The Finals thread

[davidrodan]

Re: West Coast Form

The teams below them in the 8 beat no more than 4 top 8 sides so it is not that remarkable.

It would be great if they won because then only one of Essendon , Carlton and Collingwood would be still hanging around by week 3 of the finals.

Yep that would be great, brilliant actually
unfortunately it also means that one of Essendon, Carlton and Collingwood would be still hanging around by week 3 of the finals

It definitely better than two of the above though

 

[zippadeee]

Was really surprised that they rested them the week before the finals and so many at once
This year we have seen most teams struggle coming off the bye

Going off what your saying Essendon should cop a slapping from Carlton, they had the bye last week, 22 rested.
Hawthorn are Richmond of 2001. Good enough to beat the teams below them, but no where near the top 2 sides.
Really happy that they didn't win because Collingwood would've slapped them silly if the met on the GF.

 

[Leysy Days]

Re: West Coast Form

I have to go the other way, even though it is Collingwood.

Living in WA is unbearable at the moment.

A 100 point hiding at the G would do nicely.

Know what you mean Streak. Wasnt in Perth for a flag thankfully but the local media was unbearable when WC are playing well.

Absolutely hated them when living there.

 

[jb03]

Went to the game tonight. Geez it was cold but still very enjoyable to watch a good game without the emotional involvement (win bet on Cats aside). Ottens dominated, Kelly was terrific and the cats keep finding good younsters like Christensen - hard to see us ever getting ahead of them when they find juniors equal or better than ours.

Hawks looked awfully light down back - Cats were too big and strong. Reckon if dry Cats would have won by more. Think I'll barrack for the Cats through out the finals.

Did the Hawks err in resting so many or is it a simple case of no Bruce no Hawks.

And at least Lamby will be happy.

 

[jb03]

Re: West Coast Form

West Coast a huuuuuggggeeee chance.

I'm on pies big time then.

 

[Total Tiger]

Gee that Brad Ottens can play a bit. How handy would he be in our team. Where did they find him? Oh yeah, that's right :duh

As for Buddy, you just hate seeing the champion players go down. Even if it's minor, and it didn't look minor, he's gone for the finals and that's going to make it so hard for the Hawks now. Mind you, Cyril owes them a blinder next week.

 

[tigertim]

After this game Hawthorn would look at any tall defender going around.
Mcguane & Thursfield could be on there radar

Nice try Zips, good luck with that.

 

[IanG]

According to Liam Pickering on SEN this morning Buddy's injury apparently doesn't look like an ACL so good news, but will still miss next week.

 

[Tigers of Old]

According to Liam Pickering on SEN this morning Buddy's injury apparently doesn't look like an ACL so good news, but will still miss next week.

That is good news. Much as I hate the Hawks I do love watching Buddy play.

 

[Tiger_Shark]

Bomber Thompson walking was the best thing for the Cats.

Chris Scott has come in with some new ideas and freshened up a ageing but premiership list. the veterans have found a new lease and opportunities have been given to several youngsters (Menzel, Christensen, West, Vardy, Duncan, etc) which has made a significant difference.

i don't think the Cats would be in this position (Prelim with a weeks rest) with Bomber.

P.S. great game by Ott's, Kelly, and probably best game i've seen Hawkin's play. terrible luck to both Menzel and Buddy (will impact the rest of the finals series).

 

[johnson2richo2003]

Rioli has a long way to go before being mentioned in the same breath as his Uncle.

 

[josey]

ha I was kind of hoping Mitch would turn into that player himself though that ship seems to have sailed.

Though Stevie J was in that posi himself a few years ago.

This gets mentioned a fair bit I reckon.

Morton might have a few tricks but he will never be a Steve Johnson.

Johnson has become elite purely through hard work. He has developed the tank of an A grade midfielder and is used quite regularly in the midfield rotations.
His tricks can sometimes disguise the amount of work he does to create opportunities. In a similar way to Nick Riewoldt he simply wears his defender down.

