2017 Season - Will we make the top 4?

[bulldogsthru&thru]

DR, I owe you an apology. I seriously didn't think it had become so bad.

What makes me stick with my view that we can still make the 8 is that so many are nowhere near what should be expected in terms of output.

The issues I saw yesterday are entirely fixable in a short space of time.

That they are. But it's been 12 weeks and i haven't seen any improvement. In fact its gotten worse

[bornadog]

DR, I owe you an apology.

It is easy to whinge, but we need solutions and just potting the club and players and being a negative Nellie doesn't help anyone.

[Dry Rot]

DR, I owe you an apology. I seriously didn't think it had become so bad.

What makes me stick with my view that we can still make the 8 is that so many are nowhere near what should be expected in terms of output.

The issues I saw yesterday are entirely fixable in a short space of time.

Apology accepted.

But I'll stick with my view too. There's something rotten with our team this year, and I can't see it turning around.

[Dry Rot]

It is easy to whinge, but we need solutions and just potting the club and players and being a negative Nellie doesn't help anyone.

Where have I whinged, and potted the clubs and players?

I'm not negative, just realistic.

The wheels have fallen off this season.

[bulldogtragic]

According to a analytics website a frequent, liveladders, they have us projected 8th if we win 6 or I reckon 7 from here on in:

R14 v Kangaroos at Etihad
R15 v Eagles at Etihad
R16 v Crows at Adelaide Oval
R17 v Blues at the MCG
R18 v Suns in Cairns
R19 v Bombers at Etihad
R20 v Lions at the Gabba
R21 v Giants at Etihad
R22 v Power in Ballarat
R23 v Hawks at Etihad

I'm not a betting man, but I wouldn't bet right now on 6 or 7 wins from that. And I'm in real fear of what the crows could do to this current team in nothing changes by then.

[Sedat]

According to a analytics website a frequent, liveladders, they have us projected 8th if we win 6 or I reckon 7 from here on in:

R14 v Kangaroos at Etihad
R15 v Eagles at Etihad
R16 v Crows at Adelaide Oval
R17 v Blues at the MCG
R18 v Suns in Cairns
R19 v Bombers at Etihad
R20 v Lions at the Gabba
R21 v Giants at Etihad
R22 v Power in Ballarat
R23 v Hawks at Etihad

I'm not a betting man, but I wouldn't bet right now on 6 or 7 wins from that. And I'm in real fear of what the crows could do to this current team in nothing changes by then.

We win 8 out of 10 if we play to our capabilities and match it with the necessary desire - we win 2 out of 10 if we continue along the same path of the last fortnight.

[hujsh]

Where have I whinged, and potted the clubs and players?

I'm not negative, just realistic.

The wheels have fallen off this season.

Hmmm. You've had a something of a reputation as a pessimist since the Eade years.


One the subject I've not abandoned hope but I'm now going into the next few games expecting nothing. We're more than capable of winning enough games to make the finals but unlike last year we've shown ourselves to be just as capable of dropping winnable games hard. The faith I had in the first few games that we'd come back when we were behind has eroded.

I still suspect we'll make finals but I don't think we'll have a run like last year if we do.

[The Bulldogs Bite]

Another question: at what point of the season should we effectively pump games into Webb, Williams, Collins and possibly a couple of others IF our current form doesn't turn around?

I'd argue Webb and Williams are two who should be playing now, but interested on others thoughts re some of our first to second year players.

[bulldogtragic]

Another question: at what point of the season should we effectively pump games into Webb, Williams, Collins and possibly a couple of others IF our current form doesn't turn around?

I'd argue Webb and Williams are two who should be playing now, but interested on others thoughts re some of our first to second year players.

I've said we are there now. Still happy to stand by it.

[Dry Rot]

Hmmm. You've had a something of a reputation as a pessimist since the Eade years.

Wow, I have a "reputation".

Hmmm, the Eade years....when I said we didn't have a good enough forward line to win the flag, including 2009.

Negative or realistic there?

[bornadog]

Another question: at what point of the season should we effectively pump games into Webb, Williams, Collins and possibly a couple of others IF our current form doesn't turn around?

I'd argue Webb and Williams are two who should be playing now, but interested on others thoughts re some of our first to second year players.

Williams was playing well and then had a below average game against the Saints and dropped; I think we should have kept him in.

[hujsh]

Wow, I have a "reputation".

Hmmm, the Eade years....when I said we didn't have a good enough forward line to win the flag, including 2009.

Negative or realistic there?

Yeah I remember it being pointed out and noticed the same from that point onwards. Which is fine as everyone reacts differently and at the very least shows how invested you are in the club. I don't mean it as an insult though I do see why you might take it as one.

One or two twists of fate and we make 2 GFs at which point maybe we win maybe we lose. After all our forward line last year wasn't good enough to win either yet we still won.

The reality of football is that you are more likely to be disappointed than not as only one team can win a premiership. That doesn't mean that dismissing your chances before the dice is rolled is realistic. And our performance against Melbourne doesn't mean your reaction to the Sydney game was rational rather than emotional. Everything we've seen under Bevo suggested that we'd come good the following week. Like we have before under similar circumstances. It's now that we've backed it up that it becomes a real source of concern.

[hujsh]

Another question: at what point of the season should we effectively pump games into Webb, Williams, Collins and possibly a couple of others IF our current form doesn't turn around?

I'd argue Webb and Williams are two who should be playing now, but interested on others thoughts re some of our first to second year players.

It kind of goes against the whole selection philosophy doesn't it? Maybe we prefer them ahead of some senior counterparts but we can't be gifting them games. Though that only really is an issue in Collins case as Williams/ Webb have earned their chances

[bornadog]

It kind of goes against the whole selection philosophy doesn't it? Maybe we prefer them ahead of some senior counterparts but we can't be gifting them games. Though that only really is an issue in Collins case as Williams/ Webb have earned their chances

Best 22 every week - need to stick to it.

[Eastdog]

Such a tight season. We are still in this if we can get our stuff in order.