Ok so we are in the 8 which was the goal in 09
And there are 7 good teams and the rest arnt much chop although Sydney, Hawthorn, Essendon* and Port are good on their day.
I was very worried at half time of the freo game in round 14.
We needed to make the eight because we had an easy draw.
We have been lucky too.
Geelong are on its knees and Port are the softest tem in the league.
Its not tanking but teams get to the last 4 weeks of the season and dont have the spirit from earlier in the year because they know they are making up the numbers. Happens every year.
The last quarter of the freo game was the most important time this season to date. Lose that and we would have been 6 and 8 and maybe would have developed that state of mind that this season was [REDACTED].
On certain individual players
Walker putting a few games together has been crucial.
O'hAilpin stringing a few together
These 2 guys are vital to our team because they can play a variety of roles forward and back.
Gibbs has been fantastic in the last 7 weeks. I have been one of his harshest critics because he was playing soft footy.
he hasnt lately. Good on him. never question the guys talent and I love watching him play.
Murphy is fast coming an elite footballer
Judd is playing with more freedom and that is because these 2 guys have stepped it up
Fevola I am sure was told after his pathetic effort in round 13 that he needed to pull his head in.
He is fit focused and firing. Keep it up fev.
Our defence is thin with Waite and Jamo gone for the year but
Bower is a fantastic player. What I love about this guy is even when he is having a bad day he keeps backing himself
Thornton is having his best season. Still sooks but not as much.
Armfield is a real goer
and Russell is finally delivering.
More importantly he is providing a springboard out of defense something we have lack in spades in the last 5 years
Watching him the last 2 weeks I actually feel confident when he has the ball.
great to see Jordan playing like a number 9 draft pick
Joseph is a favourite. Tries his guts out and you know the star mid from the opposition is in for a torrid day
Hampson whilst being a work in progress has developed as a ruckman at tap outs.
Our biggest improvement has been with tap outs. Last last year.
We have depth as well.
Watching the blues we sometimes lose the plot and go into our shells. Kick outs and getting our ball out of our defensive 50 still needs drastic improvement. Hopefully we can improve in this area if we are to progress in the finals
Its when we back ourselves and take the game on that we can match it with the best as we have shown.
Which brings me to what we should expect in the next fortnight or beyond.
Whist I would be rapped if we won one final because of the weird nature of this season I actually think it is possible we can win the flag.
Why
Well look at Hawthorn. They were clearly playing the best footy in the finals last year and odds of 3.30 on Grand Final day last year was a joke.
So who wont win the flag
Adelaide
Brisbane
Essendon* or Hawthorn
are simply not up to it.
They dont have enough stars
Count Geelong out
They cant win with Johnson and Chapman not fit
Harley is about gone
They simply dont hurt the opposition enough on the scoreboard and are too banged up.
The Western Bulldogs are a good team but rely more heavily on their field kicking than any other team because they lack size and muscle. That could tell in the finals and we have a good record against them
The Saints are in trouble. Their bruising style of footy has caught up with them. They look tired to me
The Volt is hurting.
They miss Hayes in a big way
Watching them on Sunday it seems to me that have become too defensively minded.
It will be fascinating how they go on the MCG. Harder to bottle up the opposition on a bigger ground. Melbourne arnt a bad side for a 16th place side. Could win
We nearly beat this mob when they played well.
That leaves the filth
Problem with this mob despite the obvious spin their grandiose pres puts on it is that some of their "stars" are soft under pressure
Didak
Thomas
Cloke
Fraser
= overrated
Point is from all this I reckon we can realistically win the flag because of the opposition we potentially face at this time
Of course to win we have to play 4 finals in the row. If we make the granny then we might have run our race before the ball has been bounced.
But we are a young side who appear fresh and peaking
So I like to give Ratten credit.
Well done boys and an interseting fortnight ahead
And Cazzeman
is that positive enough for ya
No picture please
And I am in the 6th row for Dream Theater with my son who happens to be a drummer
Go Portnoy and Blues
Life is good
See ya
