Our next 4 games will define our season..

[True_CFC]

i think you guys should win all 4 as i personally believe you guys are a top 4 team.
I read somewhere (can't remember who wrote it) but they said Geelong beat an Overrated Hawthorn. Now i think you guys are contenders this season and i think it could be Collingwood Hawthorn Grand Final, my question is how do you guys rate Hawthorn, am i overrating you or is there sense in my prediction of hawthorn?

 

[Thaihawk]

I can't understand how gulible many of our supporters are.

Win, and the glass is 1/2 full. Lose, and it's 1/2 empty.
We ran the cats close, and they're rated second to Collingwood. They outplayed us, a lot of which was in red time. We also had a few passengers. Address those problems, and we will beat them next time.

We can also beat Port, Sydney and The Saints. We will be 8-3 when we meet the cats again. Have some confidence!

 

[Scrads]

Im more confident that we'll beat Pies than Pussy Cats Dolls (even with Josh Gibson taking one for the team).

Hahaha

nice.

 

[MinerBoy]

My prediction............PAIN.

Nah, we'll be 7-2 after those games and 17-5 after H&A season.

Brag.

Although I wasn't that confident about it.

 

[Cdreamer]

How about winning all four of them!

Im pretty sure we will end up top 4 this year, but am looking forward to seeing how we go against the pies, blues, dons and geelong again.

 

[yirra_kurl]

in the words of Charlie Sheen

WINNING!!!

Pretty solid 4 wins just quietly; It feels like for the last 4 weeks i've been saying "this is a danger game" "must win" type of comments. Now i feel comfortable about beating Freo next wk. But with that feeling comes the "what if we lose"; thus making the match against freo a danger game......

clear as mud

 

[Hodge2NormSmith]

How about winning all four of them!

Im pretty sure we will end up top 4 this year, but am looking forward to seeing how we go against the pies, blues, dons and geelong again.

Awesome result to win all four.

Hopefully if we lose the Geelong game this time this board doesn't go into meltdown declaring our season is over, we can't win the flag, sack Clarkson,etc.

We have shown we can play good football, it's just a matter of how many good quarters we produce each week and how much our defence can stay together.

Our side has had a mini overhaul since round 5 and we have introduced some players such as Smith, Puopolo, Bruest as well as bringing back in guys such as Shoey, Bailey, Murphy and seen Suckling, Savage and Shiels grow in confidence.

We are a work in progress but the signs are positive.

 

[Pessimistic]

It might be OK to look a little further forward.

We are 7 from 9 so 9 from the remaining 13 will deliver 16 wins and a top 4 finish.

I thought I would rat our 6 most difficult games - we can afford to drop 4 to amke the 17 wins

I have rated Carlton of their form, rather than they are usually our easiest foe each year

11. Fre MCG
12. Geel MCG -2
13 GCS aur
14 Ess MCG -4
15 Coll MCG -1
16 Bris Aur
17 Bye
18 Mel MCG
19 Fre PS -3
20 NM Aur -5
21 PtA MCG
22 Carl ETD -6
23 WB MCG
24 GC MS

 

[Hawkk]

I know its been said here but what is it with us always coming up against sides under the pump

I.E

V St Kilda (Crisis)
V Sydney (Losses to Sydney and Carlton at fortress SCG)
V W Bulldogs (20 goal loss)
v Fremantle (9 goal loss at home)

Add in the 20 year reunion game against Adelaide for good measure

 

[Hawkk]

It might be OK to look a little further forward.

We are 7 from 9 so 9 from the remaining 13 will deliver 16 wins and a top 4 finish.

I thought I would rat our 6 most difficult games - we can afford to drop 4 to amke the 17 wins

I have rated Carlton of their form, rather than they are usually our easiest foe each year

11. Fre MCG
12. Geel MCG -2
13 GCS aur
14 Ess MCG -4
15 Coll MCG -1
16 Bris Aur
17 Bye
18 Mel MCG
19 Fre PS -3
20 NM Aur -5
21 PtA MCG
22 Carl ETD -6
23 WB MCG
24 GC MS

If St Kilda can do what we did last year (and cause havoc in the bottom half of the 8) it'll certainly do our chances of a top 4 birth the world of good

Looking at the run home Essendon have a pretty difficult run home, that loss to Richmond could be telling (especially with Watson again out for their clash against Melbourne this week)

Aside from Essendon our biggest threat to the top 4 could still come from West Coast and Sydney (who have a pretty friendly draw).

