3rd vs 4th

[Rocco Jones]

Let me start off by saying I would prefer to finish 3rd but I really wouldn't be too worried if we came 4th. Here are some benefits of finishing in either position.

3rd
- Hit the finals running
- Geelong look the 'easier' option which increases our chance of getting a much needed weeks break
- Cats have a few injury/fitness concerns. It would be good to play them as soon as possible.
- We seem to be better suited to combating Geelong's style

4th
- We could rest a few key-players for Sunday's game
- 7 day break instead of just 6
- Saints might be as vulnerable as they get coming off a poor end to the regular season

Another factor could be the side who finishes 5th. I would prefer to play Brisbane or Adelaide in a home semi than Carlton.

[bulldogsfight]

looks like we have to win bt 5 goals to get to 3rd

[Happy Days]

I'd be waiting to see how the Saints handle the G this week. It is only against the Dees, but something will be able to be taken out of it.

[boydogs]

3rd
- We seem to be better suited to combating Geelong's style

We have beaten Geelong in what will be just 2 weeks prior to the QF, and come within a kick in our other meeting. St Kilda have beaten us easily both times. 3rd is my pick


4th
- We could rest a few key-players for Sunday's game

If Carlton win and we lose by a total of a bit over 20 goals they could take fourth, I don't think resting players is a great idea for momentum as well.

[Mantis]

If Carlton win and we lose by a total of a bit over 20 goals they could take fourth, I don't think resting players is a great idea for momentum as well.

If all seriousness is that a likely result? We could rest 6 players and we still wouldn't get beat by this margain.

[BulldogBelle]

I would say go for 3rd, and do everything we can to secure the break. Revenging Geelong in the final would be the biggest moral victory since...oh god knows how long when.

Much much less confident against the saints, who obviously have simply molested us this year. They'll activate that gameplan again and i'm not sure there's all too much we can do. You'd think they would be a different team come finals time (unless they do an us last year!)

But gee beating Collingwood and even more by 22 points is a massive ask.

[Rocco Jones]

If all seriousness is that a likely result? We could rest 6 players and we still wouldn't get beat by this margain.

Totally.

I am also not suggesting we make wholesale changes, just rest a couple of guys who could do with the break i.e. not risking Cross/Griffen, resting one or two players like Aker, Hudson or Bobby.

[Rocco Jones]

I would say go for 3rd, and do everything we can to secure the break. Revenging Geelong in the final would be the biggest moral victory since...oh god knows how long when.


I care little for revenge. I remember us wanting revenge in the 1998 Prelim against the Crows. I will be content with a flag. :)

[Mantis]

Totally.

I am also not suggesting we make wholesale changes, just rest a couple of guys who could do with the break i.e. not risking Cross/Griffen, resting one or two players like Aker, Hudson or Bobby.

He needs to play as he has just come back from a lay off.

If Hudson, Hahn, Johnson or Aker are a little sore I would be happy for them to sit this one out.

[boydogs]

If all seriousness is that a likely result? We could rest 6 players and we still wouldn't get beat by this margain.

Its the total margin of Carlton's win and our loss combined. If Adelaide don't show up and Fev does, Carlton could get a hold of Adelaide and once the result is decided there is nothing for Adelaide to play for - Brisbane could steal 6th from them but not on percentage, rather because they have the extra two premiership points from the Essendon draw. Carlton played a high scoring game against Melbourne scoring 153 points and could play the same way again to try and chase down 4th spot.

A 10-15 goal win to Carlton is unlikely but possible. This would mean we would need to get within around 5-12 goals of Collingwood, which should not be a problem unless we have decided to shut up shop and wait for the QF in our selections. I don't want to make a another mistake in our preparation as we appeared to in our training load leading up to the WCE game

[Mantis]

A 10-15 goal win to Carlton is unlikely but possible. This would mean we would need to get within around 5-12 goals of Collingwood, which should not be a problem unless we have decided to shut up shop and wait for the QF in our selections. I don't want to make a another mistake in our preparation as we appeared to in our training load leading up to the WCE game

I don't believe that we can blame doing a little extra running for that poor result... That would be a cop out for bringing a poor attitude to game day.

