The run home - Can we make top 4

[Redford]

The key to any finals success is to do what Geethrow do time and time again when they’re out of form and everyone is writing them off: bunker down, win a stretch of easier games, go under the radar, get players back. Then, re-appear in the finals as a competitive unit.

We’re unlikely to finish as high as they’ve done the last 15 years (typically fighting back to finish top 4 a lot of years), but we’ve gotta do what they do and fight back and play ourselves into 5th or 6th at worst. Then win 4 in a row.

But first, we’ve got to get a 3 game win streak going v Saints, Suns and Pie throwers. Lose any of those games and start preparing for 2022.

 

[Brodders17]

Our record against top 8 teams suggests merit in that call.

Lost to Power and the Weagles interstate by under a kick.
lost to the Bears and Cats with half our team out.
Beat the dogs.
Lost to the Dees easily
the Swans are a top 8 team by ladder only.

and dont forget we beat the bombers- they are top 4 quality.

not a negativity as always.
we got just got beat, panicking in the last 10 minutes, with a few rough calls against us, after 3 weeks interstate, missing 3 of our top 10, playing in Perth, where besides the bombers game the WEagles never lose. (3 losses in H&A games in 3 years.)

we will be there when it counts, and whether we finish top 4 or not no-one is going to want to play us in the finals.

 

[TigerForce]

The key to any finals success is to do what Geethrow do time and time again when they’re out of form and everyone is writing them off: bunker down, win a stretch of easier games, go under the radar, get players back. Then, re-appear in the finals as a competitive unit.

We’re unlikely to finish as high as they’ve done the last 15 years (typically fighting back to finish top 4 a lot of years), but we’ve gotta do what they do and fight back and play ourselves into 5th or 6th at worst. Then win 4 in a row….

Exactly right Red. However, I reckon they'll win it this year. Cameron and Smith are showing it.

 

[TigerForce]

and dont forget we beat the bombers- they are top 4 quality.

You sure?

 

[Tigers of Old]

Exactly right Red. However, I reckon they'll win it this year. Cameron and Smith are showing it.

I think the media has been saying that every year for the past 4.

 

[Brodders17]

You sure?

mate, i read the paper, i know how good they are.

 

[seven]

Exactly right Red. However, I reckon they'll win it this year. Cameron and Smith are showing it.

Second half will be telling for Geelooong.
I’m expecting them to fall off the cliff and out of the 8

 

[TigerForce]

I think the media has been saying that every year for the past 4.

Well Cameron and Smith only joined this season and this is why I want a huge boost to our attack (as the Cats did) because relying on Jack and Tom every week is old stuff. IMO, get rid of Castagna, replace with Parker. Keep playing Jack, Tom and CCJ and look for another strongly built HF to replace Rioli who's value is dropping badly.

 

[TigerForce]

Second half will be telling for Geelooong.
I’m expecting them to fall off the cliff and out of the 8

Their mental weakness is all we can rely on.

 

[TigerForce]

mate, i read the paper, i know how good they are.

Too much Blobbo reading for you.

 

[eZyT]

We just keep getting lead piled in our saddlebag.

I think we've played the least home games of any side in the last 2 years.

and the new rules have got us trying to copy Geelong FFS.

and then they send us to Perth and back and back and back and back.

I reckon we should go the knuckle after the bye.

*smile* this *smile*

 

[houstontiger]

Maybe we can finish 6th and win the flag by playing 4 straight finals at the MCG. This would be make me laugh watching Kane Cornes and others loss their mind. about us and the MCG

Anyway if I have the finals set up right this is how it unfolds:

Week 1: Richmond (6th) vs Who cares (7th) MCG
Week 2: Geelong (3rd; lost in week 1) vs Richmond MCG
Week 3: Prelim: Melbourne (1st; won in week 1) vs Richmond MCG
Week 4: GF: Who cares maybe Footscray vs Richmond MCG.

Win our 14th flag wearing our away strip.

This is how I have it happening in my little brain so it must come true!

