The season ahead

[barry]

Despite playing like Lepers in the later stages of Leprocy, we are not done for yet.

We are hit with injuries, and the key ones in Schuable and O'loughlan arent going to be fully up to AFL standard and match fitness till the later rounds of the season.
So we need to hang in the 8 until then, then have a red hot crack at a top 4 spot in the last half dozen rounds.

Short term we have a sniff.
Firstly over to perth. Hopefully the weather might suit us, and the chance to throw caution to the wind and play a running attacking style. Plus WC dont have too many talls, are out of form, so if Roosy gives them their chance to impress we may snag a win. It will actually be good to go into a game we arent expected to win.

Then its the bulldogs and Geelong. Both very winnable.

So After 10 rounds we could be 6-4, or at worst 5-5
Either way, we'd be around 7th, and hopefully come out of that 3 game preiod with a bit of form and momentum.

We lack confidence at the moment, so we simply need to get out all the tapes of last year, and show the players what can be done if you take some risks. We are way to conservative at the moment.

[Diego]

We are soft.

We are like sensative little boys..you know..a little bit of a shout or a bad kick and we go in to our shells.

the day the club developes some real grunt like the lions is the day we will win a flag.

until then we are simple little mummies boys.

[monopoly19]

With 14 wins last year we scraped into the top 4. I think we're going to need more than that this time around, which effectively means we must lose less than 8 games all year. We've lost 4 and it's round 7. Methinks it will be a tough ask.

Still, we're only down one win to what we had this time last year (although we had all the momentum then, and now we seem to be going backwards each week), so not all is lost.

[NMWBloods]

Season Turnarounds

If we are trying to find some comfort from other team season turnarounds, here are some:

2001: Brisbane Lions 4-5 and playing Essendon. Won the next 16 games in a row to win the premiership.

1999: Carlton 6-7, manages to win 6 of next 9, finishes 6th, makes GF but loses.

1998: Adelaide 3-5, wins 10 of next 14, finishes 5th, and wins GF.

1997: Adelaide 2-4, wins 11 of next 16, finishes 4th, and wins GF.

[ScottH]

Do we have the personell and the skill to do what these other teams are did?

[Diego]

No. I don't think we do.

Our midfield is a rabble.

[barry]

Originally posted by monopoly19
With 14 wins last year we scraped into the top 4. I think we're going to need more than that this time around, which effectively means we must lose less than 8 games all year. We've lost 4 and it's round 7. Methinks it will be a tough ask.

Still, we're only down one win to what we had this time last year (although we had all the momentum then, and now we seem to be going backwards each week), so not all is lost.

I think its possible that 13 wins plus % could get you 4th this year. There are a few "pretenders" in the 8 at the moment, and a few good sides down near the bottom of the table. Once the season progresses, the comp will bunch up more I think, meaning the different between 4th and 4th last could be a game or two.

[Go Swannies]

Originally posted by Diego
We are soft.

We are like sensative little boys..you know..a little bit of a shout or a bad kick and we go in to our shells.

the day the club developes some real grunt like the lions is the day we will win a flag.

until then we are simple little mummies boys.

That's very positive! And not much help. No-one listened to Roos when he told us the team was still in early development. And, in retrospect, last year they played above their abilities. So this year they gave away their "give it a go and who cares (or expects) us to win?" in favour of a fortress "don't be the one to stuff up" approach. It ain't serving us well. The worst is that we, the fans, have to accept part of the blame. Who really believed Roos when he said we were underdone? And who though we just have to push on through the season for our rightful place in the four? Melbourne media just didn't have a clue how good we really are, etc, etc.

The team we expect is not the team Roos is giving us. I realised this when my game companion who is a member but is only interested in the game each week, not reading, studying footy mid week ept saying "who's that?" and "I don't recognise him either?" We are playing the kids and they're generally doing alright. But none are Michael Voss circa 2004 (or 2002) yet. That's Luke Ablett out there - not Garry.

The Saints put up with a lot of pain before this year's rewards (so far). After yesterday I think we're in for the same. Either we're rebuilding or falling apart - you take your guess.

I hoped the Bombers loss would be the wake-up to the team that they aren't premiership material yet. It wasn't but I bet yesterday was. Let's hope that, with nothing to lose (and they haven't) they play as if they don't have the heavy weight of our expectations on their shoulders.

