Will we make finals?!

[fishguts]

Win Friday and our problem becomes finishing top 6 to avoid a trip interstate.

Just for your information, here are our competitiors matches...

Western Bulldogs v Hawthorn
Port Adelaide v Brisbane
Fremantle v Carlton
Sydney v North Melbourne

I'm only expecting Sydney to win out of them, meaning a win Friday will put us 2 games (and % over everyone bar Carlton) infront of 8th.

 

[Mad Bomber Sean]

When we win tonight by a fair margin, id lock us into the 8. Probably some where between 5- 8 depending on how many games we drop & rivals etc..

 

[Call Me Cake]

It's pretty straight forward.

Beat Collingwood - we're in the finals for sure.

Lose to Collingwood - we'll still be able to make it, but we won't know for sure until later on in the season.

 

[Mad Bomber Sean]

It's pretty straight forward.

Beat Collingwood - we're in the finals for sure.

Lose to Collingwood - we'll still be able to make it, but we won't know for sure until later on in the season.

Yep thats it

 

[Dr Moose]

It's pretty straight forward.

Beat Collingwood - we're in the finals for sure.

Lose to Collingwood - we'll still be able to make it, but we won't know for sure until later on in the season.

Lose to Collingwood and we don't deserve to play finals. Really makes stupid games like the North catastrophe really come into context

 

[Call Me Cake]

Credit to the Pies. As the game itched closer I never really thought we we're going to get over them in the end, as evident in my previous ladder prediction in this thread. Collingwood had their best team on the ground tonight & while we blew away many chances in the 1st quater, they we're by far the better team on the night & were always going to be.

Collingwood are definately wildcards this year & they have done well when it comes to injuries and suspensions.

I'm not overly furious with our effort later on in the game because I could see we busted our hearts out but it was never going to make any difference. Our kicking & turn overs killed us, whenever we turned it over Collingwood would capitalise.

Will we make finals?... it's possible. We could use this game as a forerunner. Should we make finals?... well, probably not. But whenever the opportunity is open I'd rather we take it. I don't think we were going to be finals contenders this year but the experience would be a bonus, so why not?

Every team has their bad days, and despite our scrape of a win on Anzac Day, Collingwood seemed to have always been our bogey side.

I think if we learn from our mistakes, create a back up plan, and hit Sydney with all we have, we'll give a red hot go. But no one should expect to play finals this year, because disappointment may very well await them. But to anticipate a possibility is what football is about. Winning games should be our number one priority and if they open up the door to finals, then so be it. You don't have to expect to play finals to enjoy the prospect IMO.

We should just push to finish as high as we can this year. Finishing in the 8 is certainly not out of the question.

 

[lamaros]

50/50 on finals.

 

[warney7]

We continue to put ourselves into a solid position.......and then slip up pretty quickly.

Now the Sydney match becomes yet another, "most important game of the season" game with the real possibility that our 7-6 record could soon be 7-9 and finals out the window.

 

[Windas_Magic]

Yep, Sydney game is very important.

Even though we will probably go in close to favourites, our recent record interstate is very poor and Sydney won't be a push over.

 

[fishguts]

Sydney now becomes a huge game.

Assuming they beat North, they will be 6-8, a loss to them also brings them back equal with us.

 

[krisholio14]

You'll make the finals.

 

[The Dustbin]

Not if we play the way we did tonight.

 

[Call Me Cake]

Not if we play the way we did tonight.

You mean the first half?

I'll admit, we were'nt switched on as usual tonight, and we continued to create turn overs (Collingwood are a team that capitalises on turn-overs) & give away frees throughout the match, but you have to give credit to the Bombers for not giving up in the second half. Our missed scoring shots in the first half killed us, and so did Collingwood's pressure.

But is it really a surprise?... Collingwood had their best team out on the ground tonight, there would have been no excuse for them to lose. They've done well with injuries as of late & were always going to give it their all & rightfully so.

Due to the fact that we didn't give up, we made sure it wasn't a full on smashing & retained some dignity. Fraser was just too good, and Pendlebury's late inclusion certainly help them boost their pack. They're a top 4 quality team at the moment, we are no where near that.

