First final

[Bloodthirsty]

A lot of people on here are really negative on the back of a loss, yes we played badly,but had we played well we still would have lost given the disgraceful umpiring ,they would not pay one free kick to a swan when clearly they were being held out of contests off the ball and paid free kicks to any cat who had a hand laid on them ,but it doesn't change anything .I would much prefer us to meet Hawks the first week anyway and contrary to many people here I really like our chances to win that and str8t thru to the prelim. this team is resilient and plays their best footy when people write them off..how do you think if any of the other top 4 teams would go without 5 or six of their best players out ? it is quite amazing that they have been able to lock up a top4 spot given all the injuries ..next week I hope that Longmire rests Hanners, JPK and maybe ROK as well , next week means squat ,the same as last night.if any team can bounce back it is the swans..keep the faith..

What's the bet that the Cat's tactics of infringing us away from the play, as well as the disgraceful umpiring doesn't get one mention in any media? Instead it will be: "Oh the Cats are amazing! Go Victorian teams!! The Swans are overrated, they were never good." [no mention of half the team missing, or how good we must be to lock up a top 4 spot with our injury list].

[mcs]

I reckon we'll lose the first final, win the second then lose the prelim. When the emotion dies down we'll be happy with the season. We have some terrific new youngsters that have gained invaluable experience and will have said goodbye to some premiership heroes. Watch out next year!

That's my feeling of how it might go as well. I was thinking last night, and the only path I can see to the GF for us this year is to somehow win the qualifying final and then get a home prelim from that, giving ourselves a week off to rest some very tired bodies.

We have, given the injuries we've sustained this season, done very well to finish top 4. I'd still be disappointed if we don't make the Prelim final, but I just can't see how we will make deep inroads past that. But we all know how good our team is at standing up at the right end of the season, but we are missing some seriously good players from our team, and I think as a result we are very weak at the bottom end of the 22 (not necessarily that our bottom players are not good players or good players in the making - just that at this stage they are relatively 'weak' compared to especially the Dorks and Geelong).

But whilst we are still in the comp, we can dream and hope, and you just never know what might happen come finals time!

- - - Updated - - -

What's the bet that the Cat's tactics of infringing us away from the play, as well as the disgraceful umpiring doesn't get one mention in any media? Instead it will be: "Oh the Cats are amazing! Go Victorian teams!! The Swans are overrated, they were never good." [no mention of half the team missing, or how good we must be to lock up a top 4 spot with our injury list].

Of course it won't. The free kick certainly was one sided, and most importantly at the time when we still were in the game. But that doesn't make any excuses for our below par performance.

[Ludwig]

If we beat Hawthorn and Geelong beat Brisbane (and it doesn't even have to be a big margin) and Freo beat St Kilda the top four would be Cats Hawks Dockers Swans

Geelong already have a better % than Hawthorn, so Geelong will finish first if they win and we beat Hawthorn by any score. We will finish 4th regardless, unless we move to another universe with different laws of nature.

Both look hard to beat at the MCG in the finals. An advantage of finishing 4th is that we should play the first final on Friday and if we lose, play following week on Saturday, which gives us an extra day's rest and a home final in the 2nd round, so we should have some hope of reaching the preliminary final.

[Doctor]

Doomsday scenario for us is that we lose in week one and our home final in week 2 is against Collingwood.

[annew]

Remember 2003 when against all odds we beat Port, maybe we can do it again. Neither Brisbane or swans have got to the GF from 1st or second. I think it Would it be better to play Richmond than Coll for 2nd final. Prelim will be very hard to win.

[MightyBloods]

Remember 2003 when against all odds we beat Port, maybe we can do it again. Neither Brisbane or swans have got to the GF from 1st or second. I think it Would it be better to play Richmond than Coll for 2nd final. Prelim will be very hard to win.