I just hope they enjoy next week's game. Because they certainly haven't enjoyed any games since R1.

[NMWBloods]

Originally posted by hemsleys
Do we have the personell and the skill to do what these other teams are did?

We probably don't have the personnel that Brisbane had in 2001.

We are probably better than Carlton's 1999 team.

Compared with Adelaide, we have a better forward line, but our midfield isn't as good.

On paper I don't think we can win the GF this year (and I never thought this), but if we play to the best of our abilities like a team, as we saw last year, then we could be up in the mix. The problem is can they do that again? Was last year a one-off?

[ScottH]

Re: The season ahead

Originally posted by barry
Then its the bulldogs and Geelong. Both very winnable.

FYI

It is actually WC, Hawks then the Dogs in the next 3 weeks. The latter 2 are SCG games.

[BAM_BAM]

I've been feeling pretty bad since the game ended, but I've decided to lift my spirits, just like we're asking the boys to.

Will we win the GF? Who knows. Can we win the GF? ABSOLUTELY. I'm not naive enoguh to think it will be easy, but nothing really worthwhile ever is.

New Motto: Dream, Believe, Achieve (which is something I think Bron has said many times and I agree wholeheartedly with)

[hammo]

Originally posted by NMWBloods
We probably don't have the personnel that Brisbane had in 2001.

We are probably better than Carlton's 1999 team.

Compared with Adelaide, we have a better forward line, but our midfield isn't as good.

On paper I don't think we can win the GF this year (and I never thought this), but if we play to the best of our abilities like a team, as we saw last year, then we could be up in the mix. The problem is can they do that again? Was last year a one-off?

Unfortunately I think 2004 is shaping as a step back compared to 2003's two step's forward.

The mantra of the team having no superstars and needing to have everyone "up" as a team to win is ringing true. Those teams can't and don't win premierships.

Although Barry Hall has developed into our best and most consistent player, it has corresponded with a disturbing downturn in form for our other top players.

Hopefully Goodes and Keneally can recapture their best, but for Williams and Maxfield, even Ball, the decline may be terminal.

Our middle guys have also totally failed to take the next step. Despite all the patience shown, Fosdike and Jude Bolton will never be gun midfielders and with 100 or so games now under their belt some tough decisions will have to be made. Ditto for Saddington.

Personally I'd like to the likes of Bevan, Ablett, O'Keefe and McVeigh given good runs in the centre to fast-track their development.

There is no doubt at their best Hall, Goodes and Davis could all be superstars of teh AFL. They are still young enough to build a team around, but let's face it, with this current midfield structure we will never win a premiership.

The next month will be crucial. It may still be possible to turn this year around but the memories of yesterday are still too fresh in my mind to be confident about it.

[Wazza]

I think its possible that 13 wins plus % could get you 4th this year. There are a few "pretenders" in the 8 at the moment, and a few good sides down near the bottom of the table. Once the season progresses, the comp will bunch up more I think, meaning the different between 4th and 4th last could be a game or two.

Howdy I would be interested in knowing who you think the pretenders in the 8 are, I think Geelong may qualify for this but the other 7 seem well placed and I would be suprised if any team currently above Geelong didnt make the finals withe the exception of Sydney.

Cheers

Waz

[motorace_182]

We have been far too soft in the last few weeks. Not going in hard enough for the footy, and when we did get it we didnt have a clue in what to do with it. We went in harder on the weekend, but got dumber. Roos should sit down with the players and say what to do in certain conditions cos it seems as though the boys dont know what to do when things dont go their way. We must be the dumbest team in the league. What ever happened to us being the fittest team in the League and being able to finish off games like last year??

[barry]

Originally posted by Wazza
Howdy I would be interested in knowing who you think the pretenders in the 8 are, I think Geelong may qualify for this but the other 7 seem well placed and I would be suprised if any team currently above Geelong didnt make the finals withe the exception of Sydney.

Cheers

Waz

Just look at the bookends. St Kildas run wont last, they will slip down to around 4th or 5th. And the pies wont stay at the bottom.
In fact the pies, Adelaide, WC, and even Carlton will win games against the top 8 and bunch up the ladder.
Geelong, and Port are probably going to slip a position or two as well. And Melbourne, well they are my tip for the flag this year, but a few injuries and they'd be in trouble.