does anyone want to win

[redsox]

the form of teams entering into the finals looks pretty ordinary

East Coast have been stumbling for a while
Uni NSW, Penno and Campbelltown beaten.

Only Wests enter the finals winning

East Coast have won 3 games over July and August. The got out of jail against wests and then beat balmain and st george. not great form and confidence must be down at Bruce Purser....they go into the finals on the back of 2 losses and now have a week off. They have a big question mark. and i think their coach is a dud.

At the other end of the 5, Campbelltown have over achieved this year and can be happy with their 5th. i expect them to go out next week

Pennant Hills, i thought were making a charge. they have lost all six games against the teams above them on the ladder. You wouldn't want to face them in elimination in the second week...i think this will be UNSW whilst East coast and wests will meet in the second round of the finals.

I think wests will be the first team into the GF with east coast getting there eventually

but no-one showed much form this weekend

[shinerunner]

i see it as a really open affair and anyone in the finals could string a few wins together and snatch the flag.
town have knocked off some big teams on there day they could do it again.
penno seem to be finding some form the slightly resembles 2008
unsw-es although a loss in the last round to "the studnets " seemed to be the form team of the comp coming into the finals
wests beat penno so have competed with another good side plus they have players back from injurys.
east coast although they seem to not have the run of form, still have a plethra of classy players to come back into the side. only a win away from finding the formm that got them on the winning streak at the start of the season.
wouldnt write anyone off yet!!

[Pace To Burn]

i see it as a really open affair and anyone in the finals could string a few wins together and snatch the flag.
town have knocked off some big teams on there day they could do it again.
penno seem to be finding some form the slightly resembles 2008
unsw-es although a loss in the last round to "the studnets " seemed to be the form team of the comp coming into the finals
wests beat penno so have competed with another good side plus they have players back from injurys.
east coast although they seem to not have the run of form, still have a plethra of classy players to come back into the side. only a win away from finding the formm that got them on the winning streak at the start of the season.
wouldnt write anyone off yet!!

I agree. Really its anyones, up for grabs. Uni are still the strongest list i reckon. Losing to Syd Uni away is no stumble they are a 6-8 goal better side their. East Coast have depth and will be a chance if they dont get the wobbles up again. Wests are always gunna be a chance with the best forward in the comp and Penno only start playing after Round 18 although they have lost alot of talent from last year. As you said we can do anything when the stars align, although our best and worst are a fair way apart(Im sure Uni hope they dont see us again ).All stacks up too hopefully the best finals series for a while where everyones a chance.

[happygolucky]

totally agree . Wollongong smashed East Coast Physically on Saturday night and they hated it . I think teams like Wests and Uni can beat them easily if they bring it pysically.

There coach is a cat and a thug !

[TheRefrigerator]

totally agree . Wollongong smashed East Coast Physically on Saturday night and they hated it . I think teams like Wests and Uni can beat them easily if they bring it pysically.

There coach is a cat and a thug !

That you Kenny?

[floppinab]

wests beat penno so have competed with another good side plus they have players back from injurys.

That's hey key, not just for Wests but for all. Take one or two of the better players out (or restricted) of any of the Top 5 and suddenly they fall right back in the standings. As always will play a big part of who features in the last weeks.

........./easty snobbery on/ is anyone really looking forward to heading out to Blacktown over the coming weeks???? Been spoilt the last few years living 5 mins from Henson. Hopefully they can split between the two venues in the coming years rather than have all @ Blacktown.

[shearer]

yep its a long way to go thats for sure..Henson was pretty central for everyone.

[Junior]

is everyone forgetting that Blacktown @@@@s all over henson for playing surface, player facilities, spectator facilities, lights and broadcast facilities? the fact that you guys have to travel a bit further really isn't an issue. the fact that the afl sydney still plays on grounds like Olds, Gore Hill, and Ern Holmes is an issue. surely playing on pristine surfaces over rides convenience for some.
And Shearer, Henson is not central for everyone. Ask Pennant Hills, East Coast, Campbelltown and probably Wollongong where they would rather travel to...

[Johno74]

It may be a further away, but the facilities are fantastic and the playing surface is quality.

The atmosphere on Saturday night was great and it seems the crowd noise reverberates around the grandstand to get everyone in the spirit.

It stacks up much better than Henson and is by far a better venue, just a little longer to get there.

[redsox]

definitely better for access for people from the Hills.

surely east coast will benefit from a change of venue. Their memories of Henson are not so good in September...in fair weather or foul

[BeeEmmAre]

It will be interesting to note that should East Coast win the second semi final, they will enter the grand final as the only team in the five to have not played at Blacktown before that day.

That said, any of the five teams could make it - it is shaping as the best finals' series in my six seasons here.

[TheRefrigerator]

is everyone forgetting that Blacktown @@@@s all over henson for playing surface, player facilities, spectator facilities, lights and broadcast facilities? the fact that you guys have to travel a bit further really isn't an issue. the fact that the afl sydney still plays on grounds like Olds, Gore Hill, and Ern Holmes is an issue. surely playing on pristine surfaces over rides convenience for some.
And Shearer, Henson is not central for everyone. Ask Pennant Hills, East Coast, Campbelltown and probably Wollongong where they would rather travel to...

I agree Junior, anything to lift the level of playing surfaces in the competition should be seen as a way forward. For all you people complaining about the travel, get over it. Blacktown is closer to the centre of Sydney (parramatta) than Henson is and Henson is a terrible old venue.

[Pekay]

Organise a bus out there for god's sake, carrying on as if you are travelling to Silverton. And even the ground out there is better than some of the grounds in Sydney.

[floppinab]

Organise a bus out there for god's sake, carrying on as if you are travelling to Silverton. And even the ground out there is better than some of the grounds in Sydney.

Penrose Park, ha ha, probably got a better surface than most of the grounds in Broken Hill remember playing on a few dust bowls there over the years.

[Coastal Boy]

Since they did the work on Henson during the off season I thought the surface was much better. I say Henson is the second best venue behind Blacktown. Let's hope the crowds are better than the disasters when the finals were played at campbelltown. Anyway the big winners are the toll collectors at the M5 and M7.