Realistically, are we any chance at all this week?

[Event Horizon]

A lot has been said about our poor form since the break and Brisbane's injuries, but does any one really think we are a chance?

Brisbane probably hasn't lost 3 in a row for quite some time, and this time of year we know they will take this game very seriously.
Losing the game will (and this is hard to believe) put their finals chances uder a considerable cloud.

But it is also obvious that we need this game no less than they do, and it is reasonable to expect all our senior players to lift for the occasion. The night game should eliminate (or close to) the heat factor, so it is up to our young players to come to play, and not be overawed by the phyisically hard opposition.

The only likely changes I'd say be possibly King in for Harris if he comes up, and maybe Arch missing which may let Teague or Morrell in. I doubt Rocca will be dropped. I also very much doubt that we need both Burton and Porter in the side so it will be interesting how Laidley goes about that one. IMHO, it didn't really work on Saturday for us. We did dominate the ruck but not to an extent where it gave us a distinct advantage, and Spider looked a little out of sorts to me.

So, against the odds, maybe the senior players can lead by example and attone for the St Kilda loss. We are only 1 win short of where we reallisticly would like to be at the minute, IMO. A win in Brisbane or Adelaide could be what's needed to get us into the finals...

 

[Jabba]

I always believe we can win but I never expect us to.

This week will be hard but we always seem to play better when we don't appear to have a chance.

 

[Z_K]

The senior players will have to pull out super games. Simpson, Grant, Harvey, Stevens and Sinclair will have to be sensational.

Watt on Lynch is frightening, especially if they win enough footy. Lynch will kick at least 4 on Watt, and he has to really hurt going them going our way for us to make inroads.

I would rather play them coming off a tough, important win, but last week will make them angry.

The biggest hope we have is them picking 3 of their injured stars. That sounds silly, but if we can capitilise on these blokes having missed some footy, it will be an advantage.

 

[jonty12]

Yes, you are right - the senior players will all need to lift for this one.

I think Simpson and Harvey have been a bit quiet since the mid-season break, esp. Simpson who seems to have been a bit flat since his injury.

Would love to see Digby come into the side and kick a bag or Sav do likewise.

The midfield is the key though, Lappin will be back for the Lions and on their own patch it will be a big effort to pull this off.

The TAB odds for anyone interested is:

Lions $1.18
Roos $4.25

 

[NathanD]

You guys are every chance this week - put us under pressure and the normal mewchanisms fall to bits. The Lions have less pace and seemed to've lost a bit of aggression. Lethal insists on playing old blokes like White and Ashcroft whose matchups have had good games.

I expect Lappin and Johnson to miss again. Aker is playing OK but is still injured. Voss shouldn't be out on the park. He'll have to work on being accountable after the towelling that Carr gave him. KPP depth is being sorely tested - a tall forward setup would find us out.

 

[scottywiper]

Lappin and Johnson are both a strong chance to return.
Diggers did well against Lions earlier in the year, which might count for something.

 

[Jeff_99]

A good out is Leppitsch. He kicked 3 in the last qtr against us earlier in the year. If we can also shutdown Brown and Lynch again we are a fair show.

 

[tashibatts]

We have every chance, Brisbane are hardly in crash hot form, and admittedly, Essendon are in better form than us, but if they could beat Brisbane, we can. We drew with Brisbane when they were in good form, and we can beat them at home.

Leppitsh being out will help- Rocca at FF should be able to cause a few problems because Mal Michael isn't exactly big. And Rocca has just had a Rocket put up him.

Petrie is just another tall for them to deal with.

Simpson & Harvey need to step up, and if we are that worried about Simmo not contributing enough, give him a tagging job.

Voss should be our main worry, kicked 5 goals against us last time.. Pike is another worry.

We can win.

Harvey, needs to star, and IMO will have a good week. (Least I hope he does)

Motlop & Wells to continue their good performances.


Go Roos

 

[CoastBhoy]

Originally posted by NorthBhoy
.

Watt on Lynch is frightening, especially if they win enough footy. Lynch will kick at least 4 on Watt, and he has to really hurt going them going our way for us to make inroads.

I

i think laidley would accept 4 for lynch IMO. watt has been good this year barr the carlton match and last 2 weeks , where he has given cam mooney another year on his contract , but IMO lynch up at the gabba is the most potent forward line player going around , and leaving watt on him when he is out of form and maybe lacking a bit of confidence after gehrig tore him a new arseh*le , might not be the best solution .
my option would be put archer on him , but saying that i don't think it will happen and we will have to cross our fingers for a confident watt.

 

[great]

Hmmmmm Y'know footy is a funny game.

Who would have thought St Kilda would have beaten Nth a couple of rounds ago?

 

[Redd]

Tough game this one. If we lose we can exit the 8 and if Brisbane lose they end up 8th.

Brisbane arn't as good at the moment as they were earlier in the year, but then neither are we. Hopefully we will have Archer fit for this game.
If the young guns run all night and sav causes a few headaches up forward we could scrape home.

But as always, no North game is a certainty, and no North game is ever unwinable

 

[Dingster]

I definitely rate us a chance. We can`t let Brissie get off to a good start or it could get ugly, but if we can come out with intensity and be in front at quarter time....we`ll be a fair chance. Everyone expects Brissie to bounce back, but their form hasn`t been too flash either prior to last week. We can upset them.

