4th

[barry]

Ok, a bit of bandwagon jumping on here, but bear with me.....

Since we probably dont have the form, and have lost too many games this year already, we wont finish top 2 this year and cruise into the grand final on home finals alone. As if.

But we are sitting 6th, so moving up to 4th over the 2nd half of the season is very acheivable if we can get our game going a little better. Also a look at our draw, is significantly easier in the 2nd half.

Assuming WC finish 1st, 4th is the next best place to be in the finals. You get the 1st non-knockout final over and done with in Perth, then get some no-body at home, then probably a prelim in Melbourne. 4th is a lot easier than 2nd/3rd which will probably get you a prelim in Perth.
If Port and Brisbane miss out on finals, its wide open.

Did someone say they had a feeling this year ?

[Jimmy C]

Our current up/down form may suggest otherwise, but I haven't ruled anything out yet. Presently, we're in the eight, and its getting congested. I also wonder about the form of other teams too though. Lots of unknown variables at the halfway mark. Are Collingwood a chance? What about the Dockers? Will Port and Brisbane suddenly get it together? Have the Kangaroos got the post-round-five-yipps?

[NMWBloods]

Why would you not want to finish 3rd and get a possible final in Melbourne at the MCG, so a great opportunity for 'practice', and then get a week off if successful?

[Mike_B]

Anything can happen this year - there are 3 games between 3rd and 14th.

I guess the one good thing is that if we were to end up 4th and get a home final in the 2nd week, it wouldn't be at the SCG, so teams like Adelaide who seem to play us very well there may lose some of that advantage (if you would call it one).

[Mark]

Originally posted by Mike_B
Anything can happen this year - there are 3 games between 3rd and 14th.

I guess the one good thing is that if we were to end up 4th and get a home final in the 2nd week, it wouldn't be at the SCG, so teams like Adelaide who seem to play us very well there may lose some of that advantage (if you would call it one).

What ?

That is the ball tearer of all time !

No, you would never want to play a team on your "home ground" that would be downright stupid !

Much better to play it at a ground you play on 3 times a year

Stick to player hugging, clearly you know nothing about football

[Legs Akimbo]

This season is as wide open as I can remember. Last year there were probably Lions, Saints and Power given credible chances. This year, West Coast are about 20% in front of the pack and other teams very evenly matched after that excepting the bottom three. The season thus far has been noteable for the up and down form of many of the teams and so called good teams not playing to potential.

I think most clubs with the exception of Hawthorn, Carlton and Essendon would be looking at the ladder and thinking they have a chance. We are no different.

On upside we have home ground advantage, the fact we are playing some pretty awful footy but still winning > 50%, and are not as vunerable to injury as some. On the downside, our style of play is not conducive to winning a premiership, we don't have any game busting players.

I think the probability of winning a flag from here this season is about 1:10. I'd give Westcoast about 2:5. I think we'll finish 6th and go out in the first week.

[Mike_B]

Originally posted by Mark
No, you would never want to play a team on your "home ground" that would be downright stupid !

Much better to play it at a ground you play on 3 times a year

You do realise that the Swans are contracted to play all home finals (should they earn that right) at Homebush right? So whether they would prefer to play it at the SCG is a moot point...

[NMWBloods]

Originally posted by Mark
What ?

That is the ball tearer of all time !

No, you would never want to play a team on your "home ground" that would be downright stupid !

Much better to play it at a ground you play on 3 times a year

His point was simply that Adelaide have a better record on the SCG than we do.

Stick to player hugging, clearly you know nothing about football

Amazing... and yet I'm the one who's constantly criticised as rude and offensive...

[cruiser]

Originally posted by NMWBloods
Amazing... and yet I'm the one who's constantly criticised as rude and offensive...

See what you've done! You're behaviour has encouraged others to imitate it.

[Bart]

Re: 4th

Originally posted by barry
Assuming WC finish 1st, 4th is the next best place to be in the finals. You get the 1st non-knockout final over and done with in Perth, then get some no-body at home, then probably a prelim in Melbourne.

2nd would be next best place IMO .

Also That prelim you mention above would be at home if current talks between the AFL and MCC succeed

MCC buckles on finals

http://foxsports.news.com.au/story/0,8659,15493925-23211,00.html

[NMWBloods]

Originally posted by cruiser
See what you've done! You're behaviour has encouraged others to imitate it.

Most people like to imitate their betters.

[cruiser]

Its extremely premature for people to be talking about home finals after only round 11 of a very ordinary season so far for Sydney. Sydney is in the middle of its easiest run of games this season. Pick up your fixture cards and look at July: Richmond (a), Geelong (h), Melbourne (a), West Coast (h) and Adeliade (a). If we are still in a position to talk home finals at the end of that very tough run, go for it.

[cruiser]

Re: 4th

Originally posted by barry
Also a look at our draw, is significantly easier in the 2nd half.

Are you serious? See my post above regarding Sydney's 5 games in July. It couldnt be much harder.

[barry]

Originally posted by cruiser
Its extremely premature for people to be talking about home finals after only round 11 of a very ordinary season so far for Sydney. Sydney is in the middle of its easiest run of games this season. Pick up your fixture cards and look at July: Richmond (a), Geelong (h), Melbourne (a), West Coast (h) and Adeliade (a). If we are still in a position to talk home finals at the end of that very tough run, go for it.

We are a better side than what we've shown in the first 5 weeks, and we are slowly turning it around so that we are 4/5 lately. If we play true to our ability:

Richmond (a) - 60/40 Tigers have been good, but are set to implode IMO.
Geelong (h) - 70/30 Geelong arent travelling well. Home game will see us home.
Melbourne (a) - 30/70 Form Melbourne team, too good for us.
West Coast (h) - 55/45 Beat them in a prelim last year. Would be a significant mental acheivement to bear them again. A good chance at home.
Adelaide (a) - 45/55 Again a close one. I think Adelaide are playing way above themselves.

So 3 from 5. Could easily be 4 if we can get our act into gear.

[NNWBloods will say lucky to win 1]

[barry]

Re: Re: 4th

Originally posted by cruiser
Are you serious? See my post above regarding Sydney's 5 games in July. It couldnt be much harder.

1st half of the year we had:

WC away
Brisbane away
Port home
St Kilda away.
Melboune home.

We got 2/5 out of that which is bloody good.