 

[KOLOKOTRONIS]

Way too early to even be contemplating top four, however there is no doubt at all that this is the best stretch of wins we have enjoyed since the sequence leading into the 2008 Premiership triumph. However as mentioned, we have not taken anyone in form, except a pumped up Adelaide and a seasoned Geelong.

Did we conserve energy in the second half this evening? I hope so.. because we really looked a bit too slow to move the ball at times. It was pleasing however to control the game after the Bulldogs looked likely late in the third.

Freo will come out really hard, and we need to match their intensity. I would like to see us finish off the game leading into Geelong, rather than take the foot off the pedal.

KOLOKOTRONIS

 

[Hawkk]

West Coast in round 4 was in decent form...its just that no one rated them until they played Essendon

Given the circumstances the Melbourne (on the up after the Swans draw) - Richmond (on the back of the St Kilda draw) and West Coast was an equally impressive streak of victories

 

[TAITA]

West Coast in round 5 was in decent form...its just that no one rated them until they played Essendon

The funny thing being that their overall list, and therefore potential, is far superior to Essendons.

 

[KOLOKOTRONIS]

However leading into the clashes against Melbourne, Richmond and West Coast, their form was not great. Richmond losing to Carlton and Drawing to St Kilda, Melbourne a draw against Sydney, and West Coast beating North by 2 at home, losing to the Swans at Subi, and beating a shabby Adelaide... We haven't taken anyone in red hot form.

KOLOKOTRONIS

 

[Hawkk]

The funny thing being that their overall list, and therefore potential, is far superior to Essendons.

Especially in a match up against us

They've probably got the best rucks in the league (and before Gilham went down) exposed us down back with Kennedy isolated.

Very happy we don't play them again and hopefully we will avoid them in the finals

 

[Hawkk]

However leading into the clashes against Melbourne, Richmond and West Coast, their form was not great. Richmond losing to Carlton and Drawing to St Kilda, Melbourne a draw against Sydney, and West Coast beating North by 2 at home, losing to the Swans at Subi, and beating a shabby Adelaide... We haven't taken anyone in red hot form.

KOLOKOTRONIS

This maybe the case but nonetheless aside from Collingwood, Geelong (and maybe Carlton) you wouldn't find tougher opponents (at the time)

Certainly I would be much more wary of playing West Coast again as compared to Essendon and Carlton (who we match up well against)

In the first 9 rounds we've played 3 games on the road (all at historically difficult venues) and 3 of last years top 4 (including the only undefeated side)

We are extremely fortunate to come away with a 7-2 record from the first 10 rounds

 

[TAITA]

Especially in a match up against us

They've probably got the best rucks in the league (and before Gilham went down) exposed us down back with Kennedy isolated.

Very happy we don't play them again and hopefully we will avoid them in the finals

I certainly am aware Pelchin rated their list in the top four a year or two ago - just took a little longer to come on than expected.

How are you old mate - miss your work/backup/stats on the Bay - mainly cos of the ban thingy.

thatswhatimtalkinabout.

 

[KOLOKOTRONIS]

This maybe the case but nonetheless aside from Collingwood, Geelong (and maybe Carlton) you wouldn't find tougher opponents (at the time)

Certainly I would be much more wary of playing West Coast again as compared to Essendon and Carlton (who we match up well against)

In the first 9 rounds we've played 3 games on the road (all at historically difficult venues) and 3 of last years top 4 (including the only undefeated side)

We should be extremely fortunate to come away with a 7-2 record

We are the luckiest 7-2 side going around, based on the games we have played. I'm not complaining, it has been fantastic and our best stretch since 08, but I'm just trying to put some realistic perspective on our form. Every game we've won but for the 2 losses have been against struggling teams. I wouldn't want to play the Coast, Collingwood, Geelong or Essendon (a couple of weeks ago). There is no doubt about this. Even the Freo game would have been considered more dangerous had we played them at the G three weeks ago when they were facing Richmond. They were odds on to win that game, (Richmond played flawless footy to win). Now we face them without Sandilands, and having endured their worst home defeat in two seasons.

When you compare Collingwood's 8-1 run and look at the teams they have beaten, their record is imposing. They beat a rampant Essendon, an improving Carlton, a West Coast coming off a huge win. Geelong also have taken on teams in good form (including us), and done the job.


