Analysis FINALS! - Who and where will we play?

[Quicky]

What about McLarty?

We'd want to do it this week if we make that call. My gut feel is it would be asking too much of McLarty after playing him forward in the VFL all year. Expecting him to learn in finals would be tough.

 

[Anzacday]

Even if Hawthorn win both games I'm confident we can make up 3%

They play the Saints this week - think we might struggle.

 

[76woodenspooners]

I think the best thing we can do for our finals prospects is to put the best team on the park for the last two games. That gives us the best probability of getting the double chance - which IMO is more valuable to us than putting games into fringe players (Fasolo, McLarty, etc). It also helps build team continuity.

So I’d bring in Howe for Oxley and that’s pretty much it barring any injuries / suspensions.

I think Goldsack could be handy backup in case of any backline injury - but otherwise I’d leave him out. An ACL is often described as a two year injury because of the time it takes a player to find full form. Meanwhile he can help the VFL go as deep into the finals as possible.

As for Treloar - he hasn’t played a full game of footy for two months and he’s coming back after a dual hamstring injury, one of them being tendon off the bone. I’d be very conservative about bringing him back, if at all. He’d certainly want to get through a few VFL games first. Treloar is a great player, but he’s no good to us if he does a Moore and breaks down in the first half and has to sit out the rest the game. Can’t get away with doing that in finals.

 

[Fruit]

I think the best thing we can do for our finals prospects is to put the best team on the park for the last two games. That gives us the best probability of getting the double chance - which IMO is more valuable to us than putting games into fringe players (Fasolo, McLarty, etc). It also helps build team continuity.

So I’d bring in Howe for Oxley and that’s pretty much it barring any injuries / suspensions.

I think Goldsack could be handy backup in case of any backline injury - but otherwise I’d leave him out. An ACL is often described as a two year injury because of the time it takes a player to find full form. Meanwhile he can help the VFL go as deep into the finals as possible.

As for Treloar - he hasn’t played a full game of footy for two months and he’s coming back after a dual hamstring injury, one of them being tendon off the bone. I’d be very conservative about bringing him back, if at all. He’d certainly want to get through a few VFL games first. Treloar is a great player, but he’s no good to us if he does a Moore and breaks down in the first half and has to sit out the rest the game. Can’t get away with doing that in finals.

If we finish top 4 I don’t want to see him til the second final. I think that would be 13 weeks which is outside the usual recovery period. The hamstring should be strong then and by all reports he’s going above and beyond on his fitness work.

 

[Baltimore Jack]

I think the best thing we can do for our finals prospects is to put the best team on the park for the last two games.

Radical idea

 

[Apples]

Howe is a given. The way they are talking, he may miss again this week, but he'll be fine for the last game.
Moore is a key defender and a gun; a rarely working gun, but a gun. He plays if fit.
If both these boys are playing, our defence looks solid. At present, our defence is being held together with sticky tape.
Treloar is a risk. Sure he's made for finals footy, but he hasn't played for two months. I don't think he will be match fit. Hope I'm wrong.
Goldsack: no way. He hasn't played a game after an ACL The romantic in me says yes, but realistically, we'd have to be bloody nuts.
Elliott and Fasolo are not in contention.
The only other player I would consider is Nathan Murphy. A Baptism of Fire for sure, but the boy would be a better bet than Goldsack. If the Backline Curse continues (and why wouldn't it?) Murphy would be worth the risk.

 

[Timmy from Thomastown]

I'd play Howe Moore and Treloar when fit and in Treloars case maybe without a VFL game. Second round of finals by the latest hopefully. Getting a double chance gives Moore and Treloar more time.

Oxley Madgen and ????? to make room for them from last weeks team.

The rest (Goldsack Brown Daicos McLarty Murphy Oxley) are on call if more disaster strikes.

 

[jackcass]

They play the Saints this week - think we might struggle.

Agree, would need a 50+ point differential our way across the 2 games. Even if they lose to Sydney, you can imagine it'll be close.

 

[jackcass]

If we finish top 4 I don’t want to see him til the second final. I think that would be 13 weeks which is outside the usual recovery period. The hamstring should be strong then and by all reports he’s going above and beyond on his fitness work.

You'd assume it'd actually be less than 13 weeks with a few games of VFL prior.

