There's a reasonable chance...

[Charlie]

... that at the end of next week, we could be in 2nd spot. If:
- We beat Carlton
- Port Adelaide beat West Coast (AAMI Stadium)
- Essendon beat Brisbane (Docklands)
- Fremantle beat Adelaide (Subiaco)

We go into 2nd spot. There's also a much more unlikely scenario where we hit top. If we win by a huge margin (say 100 points, 150 to 50) and Port win by a very narrow margin (say 5 points, 120 to 115, but it has to be high scoring) we would go ahead of them very slightly on percentage.

We'll see what happens, but 2nd spot is reasonably possible (only the Ess/Bris result wouldn't be considered likely to occur) and top isn't completely out of the question.

[Big Country]

Nice thought but come on, lets focus on winning the game next first, before focusing on other results

[Nico]

Every win is important now, and unfortunately there are no easy games. Had a look at our remaining gs and it is no easy run home. We must win 4 out of seven games.

Carlton away - expect a win.
Fremantle at home - tough one
Adelaide way - real tough
Hawthorn at home - tough, they are playing well
Brisbane away - whew
Collingwood at home - another toughy
Melbourne away - tough, they are playing inspiring footy.

2nd next week will mean jack if we can't win 4 out of 7 to stay in the top bracket.

By the way, Collingwood are the movers, and they have the easiest run home with us being their toughest assignment.

One week at a time folks, is the only way to approach it now.

[barry]

Originally posted by Nico
Every win is important now, and unfortunately there are no easy games. Had a look at our remaining gs and it is no easy run home. We must win 4 out of seven games.

Carlton away - expect a win.
Fremantle at home - tough one
Adelaide way - real tough
Hawthorn at home - tough, they are playing well
Brisbane away - whew
Collingwood at home - another toughy
Melbourne away - tough, they are playing inspiring footy.

2nd next week will mean jack if we can't win 4 out of 7 to stay in the top bracket.

By the way, Collingwood are the movers, and they have the easiest run home with us being their toughest assignment.

One week at a time folks, is the only way to approach it now.

I think you are being a little harsh. I see it as:
Carlton away - easy win.
Freo at home - Freo will be just happy to finish 7th or 8th. We should win comfotably.
Adelaide away - tough
Hawthorn home - Hawks could be out of contention by this stage, if they arent already. If so, an easy win here.
Brisbane away - tough
Collingwood home - In good form at the moment, but this game is six weeks away. We have a great record against them. We'd expect to win.
Melbourne away - D's thinking of the end of season trip. Easy win.

Being the final rounds will actually play into our hands I think, because at least 2 of those sides will have closed up shop for the season. Still hard to win the 2 big away trips, but all others we will start favourites.

[Cheer Cheer]

I was thinking along the same lines as charlie today.
This upcoming round is a real chance to move up the ladder and hopefully cement a top4 position for good.
Huge round.

[j s]

Re: There's a reasonable chance...

Originally posted by Charlie

There's also a much more unlikely scenario where we hit top. If we win by a huge margin (say 100 points, 150 to 50) and Port win by a very narrow margin (say 5 points, 120 to 115, but it has to be high scoring) we would go ahead of them very slightly on percentage.

There seems to be a slight flaw in your logic Charlie. Port (44) is 4 points ahead of Sydney (40). How can we possibly go ahead of them if they win?

[penga]

Originally posted by barry
because at least 2 of those sides will have closed up shop for the season

this is where these sides get under the guard of the finals contenders

[Charlie]

Re: Re: There's a reasonable chance...

Originally posted by j s
There seems to be a slight flaw in your logic Charlie. Port (44) is 4 points ahead of Sydney (40). How can we possibly go ahead of them if they win?

Umm... yeah. Come to think of it... that one involves them losing the week after at the Gabba. Forgot to include that bit. Sorry.

[j s]

There is certainly scope for a lot of movement amongst the top 8 teams as they play each other quite a lot.

The Crows have the worst draw playing top 8 sides in 6 of the last 7 games.

Sydney, Brisbane and Freo have 4 games.

Port, WC, Piies and North have 3 games.

We should view our 4 games against top 8 sides not as an obstacle but as an opportunity to climb the ladder. Of course we must also not let the other 3 games slip away. We must use those games to build percentage.

[nicko18]

Finals Draw

i havent been quite able to work out where we need to finish to be guaranteed a home final. lets say the ladder was like this.. what would be the venue allocation?

Port
Weagles
Lions
Crows
Sydney
Fremantle
Collingwood
Kangaroos

i assume the freo v pies game would be in melbourne

also:

Port
Eagles
Collingwood
Kangaroos
Lions
Sydney
Crows
Freo

which game of these would be played in melbourne? are the top 2 automatically exempt from a game in melbourne, and would they go for a match involving 2 interstate sides?

[midaro]

Re: Finals Draw

Originally posted by nicko18

Port
Eagles
Collingwood
Kangaroos
Lions
Sydney
Crows
Freo

which game of these would be played in melbourne? are the top 2 automatically exempt from a game in melbourne, and would they go for a match involving 2 interstate sides?

I've asked the same thing numerous times in different places and never recieved a reply. Does the mandatory game at the MCG have to include a Victorian team?

[barry]

Re: Re: Finals Draw

Originally posted by midaro
I've asked the same thing numerous times in different places and never recieved a reply. Does the mandatory game at the MCG have to include a Victorian team?

Its whatever the AFL decide to do. Realistically, if they had an ounce of integrity, they would take the lowest ranked home finalists if there are no automatic vic home finals, but you never know.

But dont worry about Sydney. If we earn a final, we'll get it. We are a "special case".

[nicko18]

Re: Re: Re: Finals Draw

Originally posted by barry
Its whatever the AFL decide to do. Realistically, if they had an ounce of integrity, they would take the lowest ranked home finalists if there are no automatic vic home finals, but you never know.

But dont worry about Sydney. If we earn a final, we'll get it. We are a "special case".

nah, imagine the whinging if we finish 6th and get a home final over 5th!!

[Charlie]

Barry - I know you have been holding onto this belief... but IT WON'T HAPPEN!!! They'd never get away with it.

[barry]

Originally posted by Charlie
Barry - I know you have been holding onto this belief... but IT WON'T HAPPEN!!! They'd never get away with it.

I know you dont agree with me, but I think it will. Time will tell.