 

[TigerForce]

Maybe we can finish 6th and win the flag by playing 4 straight finals at the MCG. This would be make me laugh watching Kane Cornes and others loss their mind. about us and the MCG

Anyway if I have the finals set up right this is how it unfolds:

Week 1: Richmond (6th) vs Who cares (7th) MCG
Week 2: Geelong (3rd; lost in week 1) vs Richmond MCG
Week 3: Prelim: Melbourne (1st; won in week 1) vs Richmond MCG
Week 4: GF: Who cares maybe Footscray vs Richmond MCG.

Win our 14th flag wearing our away strip.

This is how I have it happening in my little brain so it must come true!

Nowhere impossible and best thing is 4 straight games with no bye = momentum.

 

[AstuteTiger]

Got to make the finals first.

They will easily make finals. The draw is favourable. playing 7 games against teams outside the 8. After the bye Prestia and Astbury back.
Nank and Lynch the week after, RD15

 

[Baloo]

We won 2017 by moving to a radical 1 tall, 5 small forwards. Unseen before and it revolutionised the game for a while.

Looking at our current stocks, after the bye we should revolutionise the forward line again. 5 talls, 1 short. For laughs, that short should be a resting mid like Shai, Martin or Edwards.

 

[CarnTheTiges]

Said it before. There’s a similarity between this season and Geelong’s 2018 season. After being in the top 4 they had a season where they finished out of the top 4 and we’re bundled out in the EF. They bounced back in 2019 to win the minor Premiership and were only stopped from winning the GF by us in the PF. We can do that, only if we finish top 4 and go deep into the finals in 2022 we won’t fall at the final hurdle.

 

[eZyT]

We won 2017 by moving to a radical 1 tall, 5 small forwards. Unseen before and it revolutionised the game for a while.

Looking at our current stocks, after the bye we should revolutionise the forward line again. 5 talls, 1 short. For laughs, that short should be a resting mid like Shai, Martin or Edwards.

I do think we need to roll the dice with some revolutionary selection.

jettison some under performers, and bring in some talent.

Aside from making room for Prestia Lynch Nankervis,

Id lose caddy, Aarts, Rioli,

and give stack, dow, Mansell and rcd a crack

might as well take a look at MP too

if we aren't gonna win the flag, I want to go down swinging,

and with one eye on 2022

*note I think we can win the flag from 5th or 6th, but probably not from 7th or 8th. an interstate elimination would be a bridge to far IMO

 

[AstuteTiger]

Wow, I don’t get the negativity on here.

On our day, we match anyone.

We may not finish top 4, but no one will want to play us in the finals. If a team can do it from 5-8, we can.

The result wasn’t great, but I liked what I saw against the Eagles. We are starting to get our mojo back.

I still think we will give this a mighty shake.

Not negativity, it was a disappointing loss, no two ways about it as deep down I know we were the better team but too many turnovers cost us in the end.
I thought our pressure to was down on previous weeks.
I don't think teams fear us anymore. But playing us on the G I guess will be a daunting prospect for any team.

The only team in the last decade or so to have won the flag outside the top 4 were the dogs in 2016.
Can we still win it without being in the top 4, of course, as you can't discount the champs, all I'm saying and others to it's going to be a lot harder...

 

[22nd Man]

Curious that you compare our current need to win nine on the trot to 2014 when we needed to do it to make the eight, rather than to 2019 when we didn't need to do it but did to make top four - and did. It tells me many have forgotten that we actually did that and won the flag

Curious that you compare our current need to win nine on the trot to 2014 when we needed to do it to make the eight, rather than to 2019 when we didn't need to do it but did to make top four - and did. It tells me many have forgotten that we actually did that and won the flag.

I had indeed forgotten the fact that we were undefeated last nine.. Though I do recall the monumental wins over Lions and WC to get us there. 2019 will now be my beacon of hope.

 

[Smoking Aces]

I am not thinking about top 4. Right now it’s irrelevant. Our focus should be consolidating our position in the top 8 and ensuring our best 22 is on the park.

Best 22

B: Short Balta Vlastuin
HB: Houli Grimes Broad
C: Macintosh Martin Pickett
HF: Lambert Lynch Riewoldt
FF: Stack CCJ Bolton
Foll: Nankervis Cotchin Prestia
Int: Baker Castagna Graham Edwards
Emerg: Chol Aarts Caddy Astbury