Contenders and Pretenders 2019 ( edited - Page 32 current discussion ) Are Richmond now the team to beat?

[dajesmac]

Tier 1: Geelong, Collingwood
Tier 2: GWS, Richmond, Adelaide
Tier 3: Port, West Coast, Essendon
Tier 4: Hawthorn, Brisbane, Fremantle, Western Bulldogs
Tier 5: Melbourne, North Melbourne, St Kilda, Sydney, Gold Coast, Carlton

 

[Coaster2012]

Tier 1: Geelong, Collingwood
Tier 2: GWS, Richmond, Adelaide
Tier 3: Port, West Coast, Essendon
Tier 4: Hawthorn, Brisbane, Fremantle, Western Bulldogs
Tier 5: Melbourne, North Melbourne, St Kilda, Sydney, Gold Coast, Carlton

Tier 1 is only Geelong. Pies almost lost to the blues. GWS aren't any better off than WC. Essendon are 13th on the ladder. They are not level with Port and WC. For me:

Tier 1: Geelong. (Easily the best team)

Tier 2: Collingwood. GWS. WC. Port. Richmond. Adelaide. (Can be the best team on their day)

Tier 3: Essendon. Fremantle. Hawthorn. Western Bulldogs. Brisbane. (Capable of massive scalps and with the right form at the right time capable of a fairy tale)

Tier 4: St Kilda. Gold Coast. Sydney. Melbourne. North Melbourne(Can play decent footy in spurts and perhaps a few upsets)

Tier 5: Carlton. ( Massive upset if Blues beat any one decent).

 

[Strange Cat]

Tier 1 is only Geelong. Pies almost lost to the blues. GWS aren't any better off than WC. Essendon are 13th on the ladder. They are not tier 3

Round 8 there’s still plenty to be played out yet

 

[Substance]

Tier 1: Geelong, Collingwood
Tier 2: GWS, Richmond, Adelaide
Tier 3: Port, West Coast, Essendon
Tier 4: Hawthorn, Brisbane, Fremantle, Western Bulldogs
Tier 5: Melbourne, North Melbourne, St Kilda, Sydney, Gold Coast, Carlton

Eagles going at about 70%. They can easily heat up towards the end of the season.

 

[dajesmac]

Tier 1 is only Geelong. Pies almost lost to the blues. GWS aren't any better off than WC. Essendon are 13th on the ladder. They are not level with Port and WC. For me:

Tier 1: Geelong.
Tier 2: Collingwood. GWS. WC. Port. Richmond. Adelaide.
Tier 3: Essendon. Fremantle. Hawthorn. Western Bulldogs.
Tier 4: St Kilda. Gold Coast. Sydney. North Melbourne. Melbourne.
Tier 5: Carlton.

WC almost lost to Carlton last year - that's not a strong enough argument. GWS have played a better brand of football than WC this year, but them evidently not being able to play at the G counts against them. Essendon have been inconsistent but I'd probably be tipping them against both Port and WC if they played against them next week - round 8 ladder isn't always going to be indicative.

 

[Vindicater]

Tier 1: Geelong, Collingwood
Tier 2: GWS, Richmond, Adelaide
Tier 3: Port, West Coast, Essendon
Tier 4: Hawthorn, Brisbane, Fremantle, Western Bulldogs
Tier 5: Melbourne, North Melbourne, St Kilda, Sydney, Gold Coast, Carlton

Essendon are tier 4. We will be lucky to beat last years record.

 

[Vindicater]

One thing I will say though is that Essendons schedule from here on out gets pretty easy. I could see us going on a run and taking home 7th or 8th place. We will be beaten easily however in the first round of the finals if this happens.

Edit - Just did the ladder predictor and had us finishing 8th to play Adelaide in the first round of the finals in Adelaide... Probably a very similar result to last time we played in Adelaide for the first round of finals...

 

[Macpotata]

**** Richmond are great. I thought the Dockers would give them a hiding today. Richmond just keep answering the challengers thrown at them and continue to defy the odds.

Giants - Massive question marks over their ability to play the MCG. Very early days in the season and a lot of fortunes will change throughout but holy **** they wouldn't like their chances against the Cats, Pies or Tige's on the MCG. If they can't beat a banged up Hawthorn, what chance do they have of getting the bigger sides?

 

[Macpotata]

1. Geelong
2. Collingwood
3. Richmond


After those, the only one I'd give a shot is an in-form West Coast. The others are just making up the numbers. Crows could go far but not win it imo.

 

[kaiserchief13]

A week is a long time in football....bet some opinions will change after next week too

 

[Boxhead_31]

One thing I will say though is that Essendons schedule from here on out gets pretty easy. I could see us going on a run and taking home 7th or 8th place. We will be beaten easily however in the first round of the finals if this happens.

Edit - Just did the ladder predictor and had us finishing 8th to play Adelaide in the first round of the finals in Adelaide... Probably a very similar result to last time we played in Adelaide for the first round of finals...

Going to draft NLM in the mid-season draft to play ruck?

 

[Vindicater]

Going to draft NLM in the mid-season draft to play ruck?

