Helping us out versus creating a monster [Archive]

The Adelaide Connection

13-06-2009, 01:52 PM

Last night I found myself going for Carlton, which doesn't happen very often, but I wonder if I should be happy that the saints got the points?

At this stage it looks fairly certain that the top two spots are all but wrapped up, so I was just curious as to how other people feel about the Saints and Geelong.

Would you prefer they keep doing us a favour by knocking off teams that have top 4 aspirations or are you supporting those who play against them?

AndrewP6

13-06-2009, 01:56 PM

I'll start by saying I can't stand the Blues, but last night I was going for them, I hate to say... just want someone to knock the Saints off... still floors me they are so different this year with basically the same personnel... want them to do as they've done in recent years -go well for a while then fall over.

Topdog

13-06-2009, 01:58 PM

I was going for them aswell.

LostDoggy

13-06-2009, 02:05 PM

I didn't watch it because I didnt want either of them to win. Why was eveyyone going for Carlton?

angelopetraglia

13-06-2009, 02:12 PM

Went to the game.

Was supporting the Blues, but was then happy for them to lose.

It does appears that in recent weeks StKilda's relentless pressure has eased. Carlton definitely had their chances to win the game. The first Fev miss early in the last quarter was a huge moment in the game for them as the Saints scored a goal from that kick in. It was a 3 goal game rather than a 1 goal game.

They are now 6-6 and right back in the pack, hopefully a win tonight will take us 2 games clear + percentage from them, that is a handy break.

The Adelaide Connection

13-06-2009, 02:13 PM

I didn't watch it because I didnt want either of them to win. Why was eveyyone going for Carlton?

I guess in the back of my head I am worrying about St. Kilda and Geelong getting too mentally strong (thus the "creating a monster") and becoming unbeatable. Also it obviously has a bit of a psychological affect on their opposition too.

They showed the stat last night that no team that has won 12 straight has ever missed the Grand final, which is concerning. That we usually struggle against the saints anyway (except for last year of course) makes me even more nervous.

Rocco Jones

13-06-2009, 02:16 PM

LostDoggy

13-06-2009, 02:21 PM

I went for the Saints, did not want any other top 4 aspiration to win. I reckon the bulldogs will beat them next time we meet. They will fall over(Saints of course)

comrade

13-06-2009, 02:47 PM

Mofra

13-06-2009, 02:48 PM

Will never, ever cheer on the Blues - they could be playing the Al Qaeda All Stars and I'd be going Osama's mob.
I agree - couldn't hate a team more than Carlton.

firstdogonthemoon

13-06-2009, 03:28 PM

What is it about you people coming on to all of these threads and derailing them? Can we please get back to talking about Ben Hudson's beard?

Mods?

The Coon Dog

13-06-2009, 03:44 PM

What is it about you people coming on to all of these threads and derailing them? Can we please get back to talking about Ben Hudson's beard?

Mods?

I think the Al Qaeda All Stars would all have Ben Hudson beards.

bornadog

13-06-2009, 03:46 PM

I went for the Saints, did not want any other top 4 aspiration to win. I reckon the bulldogs will beat them next time we meet. They will fall over(Saints of course)

I agree, I hate the blues so much that I could never ever support them. I really don't care what games others win or lose. We have to keep winning, cement a place in the four and go on with it.

hotdog

13-06-2009, 04:18 PM

I think when playing at our best we could beat the Saints and the Cats. Happy for them to both keep taking the press, premiership hype etc. Was not that unsimiliar to last year when we were considered "challengers" and were the media lovechild. Personally am very happy we are out of the spotlight a little and flying quietly under the radar. We know the Cats are strong and we have edged closer and closer in our last 2 appearances. Both recent games we have had opportunities to beat this all conquering team. We beat the Saints twice last year and I would expect we will beat them in in round 17 if our form continues to build. We were very flat when we last played and I would expect we would relsih the chance to knock the Saints from their perch. The Saints are yet to have an injury of any significance. How would the balance of the team work minus a Montagna, Hayes, Riewoldt, Kosi etc..? Looking forward to this clash.

bulldogtragic

13-06-2009, 05:25 PM

I was going for the Saints. If the boys can win tonight we go 2 games clear with a healthy percentage worth another game, with a week off and then North.

Classic 8 point game. The top 2 are determined, not sure why we would have preferred them to be equal on points and percentage with us. They drop back in the pack and their percentage dropped form 117 to 114.5 to our 116.

A win tonight after that result is a must win, and could be season defining.

Twodogs

13-06-2009, 05:40 PM

I remember saying to a mate last night, "Hang on, we're barracking for Carlton here"

I'm glad I'm not the only one who thought that!

