Finals

[MattW]

It's a fun draw for us isn't? And right now, Friday arvo, we're actually behind our maligned friends out at Homebush. They are actually
in Week 2 of the finals, we're not. Looking further ahead, I'm hopeful that last year's occurrence of both QF winners going on to
lose their prelims (possibly by virtue of having forgotten what a footy looks like by playing so rarely) repeats itself.

Agreed, we've got the toughest draw, which is befitting the lowest ranked home team.

[KTigers]

Put it this way.... right now we are a better team this year than the Bulldogs were last year. If they can pull it off, it'll
be a career high for pretty much everyone in the team.

Agreed, we've got the toughest draw, which is befitting the lowest ranked home team.

[Wardy]

If Geelong win tonight they are capable of beating all three of the left overs & get to the GF - and it's made our road tougher but doable. I'm feeling a good kind of nervous that should we beat Bombers, then narrowly beat Richmond - meeting Adelaide at AO is going to be epic and brutal ! Can we beat them again?? Yes we can - But Geez the crows looked good, were a bit more accurate in front of goal than they were in round 22!! But we need to get our @@@@ together !!! Also with such a massive home crowd our boys will really need to Block that out & do their thing!! The umps need to harden up and not fall for crowd noise either. (And Im working in Adelaide that week - don't know if I can cope being surrounded by such ferocious supporters for a second time in 5 weeks - it is genuinely scary !! And getting a ticket will be tricky - must talk to the boss to see about calling in client favours in a box) ????????

[S.S. Bleeder]

If Geelong win tonight and we win tomorrow I think we have the hardest draw to the Granny - Richmond at the MCG and the Crows at Adelaide Oval. Will be barracking for the Tiges tonight

Tonights winner is an almost certainty to play in the GF. They come up against GWS, Port or WCE in two weeks time. If the winner is Geelong it will be at Geelong. If all goes well we'll be playing against the Crows in Adelaide that same week.

Not sure who I'm going to barrack for tonight. If we are to make it all the way we are going to have to beat both of them at some stage anyway. Given that, I'd prefer to play Geelong in the GF so I might barrack for them.

[S.S. Bleeder]

Then again, having given it some more thought, Richmond would be a chance to lose against GWS at the MCG. Maybe I should barrack for them?

[Swansongster]

Definitely cheering for the Tiges tonight for no other reason than their victory song is better.

Yeah, I know ... chickens, counting, hatching etc. ... but I would love to see a Swans v. Tigers Grand Final.

Now that would be epic.

[Wardy]

My dream of it being Swans v Geelong grand final is still a possibility - for now!!

[Matty10]

Phil Davis too

He might have grunt, I don't really see it. I also don't think he is capable of leading his team where they need to go. They lack genuine, grab-you-by-the-throat leaders who demand more than you think you are capable of giving (but they are rare).

In a bizarre piece of irony, the failure of the team might actually be the making of the club. They are still a bit soulless at the moment (although perhaps not as bad as Gold Coast). Their narrative needs to be built on something other than the expected success of draft concessions. Rising from the depths of despair they might actually be able to construct something real and be a story worth telling.

[bloodspirit]

I know they had injuries but if you were a list manager I think you'd describe their list as anything but fine.

Given they have no concessions now and the benefits of frontloading the contracts of Scully, Davis Shaw and Ward are wearing off I think they have a huge % of their salary cap invested in a small number of admittedly elite players - Shiel, Coniglio, Cameron, Patton, Lobb, Whitfield and Kelly would all be on huge coin. And those kids have never had to fight for anything in their life and fall over when challenged. The only players in that club that have any character, and they have it in spades, are the trio of Davis Scully and Ward who were inspired signings. But when they leave in 2-3 years you look and wonder where the next bunch of leaders are. I don't see any - I see a bunch of teenage millionaires who just cannot wait to explore free agency when the time comes to maximise their career earnings.

Their injury list is not that deep now. Their only injuries right now are Kennedy, Griffin and Buntine so you cannot tell me that they would have made much of a difference.

They have only got two second rounders in this years draft so their improvement needs to come from within - I imagine Taranto, Setterfield and Perryman will get a run next year but they are no guarantees to be stars. And as I pointed out you have Stevie J retiring and Mumford and Shaw looking cooked. Recruiting Deledio looks like a ridiculous decision and Griffin is 32 next year so also close to the end too.

Now, if they lose Kelly and/or Smith their list starts to look even thinner and with free agency starting to beckon the only reason they will stay, winning premierships, is starting to fade too.

It's bizarre that experts as recently as a couple of months ago were talking about betting GWS v the field. Clearly they are not a crap team overnight but if they go out in straight sets I think the AFL would be feeling a bit nervous.

Until now GWS have had a rails run. Plenty of draft one picks so it didn't matter if they missed with a few. Surplus players to trade out for more first round draft picks. Well that cycle is over now. GWS need to develop and improve players like any other club. Like we do with a back six that came from the rookie list along with latter draft picks who we develop over years (Lloyd, Newman, Towers).

I'm not sure that GWS have the skillset or desire to do that, to knuckle down for the long haul now if things don't go to their business plan with a flag falling into their lap in years 5,6 or 7 as they were told by all and sundry would happen. I don't know if the Eastern Suburbs corporate types and ignoramuses that populate the corporate box on match day will hang around when the fun wears off. And will the players, who all seem to have taken the bait that a flag this year was a fait accompli, be able to resist the lure back home on more money to a proper football club where they don't feel like they are in the circus. And I sure don't think a lot of the window lickers in the crowd will keep on returning if they start falling down the ladder.

Chicken Little stuff if you ask me. There are a bunch of teams out there that would happily swap lists with the Giants.

There are two bad things about the Crows winning last night:

1. We don't get to play GWS in Sydney.

2. If we make it, we play the Crows in Adelaide rather than on the MCG - that will be one tough Prelim. If we do get past them,a meeting with Geelong in the Granny at the MCG would be comparatively easy.

I don't really care who wins tonight but it should be match of the round.

Looking forward to both Swans games tomorrow. Go Bloods!

[bloodspirit]

I reckon that tonight's match is critical to either side's flag chances. The loser will not play in the Grand Final, let alone win the premiership. Whereas last night, not so much.

- - - Updated - - -

Of course, it's possible the winner won't make the Granny either. It's definitely the softer side of the draw.

[Bill Posters]

Umpires last night seemed fairly impartial, which makes me think: why did we get shafted when we played at AO? Worse umpires?

[Mel_C]

Definitely cheering for the Tiges tonight for no other reason than their victory song is better.

Yeah, I know ... chickens, counting, hatching etc. ... but I would love to see a Swans v. Tigers Grand Final.

Now that would be epic.

No thanks! It will be another fairytale win ????.

[barry]

If Geelong win tonight and we win tomorrow I think we have the hardest draw to the Granny - Richmond at the MCG and the Crows at Adelaide Oval. Will be barracking for the Tiges tonight

Totally. I was with some moron swans supporter last night going for Adelaide. I mean, did he stop to think what he was doing? A prelim in Adelaide or Sydney .hmmm let's choose travel.????

[Markwebbos]

Would you rather face the Tigers at the MCG next week or in the Grand Final? It has to be next week ... before they become the fairy tale and while they are still in danger of again failing to win a final?

I'm barracking for the Cats tonigt

[Daisi]

Ive already turned off the sound for C7..the commentators are probably wearing tigers jumpers...

Sickening and unfair that Geelong have to play under these conditions...The game should be at Geelong.. umpires are definitely going to be influenced by the Tiger crowd