Was trying to work out who our equivilant is this time...

Maybe Ambrose?

 

[HurleyHepsHird]

Pretenders. Freo.

Pretenders? Richmond.

 

[joselol]

At this point of the season we can only judge on consistency hence ladder. Geelong and Collingwood have been the ones you consistently expect to win when you watch them. So I would agree with both being in that tier 1. After that it becomes harder to judge because the best of teams like WC (e.g vs Pies) and GWS puts them in the contender category, but they'll have a stinker along the way.

 

[Sub_Zero]

Richmond and Melbourne
are pretenders

 

[Dr Awkward]

I'd say:

Tier 1: Geelong, Collingwood, West Coast
Tier 2: Richmond, GWS
Tier 3: Adelaide, Essendon, Hawthorn, Bulldogs
Tier 4: Brisbane, St Kilda, North, Sydney, Port, Melbourne, Freo
Tier 5: Carlton, Gold Coast

West Coast might still have the best list and will get better as the season goes on imo.
Richmond could be tier 1 later in the year if we get all our blokes back.
Adelaide could be tier 2, but I don't think they can do much finals damage

 

[Macpotata]

I was really impressed with Richmond on Sunday. These guys keep defying the odds and have produced in big matches on the road against sides that looked like they were going to elevate their status, only to be stomped on by the unrelenting Tige's. Bolton was supreme early on and had a great game bagging 4 telling goals. To do it missing some sublime talent gives them more notches on their belt. Champions in 2017, top of the table in 2018, one dangerous formidable outfit.

Tiger fans, many of you owe your team an apology. So do many other sets of supporters.

 

[Macpotata]

I agree that you are crazy for saying that. Absolutely no chance in hell.

What a load of shit. Look what they did in 2017. The Dogs in 2016, Eagles last year and you guys in that prelim final. You guys got beaten by West Coast in Perth yet still made it to the Granny. To think a team can't get a good reign in form when it's only round 8 is ludicrous. Your side's fortune changed after week 1 of the finals for crying out loud.

If the Tigers played the way they did on Sunday, as opposed to the way your boys did on Saturday, they would have belted the living daylights out of you.

 

[Macpotata]

I'll always re-iterate my belief and pick that the Pies will be there and win it when it counts. Let's not talk bs though and be dismissive of other teams chances. Let's not let form get in the way of a good yarn also.


At the moment, the Pies have been far from good.

 

[Jhye Clark 13]

Contenders:

Geelong, Collingwood, Richmond, West Coast

Pretenders:

GWS, everyone else

The premiership will be won by 1 of the 4 clubs in the contenders bracket. I included West Coast because if they somehow get a home final or two and are lucky enough to draw Collingwood at the G, they can win.

 

[HTT]

Geelong the clear leader then Collingwood, GWS, Richmond, Adelaide, Port, West Coast in no real order. Highly unlikely the premiership is won by anyone else. Though I can see at least one of those teams missing finals.
Essendon have played 3 really good games (Brisbane, North, Collingwood) but are too inconsistent. It's damn near impossible to win the flag from outside the 4 and I really can't see them going 13-2 for the rest of the year which they'd need for it.

 

[HTT]

Tier 1 is only Geelong. Pies almost lost to the blues. GWS aren't any better off than WC. Essendon are 13th on the ladder. They are not level with Port and WC. For me:

Tier 1: Geelong. (Easily the best team)

Tier 2: Collingwood. GWS. WC. Port. Richmond. Adelaide. (Can be the best team on their day)

Tier 3: Essendon. Fremantle. Hawthorn. Western Bulldogs. (Capable of massive scalps and with the right form at the right time capable of a fairy tale)

Tier 4: St Kilda. Gold Coast. Sydney. Melbourne. North Melbourne(Can play decent footy in spurts and perhaps a few upsets)

Tier 5: Carlton. ( Massive upset if Blues beat any one decent).

Poor Brisbane

 

[Coaster2012]

Poor Brisbane

Tier 3 for me.

 

[adammania9]

What a load of ****. Look what they did in 2017. The Dogs in 2016, Eagles last year and you guys in that prelim final. You guys got beaten by West Coast in Perth yet still made it to the Granny. To think a team can't get a good reign in form when it's only round 8 is ludicrous. Your side's fortune changed after week 1 of the finals for crying out loud.

If the Tigers played the way they did on Sunday, as opposed to the way your boys did on Saturday, they would have belted the living daylights out of you.

Rubbish

 

[Ok Boomer]

I'd say:

Tier 1: Geelong, Collingwood, West Coast
Tier 2: Richmond, GWS
Tier 3: Adelaide, Essendon, Hawthorn, Bulldogs
Tier 4: Brisbane, St Kilda, North, Sydney, Port, Melbourne, Freo
Tier 5: Carlton, Gold Coast

West Coast might still have the best list and will get better as the season goes on imo.
Richmond could be tier 1 later in the year if we get all our blokes back.
Adelaide could be tier 2, but I don't think they can do much finals damage

Agree with this including your assessment of Richmond. Injuries permitting, still a major threat.