Finals qualification

[Haff]

^you can only expect two wins in that. Richmond and Melbourne coz they’re poo but we’re no better on current form.
Don’t see finals happening from here.

[Piesnchess]

In cold light of day, last nights defeat by the Dopers is still hard to take. I try to be positive, but I just cant see us making top four now, I think its out of reach now, gone. Mass unending injuries, have ruined our season, last week, Noble and McCreery, this week, both Checkers and Cameron gone for the year now, we simply cannot replace them. Only the Tigers have a longer injury list than us, and they have had a dreadful season. Trouble is, its like a revolving door, as another poster pointed out, we have no time to settle, a settled side theres no synchronization, was how he put it, theres too much chop and change. Sure, all sides get injuries, but not like this, its endless. The retirement of Murphy hit us very hard, Moore really misses him, Murph was vital on our back line.. Take six to eight top players out of any team and see how they go, sure like to see the Blues minus Cripps, Curnow, Williams Mckay. But it is what it is, the season is done for our flag defence. The only real positives for me, is our kids, Harrison, Richards, Long looks a real find, De Mattia I look forward too, Reef is still young and show promise, Sullivan a work in progress, Steen and Begg, who knows ? if we can hit the trades hard, maybe snare Bailey smith, and a tough back man, who knows ? We will have retirements season end, few delistings, and according to a footy show I saw on Kayo recently we will have a large war chest of cash on hand. We did win the flag last season, we are still very much a destination club, and our culture is excellent. Next season, we wont have the injuries we had this year, that wont happen again. Plus we were the hunted this season, as the Premiers are, its tough, tough fixture too, next season, back to being the hunter again. !

Finally , I have little doubt the GF will be Swans v Bluescum, so time to get right behind the pink ducks, and Grundy, Taylor adams now.

[Haff]

You know my usual views so I’ll counter your positive on those kids, I don’t see any of them being A Graders. Come in play your role types. Better than depth players sure but not turn a game on your own boot.
We’ll still be ok next season. Pendles and Sidey go on. If we can stop the injury curse and get Bailey we will compete again.
Who knows this season might put us in good stead for a bit of depth, role players for coming seasons so I don’t think the cliff is coming, rather a steep downhill for a few seasons of also rans.

[The Black and White Lion]

Ah I won’t support any other team to win the flag this year or any other, but I can’t stand the thought of the blues either.

But 2024 isn’t over yet.
We’re going to see Frampton in the ruck for a while. We need to find some consistency up forward and need another midfielder to step up. We need to lock in Dean down back for a while and we’re going to need McInnes into the forward line to help Howe. Gutted for Checkers but Eyre might get a look in coming weeks if he continues to improve in the VFL. Was good in the first half against VFL dons last week.

Hill and Schultz going to need to dominate our forward line for the next month until McStay lands fit. WHE’s decoy marking might be important again. Can Krueger get some consistency. Be good to isolate our forwards with Kreuger and Hill

The biggest thing we need is some pep at Quarter time and half time. Talk about a snoozefest during the middle of the game. That’s where we’re losing matches.

We’re not going to make the top 4, that’s overly optimistic now but we can scrape in to an elimination for a little taste of finals footy and then who knows.

It is was it is

[Piesnchess]

^ True , I agree with most of what your take on it , also, McStay could take Checkers place at FF. ?

[Big T]

13 wins (12-2) will likely get us into the 8. So we need 4 more wins. Will be tough.

[Gerry Cooper]

^ True , I agree with most of what your take on it , also, McStay could take Checkers place at FF. ?

He's been out all year. Alleged fitness or not after almost a year out he is likely to be well off the pace. I think if we look like we arent making finals, I would put him in cotton wool until next season then give him a good hard pre-season and let him lose next season.

[What'sinaname]

To be fair, he's replacing Checkers who has also been well off the pace since his return from injury.

[23 YIPPEE!!!]

I think:

Cats lose
Hawks win
Tigers win
Blues lose
Swans lose
Brisbane toss of the coin
Melbourne win

I think it comes down to the Lions and Dees game.

But having said that this is when you want to be starting to bank the 4 points to ease of the pressure for those late matches.
Now is the time.
Step up or ship out time.

[The Black and White Lion]

and despite all the odds, Ash Johnson playing half well in the VFL with 5 goals against the Frankston little league.

Somehow the Frankston little league dominated the first 3 quarters but have run out of legs and the pies are mounting a late challenge despite missing every second mark, every second target and handballing to shadows

[piedys]

... I have little doubt the GF will be Swans v Bluescum, so time to get right behind the pink ducks, and Grundy, Taylor adams now.

If it indeed boils down to this; it will be the lesser of two evils for sure.

[Johnno75]

After seeing Carlton against the Giants I don’t think it’s that cut and dried.

For a team with such a strong midfield and with a good front half they go too sleep for large parts in games and teams do score heavy on them and this will be their undoing come finals.

[David]

[Presti35]

Right now, the best we may be able to hope for is getting in and winning a final.

But a week is a long time in footy and there are 7 weeks left.

The following teams have been written off by various media outlets this year;
Geelong, Brisbane, Port, and GWS, yet they all sit in the top 8 and now some are saying they are all a chance again. And they have cast huge doubts over Freo and Essendon along the way. Collingwood and Melbourne have now been written off.

It seems that Swans and Blues have been the only teams that the media have let be.

There are 2 games between 10th and 2nd. That gap will get bigger each week, but you know what? We have not been embarrassed by any final margin since losing to the Swans in round 1. And we have had a horrid run with injuries.

If we can just make the 8 whilst getting most of the playing list available, I'd still say there are some sides that would rather not run into us. But yes, it will be an uphill battle. We'll know a bit more once we've played Carlton and Sydney again, but I still feel like we can knock over Freo, Essendon, Geelong, Port, Lions, GWS and anyone else on our day.

[Jezza]

8 wins, 2 draws, 7 losses (36 points)

OR - GWS (A) = LOSS (0 points)
R1 - Sydney (H) = LOSS (0 points)
R2 - St Kilda (A) = LOSS (0 points)
R3 - Brisbane Lions (A) = WON (4 points)
R4 - Hawthorn (N) = WON (8 points)
R6 - Port Adelaide (H) = WON (12 points)
R7 - Essendon (A) = DRAW (14 points)
R8 - Carlton (A) = WON (18 points)
R9 - West Coast (H) = WON (22 points)
R10 - Adelaide (H) = WON (26 points)
R11 - Fremantle (A) = DRAW (28 points)
R12 - Western Bulldogs (H) = LOSS (28 points)
R13 - Melbourne (H) = WON (32 points)
R14 - North Melbourne (A) = WON (36 points)
R16 - Gold Coast (A) = LOSS (36 points)
R17 - Essendon (H) = LOSS (36 points)
R18 - Geelong (H) = LOSS (36 points)

R19 - Hawthorn (A)
R20 - Richmond (H)
R21 - Carlton (H)
R22 - Sydney (A)
R23 - Brisbane Lions (H)
R24 - Melbourne (A)