Opinion The run to September, our ladder position after the H&A season?.

[M Malice]

For all the improvement this year and feeling like our form was more sustainable we will likely finish the season with at least as many losses as last year

Which seems very strange but in hindsight maybe the gap between our best and worst has increased. Still feel our median performance has improved but we just haven't been able to find a way to win when things haven't gone our way in the first half

Agree with the bolded, and our best in a few of our wins has been exceptional eg. Demons, Pies and Tigers.

Virtually all our losses have been really poor performances except for most of the game against the Demons a few weeks ago, the form in the middle 100 minutes of that game was our best footy of the season IMO.

 

[Sanchez365]

I had a look back through a few other seasons and it has been unheard of for there to be 6 teams outside the 8 with still a genuine chance of making finals. It's normally one final spot between 3 teams.

This has meant no dead rubbers like we were probably hoping for.

It could also be the first time in years a team could make the finals with a 50/50 record, so for the evenness of the comp it's been great.

After a couple of tough games against Melb and Geelong with 2 of our key mids out (Ashcroft and Bailey), it's not surprising to see us falter a little I guess. Midfield depth has always been a problem considering a first year player became an immediate starter.

 

[On the quiet]

call me optimistic, but I am supporting North this week against the Dees.

Geelong with a few key outs should win at home.

 

[dlanod]

call me optimistic, but I am supporting North this week against the Dees.

There's optimistic and then there's whatever that is.

 

[Grasshopper17]

I did a ladder predictor before. We can still finish 10th. Without any games being decided by 10 goals or more.

 

[dlanod]

I did a ladder predictor before. We can still finish 10th. Without any games being decided by 10 goals or more.

Brilliant, that way we avoid going out in straight sets

 

[BRAB]

Brilliant, that way we avoid going out in straight sets

And people say Fages isn't a genius.

 

[M Malice]

We are .1% behind the Dees in 3rd, 3 teams level on points fighting for 2nd, all 3 have a pretty tough run home.

Lions- Crows(H), Magpies(A), Saints(H).
Demons- Blues(H), Hawks(H), Swans(A).
Port- Giants(H), Dockers(A), Tigers(H).

Hopefully the good Hawks show up against the Dees, 2 at home is a massive plus for us.

 

[Thomasno]

We are .1% behind the Dees in 3rd, 3 teams level on points fighting for 2nd, all 3 have a pretty tough run home.

Lions- Crows(H), Magpies(A), Saints(H).
Demons- Blues(H), Hawks(H), Swans(A).
Port- Giants(H), Dockers(A), Tigers(H).

Hopefully the good Hawks show up against the Dees, 2 at home is a massive plus for us.

If Collingwood lose to Geelong (entirely possible) and we win our next two, then they’ll be right in the thick of it as well. As ridiculous as it sounds, even 1st isn’t out of the question yet.

Going to be a crazy finish, all of the top 4 have pretty tough runs home, playing teams that are finding form late.

 

[Tom14]

If Collingwood lose to Geelong (entirely possible) and we win our next two, then they’ll be right in the thick of it as well. As ridiculous as it sounds, even 1st isn’t out of the question yet.

Going to be a crazy finish, all of the top 4 have pretty tough runs home, playing teams that are finding form late.

Door is open for us to walk through (and has been for the last few weeks). I’m not too optimistic of that happening but still have a chance.

If we win out and the pies lose to the cats we are definitely a chance of overtaking them depending on margins etc.

I’m just hoping that gws beat port and the dees lose to Carlton and Sydney.

 

[BangyBangy]

We are .1% behind the Dees in 3rd, 3 teams level on points fighting for 2nd, all 3 have a pretty tough run home.

Lions- Crows(H), Magpies(H), Saints(H).
Demons- Blues(H), Hawks(H), Swans(A).
Port- Giants(H), Dockers(A), Tigers(H).

Hopefully the good Hawks show up against the Dees, 2 at home is a massive plus for us.

FTFY.

Marvel is our home ground.

 

[Thomasno]

FTFY.

Marvel is our home ground.

FAST DECK(tm)

 

[M Malice]

Some huge games next weekend.

Friday- Cats(9th) v Magpies(1st).
Saturday- Lions(3rd) v Crows(11th). Demons(2nd) v Blues(5th).
Sunday- Port(4th) v Giants(8th).

5th- Blues 46.
Dogs 44.
Saints 44.
Giants 44.
__________
9th- Cats 42.
Swans 42.
Crows 40.
Bombers 40.

Crows will come out breathing fire, lose and they are just about done for this season.

 

[The Zork]

Had we won that Melbourne game, the Freo game I think would’ve been a classic one we would have dropped to bring us back.

