March To The Finals - 2020.

[Carter]

Where we at?

First, the AFL decided the shorten the quarters, taking away our main avenue to victory. Alright.

Second, we are forced to slice through the soft cap and stand down the support personnel who give us the mental edge to break through solid walls. OK.

Third, Jack expresses what any 2 x premiership player would express when the season shapes up like some plastic toy version of an AFL season - we’ll turn up, but only just. Fair enough.

Fourth, we get our usual raft of injuries to key personnel. Our midfield, arguably our most vulnerable zone, gets gutted like a fish and we haemorrhage clearances like there’s no tomorrow. Yup.

Fifth, two thirds of our team are badly out of form or simply ineffective. Higgins, George, Dan, Boobs, Fridge, Jack, Ivan, Ross, Josh. The list goes on. Irregular training, hub life, who cares what the reason is. The only thing keeping us alive is system and belief. The aura of a premiership team.

I reckon we’re struggling. Last week should’ve been a statement of sorts but we limped over the line.

We are leaky down back and wasteful up forward. At times we struggle to break lines, which is, to me, most uncharacteristic and worrying of all.

And yet a solid win tonight with Houli back and Nank to come would allay some fears. Beat Fremantle and Adelaide and we at least book a finals berth.

Ironically enough, the shorter quarters, the hideous 2020 version of our great game, might just give a team enough juice to win four finals.

If our club carries the expertise, the aura and the swagger all the way though, I think that team might still be us, despite the overwhelming odds.

 

[tigertim]

Where we at?

First, the AFL decided the shorten the quarters, taking away our main avenue to victory. Alright.

Second, we are forced to slice through the soft cap and stand down the support personnel who give us the mental edge to break through solid walls. OK.

Third, Jack expresses what any 2 x premiership player would express when the season shapes up like some plastic toy version of an AFL season - we’ll turn up, but only just. Fair enough.

Fourth, we get our usual raft of injuries to key personnel. Our midfield, arguably our most vulnerable zone, gets gutted like a fish and we haemorrhage clearances like there’s no tomorrow. Yup.

Fifth, two thirds of our team are badly out of form or simply ineffective. Higgins, George, Dan, Boobs, Fridge, Jack, Ivan, Ross, Josh. The list goes on. Irregular training, hub life, who cares what the reason is. The only thing keeping us alive is system and belief. The aura of a premiership team.

I reckon we’re struggling. Last week should’ve been a statement of sorts but we limped over the line.

We are leaky down back and wasteful up forward. At times we struggle to break lines, which is, to me, most uncharacteristic and worrying of all.

And yet a solid win tonight with Houli back and Nank to come would allay some fears. Beat Fremantle and Adelaide and we at least book a finals berth.

Ironically enough, the shorter quarters, the hideous 2020 version of our great game, might just give a team enough juice to win four finals.

If our club carries the expertise, the aura and the swagger all the way though, I think that team might still be us, despite the overwhelming odds.

Yep, I think it’s fair to say we,re struggling. I think the question yet to be answered is will we struggle til we hit our straps or just continue to struggle and get bundled out in finals (assuming we make them)

 

[Tigerfan]

if rich beat freo & adel

GWS BEAT Carl and melb
& lose to WCE & Saints

we qualify

R1 v Carlton - MCG. #win (1)
R2 v Collingwood- MCG. #draw. (1.5)
R3. V Hawks. MCG. Loss
R4 v St Kilda - Marvel. Loss
R5 v Melbourne MCG. Win. (2.5)
R6. V. Sydney. Gabba. Win. (3.5)
R7. V. North. Metricon Win. (4.5)
R8. V. GWS. Sydney. Loss
R9. V w B dogs Metricon. Win. (5.5)
R 10. V. Bris. Metricon. Win. (6.5)
R 11. V port. Adelaide. Loss. (6.5)
r12. V. GC Suns. Gabba Win. (7.5)
r13 v. Essendon. Darwin. Win (8.5)
R 14. WCE Metricon
R 15 Freo Metricon
R 16 Geelong Metricon
R 17 Adelaide ?

 

[22nd Man]

Ladder position totally in our hands.
Assuming we beat Freo and Adel it hinges on results v Gee and WC
Beat Cats and WC then top 4 assured.
Beat only one of them top 8 almost certain
Lose to both and relying on favourable results though still likely to hang on.

