Opinion The flip side to a “hard” early fixture

[Jhye Clark 13]

Nah. We've got the G covered mate.
3 out of 3.

Even two outta 3 aint bad.

I think that's an omen.

 

[Down at K Park]

Brisbane in brisbane won't be the walkover we would have expected early on. They are going pretty well this year.

 

[Jhye Clark 13]

Brisbane in brisbane won't be the walkover we would have expected early on. They are going pretty well this year.

There's no easy games in todays climate.

 

[Geelong Dynasty]

We will be tested and probably lose a game or two we were touted to win.

 

[fpm84]

I do wonder whether another hit out against Collingwood pre-finals would have been of benefit to us. I want us to go in feeling completely prepared for an at-their-best Collingwood playing to the maximum of their ability. That game in Round 1 was so unrepresentative of what the Pies are capable of that it’s almost totally useless from an analysis or preparation standpoint.

Round 1 was also pretty unrepresentative of what we are capable of.

- Four debutants and six club debutants, all of whom have improved on their round 1 outings
- Only game this year when Miers and Rohan haven't scored goals
- Ratugolea's return from a LTI
- No Tuohy

Plenty of upside for both teams.

 

[The Casey Cat]

Some of those sides will be top 8 though. It's not like we are playing bottom 4 sides for the rest of the year.

This. Going well but you don't have to drop off much to start making ordinary sides look good. Norf a lot better last week and probably never quite as bad as their results this year.

 

[romeohwho]

It’s a really good thing.
Still plenty of matches there that will trouble us quite a bit, but enough winnable games for us to finish in a good spot on ladder. Then we can avoid an interstate final and go into the finals in reasonable shape. Tigers, port, crows, Doggies, hawks, swans, Freo, Lions, even north and saints-all look tough to me.
I alway thought one of the factors that contributed to the pies winning (and very good team of course they were) the flag in 2010 was their back half of the season was pretty easy and settled -like they barely left the G, so they were able to run themselves into some very good form and systems and establish that familiarity that helps.

 

[you pick one]

If you believe some posters on other boards, we've had an extremely soft opening 7 rounds too.

Seriously though, there are several challenging games ahead. Bulldogs x2, Sydney x2, Richmond, Port, Hawks, Freo in Perth and Brisbane at the Gabba.

That was the point I was trying to make maybe a little clumsily.

 

[you pick one]

Only one challenger. Only four sides other than us can win the flag.

It’s an extremely soft run home. The point of the thread is to ask is that a good or bad thing?

Don't look a gift horse in the mouth>good thing.It's a good draw and some of those sides will challenge us,it only May there is a lot footy to be played yet.

 

[God Mode]

The fixture also doesn't factor in if you are playing one of those sides when they are in a purple patch. Carlton may well finish last but we could play them when they are playing red-hot footy.

 

[Strange Cat]

The fixture also doesn't factor in if you are playing one of those sides when they are in a purple patch. Carlton may well finish last but we could play them when they are playing red-hot footy.

I think their purple patch has come and gone for the year in all honesty

 

[Sttew]

Is that we now play only one favoured Premiership contender - Richmond - between now and September.

The Tigers are currently on the 4th line of betting at $11 (probably overs TBH).

We don’t play Collingwood (joint faves with us at $3.50), GWS ($7) or West Coast ($9) again in the H&A season.

Our remaining fixture is (ladder/flag odds):

8. North Melbourne 15th $201
9. Bulldogs 12th $67
10. Gold Coast 14th $501
11. Sydney 18th $201
12. Richmond 9th $11
13. Bye
14. Port Adelaide 7th $34
15. Adelaide 6th $17
16. Bulldogs 12th $67
17. St Kilda 8th $201
18. Hawthorn 13th $41
19. Sydney 18th $201
20. Fremantle 5th $67
21. North Melbourne 15th $201
22. Brisbane 4th $29
23. Carlton 17th $501

Blessing or curse?

Excuses ready?

 

[catempire]

Excuses ready?

I reckon we will need a few from this position.

