Pretty cut and dry dont you think?

[demondavey]

More than half the season is passed and it looks like two teams are well and truly above the rest, surprise surprise, its Geelong and St Kilda. Geelong needs no explanation - they are even better than the last few years. St Kilda was heavily criticised without Riewoldt but have adjusted accordingly. Kosi is no Riewoldt, but is trying hard to make an impact. He hits the pack hard and has plenty of guts and determination. Good on him. The rest of the saints side is functioning well and they keep winning without Riewoldt. Good signs.

As for the rest? Well if Collingwood are fair dinkum and a want to be a contender they need to be beating teams like Melbourne comfortably. Yes Melbourne are better but they got nowhere near Geelong and will get nowhere near St Kilda. Collingwood arent good enough to finish top two. Id say Collingwood are a glorified Carlton.

Carlton, Bulldogs and Fremantle are just finals sides. Fremantle are young, have the great wild wild west advantage but will get tired and run out of legs. The Blues are harder to pick than a sore nose and display hocus pocus form by beating good sides but dropping games they should win, and the dogs are not attacking and lack real threat.

So yeah, its pretty cut and dry, Geelong and St Kilda will prob play off in a GF far from any unforseen circumstances, but as far as serious contenders go, no-one else stacks up.

Ps: Geelong will win the flag by 30-40

 

[Defacto]

couldnt agree more. wouldnt count out hawthorn, doggies and collingwood though.

 

[watermelonslice]

I think both Freo and Collingwood are genuine contenders for a spot in the Grand Final. Also Hawthorn's picked up quite a bit from their disappointing start to the season. They could be a threat if things come together for them leading into September.

 

[AFaiL]

Cats and Saints 1 and 2 at this point, and have both has major injury concers all year

Pies have had bugger all injury problems....

Blues also...

Doggies have had their fair share, but the big key players are on the park. Brad Johnsons importance is debatable, he is a key but not alongside Cooney or Lake.

As it stands, the Cats and Saints have more to come back and can get better. I don't know what the other sides can offer. But anything can and will happen

 

[Pancakes]

We are still almost four months away from the GF, so really anything coulkd happen.

But right now it is the Cats to lose, they are a level ahead of anyone other team. The Saints still have question marks on them not many, but a few) whilst the Cats even with their injury concerns are still dominant.

 

[Borgsta]

Doggies have had their fair share, but the big key players are on the park. Brad Johnsons importance is debatable, he is a key but not alongside Cooney or Lake.

We haven't had a major injury to a player but we have had a heap of injuries.

Morris, Hargrave, Boyd, Griffen, Aker, Johnno, Ward, Picken, Minson*, Murphy, Everitt, Eagleton and Higgins have all missed games this season due to injury.

So yeah 13 of our starting 22. You could argue Reid who would have been a chance to break into the 22 aswell.

* I'm counting Minson as he missed games because he was 7kg's overweight after "recovering" from the soy milk incident.

 

[giantpie]

Before the Geelong vs Collingwood game in Round 9 everyone was saying its going to be a Cats- Pies GF, St.Kilda were heading over to play west coast as underdogs and now, three weeks later, its a certain Cats-Saints GF. I dont really get it how people change their tune so easily.

 

[absfab]

Before the Geelong vs Collingwood game in Round 9 everyone was saying its going to be a Cats- Pies GF, St.Kilda were heading over to play west coast as underdogs and now, three weeks later, its a certain Cats-Saints GF. I dont really get it how people change their tune so easily.

Most of the same people had Adelaide top 4 preseason.

Anything can happen in 11 weeks. I'm NOT calling Carlton a chance, yet we beat both of the sides in question over a month. Which is all somebody needs to do in September.

Might even only have to beat one of them.

 

[Rack Watts]

Geelong to beat their Port Adelaide belting record.

 

[giantpie]

Most of the same people had Adelaide top 4 preseason.

Anything can happen in 11 weeks. I'm NOT calling Carlton a chance, yet we beat both of the sides in question over a month. Which is all somebody needs to do in September.

Might even only have to beat one of them

But will need to beat sides like North melbourne to get there.

 

[wcesam]

We may only be half way through the season but Geelong looked dominant this weekend without Mooney and Hawkins and still have Ottens, Rooke, Corey and Scarlett to return before finals. They have to be clear favourites at this point.

 

[Gybe]

Geelong then daylight. But things are not so uneven that a dark night won't descend GF day.

The difference is Geelong can beat wannabees even when they're (i.e., Geelong) out of form or have injuries. Other teams need to be in form finals time and have others factors like best players available and ump decisions fall their way.

 

[absfab]

Most of the same people had Adelaide top 4 preseason.

Anything can happen in 11 weeks. I'm NOT calling Carlton a chance, yet we beat both of the sides in question over a month. Which is all somebody needs to do in September.

Might even only have to beat one of them

But will need to beat sides like North melbourne to get there.

Missed the point, much?

 

[CAS79]

I think both Freo and Collingwood are genuine contenders for a spot in the Grand Final. Also Hawthorn's picked up quite a bit from their disappointing start to the season. They could be a threat if things come together for them leading into September.

Freo are at least a year off. The season and pressure are starting to tell and there at risk of falling out of the top 4 sooner than later. The'll be making way for The Dogs i imagine but maybe a rejuvenated Hawks outfit.

