Who Outside of the Top 4...

[boroboy]

...do you think can make a real mark in the finals, or even go all the way to the GF?

I think Geelong can cause some mayhem - they'll beat Richmond this weekend, and are then likely to win their first home final. That'll give them 3 straight wins and some real momentum. Their defence will get better by the week as Harley gets back to fitness, and Gary Aablett Jnr is a gun. They don't travel well and struggle to kick consistent big scores but I still would be very, very wary of them...

[hammo]

Yep, Geelong are definitely a smokey but they have to keep playing like they did against West Coast.

The Roos simply don't have enough depth while Melbourne are playing at nowhere near the level they were at the first half of the year.

Bulldogs would be a danger but I can't see them making it now. Brisbane have too many injuries and I doubt they can beat St Kilda.

Which leaves Port Adelaide. As poor as they've been they are still the defending Premiers and deserve respect. They have the cattle and if they can put it together on the day/night, they could beat anyone.

[Sanecow]

If anyone from outside the top four jags a Grand Final victory, there will be an enormous amount of nude poop eating across the country.

[cruiser]

Re: Who Outside of the Top 4...

Originally posted by boroboy
...do you think can make a real mark in the finals, or even go all the way to the GF?

None of them. Like last year, I think this years preliminary finals will be fought by the top 4 teams.

[Go Swannies]

The Saints have real injury problems and it's been mooted that they may not win another game this season.

I can't try to sort the ramifications until the end of R22 but think it may be 1-3 and one from 4-8 in the PF.

[giant]

Re: Re: Who Outside of the Top 4...

Originally posted by cruiser
None of them. Like last year, I think this years preliminary finals will be fought by the top 4 teams.

Agreed - should put them out of their collective misery & go straight to PFs now.

[Tuesday]

Should things fall their way and they actually make it into the eight at the end of the weekend, then I believe the Bulldogs are capabale of a major upset. A big part of me is hoping they don't actually make it, because I don't want to be facing them in the finals series at all! They're the most underrated side in the competition, especially now considering Andy D, Wallsy and Co have jumped on our bandwagon.

[cruiser]

Originally posted by Tuesday
Should things fall their way and they actually make it into the eight at the end of the weekend, then I believe the Bulldogs are capabale of a major upset. A big part of me is hoping they don't actually make it, because I don't want to be facing them in the finals series at all! They're the most underrated side in the competition, especially now considering Andy D, Wallsy and Co have jumped on our bandwagon.

Pffft. They couldnt even beat The Dees.

[NMWBloods]

Re: Who Outside of the Top 4...

Originally posted by boroboy
...do you think can make a real mark in the finals, or even go all the way to the GF?

Melbourne and Geelong could be dangerous. Kangaroos likewise. None of these are likely to make the GF, but you never know (everyone said that about Carlton in '99 too). Port is my pick for the other team, and the same can be said about them. Underestimate any of them at your peril (semi final last year!).

[Schneiderman]

Re: Re: Who Outside of the Top 4...

Originally posted by NMWBloods
Underestimate any of them at your peril (semi final last year!).

If we cannot beat all of the bottom 4 by comfortable margins (thats if we have to play them) then we stand no chance in the GF anyway.

[BayesysLeftBoot]

I think Geelong are still too young and lack genuine leadership which is why the are so hot and cold, can't imagine them getting past a PF. Kangaroos on the other hand have a good blend of enthusiastic youth and experienced veterens but just lack that touch of class required in september. Melbourne are hard judge, so much of there performance relys on the form of their core group of players (Neitz, White, Yze, Johnstone and Robertson), once again pretty hard to see them making it past a PF.

Fremantle are just plain weak, if brisbane make the finals and get some key players back are always a threat. Doggies could be dangerous but I believe are allready at their absolute peak and it's probably just short of the mark. The only genuine chance I believe is Port, they have the pontential to step up a few notches, and have plenty of finals experience in their team.

[SimonH]

I would love to see Port miss the finals; just my freakin' luck to be relying on Freo winning a crunch game away to achieve it. Honestly, the only teams I'd less like Port to be playing are all gunning for bonus draft picks.

On form, the Dogs are clearly the best team outside the 4. Unless they slip up monumentally against the Woods, they will make it if Essendon beat Melbourne, which after last week is only just short of an even-money bet. Even form sides lose the odd one to inferior teams (see: Sydney v Richmond). I'd also love to see them play a final because their play-on-at-all-costs-in-all-positions style is ke-razy and would result in one (or more) very entertaining finals. Who said Rocket Eade was a boring coach?

[Schneiderman]

Originally posted by SimonH
Who said Rocket Eade was a boring coach?

Not "boring", just "inconsistent".

[barry]

The only team I fear outside the top 4 is Port Adelaide. We all know they have a team capable of winning a flag, so if they ever got that hunger back, they could cause some damage. The finals might just stur that hunger.

[NMWBloods]

Port were lucky last year in finals.