Final 8 Settled

[Bloody Hell]

At the completion of Rd 17 I'm willing to call it.

The current top 8 will be the top 8 come September.

1 GEE 17 158 56
2 KAN 17 108 48
3 PA 17 114 44
4 WCE 17 114 44
5 HAW 17 110 40
6 COL 17 100 40
7 SYD 17 117 36
8 ESS 17 97 36

The only team that may make the 8 that isn't already there (and could do some damage) will be the Lions.

[ScottH]

I reckon Essendon will slip out. They have a tough run home.

[liz]

I think it is far from settled. The Saints and Lions both look capable of pushing their way in. Indeed, I'll be more surprised if the Saints don't make it than if they do.

I'm not completely prepared to write off Adelaide yet either - they are a club capable of playing a month of very solid football and their best can beat almost anyone. They'll need to make a start, though, this weekend, with a Showdown win.

Agree with Scott that the Bombers look vulnerable but so do the Hawks, based on current form. And our boys are far from secure either. Drop a couple of those last four games - easily done, and we'll be on the brink.

[ScottH]

The one thing that will/may help the bombers is the Sheedy/Hird final season emotion.

[hammo]

The one thing that will/may help the bombers is the Sheedy/Hird final season emotion.

Yes, I agree. It would be a brave person tipping against them in round 22 at Subiaco if they need a win to make the finals.

Overall, it's too early to call. With so many of the top sides due to play each other, it's wide open.

[ScottH]

Yes, I agree. It would be a brave person tipping against them in round 22 at Subiaco if they need a win to make the finals.

Overall, it's too early to call. With so many of the top sides due to play each other, it's wide open.

Geelong have a relatively tuff run home too, after this weekend.

[Thunder Shaker]

And our boys are far from secure either. Drop a couple of those last four games - easily done, and we'll be on the brink.

We have Saints, Brisbane, Collingwood and Hawthorn in the last 4 weeks. None of these are easy games. Lose too many of these and we will need to find something else to do in September.

[dazza]

Do you think the Swans can make it this year ?

They have not played well against some of the better teams in the comp such as kangas saints and pies who are not playing well at the moment themselves

The Swans need an overhaul of their list as well and get some players that get plenty of possessions and play more attacking football

Against the Tiggers and the blues who are near the bottom they play that type of football but against other teams they try and shut teams down

When it works they tend to win ugly but when it does not they get blown away and then tend to come back but leave it too late ie games against West Coast and Geelong

[Plugger46]

The 8 is far from settled. Essendon are definitely vulnerable - Saints are a big chance to make it, as are the Lions and I wouldn't write off Adelaide either.

As for us, I still give us some chance of making the top 4 but realistically a home final from 5th or 6th looks likely. We seem to be coming good at the right time while sides such as Hawthorn are looking tired.

[Xie Shan]

The eight is far from settled! 12 teams are still in contention - Adelaide in 12th on 8-9 being the lowest-placed team that can still make it. I can't see Essendon dropping out with all the emotion surrounding Sheedy. I don't think we will drop out either, though there is a real chance of us being finals fodder at 7th or 8th. I think if we make it, Brisbane and the Saints will probably miss out, since we would need to beat them to be assured of our spot. My final 8:

1 Geelong
2 West Coast
3 Kangaroos
4 Sydney
5 Port Adelaide
6 Hawthorn
7 Collingwood
8 Essendon

Grand final: Geelong v Kangaroos (just a feeling - I think the Kangaroos resemble the Iraq of the AFL - surprising everybody)

[punter257]

well arden street looks like downtown iraq at the moment

i still give us a chance at the top 4 but a clearer indication of this will be presented when the final siren goes against the saints

plus it would be nice if the dockers beat the weagles and the crows beat port this weekend

[Steiger]

The eight is far from settled! 12 teams are still in contention - Adelaide in 12th on 8-9 being the lowest-placed team that can still make it. I can't see Essendon dropping out with all the emotion surrounding Sheedy. I don't think we will drop out either, though there is a real chance of us being finals fodder at 7th or 8th. I think if we make it, Brisbane and the Saints will probably miss out, since we would need to beat them to be assured of our spot. My final 8:

1 Geelong
2 West Coast
3 Kangaroos
4 Sydney
5 Port Adelaide
6 Hawthorn
7 Collingwood
8 Essendon

Grand final: Geelong v Kangaroos (just a feeling - I think the Kangaroos resemble the Iraq of the AFL - surprising everybody)

Sydney need Essendon and Sainters to lose more games than themselves to secure a top 8 spot. Essendon and Saints have a better run in my opinion:

Saints are up against Swans, Dogs, Freo, WCE and Richmond. 2 games they'll win are Freo and Tigers games. The Swans and Doggies games will be tough encounters as will the Eagles game.

Essendon have a good run for their last 5 games, their toughest game will be against WCE at Subi, then Hawthorn this week. The rest are Carlton, Richmond and Freo.

Sydney are up against Saints, Collingwood, Hawthorn (who looked to have peaked and are on the way down but still dangerous). The lions are doing well at the moment too and Melbourne this week. Not a smooth ride to the end of the season. 1 cert win against Melb this week. The rest are tough calls.

Port should account for Carlton and Freo, given they are 2 wins ahead of Sydney I can't see Sydney leap frogging Port. They also play Catters and Hawthorn and the derby with the Crows. They can beat Hawthorn and Crows on the day. They're coming good now too.

Grand Final: A damn good one as it's a very tight field coming into the home straight. 3 wins seperate 2nd and 10th.

[hammo]

I wouldn't be so dismissive of Fremantle in the run in, they are set to be the classic spoiling team this year.

With the pressure off they could be very dangerous to come up against especially with Mark Harvey looking to secure a senior coaching position and players looking to stay on the club's plans etc.

They knocked off a good Crows side last week so St Kilda, Essendon, Port and even West Coast this week should be very wary.

[goswannie14]

I was thinking the same thing Hammo, never underestimate Freo.

[originalswan]

The problem is not so much that the top 8 is finalised (which by the way it is far from cemented) but that the TOP 4 looks pretty much out of the Swans reach unless - Port or West Coast have a dramatic for reversal.

To make up 2 games from only 5 remaining is a little too much - regardless of what the players or club keeps putting out in the media.