Morton has never shown the willpower or desire to become this type of player IMO.

 

[puregreen]

Say what you will about Bomber Thompson, but that would been a frustrating gig last year having to answer question every week about Ablett leaving.

I'm pretty sure he would have guessed that he was going and that was why he played him in the forward line so much during the season (44 Goals I think) as he needed to see who was going to stand up for the Cats in the midfield with Ablett not being around in 2011. Wallace did it with Richo because he needed to develop other forwards, Knights was trying to do it with Lloyd but that was trying to get a barnacle off a boat and ended up with Lloyd retiring.

I've always found it difficult when the NRL guys know that one of their best players isn't going to be there the next season, but they are so used to the system that they take it in their stride.

It's foreign to us hence the amount of smoke and mirrors going on and the negativity out of clubs about losing their best players - at least we get compo picks through a draft, in the NRL the player just leaves with nothing going to the club that he's left.

Chris Scott has landed on his feet beautifully down there, majority of a premiership side still there, stable management, bunch of good youngsters bubbling underneath, gun recruiter, people were thinking that the Cats window was going to close but I think it's still wide open for a few more seasons - imagine if they play GC and GWS twice next year, 16 points in the bank at the start of the year!!

 

[Lennox Street]

Re: West Coast Form

Collingwood probably won't mind the thought of losing and getting another game. So many of their guys are underdone and haven't played much or at all. Definately give the Eagles a sneaky chance.

 

[IanG]

That is good news. Much as I hate the Hawks I do love watching Buddy play.

Just confirmed, bone bruising but no structural damage.

 

[IanG]

Re: West Coast Form

Collingwood probably won't mind the thought of losing and getting another game.

I doubt they want to come up against Geelong in the prelim.

 

[Big Cat Lover]

Ottens very good the past couple of weeks. He's become a September specialist.
For all those who say he has no heart he sure stands up on the big stage where it counts.
Meanwhile we're signing Maric.

Spot on TOO. Read plenty of PRE punters criticise him but geez he is in the most important 2 or 3 players for the cats. Come finals he rarely lets them down.

 

[Big Cat Lover]

Agree. Apart from five minutes in the third he was horrible. Casual. Lair.

Schoenmakers though might have had the worst game anyone's ever had.

Another good 'un down back for the Cats was Hunt.

Apart from the Ottens gift, Geelong also drafted Kelly with the pick we sent to Sydney for Stafford.

Wish our guys could play as you think Johnson did. Killed Tom Murphy (Hawks version of *smile*) who battled hard but was simply outclassed.

Was a big fan of Scho but he was disastrous, everyone he played on beat him, lost almost every contest. Awful game. Hawks backline was exposed, when you miss your 2 first choice KD (take Scarlett & Taylor from Geelong) you will alwasys battle to cover them.

 

[Tigers of Old]

This gets mentioned a fair bit I reckon.

Morton might have a few tricks but he will never be a Steve Johnson.

Johnson has become elite purely through hard work. He has developed the tank of an A grade midfielder and is used quite regularly in the midfield rotations.
His tricks can sometimes disguise the amount of work he does to create opportunities. In a similar way to Nick Riewoldt he simply wears his defender down.

Morton has never shown the willpower or desire to become this type of player IMO.

Spot on josey.
Johnson was the top possession winner on the ground. Sure he missed (wasted) a couple of opportunities but he thrashed his opponent.

 

[spook]

Just confirmed, bone bruising but no structural damage.

Good news. Any word on Menzel?

Wish our guys could play as you think Johnson did. Killed Tom Murphy (Hawks version of *smile*) who battled hard but was simply outclassed.

If any of our players wasted the ball as much as Johnson did last night they would be rightly crucified on here. Yeah he got a lot of the ball and almost every time tried something smart-arsey that blew up in his face. Five minutes of brilliance in the third, the rest was self-indulgent garbage.