KOLOKOTRONIS

 

[TAITA]

You are absolutely right, we are fortunate to have come up against teams in terrible form. We are the luckiest 7-2 side going around, based on the games we have played. Every but for the 2 losses has been struggling desperately. I wouldn't want to play the Coast, Collingwood, Geelong or Essendon a couple of weeks ago. There is no doubt about this. Even the Freo game would have been considered more dangerous had we played them at the G three weeks ago when they were facing Richmond. They were odds on to win that game, (Richmond playing flawless footy to win).

KOLOKOTRONIS

Not sure if serious.......

 

[KOLOKOTRONIS]

Not sure if serious.......

I am being serious, analyse our wins closely and tell me that we haven't taken on teams in poor form? Come on, we've had a dream run! Once again we come up against a team in poor form with crucial injuries... Compare our wins to Collingwood and Geelong's and explain to me how they haven't been more impressive? Don't get me wrong, I'm enjoying this stretch. It is clearly our best run since 08, but we cannot discount the form the opposition have been in. Had we lost any of those four matches (but for Sydney), our credibility as a club would have been on the back page of every paper. The wins we have enjoyed (in particular the bogey turn around) has been great more so for the club than the recognition of the footy public. We HAVE NOT BEATEN ANY CLUB IN FORM!

KOLOKOTRONIS

 

[TAITA]

I am being serious, analyse our wins closely and tell me that we haven't taken on teams in poor form? Come on, we've had a dream run! Once again we come up against a team in poor form with crucial injuries... Compare our wins to Collingwood and Geelong's and explain to me how they haven't been more impressive? Don't get me wrong, I'm enjoying this stretch. It is clearly our best run since 08, but we cannot discount the form the opposition have been in. Had we lost any of those four matches (but for Sydney), our credibility as a club would have been on the back page of every paper. The wins we have enjoyed (in particular the bogey turn around) has been great more so for the club than the recognition of the footy public. We HAVE NOT BEATEN ANY CLUB IN FORM!

KOLOKOTRONIS

Okay mate - fine.

I'm not here to piss you off, but I don't think you actually know all that much about footy.

I will leave you with the thought that premierships have never been won in May - if you cannot work it out from there _ PM me and I'll spell it out sunshine.

 

[KOLOKOTRONIS]

Okay mate - fine.

I'm not here to piss you off, but I don't think you actually know all that much about footy.

I will leave you with the thought that premierships have never been won in May - if you cannot work it out from there _ PM me and I'll spell it out sunshine.

Mate, you are not pissing me off at all. Just outlining an obvious perspective. I agree that flags have never been won in May, let's not delude ourselves however that we are there yet. It encourages me that we are still a long way off and yet to be really challenged. I'll take 7-2 though any day of the week. The run we've enjoyed against teams out of form has been fantastic, and I'm glad that we are punishing weak sides.

KOLOKOTRONIS

 

[Hawker_Ant]

Being defined. Can't wait to meet Cats again. Our turn.

 

[Hawkforce]

Being defined. Can't wait to meet Cats again. Our turn.

The only games that matter against the Cats are finals games.

 

[Hawkk]

Mate, you are not pissing me off at all. Just outlining an obvious perspective. I agree that flags have never been won in May, let's not delude ourselves however that we are there yet. It encourages me that we are still a long way off and yet to be really challenged. I'll take 7-2 though any day of the week. The run we've enjoyed against teams out of form has been fantastic, and I'm glad that we are punishing weak sides.

KOLOKOTRONIS

I can see where your coming from Kolokotronis but I think the sides that we have played have been in reasonable form

Adelaide (20th anniversary game)
Melbourne (A 'winning' draw against Sydney)
Richmond ('On the up' after a positive draw against a highly fancied St Kilda
West Coast (2-1)
Geelong (4-0)
Sydney (In the eight after a 15 goal demolition of Port Adelaide)

Add to this we've played the following clubs with a blowtorch on their performance;

Port Adelaide
St Kilda (Narrow loss to Carlton that they gave everything for)
W Bulldogs (20 goal loss)

Truth be told, if you told me we would be 7-2, 1.5 games into to top 4 having played 3/4 top 4 sides from last year with 3 interstate trips...I would have taken 5-4 or even 4-5