Can we win the premiership from outside the top 4?

[Eastdog]

Given that this season has been very even with no standout team and with some surprising results recently could this be a possibility. What do we reckon?

[The Doctor]

Yes we can, absolutely we can

and we have to believe we can

[Eastdog]

Yes we can, absolutely we can

and we have to believe we can

You just never know. It's easier said than done but we just have to keep winning.

[Mofra]

I do worry about our injuries but if we get Macrae and Libba back with Tom Campbell available...

[LostDoggy]

It certainly is a very even year with all of the top 6 or 7 looking very competitive. The 2 hottest teams right now look to be Sydney and Adelaide, both of whom we have beaten. It's a long shot, but there is no reason why it can't happen.

One thing is for sure, this group won't die wondering. In other years, I've worried about our capacity to produce our best in a big match, this group will give it all.

[Eastdog]

I do worry about our injuries but if we get Macrae and Libba back with Tom Campbell available...

That is a constraint on us right now - the injuries. But those players Mofra when they come back would greatly help. We really need to get better up forward.

What do you think on Stringer? If he isn't 100% should we really be playing him if he is protecting himself from injury. We certainly need him firing along with Tom Boyd having more of an impact - Will be good getting Stewart back next year. We do a good array of forwards but haven't been efficient enough. Defensively surprising with our injuries there we have been great.

[Eastdog]

I think now we can handle the high pressure games. The game on Friday night certainly had an elimination final type feel to it. A good rehersal.

[MrMahatma]

Why not?

Think we need to get Macrae, Libba, Campbell and Adams all in the team.

One thing that may work in our favor. If you're top 4 and win in the first week of the finals, then come pre-lim week you'll have had 1 game of footy in 3 weeks (given we all get the week off prior to the finals). Who knows how that could impact some teams.

[Bulldog4life]

If we win our next 6 games we are PREMIERS. That is all we have to do. Of course we can win the premiership. Go dogs.

[The Bulldogs Bite]

If Macrae, Libba and Campbell are fit and firing yes (and we have no more injuries).

If they aren't, no.

We're up against it.

[1eyedog]

Yep need the above 3 players fit to win it. If we get them back we can win it from 5th / 6th sure.

[Ozza]

Well....I wouldn't put anything past Marcus Bontempelli!

Looking at it objectively - winning a final after the year we've had with injuries - would be a good result. Particularly when you factor the age of the group.

Having said all that - I would be extremely disappointed to lose in the 1st week. We need to win at least one final - to kick start us for 2017.

[kruder]

Why not?

Think we need to get Macrae, Libba, Campbell and Adams all in the team.

One thing that may work in our favor. If you're top 4 and win in the first week of the finals, then come pre-lim week you'll have had 1 game of footy in 3 weeks (given we all get the week off prior to the finals). Who knows how that could impact some teams.

Yeah those 4 are crucial. Not to discount them but a midfield of Dunkley, Webb and Jong supporting the Bont and Dahl won't cut it in September. I did here on the radio that Libba is a 2/10 chance to make it back.

[LostDoggy]

If we win our next 6 games we are PREMIERS. That is all we have to do. Of course we can win the premiership. Go dogs.

Its easier than that, we can drop the next two games and we only have to win the last four!

[Eastdog]

Its easier than that, we can drop the next two games and we only have to win the last four!

Yeah true but rather win our last 2 remaining games which we should to give us confidence going into the finals series.

[BornInDroopSt'54]

Is the pope a catholic?

[LostDoggy]

If Stringers shoulder wasn't completely cooked I would have more confidence..

[hujsh]

Is the pope a catholic?

Secret Gnostic.

Don't tell anyone

[LostDoggy]

Bloody Oath we can and we God Damn Will!!!!

[Eastdog]

Bloody Oath we can and we God Damn Will!!!!

The paper the next day: Doggies overcome the odds and claim 2nd premiership in a thriller at the MCG.

[boydogs]

The bye before the finals would seem to lessen the advantage of having the week off
Getting to 16-6 with our injuries this year suggests we have the quality, but not sure we will get enough players back and at their best to really challenge

[Twodogs]

Is the pope a catholic?


It's a miracle we are asking this question this late in the season.

[SonofScray]

It's a miracle we are asking this question this late in the season.

