Opinion Leading into the bye...

[L_W_P]

That's this weekend! A night game on Sunday night..... seriously WTF?!?! That is ridiculous, especially for a blockbuster like Ess v Carl!

To the AFL...

It will be interesting to see what sort of crowd they get. Carlton apprently asked the AFL for games in that slot to try and make a mint on TV sponsorships.

It is the start of school holidays as well so parents may be more inclined to take the kids along.

On us - I think we should go hard for the Brisbane and GC games. If it means resting/managing players or moving things around then go for it. Just win those 2 games.

 

[VDS66]

Interesting views regarding our season based on 2 wins against to mediocre teams... especially Melbourne.

I see no problem with dreaming big... hell I have been dreaming big for 45 years now! But we have to be realistic about what is going on and how long it will take.

And to be blunt, I don't want us to fast track or win too many games this year. The penalty for being up for so long is that we have been deprived of top draft picks, so now it is our turn. We cannot rely on Roo forever and seriously need some big talent coming in.

Does this mean we tank? well this is the system that the AFL has handed us. So if everyone else uses the system, why not us? I don't care anymore because nice guys come last.

So yeah it's nice to win. It's nice to see us move up the ladder. But why do it and miss out on a gun KPF?

All this will do is consign us to being a mid table team for the next 10 years. As long as the endeavour is there, let the kids develop and mature for a season... add some more boom recruits then sit back and enjoy the climb IMO.

This fan is not getting carried away or lulled into a flase sense of euphoria just yet.

 

[sverik25]

I give us an outside chance against Adelaide and Carlton and maybe the Gold Coast, and I think the Brisbane match will be a toss of the coin. Most likely outcome is probably 3 wins before the bye, but we could conceivably have won 4 or 5. Then again, we might not win another game.

 

[Baldur]

I have us defeating Carlton before anybody else we have yet to play this year. Carlton are rubbish, have been for years and nothing has changed.

 

[Nutsngum]

I have us defeating Carlton before anybody else we have yet to play this year. Carlton are rubbish, have been for years and nothing has changed.

We seem to match up on Carlton pretty well anyway and I think we will be able to outrun them just due to fitness.

VDS66, there's no way we should ever condone any sort of tanking at the club. Its been shown before it just destroys the mentality of people there and does not help one bit. Even so, if we were going to tank then wede already have lost the last two games!

Agreed we need those draft picks though. Even some fans in real life are still hoping on finals etc.. but we need those high draft picks to actually build the team in 4 or 5 years. Some people are afraid we will turn into melbourne, im far more afraid we will turn into Carlton.

 

[Smoke_Me_AKipper]

No team should look to tank as it would kill the club culture. And we won't. However even with our best endeavors I don't think we will win many more games. We don't have the talent - yet! And I stress the word yet. All the kids that have been mentioned ad nauseum will be great players for the club but they are still seasons away from being able to produce it week in week out. It all comes down to the kids. If they really step up then we will win more games. If they don't and take their time to learn then we will not. A simplistic view perhaps but it's the quickest way of explaining how our season will go IMO.

FWIW we will struggle this year (so great for draft picks) - pick 2 or pick 3, I think we will also struggle next year (pick 4 to 8) but not so much as this year and the year before. And then finally in 2016 we'll get pick 6-12. Look it is all just conjecture as players might come on quicker than we thought, or we pick up an absolute gun at a later pick (a la Dunstan), or even injuries might consign us to a lower finish than we all thought.

2 more years of pain at the least including this year. Although it is their right to do so I do have to question and have a chuckle at folks thinking we'll make the finals. Hey by all means make the call but I don't think you can name 10 teams who we are better than. Dare to dream but temper it with some reality me thinks!

 

[VDS66]

No team should look to tank as it would kill the club culture. And we won't. However even with our best endeavors I don't think we will win many more games. We don't have the talent - yet! And I stress the word yet. All the kids that have been mentioned ad nauseum will be great players for the club but they are still seasons away from being able to produce it week in week out. It all comes down to the kids. If they really step up then we will win more games. If they don't and take their time to learn then we will not. A simplistic view perhaps but it's the quickest way of explaining how our season will go IMO.

FWIW we will struggle this year (so great for draft picks) - pick 2 or pick 3, I think we will also struggle next year (pick 4 to 8) but not so much as this year and the year before. And then finally in 2016 we'll get pick 6-12. Look it is all just conjecture as players might come on quicker than we thought, or we pick up an absolute gun at a later pick (a la Dunstan), or even injuries might consign us to a lower finish than we all thought.

