Fixture Finals 2022 - Cats go in as Minor Premiers.

[geelong_crazy26]

I’m pretty perplexed over this fear about the tigers in multiple threads

They aren’t a threat this year I don’t see why people are rating them

It is the feat of what they once were, not what they are now thats getting everyone all riled up...

 

[Vdubs]

Tigers might have to go interstate more than once. I wouldnt be surprised if they lose for example in perth or sydney. I dont think they will make it to the GF unless they have some dusty special games. We are in a great position

We are. Looking back at 2011,
\AFL Ladder: After 2011 Round 23

 

[Strange Cat]

Taking the long route with interstate finals will drain any team we have seen that year in year out , the tigers are scrapping into the 8 and will have to do a Bulldogs feat which I just can’t see happening they have too many things to go against them for that to happen and with some strong teams like Dees /SYD and us I wouldn’t put money on them being a threat this year.

 

[Overhang]

Dont think anyone is taking it personally, just wondering why there's always so much commentary around it as if it's an impossibility. I don't remember it being discussed back in the day that's all.

If Geelong supporters can't get up and about for finals and be willing to travel then that's up to them it's not like we'll be playing 4 night finals in a row, it's likely it'll be 1 or 2 at worst.

If i recall Geelong have the most regional based supporters of any club in Vic (outside of Melb and Geelong). Ive done my share of Friday night finals and its quite the commitment, finishing work early on the Friday to battle peak hour Melb traffic getting to the game on time then getting home between 1 & 2am in my case. Saturday arvo is definitely more regional and family friendly.

 

[Pure_Ownage]

Tigers likely to play Melb in the elimination final. Either result is good for us. One potential danger out the way and then they have to travel interstate before potentially facing us. As you say, we've put ourselves in a great position. Just need Bris to beat Melb this coming weekend.

They will get bris if melb wins and other results fall that way. But i agree a melb rich elim final is good for us as one of them is knocked out and the other probably goes interstate in week 2 before we see them in a PF (if they make it).

 

[cats_09]

 

[cat_shack]

Personally would love a big Melbourne club at the G in the qualifiying final. No easy teams in finals, and a win against a Collingwood or Melbourne at the G would set up the campaign beautifully. Bloody excited for September

 

[iameviljez]

I’m pretty perplexed over this fear about the tigers in multiple threads

They aren’t a threat this year I don’t see why people are rating them

A couple of reasons:
1) We were extremely lucky to get out of our game with them with a win.
2) Sheer star power. Lynch is the best conventional tall forward in the league. Shai Bolton is the best small forward in the league.
3) They are vastly better than their ladder position would suggest. They've really choked a few games that they should not have lost.

And yes, reputation.

 

[iameviljez]

Taking the long route with interstate finals will drain any team we have seen that year in year out

Recent enough history suggests otherwise. Hawthorn 2015, Dogs in 2016, Richmond 2019, Richmond 2020, all had to win finals interstate. Dogs in particular took the long way round.

 

[Isaac Norm Smith]

Personally would love a big Melbourne club at the G in the qualifiying final. No easy teams in finals, and a win against a Collingwood or Melbourne at the G would set up the campaign beautifully. Bloody excited for September

That's a really positive outlook. I don't rate Freo, I think it's better we prepare for what's to come in a prelim and the GF by having a tough opponent week one in a QF.

Especially after two soft games leading into the finals. Let's embrace it. I hope we get Pies. They'll give us a run but we have their measure and we know it.

 

[iameviljez]

If i recall Geelong have the most regional based supporters of any club in Vic (outside of Melb and Geelong). Ive done my share of Friday night finals and its quite the commitment, finishing work early on the Friday to battle peak hour Melb traffic getting to the game on time then getting home between 1 & 2am in my case. Saturday arvo is definitely more regional and family friendly.

I agree, it's a long trip even between Geelong and Melbourne on a Friday or Saturday night - but scheduling is done for TV audiences, not at-game audiences.

 

[Isaac Norm Smith]

A couple of reasons:
1) We were extremely lucky to get out of our game with them with a win.
2) Sheer star power. Lynch is the best conventional tall forward in the league. Shai Bolton is the best small forward in the league.
3) They are vastly better than their ladder position would suggest. They've really choked a few games that they should not have lost.

And yes, reputation.

Yep.

They're dangerous. Very dangerous.

Do they have a tough run and everything going against them like the Dogs in 2016? Yep.

Can they overcome those challenges. Yep.

 

[iameviljez]

That's a really positive outlook. I don't rate Freo, I think it's better we prepare for what's to come in a prelim and the GF by having a tough opponent week one in a QF.

Yeah, I think there's a few really, really soft sides in the upper reaches of the 8 this year. Collingwood, Brisbane and Fremantle are all fairly brittle and should be a straightforward kill.

 

[Footy_Fan2007]

So highly likely Collingwood or Freo first up.
I would personally prefer Collingwood but we should surely beat either team.

 

[jim boy]

They are vastly better than their ladder position would suggest. They've really choked a few games that they should not have lost.