LostDoggy

13-06-2009, 07:29 PM

I agree, I hate the blues so much that I could never ever support them. I really don't care what games others win or lose. We have to keep winning, cement a place in the four and go on with it.

Ditto. Yes we just have to keep winning, and, as hotdog said, I believe we can beat either of these teams if we work hard enough ("we" ha ha, as if I have anything to do with it!). That whole Carlton "they know we're coming" thing peeves me. Plus we keep losing to them when we shouldn't.

LostDoggy

13-06-2009, 10:58 PM

I would rather play Saints than Carlton in the finals.

hujsh

13-06-2009, 11:51 PM

I was going for the Saints.

Rather consolidate third place ATM. Focus on the second spot will come soon enough

BulldogBelle

13-06-2009, 11:56 PM

I was going for the Saints.

I was also wanting the Saints to win, so as it create a bit of a break between us and the other teams below us. Sort of have a buffer in case we lose one in the ensuing weeks. Have to say though, Carlton will take a lot of positives out of that game.

The Coon Dog

14-06-2009, 12:06 AM

Rather consolidate third place ATM. Focus on the second spot will come soon enough

If St.Kilda/Geelong finish 2nd & we finish 3rd, then there's no difference between finishing 2nd or 3rd, irrespective if 2nd is 4 games clear.

dog town

14-06-2009, 09:43 AM

I was thinking about it last night. In theory, it is great for the Cats and Saints to win as the top two spots seem locked and 3rd is the same as 2nd for us. However, winning is great for confidence and I would love to see the Cats and/or Saints lose a few games to create doubts within the team/s.

Problem is that the only sides that can challenge the Cats and/or Saints are also in direct competition for our top 4 spot. I saw Essendon split the saints wide open and since then Brisbane, North and now Carlton have all had really good patches against them. Someone will get them soon. They are 1 or 2 bad injuries away from imploding I reckon. They have to have a lot of faith in the current game plan they are using...what happens if someone unlocks it?

LostDoggy

14-06-2009, 11:47 AM

Will never, ever cheer on the Blues - they could be playing the Al Qaeda All Stars and I'd be going for Osama's mob.

I'm happy for Saints to keep winning. It'll make it sweeter when we beat them in September.

LOL 100% with you there comrade..... carlton are my most despised team, even to the length of preferring collingwood over them when they play one another....

Always remember the wet day in 91 when we nearly stopped them for scoring a goal for the entire game. I so enjoyed that ... :D

LostDoggy

14-06-2009, 12:11 PM

We can finish second, St Kilda will start to fall away.

Go_Dogs

14-06-2009, 12:29 PM

I was cheering for the Saints - they've got a top 4 spot locked and I dislike Carlton. Imagine the bs if they had knocked off the Saints?? Nightmare material.

LostDoggy

14-06-2009, 01:15 PM

I was definately cheering for the Saints, and I was disappointed the game was so close. I don't want Carlton to finish top four, as I don't want to have to play them in the finals.
Also, percentage, we are now 2 games clear of them with a healthy percentage.

As for the Saints, we went down to them by 28 points when we were not playing good football. I am confident we will be the ones to wipe the smirk off their face when we meet them, I also think Geelong will beat them in their game

Mantis

14-06-2009, 03:34 PM

bulldogtragic

14-06-2009, 04:23 PM

Pretty happy to be watching Brisbane give Hawthorn a bit of flogging at present.

9 goals to 1 in the 2nd half... Hawthorn look to be on shaky ground at the moment and desperately need some height in their defence. Buddy & Roughead have just 12 touches between them and just 2 goals.
I'm more concerned facing Brisbane than Hawthorn in the next few months. Hawthorn are looking a little shakey, whilst Brisbane look a little like a contender. If we both keep winning, our game at the Gabba against them could be season defining for both teams.

Mantis

14-06-2009, 04:28 PM

I'm more concerned facing Brisbane than Hawthorn in the next few months. Hawthorn are looking a little shakey, whilst Brisbane look a little like a contender. If we both keep winning, our game at the Gabba against them could be season defining for both teams.

Brisbane do look good and have quite a few 1st 22 players to come back into their team.

If we learnt anything last year it was that season defining games occur only in the finals (unless you are struggling to make the finals which we shouldn't be).

Personally I couldn't care less how we go in our clash at the GABBA although I will be there so hopefully we have a win. Double standards I know, but purely for selfish reasons.

aker39

14-06-2009, 04:33 PM

I will be cheering for which ever team is the best result for the bulldogs. Friday night, that was the saints.

All we should be worried about is finishing in the top 4, and if Geelong & St Kilda keep winning, that will make our job all the more easier.

I'd be happy to meet either Geelong or St Kilda in the Grand Final, with that team being undefeated going in to it.

bulldogtragic

14-06-2009, 04:39 PM

Brisbane do look good and have quite a few 1st 22 players to come back into their team.