Lose to either Greo or Crows should forfeit place in 8 and head home.

 

[seven]

okay, in 2019, it was round 15 we started to hit form.
Seen glimpses of our running game coming back against essendrugs,.
Slowly starting to click, but we may run out of time due to the short season to make the 4.
Finish 5th we will ended up playing Melbourne i reckon, thats a win.
Brisbane will go out in straight sets again, we may play them again.

If there was ever a chance of winning the GF outside the top 4, this is the year and we should be hitting out best form coming in.
anything can happen.

Certain people in the media would be in the fetal position if we win this

 

[year of the tiger]

I can’t see us making top 4 even if we beat the Eagles as they have a game in hand and they should comfortably win their other games.

If we beat the Cats we jump above them but given they have a pretty soft run home also, so to stay above them need to win all our other games.

We only make top 4 if we win every game from here - which we can do and that would make us flag favourites for sure.

Our blockbuster run now starts on Thursday and for some reason I am quietly confident - could be like last years round 22 game.

 

[Ice]

Congratulations RFC on another winning season. 7 out of the last 8 seasons. 7 finals win from 11 finals in that period as well. Good times.

 

[Raoul Juke]

With all the *smile* going on about where the Grand final should be played, the answer is obvious

It should be played at the home ground of the Minor Premier, which is likely to be Lions or Port. Reward the minor premier with that and it will make the final month of H&A footy the most historical event in AFL. A chance to host the first grand final outside of VIC

If Geelong happens to squeeze it, then they should get the choice to ground - or, it goes to the 2nd best placed team.

Simple. But obviously AFL does not care about the onfield stuff - only money

 

[eZyT]

With all the *smile* going on about where the Grand final should be played, the answer is obvious

It should be played at the home ground of the Minor Premier, which is likely to be Lions or Port. Reward the minor premier with that and it will make the final month of H&A footy the most historical event in AFL. A chance to host the first grand final outside of VIC

If Geelong happens to squeeze it, then they should get the choice to ground - or, it goes to the 2nd best placed team.

Simple. But obviously AFL does not care about the onfield stuff - only money

its not really simple at all.

 

[Raoul Juke]

its not really simple at all.

Why not? All 3 are considered. All 3 are hubs. All 3 are vying for it? Chances are incredibly high at this point it will be Port Adelaide or it will be Brisbane. Explain further to clarify. Your post is short and provides nothing but opposition. Which other city has more likely chance of finishing 1st PLUS having the COVID-19 numbers & stadium to support a Grand Final?

If it was all about safety, it would be tassie or NT, right?

If these cities are not equipped to host it - then why are they petitioning for it?

If I were Port or Brisbane, and the GF gets awarded to Perth. -and we play a GF against 3rd place West Coast in Perth, despite us being the number #1 seed & our stadium has played countless games to keep this season going and support the AFL - our COVID numbers are safe - how is that not simple?

 

[AngryAnt]

Why not? All 3 are considered. All 3 are hubs. All 3 are vying for it? Chances are incredibly high at this point it will be Port Adelaide or it will be Brisbane. Explain further to clarify. Your post is short and provides nothing but opposition. Which other city has more likely chance of finishing 1st PLUS having the COVID-19 numbers & stadium to support a Grand Final?

If it was all about safety, it would be tassie or NT, right?

If these cities are not equipped to host it - then why are they petitioning for it?

If I were Port or Brisbane, and the GF gets awarded to Perth. -and we play a GF against 3rd place West Coast in Perth, despite us being the number #1 seed & our stadium has played countless games to keep this season going and support the AFL - our COVID numbers are safe - how is that not simple?

Simple? Nope.

It's a challenge logistically to run your preliminary finals and set up a GF venue within the week, so that's not as simple as you make out. Possible maybe, but I imagine the AFL will be risk averse and set the venue in advance of the finals. So your idea of the best placed side choosing the venue won't fly.

WA still has 14 day quarantine restrictions which they won't relax, so Perth's out unless that changes. Perth would guarantee the biggest financial return however. I thought the AFL only cared about money though?

