top 4

[Poseidon]

You're wrong there Matz, as much as I think Daisy is a complete flog I would never wish injury on him or any other player. I believe you're looking for the Dees board.

You make a good point, we can't pray for an easy draw. If we wanna be the premiers we have to be able to beat anyone we're faced with whereever we play.

 

[SeVi]

Few too many soft drinks?

The trouble is, even if we win all our remaining games, we have to rely on Hawks or WCE dropping a couple to keep us in there which is unlikely due to their relatively easy run home.

Dropping to 5th wouldn't be the end of the world. Whoever finishes 8th will have scraped in there so it should be a resounding victory whoever it is (hoping for Freo) but then very high chance of having to travel to Perth for our Semi.

Anything can happen though, gonna be a very interesting last few weeks/finals series methinks.

In that even I'm fairly certain we will end up playing the Saints two weeks in a row, which may not be great given their recent form.

Given the unique context of season 2011 (as in the spacing of byes) I'm not riding off the chance we could make a GF/win a flag from 5th.

However, Blight said something of interest yesterday during the Carl v Melb match. No team with 3 of the top 10 goalkickers has missed a GF. He believes we will make it. Also consistent with Juddy's comments at the brownlow last year - whether you guys believe that or not - that he's played in a GF the year after he won the brownlow at WCE.

 

[SeVi]

Also, I'm watching Hawth V North. North's having a real crack, I know its fairly even on the live scores, but they are a decent chance of winning today. If that's the case, and North can pull off a win and we can win all our remaining games we can finish 3rd.

Top3-5 is completely in the air probably until rd24.

 

[Just Kreuzing]

In that even I'm fairly certain we will end up playing the Saints two weeks in a row, which may not be great given their recent form.

Given the unique context of season 2011 (as in the spacing of byes) I'm not riding off the chance we could make a GF/win a flag from 5th.

However, Blight said something of interest yesterday during the Carl v Melb match. No team with 3 of the top 10 goalkickers has missed a GF. He believes we will make it. Also consistent with Juddy's comments at the brownlow last year - whether you guys believe that or not - that he's played in a GF the year after he won the brownlow at WCE.

So despite their recent form you are expecting the Saints to lose every game from here then as that is probably the only way we can play them 2 weeks in a row if we finish 5th!!!

Highly unlikely we will play St.Kilda in the first week, more likely to be Essendon or Swans!

 

[SeVi]

So despite their recent form you are expecting the Saints to lose every game from here then as that is probably the only way we can play them 2 weeks in a row if we finish 5th!!!

Highly unlikely we will play St.Kilda in the first week, more likely to be Essendon or Swans!

Hard to see the Saints over Collingwood

Also, Carlton plays St Kilda rd24 which you would think we'd win.

That's a minimum of two losses, they might not lose anymore than that. However, I still think St Kilda will only finish 8th, but who knows? The ladder from 6-11 is still up for grabs for plenty of teams including North Melbourne, Melbourne, Essendon, Swans, Saints and maybe Freo im not sure.

 

[Just Kreuzing]

You're telling me you intend to tip Saints over Collingwood ?

Also, Carlton plays St Kilda rd24 which you would think we'd win right?

That's a minimum of two losses.

Not at all, Are you tipping them to lose all games was the question???

Thats about the only way I can see us playing them week 1 of finals, which may happen but I am just playing the odds which suggest they will at least win 1 of their games against the Swans or North!!

You do realise they will need to finish 8th and us 5th to play week 1 of the finals dont you??

 

[SeVi]

Not at all, Are you tipping them to lose all games was the question???

Thats about the only way I can see us playing them week 1 of finals, which may happen but I am just playing the odds which suggest they will at least win 1 of their games against the Swans or North!!

You do realise they will need to finish 8th and us 5th to play week 1 of the finals dont you??

They don't have an easy draw. That's my opinion, which is probably wrong. Anyway looks like North got blown away in the last 3-4 minutes

 

[Banga19]

Having a look at WCE run home....

Although it seems very easy, West Coast are a young side who have come a long way but could easily lose a match they're expected to win.

If it was us with the easy run home I'd almost put money on us to drop an 'easy win'!

Richmon (Subi)
Melbourne (Etihad)
Essendon (Subi)
Brisbane (Gabba)
Adelaide (SUbi)

Obviously they'd be expected to win those but you never know which Melbourne will turn up, Essendon don't travel well but could cause an upset, even Brisbane at the gabba or Adelaide could pull something off?

AM I being a little optimistic?

 

[Mr_Plow]

Essendon is the only team i can see WCE losing to. Unpredictable are the bombers.

 

[Seen5]

Although it seems very easy, West Coast are a young side who have come a long way but could easily lose a match they're expected to win.

AM I being a little optimistic? [/QUOTE]

Yep, you are - WCE young players include: Kerr, Cox, Hurn, Glass, Priddis, Selwood, Lynch, LeCras, to but name a few.

They have experience, hardened bodies, premiership players and a premiership coach. I would back them to take their form through to the finals.

