Who are the flag contenders?

[JaxsonB]

Are you serious? I can see how that could be a factor, but surely if Hawthorn win it will largely be due to the fact that we still have arguably the best list in the league, and undoubtedly the best coach. Even looking at the last two GF's, those two factors were far more influential than Sydney/WC being overawed.

I'm not saying anything about the last three GFs. I just think the Hawthorn of this year is noticeably weaker than the Hawthorn of previous years. Certainly still towards the top and in with a chance, for sure, and you certainly do have the best coach. However, I definitely disagree with your notion that you have the best list. For my mind, that honour goes to Sydney.

List-wise I'd place Hawthorn and West Coast equal second - but then, I'll readily admit that I know a lot about the quality of the West Coast list, and don't know nearly as much about the lesser-lights-that-do-well at Hawthorn (such as, say, Duryea (sp) and Sicily), so I can hardly claim that an unbiased third party would agree with that statement. Accordingly, willing to relegate West Coast to third spot, especially with the shocker their list put in in round 2.

Having said that, pretty much every team I listed as a finals contender has some serious quality in their list.

 

[JaxsonB]

Sydney contenders beating collingwood, carlton and GWS. Crows need to see more because they lost to north and beat rich, port? I'm not saying we're contenders but sydney really havent played anyone of note either if youre going to base it on that. I'd say we're sitting pretty even going off pretty incomparable results and this week will help shed some light

To be fair, while Sydney haven't had the greatest opposition either (GWS haven't played badly in round 2 or 3, and could well have been 2-1 or 3-0 with Cameron, but I agree with Carlton and Collingwood not being the greatest opposition at this point), the manner in which they've played has been powerful. All lines are performing well, and they have a lot of quality in their team.

You are right though. Adelaide might have a case to getting bumped into that upper bracket. It's just hard to gauge that loss to North, because I don't feel like North have showed a great deal in the other 2 games. The win over Port was certainly dominant, and they did well to put Richmond to the sword away from home last weekend.

 

[FyfeToAdelaide]

To be fair, while Sydney haven't had the greatest opposition either (GWS haven't played badly in round 2 or 3, and could well have been 2-1 or 3-0 with Cameron, but I agree with Carlton and Collingwood not being the greatest opposition at this point), the manner in which they've played has been powerful. All lines are performing well, and they have a lot of quality in their team.

You are right though. Adelaide might have a case to getting bumped into that upper bracket. It's just hard to gauge that loss to North, because I don't feel like North have showed a great deal in the other 2 games. The win over Port was certainly dominant, and they did well to put Richmond to the sword away from home last weekend.

Thought we had that game, we were up for three quarters than that floppity flog thomas jumps on the floor and a doube goal leading to a huge momentum swing happens and they ran over us. Im very sure there was some other things that annoyed me that i can't remember at the moment that lost us the game. Its not like we were thoroughly beaten on the day could've went either way in my eyes.

 

[BigVic]

Hawthorn, Sydney, Geelong, North Melbourne in thie order are my contenders for the flag.

 

[JaxsonB]

Thought we had that game, we were up for three quarters than that floppity flog thomas jumps on the floor and a doube goal leading to a huge momentum swing happens and they ran over us. Im very sure there was some other things that annoyed me that i can't remember at the moment that lost us the game. Its not like we were thoroughly beaten on the day could've went either way in my eyes.

I was quite surprised too. You guys looked the better team for just under 3 quarters from memory, then North came back and just sort of won. >.< Definitely not disgraced at all.

 

[Arc1]

... the best way for Hawthorn's opponents to stop them winning a flag is to stop them making a GF in the first place.

That strategy tends to work against most teams. Just saying.

 

[Handsuper47]

Hawthorn don't even have their best team on the park and they are doing just fine as usual. I pick them.

 

[Sttew]

Hawthorn don't even have their best team on the park and they are doing just fine as usual. I pick them.

Just fine is a stretch. 1 fantastic win, 1 emphatic loss, and a 'get out of jail' win

 

[BOP66]

Just fine is a stretch. 1 fantastic win, 1 emphatic loss, and a 'get out of jail' win against a team beaten by Essendon

This wtf???
Geelong football club LOL! When did Essendon beat the Bulldogs?
Really your supporters like your good self are the most insecure neurotic plebs on Bigfooty by miles!
Your emphatic victory against one our weakest sides for a long while .
You needed the mercenary to play one of his best ever games ever, we played one qtr of football and you just got some cheap goals in the last 10 mins. Wouldn't really call that emphatic!
Pussy cat fans chips on both shoulders. Doritos on the left & salt & vinegar on the left.

 

[Sttew]

This wtf???
Geelong football club LOL! When did Essendon beat the Bulldogs?
Really your supporters like your good self are the most insecure neurotic plebs on Bigfooty by miles!
Your emphatic victory against one our weakest sides for a long while .
You needed the mercenary to play one of his best ever games ever, we played one qtr of football and you just got some cheap goals in the last 10 mins. Wouldn't really call that emphatic!
Pussy cat fans chips on both shoulders. Doritos on the left & salt & vinegar on the left.

Oops my bad

 

[BOP66]

Oops my bad

Don't worry use to it since 2008!

 

[Crankyhawk]

Well obviously Hawthorn, Essendon are the team i despise the most.

I dont actually dislike Hawthorn, just dont think they deserve to win more. Hogs.