If we learnt anything last year it was that season defining games occur only in the finals (unless you are struggling to make the finals which we shouldn't be).

Personally I couldn't care less how we go in our clash at the GABBA although I will be there so hopefully we have a win. Double standards I know, but purely for selfish reasons.
I take your general sentiment, but 'only' in finals is too much i would suggest. Look at North Melbourne last year, who were looking at 4th and 2 bad games, and they dropped to bottom of the 8 and were gone. Converseley, St Kilda. In their last game the 100+ point win propelled them into 4th spot. St Kilda were always going to make the finals, but that game got them top 4 and a pre-lim final.

For us if we are still not a few games clear in 3rd, a loss against Brisbane could bring us back the chasing pack the difference between 3rd and the rest wont be like last year where the last few games were 'dead rubbers'. Hence, a win in Brisbane 'could' be the difference between cementing top a top 4 finish or the possibility of scrapping it out week to week in the run home to finish top 4.

Either way, if you're up there supporting the boys i hope you get a win too!

Mantis

14-06-2009, 04:48 PM

I take your general sentiment, but 'only' in finals is too much i would suggest. Look at North Melbourne last year, who were looking at 4th and 2 bad games, and they dropped to bottom of the 8 and were gone. Converseley, St Kilda. In their last game the 100+ point win propelled them into 4th spot. St Kilda were always going to make the finals, but that game got them top 4 and a pre-lim final.

For us if we are still not a few games clear in 3rd, a loss against Brisbane could bring us back the chasing pack the difference between 3rd and the rest wont be like last year where the last few games were 'dead rubbers'. Hence, a win in Brisbane 'could' be the difference between cementing top a top 4 finish or the possibility of scrapping it out week to week in the run home to finish top 4.

Either way, if you're up there supporting the boys i hope you get a win too!

Yeah I get your points, if we are struggling to hold onto a top 4 spot then it's a game we hopefully win, but I think that we have enough winnable games around this clash that should ensure we are already there.

LostDoggy

14-06-2009, 05:24 PM

I'd rather keep the teams below us a bit further away then be one game closer to the Saints at this stage, having said that ideally I'd like us to not be relying on other team's results to help us along. I was barracking for the Saints, I would have never heard the end of it if Carlton had won (I, like most people, know a few unbearable Carlton supporters, one of which put $300 on the Blues on Friday...I can't stand the team or, as a general rule, their fans).

Twodogs

14-06-2009, 05:56 PM

I saw Essendon split the saints wide open and since then Brisbane, North and now Carlton have all had really good patches against them. Someone will get them soon. They are 1 or 2 bad injuries away from imploding I reckon. They have to have a lot of faith in the current game plan they are using...what happens if someone unlocks it?

Yep, I agree DT. I reckon they are sputtering badly.

Rocco Jones

14-06-2009, 06:10 PM

Yep, I agree DT. I reckon they are sputtering badly.

They are one of the most out of form 12-0 sides in history.

Rocco Jones

14-06-2009, 06:32 PM

I would hate the Saints to just finish on top of the Cats by percentage and us finish 3rd. I know it would mean that the Saints are playing great footy and all that but unless the Cats get a truck load of injuries, I would prefer to play the Saints over them no matter what the ladder says. I think the Saints will be chasing regular season wins a lot harder than the Cats.
Ironically, the loss to the Cats might end up helping us.

That being said, I think the Saints will drop a few games. From round 14-19 they have the Cats, Eagles @ Subi, Crows, Dogs, Sydney @ SCG and Hawks. I can definitely see them dropping a couple of those games.

BulldogBelle

16-06-2009, 09:23 AM

I felt sorry for Chris Judd - he was desperate to get them over the line even with a broken nose and bleeding everywhere - gutsy effort.

The Coon Dog

16-06-2009, 09:29 AM

I would hate the Saints to just finish on top of the Cats by percentage and us finish 3rd.

Bit of a catch 22 that one, beat the Cats & we are into a GF, lose & we avoid Geelong in a PF (assuming we win in week 2).

Sockeye Salmon

16-06-2009, 11:07 AM

If you're going to win a grand final you have to beat both. It doesn't really matter which order.

The smoky is Hawthorn. If they were to finish 6th or 7th and then hit form they could really do some damage to the 2nd v 3rd loser.

bornadog

16-06-2009, 03:30 PM

aker39

16-06-2009, 03:40 PM

Hawks will be lucky to make the 8 this year.

I hope so.

The last thing we want is for them to find form in the last 6-8 weeks of the season and finish 6th or 7th as SS suggested earlier.

Hence why I was glad to see the lions beat them on the weekend.