 

[The Casey Cat]

I think their purple patch has come and gone for the year in all honesty

Could have. There are more ordinary sides this year but less absolutely terrible ones. Could say at this point no one fits that latter category yet. Suspect GC, Carlton and another one will by late season when ruled out of finals but at the moment they are fighting harder than previous years.

 

[BotsMaster]

8. North Melbourne 15th $201 WIN
9. Bulldogs 12th $67 LOSS
10. Gold Coast 14th $501 WIN
11. Sydney 18th $201 WIN
12. Richmond 9th $11 WIN
13. Bye
14. Port Adelaide 7th $34 LOSS
15. Adelaide 6th $17 WIN
16. Bulldogs 12th $67 WIN
17. St Kilda 8th $201 WIN
18. Hawthorn 13th $41 WIN
19. Sydney 18th $201 WIN
20. Fremantle 5th $67 WIN
21. North Melbourne 15th $201 WIN
22. Brisbane 4th $29 LOSS
23. Carlton 17th $501 WIN

 

[scottydeewah]

They had a segment on The Couch where they had the top 4 easiest fixtures as Collingwood, GWS, Cats and Eagles (I think in that order or perhaps it was GWS and Cats swapped around).

Which is understandable in some ways as we can't play ourselves

 

[BlakeyNoFlakey]

I think the Bulldogs, Richmond, Brisbane, Hawks, & Freo won't be easy games for us coming up. But a top 2 finish is achievable. Let's not get carried away though. Adelaide was in a similar position a few seasons ago and looked unstoppable all during the H&A season and then failed in the finals. Let's keep it real.

 

[year of the cat]

They had a segment on The Couch where they had the top 4 easiest fixtures as Collingwood, GWS, Cats and Eagles (I think in that order or perhaps it was GWS and Cats swapped around).

Which is understandable in some ways as we can't play ourselves

I assume you mean from here on in? Couldn't have been the season in totality.

 

[scottydeewah]

I assume you mean from here on in? Couldn't have been the season in totality.

Correct, from here on out.

They had a great stat regarding contested football after a clearance, collaboration with the ladder was high!

 

[Baudolino]

Adelaide was in a similar position a few seasons ago and looked unstoppable all during the H&A season then went out in straight sets in the finals. Let's keep it real.

Yeah I don't want us getting complacent or getting ahead of ourselves. It's probably worth noting that although the results were close in both cases, we were probably outplayed by both the other main "contenders" in Round 1 and Round 4.. We're playing very good football but certainly not *perfect* football. Lots to improve on.

 

[catempire]

I think the Bulldogs, Richmond, Brisbane, Hawks, & Freo won't be easy games for us coming up. But a top 2 finish is achievable. Let's not get carried away though. Adelaide was in a similar position a few seasons ago and looked unstoppable all during the H&A season then went out in straight sets in the finals. Let's keep it real.

You don’t mean when they made the GF do you? 2017?

 

[catempire]

Yeah I don't want us getting complacent or getting ahead of ourselves. It's probably worth noting that although the results were close in both cases, we were probably outplayed by both the other main "contenders" in Round 1 and Round 4.. We're playing very good football but certainly not *perfect* football. Lots to improve on.

Just for once I’d like to be able to get complacent and ahead of ourselves...

 

[year of the cat]

Yeah I don't want us getting complacent or getting ahead of ourselves. It's probably worth noting that although the results were close in both cases, we were probably outplayed by both the other main "contenders" in Round 1 and Round 4.. We're playing very good football but certainly not *perfect* football. Lots to improve on.

I think we are playing better footy now than in round one. Still need to improve our clearance work but our back and forward lines are functioning beautifully. I think we will need to be able to particularly win more centre clearances if we are to win the flag.

 

[year of the cat]

Just for once I’d like to be able to get complacent and ahead of ourselves...

I last did that in 2008. Not quite getting the commemorative tattoo in round 10 but close enough. Never again.

 

[catempire]

I last did that in 2008. Not quite getting the commemorative tattoo in round 10 but close enough. Never again.

It was a joke. Nobody tries to be complacent. Saying it doesn’t help.