Although I don't think we will flirt with our form this close to finals, but if we have 1 or 2 important players who would benefit from a weeks rest I think we give it to them. As with last year the QF is going to be a super important and we have to give ourselves every chance of winning that game.

[Rocco Jones]

He needs to play as he has just come back from a lay off.

If Hudson, Hahn, Johnson or Aker are a little sore I would be happy for them to sit this one out.

Agree with all that.

Having our side as fit as possible + playing St.Kilda > playing Geelong.

[angelopetraglia]

Its the total margin of Carlton's win and our loss combined. If Adelaide don't show up and Fev does, Carlton could get a hold of Adelaide and once the result is decided there is nothing for Adelaide to play for - Brisbane could steal 6th from them but not on percentage, rather because they have the extra two premiership points from the Essendon draw. Carlton played a high scoring game against Melbourne scoring 153 points and could play the same way again to try and chase down 4th spot.

A 10-15 goal win to Carlton is unlikely but possible. This would mean we would need to get within around 5-12 goals of Collingwood, which should not be a problem unless we have decided to shut up shop and wait for the QF in our selections. I don't want to make a another mistake in our preparation as we appeared to in our training load leading up to the WCE game

I can't see a blow out next week between Blues and Crows.. It will be tight and relative low scoring you would think.

[boydogs]

Although I don't think we will flirt with our form this close to finals, but if we have 1 or 2 important players who would benefit from a weeks rest I think we give it to them. As with last year the QF is going to be a super important and we have to give ourselves every chance of winning that game.


Agree with all that.

Having our side as fit as possible + playing St.Kilda > playing Geelong.

I wonder if Collingwood see it that way - their spot in the 4 is even more secure than ours, who might they rest for finals?

[angelopetraglia]

I wonder if Collingwood see it that way - their spot in the 4 is even more secure than ours, who might they rest for finals?

Resting players for the finals doesn't seemed to have worked for either for Saints or Cats. I hope that they do rest, but I can't see them playing with their form one week before finals.

For both Cats and Saints, since they flirted with their form, they have not got it back. It was unprecedented when they both rested so many players and it so far looks like it has back fired on them, however September will judge the wisdom of resting so many players.

[LostDoggy]

I think we should try to win every game, beating Collingwood would give us a lot of confidence, even by a point. Then we should throw everything into the first final and try to get a break for all the guys.

We should only rest a player if necessary, it has been a long season for Johno and Hudson, one of them only could be rested and if there is any doubt on Griff give him the week off.

Our first final looks a lot more winnable than it did a few weeks ago, its more than likely that we will have to beat the Saints at some stage of the finals to win the flag.

[bornadog]

I can't see a blow out next week between Blues and Crows.. It will be tight and relative low scoring you would think.

Adelaide will win.

[bornadog]

I wonder if Collingwood see it that way - their spot in the 4 is even more secure than ours, who might they rest for finals?

Well they may bring Rocca in, for a go before the finals.

[Rocco Jones]

I think what I mean by resting players and what others think it means are a little bit different. Like Mantis, I would be looking at only resting a couple of players who could really benefit from it. I would still attack the Collingwood game very hard with the selected 22.

[Rocco Jones]

Well they may bring Rocca in, for a go before the finals.

I hope they do, especially if they play him alongside Jack Anthony. It would be a Brian Lake paradise.

[Rocco Jones]

I hope they do, especially if they play him alongside Jack Anthony. It would be a Brian Lake paradise.

In saying that, I don't know who we would put on the player Brian doesn't take. Tiller could come in or we could use Shaggy to try to exploit Anthony/Rocca going the other way. I don't think having Rocca, Cloke and Anthony in the same forward line would be a good idea.

[Sedat]

A 10-15 goal win to Carlton is unlikely but possible.
Carlton will be lucky to kick 15 goals in total against Adelaide's miserly defence. That game reeks of a <18 point result either way.

[Ozza]

Carlton's worst game of the year was vs Adelaide. I think Adelaide will beat them again. Can't wait to see Fev lose the plot when Rutten gets on top of him and Reilley, Mcleod and Edwards are chopping off his leads.