SA could host but they didn't come to the party on hubs, so do they deserve it? Also it's Port Adelaide, so no. (SA is not a hub by the way, the SA government rejected that idea).

NSW - unlikely GWS will make it, so ANZ could be a neutral venue at least, but that sucks as an AFL venue at the best of times. The surface is usually crap due to the NRL games there. The Vic Gov/MCG are opposed to it going to NSW so won't happen, whatever the rights and wrongs.

QLD - two venues so available for a finals series is a plus. Many teams already there, a plus. QLD played ball with the AFL on hubs and is super keen, the AFL sees it as part of the expansion plan, so another plus there. QLD wins.

The wildcard is officially it's still at the G until an alternate venue is announced. Unlikely, but they are clinging to the 1% chance that they can keep it in Melbs and avoid extending the MCG GF contract an extra year.

Winners - Brisbane obviously, although not as much as you might think given a bunch of teams have played in Qld for multiple games now. Us/Geelong, we love the Gabba and Metricon is good for us as well. Don't have to move. I'd back us against Brisbane at either Qld venue. Geelong will be hard to beat anywhere, they will just be pleased they don't have to meet us at the G.

Losers - Port, WCE.

We also benefit greatly from the run in - all our games in Qld (except the Adelaide game), we are on longer breaks for all our remaining games, and WCE have to come to us. The dude who set up the anti-Richmond conspiracy in the AFL really dropped the ball on fixturing.

The last round - we play Adelaide, so doesn't really matter except for a bit of travel fatigue. AFL site says all games that round are in NSW - venues to be confirmed. Is this for real? Who knows. Might be an olive branch to NSW who won't get finals.

Good article in the Age laying out the pros and cons here https://www.theage.com.au/sport/afl...-for-the-afl-grand-final-20200824-p55oqj.html

 

[jokershoppe]

cant believe afl might be ok with eagles buying another home game,a compromised season with a wealthy club buying a bigger advantage.

 

[Tass]

cant believe afl might be ok with eagles buying another home game,a compromised season with a wealthy club buying a bigger advantage.

This whole season is one big compromise. Unbelievable

 

[waiting]

This whole season is one big compromise. Unbelievable

Heard it.

They are pinning their hopes on WA getting the GF.
Finishing in a position to have a home final.
That they will not ( possibly ) come out the hub for many weeks. If any.
That if the AFL have a bye after the H & A season that enables them to quarantine (14 days ) as so does the team being drawn to play if ladder position dictates.

So Whateley already on board.

Compromised my oath that is.
$ talks and North being in a position they are will take it, sell it, that’s ok.
Yet we were in the media & still continues to this day of our 20 games in the row, plus final & GF at the G , when we are not the only co-tenant. We didn’t request it. That was the draw we were given.
This is manipulation of the situation to advantage the ‘ sooks’ WC.

 

[jokershoppe]

CHRIST WHAT A LAUGH IT WOULD BE WHEN EAGLES MAKE TOP 4 ,FINISH 3RD OR 4TH AND DRAW GEELONG OR BRISBANE IN QUEENSLAND SO IN QUEENSLAND ROUND 17,IN WA ROUND 18, BACK TO QUEENSLAND WEEK 1 OF FINALS.

 

[daniel30]

I herd that on footy classified how on earth a they allowed to do that a team is allowed to dictate the fixture for last round of year and Afl will pull there pants downts themselves and the roos pathectic nothing short of circus.I thought I seen stupidity last night , but this is laughable.

 

[Born_a_Tiger78]

The wildcard is officially it's still at the G until an alternate venue is announced. Unlikely, but they are clinging to the 1% chance that they can keep it in Melbs and avoid extending the MCG GF contract an extra year.

I think the Victorian government of today has no issue to extending 12 months to, probably, anything.

 

[sconies]

If WA were to host (personally I think it should be Brisbane, but whatever) I wonder how the AFL's major partners Telstra would feel about the grand final being held at Optus Stadium.

 

[year of the tiger]

cant believe afl might be ok with eagles buying another home game,a compromised season with a wealthy club buying a bigger advantage.

yeah absolute no integrity at all - all of them

 

[tigers80]

Asterisk if the eagles win it so many home games in row.
Now where have I heard that before.