Next 3.

[barry]

What a trifector of weeks we have in stall for us.

Top 4 looks a bit further away after this week as the only vunerable member up there looks like St Kilda, and they are two games plus % (essentially 3 games away) because there were no upsets this week.

So its time we did some damage of our own.

First up the cats. Hopefully missing scarlett. They are probably our rival for 5th, so good to knock them off.

Then its Freo in Perth. I think Freo lost all chance at top 6 when it lost to the Roos, so hopefully get them in a soul searching mood.

Then its the Lions at home. One of the top 4 teams, and we have a good record against them. If the tribunal thing keeps happening, we may not have to face J.Brown.

Anyway, I pencilled in 1 win in those 3 games, and I would be ok with that. If we can just jag 2 wins, I'd be rapt, and again thinking top 4.

We have pretty much our full team in now, and are showing flashes of explosive form (2nd q against crows). Anything can happen, and it probably will.

[Go Swannies]

Time to take our destiny in our hands. We need some luck for the teams ahead of us to lose some games - like the Dees to the Crows last week. But we have to win 8 point games, too. That would be a case of literally clawing our way up the ladder. Any game we lose on the way home will hurt us badly.

Either we are a good team that has done okay while hard hit by injuries and is building to form - or we are pretenders. The next three weeks will give us a good idea. Many think that we have been lucky to get across the line against poor teams (that's the way the Dons seem to have gone).

We have squandered some chances to build percentage so we just need wins. I'll despair if we do the Swans thing of beating Brisbane then going down to the Tigers for Frawley's last game. The last few weeks have been tough physical games and the rest of the season doesn't look any easier.

I used to suspect last year that the Swans were skillful but softer than the tough teams in the comp - Dons, Pies, Lions. Now I think we're tough but haven't seen too much of the skill. We'll need both if we're going to do anything in September.

[swansrule100]

I think it could be said the swans last 3 are against low teams and we have struggled.

I think we have started to get our best team back slowly and we have been a bit lazy.
Especially against Adelaide and Carlton we have won with bursts of brillance and just sat back the rest of the game. This is a good sign in the sense that it means the ability is there. I think the swans are more motivated with their backs to the wall and these three games present that opportunity. This club is capable of winning at least 2 of the next 3 and to be a premiership threat as opposed to a finals participant hinges on it. IF the swans win the next 3 i think they could make the grand final

[TheHood]

Geelong is a massive test for us, with or without Scarlett.

Bartells
Monica
King
Harley

There are plenty of in-form performers for Geelong at the moment so if we do show up to play good footy, it will still be a tight contest.

I would say that I reckon we play out a tight contest better than most under Roosy. The Lions game is the only real close one that we have dropped and that was only because of a bad shot on goal.

I am glad it's a day game, because night games away are near impossible to win.

[Captain]

Originally posted by TheHood
Geelong is a massive test for us, with or without Scarlett.

Bartells
Monica
King
Harley

There are plenty of in-form performers for Geelong at the moment so if we do show up to play good footy, it will still be a tight contest.

I would say that I reckon we play out a tight contest better than most under Roosy. The Lions game is the only real close one that we have dropped and that was only because of a bad shot on goal.

I am glad it's a day game, because night games away are near impossible to win.

Chapman is a damaging player that often is respected by the opposition. A job for Crouchy I think.

[dendol]

I think the Geelong game will be the making (or breaking of top4) of us this season. If we win away, the confidence will be sky high and Freo will hold no fears (fortress has been breached plenty of times this year).

The catters have a midfield that is looking very dangerous though. I still think their forward line can still be suspect and will need good delivery from their midfield. If our engine room does the job and applies tough pressure, then like most games, we are halfway there. Hopefully, no Scarlett will be a big plus for us.

With all the big games coming up, I doubt we will get the chance to boost our percentage by very much. Of the top9, we definately have the toughest run into the finals. However, if there is a positive in this, any wins we notch up will be a psychological boost for the real stuff in September.

[Charlie]

The next three weeks certainly is massive.

We need to win 2 of them if we have any hopes of reaching the top four.

I think we can do it - but we need to lay good footy consistently not only over four quarters (which we haven't been doing), but over 12.

The time has come to find out how good we are.

[barry]

Originally posted by dendol
With all the big games coming up, I doubt we will get the chance to boost our percentage by very much. Of the top9, we definately have the toughest run into the finals. However, if there is a positive in this, any wins we notch up will be a psychological boost for the real stuff in September.

Yeah, our % gap to the top 4 will never be breached, so if we are to break into the top 4, it will be by picking up 3 games on one of them.
Anyone have St Kildas run home handy ?

Otherwise our % is reasonably competitive against the 5-9 teams, so we need to keep striving for big winning margins to lock up 5th or 6th (There is little difference between the two at finals time).

[Margie]

St Kilda's run home suddenly looks vulnerable.

Round 16 Richmond at TD
Round 17 Essendon at TD
Round 18 Cats at Skilled Stadium
Round 19 Adelaide at York Park
Round 20 Kangaroos at TD
Round 21 Lions at the Gabba
Round 22 Fremantle at TD

They could very easily lose 4 or 5 of those!

[Go Swannies]

I'm hopeful rather than confident about breaking into the 4. Bloody Richmond! The Aints look the most fragile so we just have to win more games that the Cats and Bombers. And beat the teams in the top 4.

R 16 Bombers play Lions
R17 Dees play Bombers
Lions play Port
R20 Port play Dees

So top 4 teams WILL lose some games. But we have to beat them, too.

[Speshall]

Cats v Swans

I really do believe the swans can beat the Cats. Why? Well we have more experience in the run home and and they (Cats) are similar to us (dour and skillful). I believe the Swans will win quite comfortably. Call me optimistic, but when i feel like this i am unusually right! I think our biggest concerns are King and Graham. Ball is no King and Doyle hasn't quite proved the back up when JB has to rotate. If King and Graham get going we are suspect in the clearances and that's what has hurt us mostly in 04. Beat them and i think our forwards are superior to there backs. Our backline can match it also. If Scarletts rubbed out Cats are in trouble!

If Luke Penny on Wanga is anything to go on you would think Scarlett would have to be rubbed out. For example, Penny's appeal was later upheld as it was found he would have made contact regardless therefore contact was unaviodable (and supposedly unintentional) whereas Scarlett (kneeing) was clearly intentional and therefore avoidable. Trust me folks even with Cressa Swans will be pumped for this one. Swans by 16points!