Is this a bad thing? No. You play the best sides in finals, the game goes up a gear and it's why we love footy so much.

I don't care who we play. As long as we win.

 

[PeeKay]

Sick of hearing all these cocky eagles fans saying they will be top 4.

Sure they have a EASIER run then us but we are carlton f*ck the rest

We can beat freo/st kilda and hawks then we are top 4.

Why can't we beat them? How about we back our team up instead of actually like we have 0 chance.

Sick of many of our own showing no heart.

CARN BLUE BAGGERS TOP 4 IS OURS!

We can win them all, but it is now left to hawks to lose to Blues and one other.
To me it looks like we may play Essendon in the first semi and I would much rather play Fremantle or even St Kilda.
What ever the situation (depending on injuries and if our present injured players can get back in and get some games under their belt before the finals) we have certainly improved this year. Mainly in the back half with Duigan (now looking very weary) Laidler, Tuohy, Yarran providing the kicking skills we have been desperately looking for.

 

[spudmaster]

We can win them all, but it is now left to hawks to lose to Blues and one other.
To me it looks like we may play Essendon in the first semi and I would much rather play Fremantle or even St Kilda.
What ever the situation (depending on injuries and if our present injured players can get back in and get some games under their belt before the finals) we have certainly improved this year. Mainly in the back half with Duigan (now looking very weary) Laidler, Tuohy, Yarran providing the kicking skills we have been desperately looking for.

I'm assuming that is meant to read 'first elimination final', PK?

It's incredible to think that, realistically, you'll be facing one of your two fiercest rivals in week 1 of the finals - either Collingwood in the Qualifying final or Essendon in an elimination final. The crowds will be huge!

 

[davis_756]

Sick of hearing all these cocky eagles fans saying they will be top 4.

Sure they have a EASIER run then us but we are carlton f*ck the rest

We can beat freo/st kilda and hawks then we are top 4.

Why can't we beat them? How about we back our team up instead of actually like we have 0 chance.

Sick of many of our own showing no heart.

CARN BLUE BAGGERS TOP 4 IS OURS!

This is where so many fans get it wrong, even if we do not lose another game this year we have already thrown away a top 4 finish.

If we assume we finish on 5 1/2 losses meaning we beat hawthorn they will still have 5 losses maximum (Port, GC, Dogs are easy wins).

West Coast on the other hand have 5 losses but with Melb, Brisbane, Essendon, Adelaide to come they are a shoe in to finish that way unless Essendon pull one out of the bag.

Regardless we have to rely on others losing against bottom 8 sides to get a top 4 spot, if we lose just 1 game then even a slip up from a wc/hawthorn will mean no chance for carlton to make the 4.

 

[pansies]

In the end it doesn't really matter who we end up playing because if you want to win the flag you eventually come up against good opposition, and I want to win number 17!!! So BRING IT ON!!!

 

[inyourcool]

I have us finishing fifth, playing scum 1st week of final, beating them and then losing to weagles in Perth week 2

 

[40yearBLUE]

This is where so many fans get it wrong, even if we do not lose another game this year we have already thrown away a top 4 finish.

If we assume we finish on 5 1/2 losses meaning we beat hawthorn they will still have 5 losses maximum (Port, GC, Dogs are easy wins).

West Coast on the other hand have 5 losses but with Melb, Brisbane, Essendon, Adelaide to come they are a shoe in to finish that way unless Essendon pull one out of the bag.

Regardless we have to rely on others losing against bottom 8 sides to get a top 4 spot, if we lose just 1 game then even a slip up from a wc/hawthorn will mean no chance for carlton to make the 4.

You might want to wait until the actual results come in champ. Nth were 2 points up at the 27 min mark today. Hawks also have the Bulldogs who are still a mathematical chance. Nothing is predetermined. Then there is West Coast who still have Essendon who may be playing for a finals berth, and who knows, they could get up and Melbourne in Melbourne, and sooner or later they may pull one out, some people had them beating us on Friday.....so how bout we wait and see?

 

[davis_756]

You might want to wait until the actual results come in champ. Nth were 2 points up at the 27 min mark today. Hawks also have the Bulldogs who are still a mathematical chance. Nothing is predetermined. Then there is West Coast who still have Essendon who may be playing for a finals berth, and who knows, they could get up and Melbourne in Melbourne, and sooner or later they may pull one out, some people had them beating us on Friday.....so how bout we wait and see?

Its much more likely that we will not win another game for the h/a season then for the bulldogs to be a chance of making finals.

Anyways we don't deserve to finish top 4 this year, WC have been the better side when it matters. We both had a good shot at beating Geelong, they took their chance and we faltered. We had the home ground advantage against them in our 8 point game and lost.

You can still hope and pray WC or Hawthorn choke up and gift us a spot in the top 4, I am more concerned with how we will handle 2 sides who have troubled us in the past (Hawthorn, Fremantle) because right now I expect us to lose both games.