[boydogs]

Carlton will be lucky to kick 15 goals in total against Adelaide's miserly defence. That game reeks of a <18 point result either way.

Good news for us that Garlett, Betts and Cloke have been suspended by the club for being late to a recovery session - a bit of goal kicking power lost there

http://www.afl.com.au/news/newsarticle/tabid/208/newsid/83472/default.aspx

[LostDoggy]

Does it really matter who we play

If we want to win the flag at some stage we have to beat Geelong, St Kilda and Collingwood

for example if finish 3rd and then we win all our matches and other result go the way of favs then this would be our draw

Geelong in the QF
Collingwood in the PF
Saints in the GF

there are no easy roads to a flag

[Mantis]

Does it really matter who we play

If we want to win the flag at some stage we have to beat Geelong, St Kilda and Collingwood

for example if finish 3rd and then we win all our matches and other result go the way of favs then this would be our draw

Geelong in the QF
Collingwood in the PF
Saints in the GF

there are no easy roads to a flag

Do you think we can play at a consistently high level over the course of these 3 games such that we can beat 3 high quality opponents in the space of a month?

[Mofra]

Do you think we can play at a consistently high level over the course of these 3 games such that we can beat 3 high quality opponents in the space of a month?
If we can beat Collingwood this week we would have shown that we can during the season proper (noting the results of the past two games). Finals are a different beast but we should have the confidence that we can.

[Mantis]

If we can beat Collingwood this week we would have shown that we can during the season proper (noting the results of the past two games). Finals are a different beast but we should have the confidence that we can.

Good point, but I wouldn't quite have Brisbane bracketed in the same class as the very best teams in the competition.

[aker39]

Do you think we can play at a consistently high level over the course of these 3 games such that we can beat 3 high quality opponents in the space of a month?

Do you think we can Mantis?

[LostDoggy]

If we play our best football then I think we can.

I guess its just a matter of whether we can play our best football

I hope can can :)

[Mantis]

Do you think we can Mantis?

I am beginning to believe we can, but ask me again at 7.15pm on Sunday and I might have a better idea and not saying I want us to win against Coll, I'm more interested in the way we go about it.

As a few other's have mentioned we are in a much better shape to give it rattle compared to last year. We have a healthier list (presuming Cross & Griff can comeback this week), we have improved our depth and we have added a few players who give us a harder edge (Picken & Ward amongst others). I would like to have Williams up and going, but having a fit Cooney, Murphy & Higgins gives me more confidence than I had last year.

If our intensity stays at or near the level it was last Friday night we can beat anybody, we just need to show it in every game we play from here on in.

[Cyberdoggie]

He needs to play as he has just come back from a lay off.

If Hudson, Hahn, Johnson or Aker are a little sore I would be happy for them to sit this one out.

I also agree with this.

Bobby has barely been able to string a few games together this year.

He just started to look the goods against the Dees when he did the hammy.

The other night against the Cats was the first time since then he looked to have some of his confidence back (except for kicking at goal).

Gia was hot early as well and faded as the game went on, obviously needs more match time.

I think that anyone who is really sore should have this week off.
I would like to see Reid get another game as he and Ward with 17 tackles between them really make an impact in our defensive pressure. We don't have many tough midfielders and he looks pretty reliable for someone so in-experienced.

If we rest Hudson then that means Skipper is in for a 1 game cameo?....
oh dear, to be honest he could probably come in and kick 4 goals.
I've never been a real fan of his and i still think we should of delisted him last year but i give him credit for the effort he has put in this year. He has been the best and most consistent Seadog this year for Williamstown. Knowing that he probably wasn't going to get a game unless injuries were a factor, he could of quite easily given up.

[w3design]

I'd like to have a win against Collingwood on Sunday, with a good, tight, physical contest. If we finish 3rd or 4th it doesn't matter too much. As said earlier there are no easy paths to the GF. That said, an extra days break and getting the Saints earlier in the finals might work for us.

[LostDoggy]

I'd like to beat Collingwood, but by under 22 points, that way we get an extra day or two break before next weeks game. :)