The Top 4 challengers

[citizen-erased]

A bit of dent this weekend for the teams looking to challenge the pies and make top 4.

Saints were less than convincing. They have the talent and fitness, but i think they play the wrong gameplan to take on the pies and given their talent, could probably give them a great run on the scoreboard.

Cats are looking like a shade of their former selves. A lot of good kids coming through and a new coach and new game plan was great against the Saints. But to me, it seemed like a win by a bottom 4 team over a more fancied opponent. Not saying Cats are bottom 4, far from it, they were 3rd behind the saints last year.

Dogs were flat and easily suppressed today. Forward line lacks potency. Everything left to the midfield who had nothing to deliver too.

Blues. Like the dogs, it was left to the midfield. The forward line failed to live up to expectations. Backline unearthed some great young talent, but Yarran was as far from AA form as possible and could not contain a dynamic forward, let alone 2 or 3.

Less said about Hawks the better.........

Top 8 could be a lot more wide open than people first expected

 

[donnie5]

I must admit that im very pleased with this weekends results so far, but we have to remember it is only Round 1. Cant be talking about top 4 challengers this early to be honest. Anybody is a chance really.

 

[winty]

Good idea. Let's write off 5 teams after the first round.

 

[Jesse Custer]

Form is a good indicator however its way too early. Cream always rises to the top. Some clubs challenging are not ready at the moment to finish in the top 4.

 

[Herne Hill Hammer]

Lock Collingwood in and then run a raffle for the other 3. Geelong and Saints to be there abouts again only because a lot of the others either won't be good enough or won't have improved enough.

But then it is only round 1.

And to the OP. No, Essendon won't make top 4. Is that what you were after?

 

[RattataIsSoCool]

Essendon to fill 3 of the top 4 spots, make it happen Jimmy.

 

[gimp!]

pfft, Dogs got smashed round 1 last year, whatever. The capacity for bigfooty members to not be able to see past a week is amazing.

 

[aussierulesrules]

Saints were less than convincing. They have the talent and fitness, but i think they play the wrong gameplan to take on the pies and given their talent, could probably give them a great run on the scoreboard.

Cats are looking like a shade of their former selves. A lot of good kids coming through and a new coach and new game plan was great against the Saints. But to me, it seemed like a win by a bottom 4 team over a more fancied opponent. Not saying Cats are bottom 4, far from it, they were 3rd behind the saints last year.

St Kilda's game plan is without doubt changing.
We're trying to move it on much more quickly, but the problem at the moment is that they're more used to going back over the mark and kicking it 15-20m to a safe option, whereas now they're having to make decisions and execute on the run, which is what they're ****ing up. Once they get accustomed to doing that (as long as they don't change again, before it takes effect) we'll be far, far better off and the ball will move much more quickly into Roo and Kosi (when he comes back).
As for Geelong, I sat there at the 'G the other night and thought to myself that they didn't look even top 8 quality (for the first 3 and a half quarters- when we were going crap, but they were even worse), but they looked a lot better after that and I imagine they'll be much, much better off when they have Chapman, Selwood, Ling, Podsiadly and Byrnes back in their side (as long as they don't get too many other injuries).
As for those who are deluded enough to write anyone off after round one (unless they've lost their top 5 to knee-reco's, or something), it's worth remembering how Collingwood were considered a "rabble" in R3 last year after St Kilda beat them easily, when Collingwood were considered "certainties" to win after our ordinary first half and Riewoldt went down with his torn hammy. (And we were also "written off" for the year by many, when Roo went down).
A lot can change in 5-6 months.

 

[Jesse Custer]

pfft, Dogs got smashed round 1 last year, whatever. The capacity for bigfooty members to not be able to see past a week is amazing.

Coming from a bloke who expected the dogs to win by 50+ points. Thats right it is round 1, but there is a lot to like.

 

[WCErevival]

The results are decieving though.
Geelong and Saints had to slug it out against each other. Bulldogs have injury concerns and come up against an inform Essendon meanwhile Collingwood get to play at home against Port.
We need to give it a few weeks to get a better picture.

 

[gimp!]

Coming from a bloke who expected the dogs to win by 50+ points. Thats right it is round 1, but there is a lot to like.

haha, did you really believe that though? I thought I was going with the vibe of that thread, I thought that's what it was all about, was it not?

 

[justlookingaround]

Dogs didn't get SMASHED last year... well I wouldn't call 30 points a *SMASHING*...

 

[Jesse Custer]

haha, did you really believe that though? I thought I was going with the vibe of that thread, I thought that's what it was all about, was it not?

Its all good. Bad luck today.

 

[Dick johnson]

Essendon to fill 3 of the top 4 spots, make it happen Jimmy.

why not all 4?

 

[gimp!]

Dogs didn't get SMASHED last year... well I wouldn't call 30 points a *SMASHING*...

We got completely smashed in round 1 last year. It's all good though, just open up the most convenient stats website and check the scores, that'll give you all the info you need to make an informed decision.

 

[adii_7]

gimp, thats because bulldogs are pretenders...

get smashed every year, but still beat the easy beats..

 

[RattataIsSoCool]

why not all 4?

Because Carlton are coming

 

[Wernumberone]

Because Carlton are coming

I thought they were cooking

 

[deeplivid]

pfft, Dogs got smashed round 1 last year, whatever. The capacity for bigfooty members to not be able to see past a week is amazing.

Your dogs finished last year lower on the ladder than they ended the year before. This is not a good trend for you, not if you wanna make top 4.

 

[Funkalicous]

Exactly how are the Cats and Blues top 4 aspirations dented? I thought 4 points were a good thing...

 

[Silvagnis]

Exactly how are the Cats and Blues top 4 aspirations dented? I thought 4 points were a good thing...

Because Carlton aren't young and exciting like the Bombers.

It's in the Herald-Sun and The Age every day of the week.

 

[TownleyTime]

Can't recall the last time 1 team was coming into their prime in Collingwood whilst their 3 main challengers from the season before were on such a decline.

 

[WCE_phil]

Can't recall the last time 1 team was coming into their prime in Collingwood whilst their 3 main challengers from the season before were on such a decline.

We'll see how much depth you actually have once injuries come calling. Think you'll make the top 4 but have the feeling your depth will be too little come the pointy end of the season.

 

[Visions]

We'll see how much depth you actually have once injuries come calling. Think you'll make the top 4 but have the feeling your depth will be too little come the pointy end of the season.

This was said last year as well. Just hoping that it happens doesnt mean it will.

As for the thread subject, way too early to make a call on any teams.

 

[Vdubs]

Can't recall the last time 1 team was coming into their prime in Collingwood whilst their 3 main challengers from the season before were on such a decline.

think of it as a marathon, very long season, whoever won a marathon in the first 2 km? 21 games to go, Dogs and Saints will challenge again, and going by the guts shown by Geelong without Chappy, Pods, Ling, Byrnes, and Selwood for over3/4, we may as well, not to mention Bombers, Hawks, Blues and Crows.

Just remember how invincible Cats looked in 08, yet that last week in Sep we were past our best. Just enjoy each win while it lasts, but remember, every team is chasing the Pies now, and it gets stressful being the hunted every week. Not the hated, but the hunted. Admittedly right now Pies look superb and uncatchable