I revisited the question with a colleague at work today who also is a staunch Footscray man. I have been bullish all year, because that is what I do every year, but he has jumped onboard now too. Effectively saying "we just won't go away will we?" No, we won't. The tide has turned and what we are experiencing is an undeniable march towards Premiership glory.

[FrediKanoute]

Head says no way, but with this team and the overall eveness of the Top 7 sides anything can happen. We are as likely to get flogged by West Coast as we are to go all the way.

[hujsh]

Stop it.

You lot are convincing me we're going to lose to Essendon. What with all this talk of unstoppable premiership force and whatnot.

That or losing Wood and Bont for 8 weeks

[merantau]

I would say 100% we can win it but with one proviso: we don't have to play West Coast away and we get at least 5 of our injured players back. I want to see Morris, Adams, Liberatore, Macrae and Campbell back with McLean and Stevens waiting in the wings. Minson should also come under consideration if Campbell is not available. We must have Tom Boyd spending more time up forward - at least 75% of the game.
It would be very unjust to finish in the same fashion as we did in 2016 because I think we have had a better year. We have never been able to put our best 22 on the park and we have n
been missing prime movers for large slabs of the season - Murphy, Johannisen, Liberatore, Dahlhaus, Adams, Morris, Redpath, Campbell, Wallis, McLean Dickson, Stevens and the list goes on. We have our destiny partly resting in the hands of others over the next two weeks. It will be a relief for me to know who will meet in week one of the finals. GO Dogs!!!

[Ghost Dog]

I know we can win every week under the current coach. Even when the stats say no. The experts often miss the upset wins. Sport can be random.

We know we are good. Luck might not fall our way with injuries or whatever but that's uncontrollable.

[Mantis]

I've been pretty bullish about our chances for quite a while, but sadly I can't see it happening this year... We just can't get a good run at it.

[Webby]

Hawthorn bolted the GF in last year after playing every final. Sure they finished 3rd, but they also had to travel to Perth TWICE in order to get there.

Add the fact that this year there's a recovery week before the finals and absolutely we can win it. People don't seem to appreciate just how well drilled our team defence is. The media harps on about scoring and throws stats around all over the place. After all, they have to talk. However Sydney won the '05 flag with a lock down game plan and low scoring. They were just bloody hard to play against and I reckon the 2016 Dogs are much the same.

Two straight forward games to go, plus a bye, means that we've got three weeks to get Morris, Macrae, Campbell, Libba and maybe one or two others right. It could mean we're positioned to explode into the finals.

Nothing to lose, here. Win the first and it could open right up for us.

[Bulldog4life]

Sportsbet have us 34/1 to win this year and 9/1 to win next year.:eek:

[Eastdog]

Really loving the optimism. Who knows something special could be coming up.

[Twodogs]

If we can find a couple of avenues to goal we'd be damn near unstoppable.

It's not beyond us. Dickson has to come good surely? He's a quality player. Even though he's playing shit footy at the moment he's kicked goals in his last few games. And maybe if we left Tom Boyd in the goal square for most of the game rather than running him to the point of exhaustion and then sending him forward. That's never going to work. The only way the rock/forward thing will work is if Roughead does the bulk of the ruckwork and Boyd plays the bulk of his time forward. McLean must be close. He's another reliable avenue to goal. I've got a feeling that finals might bring the best out of Jake stringer too.

Have to get a home final first up too. That's pretty important.

[LostDoggy]

Getting The Big Soup back frees up TBoyd to be anchored at FF and that could be the missing link to our forward puzzlement.

[hujsh]

Getting The Big Soup back frees up TBoyd to be anchored at FF and that could be the missing link to our forward puzzlement.

May help, but not if the problem runs deeper than just personnel on the park

[LostDoggy]

May help, but not if the problem runs deeper than just personnel on the park

Leading patterns or lack of and spacial awareness for our mids to run into free space in our F50.

[EasternWest]

No, we can't.

[Bulldog4life]

No, we can't.

Party pooper

[The Pie Man]

While it's clearly highly unlikely we'll go that deep this finals series, I only give us a slight chance if we can secure a home final first up.

And I'm not convinced that's going to happen - we should win all our remaining games and finish with 16 wins and yet still be in 7th! 7th!!!! Bizarre season.

Glad we're playing Freo last next week, thinking we could take a pretty big squad over to cover a few potential outcomes - key fixtures being WCE V HAW tomorrow and NM vs GWS next week.

The Eagles could be waking up.

