Top 4 finish likelihood

[annew]

Freo may not send the A grade team to Melb round 23 so anything possible as long as we win tomorrow

[MightyBloods]

Well if its not us that win the flag I hope its Freo. I have a soft spot for Ross as he was our midfield coach in our successful 2005 campaign...and our players loved him. Also, I think it would be great for the competition if Freo won it...their first. If not our song, I'll gladly 'try' and sing along to Freo, way to go, hit em high and down below...........come to think of it...shouldnt those words send them to the tribunal....high contact....only force the question.

[barry]

If you are a betting man, its time to put a bit of cash down on sydney and freo for the flag. They have both made top 4, both have near the highest % in the league, and it is statistically harder for a non victorian team to finish near the top of the ladder due to the higher number of genuine away games, it means both teams are even better than there ladder position indicates.

[707]

Beat Saints today and it's looking like Hawthorn - Swans at the MCG first Friday night of the finals, Geelong - Freo on the Saturday.

Probably rather that than going to Perth to face Freo in the first week.

[DeadlyAkkuret]

We can say goodbye to finishing above Fremantle. Our only hope for 3rd is surpassing Geelong.

They're giving the Demons the mauling that we should have dished out, instead of the five goal win we scraped together.

[Bloodthirsty]

We can say goodbye to finishing above Fremantle. Our only hope for 3rd is surpassing Geelong.

They're giving the Demons the mauling that we should have dished out, instead of the five goal win we scraped together.

That's it. If we beat Geelong we'd be doing Fremantle a favour and digging our own grave.

[dawson]

Looks as through we're likely to finish 4th and play Hawthorn at the G in the first week of the finals.
Going to make the game at ANZ a weird dress rehearsal.

[Ludwig]

Looks as through we're likely to finish 4th and play Hawthorn at the G in the first week of the finals.
Going to make the game at ANZ a weird dress rehearsal.

Looks like a dead rubber. Maybe both teams will rest all their top players for the finals, but probably won't.

It does seem highly unlikely that we will not finish 4th. Hardly worth putting much effort into the last 2 games. I doesn't seem like it will change anything.

[mcs]

Looks like a dead rubber. Maybe both teams will rest all their top players for the finals, but probably won't.

It does seem highly unlikely that we will not finish 4th. Hardly worth putting much effort into the last 2 games. I doesn't seem like it will change anything.

It is never not worth putting effort in - anything can happen in footy. Certainly once next weekend is over, then it'll be important to consider Rd 23, as it is pretty likely that next week will be a dead rubber. But we must go to Geelong thinking we can win down there, as it would only take one result going our way (freo getting knocked off) and then a home final week 1 could be right back on the table.

I do think we will finish 4th however, but its not a foregone conclusion yet.

[cyanide]

Freo play Port at Footy Park next weekend - hardly a foregone conclusion. They will be favourites but a Port upset is well within the realms of possibility.

[Auntie.Gerald]

freeo could miss a couple players from today too

Hayden and Sando both injured

[Captain]

That's it. If we beat Geelong we'd be doing Fremantle a favour and digging our own grave.

?? Only if we lost to the Hawks though!

[MightyBloods]

Freo play Port at Footy Park next weekend - hardly a foregone conclusion. They will be favourites but a Port upset is well within the realms of possibility.

Footy Park? The game is at Patterson Stadium..Freo's home ground. I think Freo will have Sandilands and Ballantyne out...Port will have Hartlett out with a shoulder you would think. I also think Freo is flying under the radar as far living in Melbourne...the Melb press are all about Hawks, Cats and Swans. I'm a HUGE Swans fan but I fancy Freo to take the title.

[Bloodthirsty]

?? Only if we lost to the Hawks though!

If we beat Geelong and over-take them, and Freo finishes above us on percentage, that means we'd be playing them at Pattersons, 3rd v 2nd.

I'm sure most people have this eerie feeling regarding the final two matches. Do we take it easy, experiment with a few things, and lose both games by a comfortable margin? Not saying tanking. I'm saying that if you don't come out firing with your absolute best, then you don't beat the Cats and Hawks. And why would you run injury and fatigue risks when a) winning may put us in a worse position than losing and b) it could compromise getting it right when it matters. I'm a die-hard Swans fan and when we lose, it takes a big effort for me to snap out of a bad mood for the week. But I don't really think I'm going to care that much over the next two weeks. As long as everything that happens puts us in the best possible position, best possible health and best possible form for the finals.

[MightyBloods]

If we beat Geelong and over-take them, and Freo finishes above us on percentage, that means we'd be playing them at Pattersons, 3rd v 2nd.

I'm sure most people have this eerie feeling regarding the final two matches. Do we take it easy, experiment with a few things, and lose both games by a comfortable margin? Not saying tanking. I'm saying that if you don't come out firing with your absolute best, then you don't beat the Cats and Hawks. And why would you run injury and fatigue risks when a) winning may put us in a worse position than losing and b) it could compromise getting it right when it matters. I'm a die-hard Swans fan and when we lose, it takes a big effort for me to snap out of a bad mood for the week. But I don't really think I'm going to care that much over the next two weeks. As long as everything that happens puts us in the best possible position, best possible health and best possible form for the finals.

I'd expect no more than what the Swans have always produced....a solid go at winning every game. Lat year we lost 3 out of the last four games which happened to be Hawks, Pies and Cats and we went on to win the premiership. Our form last year was good in those games and I remember I had confidence leading into the finals. This year I feel different. I feel from injuries that our structure has been compromised. We really miss Jetta and Goodes. I want the Swans to give their all in beating the Cats ad Hawks.....solid form against these sides will be a huge bonus to our players who will need to front up to these sides in Sept. I cant remember a team that has laid low intentionally in the final weeks of home and away winning a flag...ever.