2 more years of pain at the least including this year. Although it is their right to do so I do have to question and have a chuckle at folks thinking we'll make the finals. Hey by all means make the call but I don't think you can name 10 teams who we are better than. Dare to dream but temper it with some reality me thinks!

Excellent post. And the fact is that not all of these kids will make it, or rather there are no guarantees.

Guys we had high hopes for are languishing such as Dunnell and Sippos to name a couple.

 

[hayes]

Melbourne's biggest problem was they got rid of anyone over 25! Games gifted, nobody to teach the kids an AFL work ethic. We're the complete opposite to that, we'll be fine.

 

[Baldur]

We seem to match up on Carlton pretty well anyway and I think we will be able to outrun them just due to fitness.

VDS66, there's no way we should ever condone any sort of tanking at the club. Its been shown before it just destroys the mentality of people there and does not help one bit. Even so, if we were going to tank then wede already have lost the last two games!

Agreed we need those draft picks though. Even some fans in real life are still hoping on finals etc.. but we need those high draft picks to actually build the team in 4 or 5 years. Some people are afraid we will turn into melbourne, im far more afraid we will turn into Carlton.

I do not fear turning into Carlton

For me their defining characteristic is arrogence. WE ARE CARLTON. They really think that just becouse they are Carlton they will succeed. Now they are no longer allowed to buy flags, this is not true. But unable to see the hard work required to build a team capable of challenging for a flag, they continue to try to do it the easy way. But there is no easy way, not unless you are GWS or Gold Coast.

There is no chance of St Kilda becoming arrogent.

 

[Manimal_Dunstan]

Well after tonight i'll go with these;

Adelaide (H): Very winnable
Essendon (A): Think Essendon will be too good
Brisbane (H - NZ): Very winnable
Hawthorn (A): Don't rate our chances, but think we can put up a good show.
Carlton (H): Very winnable
GC (H): Very winnable

 

[Smoke_Me_AKipper]

Well after tonight i'll go with these;

Adelaide (H): Very winnable
Essendon (A): Think Essendon will be too good
Brisbane (H - NZ): Very winnable
Hawthorn (A): Don't rate our chances, but think we can put up a good show.
Carlton (H): Very winnable
GC (H): Very winnable

I agree with every call apart from GC. I think they'll be too good both home and away. Happy to be proven wrong though mate

Look fwd to testing ourselves against the Bummers and the Hawks too....

Hope we win against Carlton - love to beat those arrogant SOB's!!

 

[Jack Stevens]

We could almost, just about, nearly be favourites against Adelaide. They're in very ordinary form, their forward line in particular. Our youngsters have got their confidence up, and there were plenty of players in the VFL who put their hand up for selection if we need to rest anyone after the long trip to Perth.

 

[sverik25]

The only problem I have with next week is that Adelaide will be under massive pressure to perform and will probably be fired up. But if we can play like we did yesterday, I think we have a very good chance of winning.

 

[Persevering Saint]

The savages are restless here in Adelaide, let me tell you. If those boys lose this week against us, they won't want to hop on the plane back!

Sorry, wrong thread.

 

[Persevering Saint]

Well after tonight i'll go with these;

Adelaide (H): Very winnable
Essendon (A): Think Essendon will be too good
Brisbane (H - NZ): Very winnable
Hawthorn (A): Don't rate our chances, but think we can put up a good show.
Carlton (H): Very winnable
GC (H): Very winnable

If we pulled off all that, we'd be 5 and 4, or 6 and 3.

That'd have us at about 6th-8th on the ladder.

 

[Manimal_Dunstan]

If we pulled off all that, we'd be 5 and 4, or 6 and 3.

That'd have us at about 6th-8th on the ladder.

Definitely can happen if we play like we did last night but take our chances in front of goal, tbh i think if Last night's game was at Etihad we would have done a bit better in the 4th and probably would have beaten the Eagles.

But few of those games are winnable, depends if we turn up though.

 

[DudleyB]

Well Ill admit I had us down for a top 2 draft pick - but Ive rapidly altered my expectations.
Mainly because Roo and Joey are still performing at a very high level, Luke Dunstan has stepped up so fast and we have a bloody good overall Ruck division (with 3 decent players to choose from).
We still have our best player to return.

Add to that I over-estimated some other sides - I got sucked in by all the "Paul Roos is a guru" crap that the media spun and I knew Adelaide would be be shit - but they are really shit.
The Blues and Lions also look pretty awful. The Camrys will win a few at home of course - but not many away.

At this rate - we could be heading for 5th bottom with those 4 shit sides below us . The Doggies are probably around our level too - maybe slightly better than us but similar.