Key games, I mean they’re all key games, but the seemingly key games:

Fremantle v Port
Carlton v Melbourne
Sydney v Melbourne
Collingwood v us

Comfortablish against Melbourne and Collingwood across the ground.
I think Ports mids will run straight through ours although over the rest of the ground we can cover them.

Every team will be going into the finals banged up.

 

[Grasshopper17]

Round 24 draw is out



All 3 of Melbourne's matches come after ours for the rest of the season.

So we'll be fighting any percentage battle with one arm tied behind our backs.

Will be interesting to see how we attack this if we are good enough to get the opportunity late in a game.

 

[Grasshopper17]

If Collingwood lose to Geelong (entirely possible)

Whilst I agree, Geelong at the moment don't strike me as being capable of winning 2 games in a row. Too inconsistent even within games. A lucky escape against a very undermanned Port the other night.

 

[dlanod]

Round 24 draw is out



All 3 of Melbourne's matches come after ours for the rest of the season.

So we'll be fighting any percentage battle with one arm tied behind our backs.

Will be interesting to see how we attack this if we are good enough to get the opportunity late in a game.

I nailed the Friday night, but I expected we'd be Saturday night - not Saturday twilight.

 

[braddsey]

I think you can throw all top 4 teams in a box and shuffle it at this point. Pies are still in the box seat, i can’t see them losing 2 out of 3. They’re certainly wobbly, and let’s see how they recover from the loss of Daicos. I’d expect them to come out against the Cats to prove they can do it without him.
Melbourne vs Carlton this week will be massive. Port are the most shaky.

All we can do is keep winning. Win all 3 we are a good chance for top 2, but even if we finish 3rd we will head into the finals with a solid run of wins.
Take it a week at a time (blah blah blah), but hopefully by the time we get to the Pies the midfield has recovered from the loss of Will, and figured out the next best midfield group.

It’s great to be in the conversation again!

 

[Lion_LegacyXL]

Give us Port Adelaide in a qualifying final. I want them at the Gabba.

 

[Jivlain]

Round 24 draw is out



All 3 of Melbourne's matches come after ours for the rest of the season.

So we'll be fighting any percentage battle with one arm tied behind our backs.

Will be interesting to see how we attack this if we are good enough to get the opportunity late in a game.

Hopefully this year we can get into a position where we don't need to be watching Syd v Melb with a constantly updating margin spreadsheet

 

[M Malice]

AFL.com.au's predicted final ladder*​

1. Collingwood
2. Melbourne
3. Port Adelaide
4. Brisbane
5. Carlton
6. Geelong
7. Western Bulldogs
8. Adelaide

* Our eight reporters completed our ladder predictor and picked their expected top eight. Their responses were then tallied and averaged out to get a combined predicted ladder

 

[Elixuh]

AFL.com.au's predicted final ladder*​

1. Collingwood
2. Melbourne
3. Port Adelaide
4. Brisbane
5. Carlton
6. Geelong
7. Western Bulldogs
8. Adelaide

* Our eight reporters completed our ladder predictor and picked their expected top eight. Their responses were then tallied and averaged out to get a combined predicted ladder

Getting Collingwood week 1 wouldn’t be so bad tbh

 

[Sanchez365]

AFL.com.au's predicted final ladder*​

1. Collingwood
2. Melbourne
3. Port Adelaide
4. Brisbane
5. Carlton
6. Geelong
7. Western Bulldogs
8. Adelaide

* Our eight reporters completed our ladder predictor and picked their expected top eight. Their responses were then tallied and averaged out to get a combined predicted ladder

I think that's definitely the most likely outcome. I would say from next week we will know more about what options we have.

A) if Melbourne beats Carlton they will finish in the top 2 unless something catastrophic happens.
B) If Collingwood beats Geelong top of the ladder is sown up.
C) If Port beat GWS then they will also most likely not drop a game.

From here we need Melbourne to lose this week to give us any chance of top 2 IMO.

 

[Section 5]

AFL.com.au's predicted final ladder*​

1. Collingwood
2. Melbourne
3. Port Adelaide
4. Brisbane
5. Carlton
6. Geelong
7. Western Bulldogs
8. Adelaide

* Our eight reporters completed our ladder predictor and picked their expected top eight. Their responses were then tallied and averaged out to get a combined predicted ladder

Adding to that from the article
................
In the top four, five of our reporters backed the Demons to finish in the top two. Beveridge, Bastiani and Olle have backed the Power to finish second, while Nathan Schmook expects Brisbane to secure a home qualifying final at the Gabba.

Schmook went one out in tipping Collingwood's losing run to continue; with games to come against the Cats and Lions, he is expecting the Magpies to drop all the way to third spot, behind Melbourne and Brisbane.

 

[Lion_LegacyXL]

So I had us losing to Collingwood in round 23 by less than a goal. I also had Port Adelaide losing to Fremantle in a close game. In round 24 I had Melbourne losing to Sydney.