For form going into the finals - you'd have to rate them at the top along with us and the swannies

 

[iameviljez]

There is no such thing as avoiding hard games in finals. We have to beat at some point probably collingwood melbourne sydney and potentially if they are a suprise packet richmond

There kind of is. West Coast had a very easy run through in 2018, so did we in 2007.

 

[Munich]

There kind of is. West Coast had a very easy run through in 2018, so did we in 2007.

The 07 prelim wasn't hard enough for ya?

Yikes!

 

[Pure_Ownage]

A couple of reasons:
1) We were extremely lucky to get out of our game with them with a win.
2) Sheer star power. Lynch is the best conventional tall forward in the league. Shai Bolton is the best small forward in the league.
3) They are vastly better than their ladder position would suggest. They've really choked a few games that they should not have lost.

And yes, reputation.

Agree on point 1 but we are in far better form now than we were then.

On 2 disagree. Lynch doesnt have half the talent that a hawkins or a jeremy cameron does (or even curnow for that matter) what he does have is a big tank and great workrate and he blew up the hawks young defenders who couldnt go with him endurance wise..that wont happen against us.
Bolton has oodles of talent but he is still terribly inconsistent (see him getting tagged out of it on sunday by an average kid in maginess) hes not close to the best small forward in the league charlie cameron is (and stengle will join him in a couple of years the way he us going).
On 3. while they should have won more close games they still have significant holes. Their midfield is average, nankervis is playing injured, they have a lot of injuries to key players and their turnover game is still good but not as lethal as it was.

The only thing in their favour is that martin is still the best player in the league and could win them finals off his boot but thats a lot to ask of an injured 31yo who has barely played all year.

Id be staggered if they made a GF from here but good luck to them.

 

[iameviljez]

The finals fixture should be based around what helps families attend not what C7 and Fox want (which is what the issue is).

Like it or not, we have 65k give-or-take attending games, and over a million or so people watching... not to mention the huge amount of cash that flows in through TV money. Thus, fixtures at 7:30 in the evening will always beat out fixtures at 2:10 in the afternoon.

I know it sucks to be on the receiving end of it... but without a shadow of a doubt, the media-friendly AFL scheduling has been great for the growth and support of the game. It's also fantastic for us fans who can't make it to the game either way.

Don't get me wrong, 2:10 on a Saturday is my favourite time to attend a game. But media-based audiences win out and I can understand why.

 

[iameviljez]

The 07 prelim wasn't hard enough for ya?

Yikes!

It should have been a far easier matchup but it was just one of those nights where we were off, and Collingwood played out of their skins.

That Pies side was lucky to be there - finished in the lower half of the eight, and beat West Coast in extra time.

 

[Catman]

I think, whilst the Pies have done well to win so many close games, they will eventually be exposed as pretenders.

Percentage of 104 says a lot.

 

[Jhye Clark 13]

Agree on point 1 but we are in far better form now than we were then.

On 2 disagree. Lynch doesnt have half the talent that a hawkins or a jeremy cameron does (or even curnow for that matter) what he does have is a big tank and great workrate and he blew up the hawks young defenders who couldnt go with him endurance wise..that wont happen against us.
Bolton has oodles of talent but he is still terribly inconsistent (see him getting tagged out of it on sunday by an average kid in maginess) hes not close to the best small forward in the league charlie cameron is (and stengle will join him in a couple of years the way he us going).
On 3. while they should have won more close games they still have significant holes. Their midfield is average, nankervis is playing injured, they have a lot of injuries to key players and their turnover game is still good but not as lethal as it was.

The only thing in their favour is that martin is still the best player in the league and could win them finals off his boot but thats a lot to ask of an injured 31yo who has barely played all year.

Id be staggered if they made a GF from here but good luck to them.

Martin isn't close to the best player in the league.

 

[Pollywaffle]

Martin isn't close to the best player in the league.

Never was.
Still, anyone playing on him in a final would be s#*ting potatoes I’d reckon

 

[Mr Meow]

For form going into the finals - you'd have to rate them at the top along with us and the swannies

Who have they beaten of note this year?

Collingwood before their winning streak/form breakout. Carlton and Bulldogs early in the year (are these even considered scalps?) and perennial chokers Brisbane at the G.

Failed to beat Geelong, Melbourne, Sydney and Freo. It's only a month or so since they lost to Gold Coast and the Kangas.

Melbourne have had tougher games lately and are still 2/3 for Freo away, Collingwood and Carlton. Geelong, Sydney, Collingwood and Melbourne are playing to a higher level than Richmond over the past month.

If there were a power rankings, Richmond would be around 5th.

 

[4quarter_cat]

The AFL has failed to give proper recognition to the achievement of being the best team over the regular season.

Isn't that the truth. It has always ground my gears the lack of recognition. It wouldn't need to be much either.

Maybe pregame on GF day, the McClelland Trophy could be presented to the captain and coach of the winning team.
If that is too high profile for peoples appetites you could do it before counting on Brownlow night.

That and get the media (where possible) to refer to the McClelland Trophy winners, rather than the "Minor Premiers" which sounds like kind of an insult.

It would soon catch on and become part of the conversation. Nothing to rival winning the actual premiership, but something of which to be very proud.