 

[choppy]

If North beats Brisbane this week I shall run nude across the MCG at 1/2 time against Fremantle.

 

[Dingster]

Originally posted by choppy
If North beats Brisbane this week I shall run nude across the MCG at 1/2 time against Fremantle.

I`m officially off our bandwagon this week.

 

[Majjie]

I don't give us much hope, if we play like we did against Geelong we will go down by 10 goals

 

[Darky]

Originally posted by scottywiper
Lappin and Johnson are both a strong chance to return.
Diggers did well against Lions earlier in the year, which might count for something.

Agree on both counts.

Lappin's missed 2 with a corky, must be due for a return, Johnson's missed a month with a hammy, must also be a strong chance.

Still a lack of key defenders for Brisbane though, and they struggled against the three-pronged froward line even with Leppitsch playing last time. Digby played on Scott and kicked 5 (and Scott is likely to miss one more week).

Been talking to Carlos about this for most of the day.

Brisbane could exploit us with the same tactic - Lynch, Brown and Bradshaw all up forward. Bradshaw has been sent back to cover a key back post in recent weeks, so us playing three talls may force their hand at this, and avoid a problem of us having to match their 3 talls.

Play Watt on Lynch, Brown on Brown. Porter and/or Sav (yes you read right) dropping back in the hole to stick a couple of big MFs in Lynch's way. Also nullifies the danger of Lynch at the boundary throw ins where he is almost as good as Sav (who I rate the best in the league ATM of all the non-rucks, and the best I've seen apart from David Schwarz).

Neitz could have kicked 10 on Watt if it wasn't for Brown and Porter dropping back (Watt did his job well, and it was a real team effort to keep Neitz to 3) ... the Lynch scenario could get messy if similar tactics aren't employed.

At worst the big ******* Mal Michael might be dragged away from FB to follow Sav, and Drew will contest against someone half his size, one-out.

Sadly none of the above will happen and we'll get done comfortably.

 

[CoastBhoy]

news up here says johnson and lappin will play this week .

 

[Shinboners]

Everything would have to go right for us to win against Brisbane. Even Port Adelaide only got over them by a point on the weekend and they are a much more developed and confident team than what we are.

The thing is, do we go for the scrap (try and restrict the Lions to about 12 goals and hope that we get 13......although knowing how these things can pan out for us, the Lions will get 12.14 to our 13.6) or do we try to develop the "game plan" in the knowledge that we're not executing it fluently and will probably get belted, but the coaching staff will learn more about the tactics and players by testing it against the best on their turf?

Personally, I'd go for the scrap.

 

[Contra Mundum]

Lets face it the boys would have to immediatley reverse a form slump to do it and our midfield would have to perform at absolute peak form - I just cannot see it happening - as much as it pains me to say so.

If we play like we did against St Kilda and Geelong we will get flogged by 10 goals minimum - oh well there goes the percentage (sarcasm)

 

[CURVE]

Not only will the Kangaroos win this weekend, but they will win comfortably... for them... 10-12pts.
I'm so confident of victory, I've chosen the Kangaroos as my Knock Out winner in the the local Tipping Comp.

 

[Karanicolas]

Originally posted by Shinboners

Personally, I'd go for the scrap.

Go for the scrap every time, with a matchwinning burst at Q4: 25 mins.

 

[Shinboners]

Originally posted by Karanicolas
Go for the scrap every time, with a matchwinning burst at Q4: 25 mins.

Or with our history, it tends to go something like this:

25 mins. Opposition by 5 points.
26 mins. Goal to Roos, Roos by 1 point.
27 mins. Roos miss easy goal, get behind. Roos by 2 points.
28 mins. Roos miss another easy goal, out of bounds on the full. Roos by 2 points.
29 mins. Roos take ball from backline to forward line without the opposition touching it for a sublime goal from the pocket against the wind. Goal comes from the first kick of the day from whichever forward has had the filthiest game. Roos by 8 points.
29 mins, 5 seconds. Opposition win ball from centre bounce and get goal. Roos by 2 points.
30 mins to 33 mins. Roos scrap, ball spends heaps of time around boundary.
33 to 34 mins. Ball spends time between opposition forward pocket and forward flank with one of our defenders taking 3 contested marks, 15m in front of goal in that time.
34 mins 10 seconds. Rushed behind to opposition. Roos by 1 point.
34 mins. Siren sounds, we win by 1 point. Roos fans relieved. Again.

 

[a4brianp]

Going to game.Hope expect the young guns Wells Motlop sinclair Harding to have too much pace for the lions .I believe that some of the lions are starting to age Hart Ashcroft and White look slow and Keating is struggling but still getting a game because they have no other talls.Should be a good game and are hoping
Cheers

 

[Karanicolas]

Originally posted by Shinboners

34 mins 10 seconds. Rushed behind to opposition. Roos by 1 point.

From a one out contest between Watt and a glamour forward in the goal square, with each and every Watt supporter on this Board hoping that:

1. Watt makes solid body contact as he backs back;
2. Watt does not lose his feet;
3. the ball does not float over Watt's head into the waiting arms of the glamour forward;
4. the glamour forward does not beat Watt on the ground and waltz into an open goal .

 

[morpheus]

Everyone's a chance to beat anyone as football is a funny game....

And this week is like no other as I'll be tipping the boys to get over the line.

This game could make or break our finals chances.....

Who gets to play on Voss?? Maybe Simpson to tag him in the midfield and Archer when his up forward.