 

[Pessimistic]

We may only be half way through the season but Geelong looked dominant this weekend without Mooney and Hawkins and still have Ottens, Rooke, Corey and Scarlett to return before finals. They have to be clear favourites at this point.

You say it like its a bad thin.

By the way, when Hawks played Geelong in 08, they had Taylor, Lonergan, Stokes, even Ottens who clearly werent experienced enough. Hawks exploted them mercilessly.

This year they dont seem to have those weaknesses. Pods is new but hes very experinced

 

[TigerTime88]

Would not be writing off the hawks...talent is there and will come together at the right time...

 

[Strawbs]

Geelong my only hope - the alternatives aren't too palatable.

 

[silverscope]

I don't think Fremantle will make the GF. But hey if at the start of the year someone said we'd make finals I would have taken that.

We have an "easier" draw (if there is such a thing) in the second half compared to the first so hopefully we can win another 6-8 games and still finish 4-6 and a home final or second chance.

 

[LiterallyNobody]

Wouldn't say its cut and dry at all. But most likely, the premier will either be Geelong or St Kilda at this stage. Its a long season though, plenty of time remaining.

I'm actually thrilled with what we've done so far. I would have taken 9-3 pre-season, I was expecting around 8-4 or 9-3 but only if we kept the intensity up from last year. Early on I wasn't sure we could. I'm just as thrilled we haven't played our ebst yet either. Cruising at the moment, doing enough to win. Pleasing signs. Second on the ladder. No complaints.

Geelong are just a class above. I can't see any team beating them on current form but September is three months away - anything can happen. But I am dead sure if we make it to the GF, it will be against Geelong.

If the Hawks get their act together and beat some good teams, they can give us and geelong a run. Have not really beaten anyone of note yet except Carlton (who also lost to North) but I wouldn't discount them. They are getting their shit together at the right time.

Collingwood would be up there too if they could close the gap on Geelong and St Kilda but we're yet to see that. Love their attacking flair though. Should have kicked 22.9 today and thumped Melbourne but I think they'll be up there to be honest.

Carlton and Freo are too inexperienced and young to feature yet - their time is soon though. Either or both could conceivingly make top four but I can't see either team in the GF.

Bulldogs are just belting all the crap teams so they look like flat track bullies. Should make the eight though.

anyone else is playing for a place or less.

 

[doovies]

More than half the season is passed and it looks like two teams are well and truly above the rest, surprise surprise, its Geelong and St Kilda. Geelong needs no explanation - they are even better than the last few years. St Kilda was heavily criticised without Riewoldt but have adjusted accordingly. Kosi is no Riewoldt, but is trying hard to make an impact. He hits the pack hard and has plenty of guts and determination. Good on him. The rest of the saints side is functioning well and they keep winning without Riewoldt. Good signs.

As for the rest? Well if Collingwood are fair dinkum and a want to be a contender they need to be beating teams like Melbourne comfortably. Yes Melbourne are better but they got nowhere near Geelong and will get nowhere near St Kilda. Collingwood arent good enough to finish top two. Id say Collingwood are a glorified Carlton.

Carlton, Bulldogs and Fremantle are just finals sides. Fremantle are young, have the great wild wild west advantage but will get tired and run out of legs. The Blues are harder to pick than a sore nose and display hocus pocus form by beating good sides but dropping games they should win, and the dogs are not attacking and lack real threat.

So yeah, its pretty cut and dry, Geelong and St Kilda will prob play off in a GF far from any unforseen circumstances, but as far as serious contenders go, no-one else stacks up.

Ps: Geelong will win the flag by 30-40

Geelong are way above stkilda. stkilda haven't been that flash gotten away with a few

 

[John Bonney]

Geelong are way above stkilda. stkilda haven't been that flash gotten away with a few

Your geese have gotten away with 2 premiership points out of a possible 8 versus Melbourne whereas you have not deserved any.The D's by rights should have 2 more wins on the board.

 

[mysainters]

Nope, not at all.

This season, more so than any I can remember, will throw up a few unforseens yet.

 

[Prestigerrycomo]

Your geese have gotten away with 2 premiership points out of a possible 8 versus Melbourne whereas you have not deserved any.The D's by rights should have 2 more wins on the board.

Don't you mean 6/8, we won by a point in round 2

 

[Armitage2Riewoldt]

I think Freo's season will be somethin like St Kilda's in 2004. Inexperienced side playing with youthful vigour. Will be up there for much of the season, probably drop away in the middle-latter but come back in the finals to give it a real shake. But in the end I think they will faulter if they have to play any of Dogs, St Kilda, Geelong or Pies at the G.

Not that you'd be disappointed with that, by the looks of it they got a team that could challenge for the flag for a number of year. Just don't think 2010 is their year.

As for the topic. Well I certainly hope so anyway. Geelong are in serious cruise control and have been in this position 3 times now (annihilating all-comers after a Grand Final/Premiership). But I think the Saints are going alright as well. After a pretty bad patch after we lost Roo, we've learned to live without him and hopefully this will only advantage us should he have an off day.

 

[Collingwig]

Collingwood should be there. We can beat teams on our day and will give it a shake but the GF preview is next round