Losing to Collingwood doesn't ruin our finals chances, it makes it hard, but it doesn't ruin them. We could still finish as high as 6th if we wanted to, and that doesn't include the games we could upset later on in the year. Win every expected game such as Sydney, Richmond, West Coast & Fremantle, and we are already in it. Hawthorn, Brisbane, St Kilda & Bulldogs aren't definates but win one of those & you've got yourself some cement. But anything can happen.

Bad effort in the first half, but I wouldn't be pushing the panic button just yet.

 

[sen entertainment bloke]

Our finals tilt depends on accuracy in front of goal and probably kicking a few out of our arse.

If we had seized our forward entrys in the first quarter tonight, etc could have made the woodsmans work to get in front in the second.

 

[GoldenboyHird_5]

After Sydney in Sydney,

two interstate trips

St. Kilda, Hawthorn, Brisbane, Bulldogs

Must win

Richmond

Will be extremely tough. I'm backing up CMC on this one. Certainly not expecting a finals appearance.

 

[krisholio14]

Not if we play the way we did tonight.

Keep in mind two things.

One, you're a young side and will therefore be prone to occasional lapses like tonight.

Two, when you're playing an all out attacking game as you do, its not an easy thing to maintain week in week out. Especially when you're still relatively inexperienced.

The most important thing that you guys have been able to do this year is beat the sides you should beat, and also beat the sides that are around the same mark as you. I don't see any reason why you can't continue to do that, and from where you are right now, that means finals.

Collingwood are a better side than you, and are in something close to their best form. It's not the end of the world to lose this game tonight. Main thing is you kept having a crack.

 

[GoldenboyHird_5]

After Sydney in Sydney,

two interstate trips

St. Kilda, Hawthorn, Brisbane, Bulldogs

Must win

Richmond

Will be extremely tough. I'm backing up CMC on this one. Certainly not expecting a finals appearance.

 

[GoldenboyHird_5]

Good points there diablo. They are a better side and should be competitive in finals with a top 4 spot.

 

[Kong]

After Sydney in Sydney,

two interstate trips

St. Kilda, Hawthorn, Brisbane, Bulldogs

Must win

Richmond

Will be extremely tough. I'm backing up CMC on this one. Certainly not expecting a finals appearance.

I think your point was clear after one post.

 

[EVERLAST]

Pretty simple for the next fortnight, win one out of the next 2, we're still a strong chance, lose both and we won't make it.

Lloyd's goalkicking is a worry, especially in each of his first quarters regardless of our result.

 

[GoldenboyHird_5]

What do you think Whomb? Are you expecting the team to play finals?

 

[Kong]

What do you think Whomb? Are you expecting the team to play finals?

I wouldn't say expecting. I think it's a realistic possibility, yet I think if we do it'll be a nice bonus on top of a year full of development.

As I've said in another thread, I think we're capable of beating all teams bar Geelong and St Kilda (who we could've beaten already); it just depends on how consistently our young side performs.

 

[Skeeta Olly]

Looking at these 4 games. Carlton, Collingwood, Sydney and Bulldogs.

I was expecting maybe 2/4.

Games against Richmond, West Coast, Brisbane, St Kilda, Freo and Hawthron.

Possibly 4/6.

 

[eth-dog]

Looking at these 4 games. Carlton, Collingwood, Sydney and Bulldogs.

I was expecting maybe 2/4.

Games against Richmond, West Coast, Brisbane, St Kilda, Freo and Hawthron.

Possibly 4/6.

hoping 3/4, but 2/4 is fine.

IMO 5/6 for the other one

 

[GoldenboyHird_5]

It's quite interesting to see who we've beaten though.

From Dark Passenger of BB

"one might like to start looking at our wins and losses and see who are have been against to get a better picture ..

all of our losses have been against very defensive teams and defensive mindsets as their first priority ..

The wins we've had have been against shit defensive teams (bar Hawthorn but lets get real they are struggling big time) and shit teams in general.

out of 8 games against top teams we've won 3 , and 2 of them have been against Carlton who have 0 defensive structure."

Most of this is true. When we have lossed it has been to teams like North, Brisbane, Collingwood and Adelaide who know how to flood the corridor and push us wide. I don;t really think Knights has a proper counter strategy to this tactic yet.

For this reason, I think we could struggle against Sydney next week.