 

[jackcass]

Howe is a given. The way they are talking, he may miss again this week, but he'll be fine for the last game.
Moore is a key defender and a gun; a rarely working gun, but a gun. He plays if fit.
If both these boys are playing, our defence looks solid. At present, our defence is being held together with sticky tape.
Treloar is a risk. Sure he's made for finals footy, but he hasn't played for two months. I don't think he will be match fit. Hope I'm wrong.
Goldsack: no way. He hasn't played a game after an ACL The romantic in me says yes, but realistically, we'd have to be bloody nuts.
Elliott and Fasolo are not in contention.
The only other player I would consider is Nathan Murphy. A Baptism of Fire for sure, but the boy would be a better bet than Goldsack. If the Backline Curse continues (and why wouldn't it?) Murphy would be worth the risk.

Appleby?

 

[Fruit]

If we finish 4th and meet Richmond in the 1st final then Darcy Moore would be a huge inclusion. He would’ve been out for 5 weeks by then and considering it was his good hammy you’d hope the rehab would’ve had plenty of time for recovery.

 

[elpickle]

They play the Saints this week - think we might struggle.

Hopefully free decide to tank for picks and we get a huge margin on them

 

[Didstar]

Hopefully free decide to tank for picks and we get a huge margin on them

No Walters, and hopefully Fyfe and Sandi are rested for the year, and I think we could be a chance to limit them to a low score, which would be great for percentage. At this point though, just need to get through Port Adelaide first. Control what we can control and let the rest sort itself out. Port is a must win game, if we are to do any damage this September.

 

[ThePhantom777]

Champion data has us coming 4th

 

[ThePhantom777]

If we finish 4th and meet Richmond in the 1st final then Darcy Moore would be a huge inclusion. He would’ve been out for 5 weeks by then and considering it was his good hammy you’d hope the rehab would’ve had plenty of time for recovery.

I would not take Moore into a final. He'll most likely get injured and we'll have a 3 man bench.

 

[Robroy22]

No Walters, and hopefully Fyfe and Sandi are rested for the year, and I think we could be a chance to limit them to a low score, which would be great for percentage. At this point though, just need to get through Port Adelaide first. Control what we can control and let the rest sort itself out. Port is a must win game, if we are to do any damage this September.

Apparently Fyfe and Walters will play this week AND then Sandi will be back to play us in a game that will see quite a few retirees. Ross loves mind games eh? (sorry re)

 

[Frankie23]

We are Howe, Moore and Appelby away from being a serious contender this year.

They've got 3-4 weeks to get right for the 1st final and pray for no fresh injuries.

 

[neilk]

Howe is a given. The way they are talking, he may miss again this week, but he'll be fine for the last game.
Moore is a key defender and a gun; a rarely working gun, but a gun. He plays if fit.
If both these boys are playing, our defence looks solid. At present, our defence is being held together with sticky tape.
Treloar is a risk. Sure he's made for finals footy, but he hasn't played for two months. I don't think he will be match fit. Hope I'm wrong.
Goldsack: no way. He hasn't played a game after an ACL The romantic in me says yes, but realistically, we'd have to be bloody nuts.
Elliott and Fasolo are not in contention.
The only other player I would consider is Nathan Murphy. A Baptism of Fire for sure, but the boy would be a better bet than Goldsack. If the Backline Curse continues (and why wouldn't it?) Murphy would be worth the risk.

You wouldn’t consider McClarty?

 

[No SPIN]

We are Howe, Moore and Appelby away from being a serious contender this year.

They've got 3-4 weeks to get right for the 1st final and pray for no fresh injuries.

So do we go from contenders to winning the flag if we also add Treloar?

 

[unplugged]

Half skimmed over this thread... Am I right in saying that to make top 4 we need to win both games, and need GWS or Hawks to lose at least one of their games? Is it that simple?

 

[Soaring Magpie]

Half skimmed over this thread... Am I right in saying that to make top 4 we need to win both games, and need GWS or Hawks to lose at least one of their games? Is it that simple?

Yep, it’s that simple but no simple task.

Port will be a huge test this week, they have had us covered for the last few years.

 

[Frank Gallagher]

Looks like we have top 4 all but parcled up with GWS going down tonight, beat Freo next week and we finish 3rd or 4th, can go as high as second but that's unlikely.

 

[Kreme Pie]

Can't believe it. We're back where we belong in September.
Well done players, coaching and support staff!

 

[Saintly Viewed]

Can not miss



Finals

 

[Maggie5]

I honestly believed we would make the 8 this year but top 4? Bonus!!!!!