of a single loss.

It's ****ing great drama and I'm loving it.

 

[PieLebo87]

My impression is that most Pies supporters would agree with you. Been here too many times before, they say.

Most talking-up of Collingwood comes from people in the media who always have to have a narrative (which I sort of understand, but still, we can always ignore them).

But Friday aside, they have looked effing amazing most of this year.

Nailed it.

We’re a shoe in for top spot which sets us up for the next possible chance at making a GF, but we’re not unbeatable and it’s anyone’s game come September.

Pies fans are confident about securing double chances at home, but that’s where it ends.

 

[PieLebo87]

My mum is a Pies supporter. I was watching the 1990 GF with her - five minutes to go and you lot are definitely winning and she's there stressing like nothing else wondering if they are just gonna hang on ... or not.

I told her to relax and enjoy it, they're so obviously home: "You don't know how many times we've been here and lost before" or something similar. She was visiting me in 2010 for the first GF too - it was a draw!!! That was the 9th GF I'd seen them play in for 1 win. I was too young to even remember the 1970 one.

She's getting on now. I really hope you lot win this year. Might be the last time she sees a flag.

Your mum is the type of Collingwood supporter I hope they win for this year.

Although it’ll never take the pain away of those GFs in the 70s and early 80s, it’s something she can enjoy.

I’m too young to have ever felt that pain, so as petty and silly as it may sound, it probably means less to me than it would for your mother, as much as I am passionate about and love my Magpies.

 

[PieLebo87]

I still believe Melbourne's best is good enough and we have time on our side to show this more consistently.

But Port are bang average if their guns dont fire and Brisbane cant be trusted.

To be fair, practically any of the top 6, at their absolute best (whilst negating the opposition) is good enough to win the flag.

Like you said, Melbourne’s best is good enough, but Port’s best also had them winning something like 13-14 in a row. We’ve all seen prime Lions football and what that can do.

Carlton at their best have beaten the top 2 sides in the last 3 weeks.

GWS are technically the form side of the competition with away wins vs Cats, Dees and Dogs.

Luck plays a huge part in September.

 

[PieLebo87]

Bullshit. Bigfooty has been full of Pies supporters puffing their chest out for months.
There'll be an egg shortage for the rest of the year if they fail.

Quote me one BF Pie claiming we’ll win the flag, old man!

Pies v Dees GF would be great viewing though

 

[PieLebo87]

This definitely isn’t a season for the ages.

Sides 2-14 on the ladder are all flaky.

No real contenders for Collingwood, but as we saw on Friday, if a team plays to the maximum and the Pies are slightly off, they can be beaten.

Will come down to which finalist is peaking at the right time. Right now it’s Carlton.

This could well be a Bradbury season before the next 1-2 dynasty teams announce themselves.

It’s a shame people can’t appreciate the season we’ve had where it’s a bee’s dick between 5th and 14th - that is great for football. It also isn’t a reflection of the season being weak/flakey, just that it’s even.

It’s disappointing how people can’t appreciate this and seem to prefer a runaway style ladder like that’s some indication of it being a ‘stronger’ season.

Anyone in the top 6 would be deserved premiers based on exposed form thus far.

 

[Jeremias]

Don't think anyone worth listening to has suggested they are shoe ins.

They are premiership favourites and deservedly so. Best team in it this year IMO despite the result on Friday night.

That doesn't mean they're guaranteed to win the flag. Far from it.

 

[SuperSub17]

Pet hate: it’s shoo-in.

I’ll show myself out now.

 

[Sea fog]

The AFL has its wish. We now have a league of bog average teams with a few basket cases at the bottom. It's a bit of a raffle and may come down to who has the healthiest list. Gone are the days when we had super teams like the Lions. All the teams have thinned the talent. 18 seems too many.

 

[PerthBoy86]

What were they saying in 2011 with that Collingwood side? Or Geelong 08?

No team is guaranteed to win a GF no matter how dominant in the H&A season. Collingwood aren't as strong as their record suggests, should've lost at least 2 or 3 they won. I'd say there's 3 teams with a similar chance to win it all. Might the Pies edge them out a bit? Maybe, depends how you calculate it.

 

[Toump Ass]

Quote me one BF Pie claiming we’ll win the flag, old man!

You don't need to say you're gonna win the flag to be a self-aggrandizing tool.
I don't remember any Cats or Dees supporters starting a "Let's look at Premiership favourite odds!" circle-jerk thread when we were top of the ladder?

Pies v Dees GF would be great viewing though

I'll skip it, just like my Dees supporting mother-in-law did in 1956. Heart couldn't take it.

Thankfully I'll get to watch the replay if we get up!!!

 

[Cudi_420]

A Melbourne vs Collingwood GF is a pretty good bet at $4. Shortest odds of all combinations.

 

[Chism]

Pies have the shortest injury list in the AFL right now and if this stays the same running into finals they are well deserved favorites.

Shoe in so to speak there is no such thing but with the Pies injury list currently and the fact they will most likely not leave the MCG in the finals makes them firm favourites for me regardless of what happened Friday night.

Injuries and being able to get your best 22 out there at this time of year is massive and the Pies are clear front runners.

 

[Osho]

Teams are so finely tuned, it only takes a minor tweak here or there, a surprise match up, a niggle, a psychological shift, for a pedigree to become a half breed.

Well, I suppose that is what the comp is wishful thinking about. It looks to me like the Pies have had 1 and can do with one more innoculation before finals.

The Dees left their decisiveness pretty late, but now that they have jetisonned Brody, and fiddled with the forward line, they look much better.

Lions remind me of Sydney under Hafey.

Port just don't have the depth. That'll become evident shortly.

Crows and Giants are quite interesting. They are too early in development to do much this year. But Jerry Seinfeld having said that, on their day they could be a migraine for oppo, one a brilliant attacking team, the other like Fort Knox.

It really is Pies to lose.

 

[Freddy Swift]

No Pie supporter would ever think they were a shoo-in. They’ve been through too much over the years.

I don’t think the loss the other night will hurt them in the slightest. In fact it will probably do them good.

I hate saying it but they are an excellent side and I expect them to go deep this year.

 

[Macca180]

Melbourne, the only challenger.

 

[Juddernaut08]

Of the 8 teams to begin the season 16-2 since 1995, only 3 went on to win the flag

good stat!

 

[Ulahoopski]

Of the 8 teams to begin the season 16-2 since 1995, only 3 went on to win the flag

It’ll be four in a couple of months. #l#lockitineddie #noliability

On iPad using BigFooty.com mobile app

 

[EBERT THE KING]

Brisbane at times have played the best football this season. Their 10 unanswered goals against Collingwood earlier this year was untouchable. Their forward line is also clearly the best in the league.

Port are a massive chance to go out in straight sets for mine. Especially if they play Carlton in the semi final. They don't have anyone that can go with Curnow.

If Collingwood play Meloburne in a 1 vs 4 contest in the first week of finals its a genuine 50/50 for mine. Gawn will monster Cameron.

 

[MF]

Wow, just realised the 2012 Hawks actually finished the season with a whopping 154%. They most likely would have won 4 in a row if they'd taken the flag that year.

 

[ferrisb]

Pet hate: it’s shoo-in.

I’ll show myself out now.

Same thing. For all intensive purposes...

 

[dean33]

They are home and hosed!
What could possibly go wrong?