We haven't yet got 16 like your club has

 

[dave123]

Anyone who finishes top 4 can win the flag

History tells us that

Many teams can still make the top 4

So,on that criteria it's too early to call

 

[little graham]

, North are top 4 imo...

Didn't north nearly lose to Melbourne who lost to Essendon?

 

[ziad]

Just fine is a stretch. 1 fantastic win, 1 emphatic loss, and a 'get out of jail' win

their fine win was against a team that didn't come to play, was underdone and short listed 9as were the hawks)

 

[Boppo]

Dogs, Ade, Syd, GWS.

 

[who gives a]

After just 3 rounds !! i will wait until round 12 and then i will have an opinion for you.

 

[Boppo]

After just 3 rounds !! i will wait until round 12 and then i will have an opinion for you.

We will be on tenterhooks

 

[Doggstats]

Bulldogs: first 2 games aren't against teams I'd consider finals contenders this year (if Freo had played in rounds 1 through 9 like they did in rounds 10 through 23, they would've been towards the bottom of the 8 at best, and they've continued that form this year), though they put in a gutsy performance against Hawthorn (and probably should have won, but I digress). Need to see more of them against other teams likely to be in the finals.

Agree to an extent but remember that Freo scored 100 points against GC the week after our game, and StKilda also scored 100+ in both their other games, convincingly beating Port for 3 quarters the week before and ending the game scoring 100 points. Then scored 133 the week after against Collingwood (really should have ended up scoring 150+ if they took their opportunity's) in a convincing smashing.
Yet we kept both of them to under 5 goals each (both under 40 points), at Etihad which is by far the most offensive and high scoring ground in the league.

Then we managed to keep Hawthorn to under 100 pts as well, without our best defender and arguably our most important/irreplaceable player (Best and fairest and All Australian last year) in Easton Wood. Who would definitely have played on James Sicily, who was their match winner.

So whilst people say that our 'offensive' game style won't hold up in finals, what they are ignoring is that after our poor defensive effort in last years final, Bevo has focused heavily on our defence during the pre season and the result has been that we have started the year with arguably the best defence in the league (statistic wise). Lucking out with KPD gold in Marcus Adams has definitely helped as well.

Scoring wise, our 2nd best forward last year, Tory Dickson (50 goals last year) should be back this week or next , which should guarantee us at least 2 extra goals a game.

 

[Prudster]

I'm not saying anything about the last three GFs. I just think the Hawthorn of this year is noticeably weaker than the Hawthorn of previous years. Certainly still towards the top and in with a chance, for sure, and you certainly do have the best coach. However, I definitely disagree with your notion that you have the best list. For my mind, that honour goes to Sydney.

List-wise I'd place Hawthorn and West Coast equal second - but then, I'll readily admit that I know a lot about the quality of the West Coast list, and don't know nearly as much about the lesser-lights-that-do-well at Hawthorn (such as, say, Duryea (sp) and Sicily), so I can hardly claim that an unbiased third party would agree with that statement. Accordingly, willing to relegate West Coast to third spot, especially with the shocker their list put in in round 2.

Having said that, pretty much every team I listed as a finals contender has some serious quality in their list.

I'm not really sure how you can make that assertion given we've been missing Rough, Hodge, Hill, Ceglar, and Shiels for most of the 3 games played so far. Any team would look weaker when they're missing players of that quality. If you've ever taken notice of Hawthorn's recent years, you'll know slow starts are nothing out of the ordinary, and come September, we're generally playing at a higher level.

I said we have arguably the best list, and i stand by it. You could make make an argument that Sydney have a superior list, but there's a very strong case that Hawthorn still have the best list.

But anyway, i come back to the point you made in your original post that the biggest factor in Hawthorn winning the flag would be their opponent being overwhelmed in finals. If, by your admission, we have the second best list (with the only club ahead of us also being experienced in finals), and the best coach, then it stands to reason that if we win the flag, it's because we're one of the best teams going around, not because our less experienced opponent let finals pressure get to them.

 

[Sttew]

Dogs, Ade, Syd, GWS.

GWS are NOT contenders. World beaters one day, so, so the next. They should play finals but.....

 

[Coalface]

Didn't north nearly lose to Melbourne who lost to Essendon?

Indeed, and by that logic we exclude Adelaide from top four predictions too, as they lost to North, who nearly lost to Melbourne who lost to Essendon.

 

[MC_9]

Just fine is a stretch. 1 fantastic win, 1 emphatic loss, and a 'get out of jail' win

The Hawks have played 3 teams that will likely finish in the top 6, possibly top 4, and are 2-1. I would say the Hawks have probably had the hardest start of any team in the league, except maybe Freo, but they are 0-3.

I am very happy with that start, considering the Hawks are notoriously slow starters due to a reduced pre-season compared to the rest of the league. They will then generally start picking up their game at the midway point of the season.

 

[Benny78]

1. Sydney
2. Geelong
3. Hawthorn.

That's all. The rest of them (WCE, Dogs, Norf, GC) would be extremely unlikely to win 4 finals this year.

 

[1990crow]

1. Sydney
2. Geelong
3. Hawthorn.

That's all. The rest of them (WCE, Dogs, Norf, GC) would be extremely unlikely to win 4 finals this year.

WC, Dogs and North are all far more likely of winning 4 finals than Geelong.