 

[40yearBLUE]

I am more concerned with how we will handle 2 sides who have troubled us in the past (Hawthorn, Fremantle) because right now I expect us to lose both games.

Ratts feels the same way. Pretty sure.

 

[BrandonG]

Confident we will beat freo , and if we are serious about finals we will beat hawthorn bit of a worry its played at etihad under the roof though , the boys don't seem to like it

 

[Blueboys11]

Ive been getting increasingly frustrated as the Hawks and Eagles keep slipping the noose and escaping with wins.

But 5th should not be the end of the world. The best team will prevail in September. People always write that the only way you can win a premiership is to finish in the top 4. Statistics are then always referenced. The key is the reason the top 4 win is that they are the best 4 teams in the comp. If you were to flip it around and put the top 4 teams into the bottom 4 positions, im pretty confident one of those 4 teams would prevail 9/10 times to ultimatly win it.

Point being if Carlton are good enough, they should comfortably take care of 8th, and then it all starts again. how do you think the Pies would go if they had to fight from 5th spot. Pretty sure they would still be favourites for the flag.

 

[Big Sim]

Ive been getting increasingly frustrated as the Hawks and Eagles keep slipping the noose and escaping with wins.

But 5th should not be the end of the world.

Point being if Carlton are good enough, they should comfortably take care of 8th, and then it all starts again.

Far from the end of the world BB11. Indeed, a fair argument could be mounted that 5th is better than 4th, given that 4th faces near certain defeat against Collingwood and 5th will play probably the weakest team to finish 8th since the inception of the eight team finals system.

I'd rather go into the second week of the finals on the back of a good win than a bad loss as could well prove the case.

Would we then play the loser of 1st vs 4th or 3rd vs 2nd?

Regardless, if we win that and face Geelong in the PF at the MCG, it is a very winnable game for us.

Meanwhile, as soon as it gets to sudden death for the Magpies they become vulnerable, with the Collywobble choke hanging over them. It doesn't matter how good you've been all season, if you lose the PF or GF it was all for nothing. If that fact enters their collective team psyche at any stage they are in danger.

 

[Blues_FC]

No chance we will make the top 4 IMO.

The ladder at the end of R24 will look something like this:

1. Collingwood 84
2. Geelong 76
3. Hawthorn 72
4. West Coast 68
5. Carlton 58
6. St Kilda 54
7. Sydney 46
8. Essendon 42

I think that finishing 5th will actually benefit us. If we had finished 4th, we would probably have lost our first final against Collingwood, then gone into the next game coming off a loss. If we finish 5th, we should destroy Essendon, then we'd play West Coast the following week in the Semis.

If we had finished 4th and won our Qualifying final against Collingwood/Geelong, then we'd have a week off, which doesn't seem to have been advantageous to any team this year. Almost every team coming off a bye week has lost their following game.

If we make it to 5th, and can't beat the 8th ranked team in an Elimination final (likely to be Essendon, Melbourne or the Doggies), then some serious questions need to be asked about our progress as a genuine flag threat in the next few years.

 

[Blueboys11]

Far from the end of the world BB11. Indeed, a fair argument could be mounted that 5th is better than 4th, given that 4th faces near certain defeat against Collingwood and 5th will play probably the weakest team to finish 8th since the inception of the eight team finals system.

I'd rather go into the second week of the finals on the back of a good win than a bad loss as could well prove the case.

Would we then play the loser of 1st vs 4th or 3rd vs 2nd?

Regardless, if we win that and face Geelong in the PF at the MCG, it is a very winnable game for us.

Meanwhile, as soon as it gets to sudden death for the Magpies they become vulnerable, with the Collywobble choke hanging over them. It doesn't matter how good you've been all season, if you lose the PF or GF it was all for nothing. If that fact enters their collective team psyche at any stage they are in danger.

That is probably going to the the one serious drawback of 5th place. Assuming we get through that 1st final, then a trip to Perth will most likely await. Other than playing Collingwood, thats probably the next hardest game on the calendar. Having said that, the eagles have had a charmed run with injuries this year, and with a few pulling up sore from yesterdays game maybe that might be about to change....

 

[Big Sim]

That is probably going to the the one serious drawback of 5th place. Assuming we get through that 1st final, then a trip to Perth will most likely await. Other than playing Collingwood, thats probably the next hardest game on the calendar. Having said that, the eagles have had a charmed run with injuries this year, and with a few pulling up sore from yesterdays game maybe that might be about to change....

We can beat the Eagles and a big ground like Subiaco suits us. Actually thought Etihad gave them the advantage last time around. Home crowd is an advantage but not that much.

Would rather that than Hawks in Melbourne I think.

 

[Just Kreuzing]

We can beat the Eagles and a big ground like Subiaco suits us. Actually thought Etihad gave them the advantage last time around. Home crowd is an advantage but not that much.

Would rather that than Hawks in Melbourne I think.

I think Hardwick might dispute that, hopefully he has planted a seed for the rest of the year for the umpires!