I think us v GC in Melb is a 50-50. We cant beat the cheats or the Hawks but the Blues, Lions and Camrys are very very winnable games.

If I was only allowed one win - it would be the Blues. What a bunch of flogs! They thought by buying Judd and Malthouse that would get them success. They are still living in the 80s. And that Jarred Waite - the most over rated d_head in footy.

Anyway - 4 from the next 6 is possible.

Go Saints.

 

[L_W_P]

Went to the game last night. Can't wait to play the Blues.

With our pressure and tackling they will forfeit half way through the second qtr. Half way through the 3rd if Judd is back.

Massive chances against Crows, Lions and Suns as well. Exciting!!

 

[Smoke_Me_AKipper]

OK whilst not a popular opinion at least I have been consistent so far:

Firstly yes we are playing much better than what I thought. I also had us down for wins in round 1 and 2. I think we will have a decent run pre bye but not so good post bye. Remember we also have a terrible draw and that will work against us. The two bottom 6 sides we play twice from last year will be Gold Coast and West Coast both of whom will have good years with at least one making the finals, possibly both.

In order to move up the ladder we have to overtake other sides and prevent sides overtaking us. So I don't think Melbourne will overtake us. GWS might but unlikely. Of sides above us I think we can move ahead of Brisbane. I'm not yet sold on Adelaide and Carlton finishing below us at the end of the season, (however I think we can beat them both over the next 4 or 5 weeks). I also think Adelaide's home ground advantage and getting Walker back will help them, Carlton will get better as their better players start playing to their ability however they won't play finals which is GREAT!!

So pre bye I think we'll be 5 wins with wins against Car Bris & Ade. We'll struggle against GC but yes we are a chance. And post bye? Well sorry to say some maybe games only, certainly nothing that jumps out and screams WIN! Coll, Port, Gee, WCE (maybe), Rich, Car (maybe), North, Freo, GC, Bulldogs (maybe), Swans, Rich, Ade.

So I think 6 games for the year at best which will have us bottom 4 IMO. Ahead of Melb, Bris, GWS. (I'm happy to entertain the idea of 7 or 8 games if we're lucky and move up a spot or two, say at expense of Bulldogs/Adelaide/Carlton but I don't think so).

I still think we will play well but take the WCE as a great example - 3 quarters of good football in a match and we tire.

I for one an rapt at how we are player and how the youngsters are going. Throw in some more fab recruiting and improvement with current players and we're going somewhere. Some key fwds and another classy mid or two and we have a team that will give it a shake in 3 or 4 years!!

 

[Highlander35]

If we could beat Adelaide, Brisbane, Gold Coast and Carlton I would not give 1 shit about what happens for the rest of the season.

Sent from my LG-P713 using Tapatalk

 

[Manimal_Dunstan]

If we could beat Adelaide, Brisbane, Gold Coast and Carlton I would not give 1 shit about what happens for the rest of the season.

Sent from my LG-P713 using Tapatalk

Sort of agree.. Would be great to win those 4 matches leading into the bye, even after the bye we have a few pretty winnable games.

 

[Persevering Saint]

13 wins is what we would need to play finals. While I'd be mildly pleased to finish 11th to 9th, just for the "we showed you!" factor, I think we'll do that anyway if we don't finish in the bottom four. So I'd like us to finish either in the 8, or somewhere in that 12th to 14th bracket. That way, we still get a rather high pick, and Rahul etc are saying there will plenty of fantastic tall timber to choose from until about pick #8.

 

[Rors]

Melbourne (H): won
GWS (H): won
West Coast (A): lost
Adelaide (H): win
Essendon (A): loss
Brisbane (H - NZ): win
Hawthorn (A): loss
Carlton (H): win
GC (H): win

That's pretty much how I see it too. Adelaide, Carlton & GC will all be tough, should beat Brisbane (shame Merrett didn't get 3 weeks for his dog act on Swallow). Even if we only win 2 or 3 of these next 6 games, I think I will be stoked, as I can see the blue-skies in the distance with the doom & gloom parting as we speak!

 

[DudleyB]

If I was only allowed one win - it would be the Blues. What a bunch of flogs! They thought by buying Judd and Malthouse that would get them success. They are still living in the 80s. And that Jarred Waite - the most over rated d_head in footy.

I know its poor form to quote oneself - but I cant help myself on this one - it seems Mick Malthouse also thinks Jarrad Waite is an over-rated d_head

 

[Falchoon]

- Essendon: it hurts me to say, but the Injectors are better than us. For now.

-

Goddard's new nickname should therefore be 'Johnny Diesel'