This Season has reached Ken Bruce Levels of crazy...

[westdog54]

...and I'm loving every second of it.

As it stands, two wins separate the teams in 4th and 14th.

The team at the top of the ladder has lost three of their last four games, by a combined margin of five points, and they're still two and a half games clear on top.

The Gabba crowd singing 'Country Roads' when Charlie Cameron put them in front put some English Premier League crowds to shame.


Last year's premiers just had their arses handed to them by the team that finished 16th and won seven games last year. That same 16th team has won 8 of their last 10, losing one of those losses in the last 10 seconds of the game, and sit a game outside the 8.

Six weeks ago, Adelaide's coach was on the chopping block. They've just knocked off a finals contender, on the road, without their stalwart key forward, and their seasons is, mathematically if not practically, still alive. The bloke who kicked the matchwinner even pulled out the James Hird hug-the-spectator celebration. Against Essendon. At Docklands. The balls of the young man, who has had confidence and form issues throughout the year, was something to behold.

Our beloved Bulldogs have just knocked off Geelong, at Kardinia Park, for the second year in a row. I'm struggling to think of the last team to do that (though I'm sure its more recent than I think it is). And it was emphatic. A demolition job.

We're a game outside the 8 after our coach was in strife two months ago. Rory Lobb, who apparently had a foot out the door six weeks ago as a fourth-string key forward, is all of a sudden, to quote this forum, 'the second coming of Glen Jakovich'.

And as a side-act, the off-field drama around the league seems just as compelling as the contests on the field.

I. LOVE. AUSTRALIAN. RULES. FOOTBALL.

[mighty_west]

Yeah had we won just one extra game this season after last nights win, we would have been 2nd on the ladder, SECOND i tell's ya! Crazy, and the AFL would be loving it, then again i reckon most supporters would be loving it too knowing that so many teams have a chance to play finals, it's as though every game from now on is the last game of the season having to win top make it depending on others etc.

[Go_Dogs]

It’s such a close competition.

While bigger clubs have an advantage to consistently compete, everyone is capable.

[Uninformed]

And it was against the Geelong firsts this time!

[Flamethrower]

Craziest thing of all is that every club not named Richmond, West Coast, St Kilda and North think they are a chance at winning a flag.

Sorry Sydney, Brisbane, Carlton, GWS, Fremantle, Geelong, Port, Melbourne, Hawthorn, Collingwood, Gold Coast, Essendon and Adelaide BUT y'all playing for 2nd.

It's 2016 all over again.

[Uninformed]

Craziest thing of all is that every club not named Richmond, West Coast, St Kilda and North think they are a chance at winning a flag.

Sorry Sydney, Brisbane, Carlton, GWS, Fremantle, Geelong, Port, Melbourne, Hawthorn, Collingwood, Gold Coast, Essendon and Adelaide BUT y'all playing for 2nd.

It's 2016 all over again.

By next week we will be able to say that with confidence!

[westdog54]

Another chapter written tonight.

As it stands Sydney have lost 8 percentage points tonight. If Brisbane win tomorrow they're half a game off top spot.

Six weeks ago Ken Hinkley was booed by his own supporters and there were calls for his sacking. They've gone 5 and 1 since and sit second in the live ladder.

As for us, we're tracking up scalp after scalp, and Luke Beveridge is a chance to coach a top 4 team for the first time.

This. ****ing. Season

[bornadog]

Another chapter written tonight.

As it stands Sydney have lost 8 percentage points tonight. If Brisbane win tomorrow they're half a game off top spot.

Six weeks ago Ken Hinkley was booed by his own supporters and there were calls for his sacking. They've gone 5 and 1 since and sit second in the live ladder.

As for us, we're tracking up scalp after scalp, and Luke Beveridge is a chance to coach a top 4 team for the first time.

This. ****ing. Season

If you muck around with the ladder predictor, anything can happen. I think if we win the next three - possible - we finish 4th.

[westdog54]

If you muck around with the ladder predictor, anything can happen. I think if we win the next three - possible - we finish 4th.

Depending on results we could potentially finish 3rd.

[comrade]

Whatever makes it so we play Sydney the first week, I?ll take.

[bornadog]

Whatever makes it so we play Sydney the first week, I?ll take.

I don't think they will finish top

[jDogs]

Whatever makes it so we play Sydney the first week, I?ll take.

Geez, the way Sydney are going, I can easily see them losing to the Pies up there and Essendon at Marvel, but beating the Crows at the SCG, leaving them with 15 wins.

I've spent an hour playing with the ladder predictor and the wild fluctuations are just crazy. What a year. I think 15 wins and percentage makes top 4.


edit: just realised I had Hawthorn on 14 wins, finishing 9th on percentage. That doesn't even seem possible.

[Grantysghost]

Very funny comment re Sydney.

They skipped the premiership and went straight to the hangover.

[Hotdog60]

It's not out of the calculations that if we win all 3 final games left and certain upsets happen along the way, we could not only be top 4 but minor premiers. :)

[D Mitchell]

Geez, the way Sydney are going, I can easily see them losing to the Pies up there and Essendon at Marvel, but beating the Crows at the SCG, leaving them with 15 wins.

I've spent an hour playing with the ladder predictor and the wild fluctuations are just crazy. What a year. I think 15 wins and percentage makes top 4.


edit: just realised I had Hawthorn on 14 wins, finishing 9th on percentage. That doesn't even seem possible.

Maths teacher/professor or actuary ?

[mjp]

edit: just realised I had Hawthorn on 14 wins, finishing 9th on percentage. That doesn't even seem possible.

Right now it's possible to miss with 14-wins.

I don't think it's likely, but we need to keep winning.

[westdog54]

Right now it's possible to miss with 14-wins.

I don't think it's likely, but we need to keep winning.

It's a testament to how far the bottom 3, and to a lesser extent Adelaide and StKilda, are off the pace at the moment.

[comrade]

It's a testament to how far the bottom 3, and to a lesser extent Adelaide and StKilda, are off the pace at the moment.

There?s no really middling sides. You?re either pretty good or pretty shit.

[BornInDroopSt'54]

Hawks bravely tried to reward our rooting.
At least they bared GWS weaknesses.
FFC will chew the cud for final round.
This stage of the season is as crazy as the year Melbourne beat us in last game to deny us finals.
I watched the scoreboard from Hawkins wing with the alphabet scores you needed a footy fixture for.
Crazy ins and outs of the eight.
Melbourne may've won the flag after that, if not for Stynes getting too close to Buckanara.