1996

- - - Updated - - -

The interesting talk in Melbourne this morning is that its likely that there will be 4 finals in Melb in the first week. Apparently, only 3 will be played at the MCG with the other to be at Etihad. Likely Cats vs Freo as Freo have less supporter base. The Cats are trying to to get the final at Simmonds if they are forced to play away from the MCG. It will be at Etihad and the Cats wont be happy....watch this space.

[annew]

Forgot about 1996. If all finals are in Melb first week as is likely, there will be no finals in Melb 2nd week and makes it likely that our home final will be sat night so Freo has the longest break to get to Melb for pre lim.

[ugg]

Geelong already have a better % than Hawthorn, so Geelong will finish first if they win and we beat Hawthorn by any score. We will finish 4th regardless, unless we move to another universe with different laws of nature.

Not quite, it's possible but improbable that we could beat Hawthorn and Geelong beat Brisbane and the Hawks still remain top.

Here's what has to happen. Say it's a really rainy day on Friday at ANZ (which it isn't forecasted to be) and the two teams slog it out with the Swans winning a dour struggle 56-55. The Hawks percentage would drop to 136.00%. Brisbane come out with all guns blazing and nothing to lose throw caution to the wind and play an exciting, expansive brand of footy. They cannot sustain it for 4 quarters and the Cats come roaring home to take the match in a high scoring match 101-100, but their percentage takes a beating dropping to 135.86% giving Hawthorn top spot.

[annew]

Or maybe the ladder stays as it is and swans beat hawthorn week 1, Freo beats Geelong week 1 and Melbourne goes into meltdown as both prelims away from Melb - oh how sweet that would be.

[Cardinal]

Not quite, it's possible but improbable that we could beat Hawthorn and Geelong beat Brisbane and the Hawks still remain top.

Here's what has to happen. Say it's a really rainy day on Friday at ANZ (which it isn't forecasted to be) and the two teams slog it out with the Swans winning a dour struggle 56-55. The Hawks percentage would drop to 136.00%. Brisbane come out with all guns blazing and nothing to lose throw caution to the wind and play an exciting, expansive brand of footy. They cannot sustain it for 4 quarters and the Cats come roaring home to take the match in a high scoring match 101-100, but their percentage takes a beating dropping to 135.86% giving Hawthorn top spot.

If they beat the Dogs today, Brisbane will be playing to make the finals against Geelong pending the Bombers losing their points.

[annew]

Is Richmond a threat, they are thrashing GWS

[Ludwig]

Not quite, it's possible but improbable that we could beat Hawthorn and Geelong beat Brisbane and the Hawks still remain top.

Here's what has to happen. Say it's a really rainy day on Friday at ANZ (which it isn't forecasted to be) and the two teams slog it out with the Swans winning a dour struggle 56-55. The Hawks percentage would drop to 136.00%. Brisbane come out with all guns blazing and nothing to lose throw caution to the wind and play an exciting, expansive brand of footy. They cannot sustain it for 4 quarters and the Cats come roaring home to take the match in a high scoring match 101-100, but their percentage takes a beating dropping to 135.86% giving Hawthorn top spot.

Yes, you are right. I should have applied the line about the laws of nature in another universe to this scenario as well.

[Melbourne_Blood]

Is Richmond a threat, they are thrashing GWS

Are you asking if they are a threat, because they are thrashing GWS? Because that's not normally the greatest indication of a teams premiership credentials.

[annew]

Are you asking if they are a threat, because they are thrashing GWS? Because that's not normally the greatest indication of a teams premiership credentials.

Not asking because of how they are playing against GWS just in general. Will the swans be the first team in the top 4 since this finals set up to not make the pre lim

[Melbourne_Blood]

On current form, that's a distinct possibility. We've played exceptional football at times this year, but our best football was played in a 3 game stretch right before the bye ( wins against Essendon, Pies and Crows). We haven't really got near that football since, despite some good wins, mainly against WCE and the Tiges. We still haven't been a top 4 side this year