[Twodogs]

North got through to the preliminary final round last year. Did they start in the Elimination Final?

[1eyedog]

North got through to the preliminary final round last year. Did they start in the Elimination Final?

Yeah they beat Richmond

[Twodogs]

Yeah they beat Richmond

Oh well. There ain't no Richmond in this year's final series. No easybeats this time around. Except probably North ironically.

[EasternWest]

Party pooper

I'm just as depressed about it as you!

[Eastdog]

We are only another 4-5 wins away from the premiership :)

[SonofScray]

The answer is still yes.

I feel like this year we have been tide-like. Tide and time waits for no one. Injuries, competition etc it's all irrelevant. We are rolling in towards a drought breaking premiership regardless.

[LostDoggy]

The answer is still yes.

I feel like this year we have been tide-like. Tide and time waits for no one. Injuries, competition etc it's all irrelevant. We are rolling in towards a drought breaking premiership regardless.
Damn straight. Imagine the excitement if we win the first final, our young team will be running through brick walls for Bevo and each other. Unlikely is irrelevant, anything is possible.

[Twodogs]

Damn straight. Imagine the excitement if we win the first final, our young team will be running through brick walls for Bevo and each other. Unlikely is irrelevant, anything is possible.

If we can win our first final I could see us getting up a head of steam. Get through the second week and we may face an opponent in prelim week that has only played one game in three weeks and I'd fancy our chances in that circumstance. I'd forgotten about the weeks break before the finals start. That could bring a whole new dynamic to this year's finals series.

[Eastdog]

If we can win our first final I could see us getting up a head of steam. Get through the second week and we may face an opponent in prelim week that has only played one game in three weeks and I'd fancy our chances in that circumstance. I'd forgotten about the weeks break before the finals start. That could bring a whole new dynamic to this year's finals series.

We have got good practice in the close games and we have a solid record winning close this year.

[Twodogs]

We have got good practice in the close games and we have a solid record winning close this year.


We have been really good at being in front when the siren goes. It's a good habit for a footy team.

[westdog54]

We have been really good at being in front when the siren goes. It's a good habit for a footy team.

I vaguely remember in a 'Quote of the Week' column in an old Footy Record, Gerard Healy is quoted during a post-match on Radio as saying "Whoever was in front at the final siren was always going to win".

[The Adelaide Connection]

I have often wondered whether finishing 5th or lower and winning week 1 would be a better proposition than finishing 4th and losing. Neither get the break that the winning Qualifying finalists enjoy and you move onto week 2 with momentum from the win from the former. You do, however, have to win.

It'll be interesting to see how the extra break the QF winners get impacts them. Teams really struggle after the midyear break and I can't imagine one game in three weeks is ideal preparation when you have to step up to finals intensity.

[LostDoggy]

I have often wondered whether finishing 5th or lower and winning week 1 would be a better proposition than finishing 4th and losing. Neither get the break that the winning Qualifying finalists enjoy and you move onto week 2 with momentum from the win from the former. You do, however, have to win.

It'll be interesting to see how the extra break the QF winners get impacts them. Teams really struggle after the midyear break and I can't imagine one game in three weeks is ideal preparation when you have to step up to finals intensity.

Historically the losing week 1 teams have a great record against the winning 5th-8th teams. The home advantage is a big factor.

[Bulldog4life]

If we win our next 6 games we are PREMIERS. That is all we have to do. Of course we can win the premiership. Go dogs.

Down to 5 wins now or even 4 but any team that is currently sitting on 15 wins and 6 losses can win the premiership no matter where they finish.

[Twodogs]

Down to 5 wins now or even 4 but any team that is currently sitting on 15 wins and 6 losses can win the premiership no matter where they finish.

It could be as few as 4 wins that's true. I can't see us finishing top four though. I'm not much of an optimist.i think we will need all 5 wins.

[Twodogs]

I have often wondered whether finishing 5th or lower and winning week 1 would be a better proposition than finishing 4th and losing. Neither get the break that the winning Qualifying finalists enjoy and you move onto week 2 with momentum from the win from the former. You do, however, have to win.

It'll be interesting to see how the extra break the QF winners get impacts them. Teams really struggle after the midyear break and I can't imagine one game in three weeks is ideal preparation when you have to step up to finals intensity.

The one game in three week thing is looking like one of the AFL's mightiest stuff ups potentially. I can see it really impacting on match fitness for teams that win through to prelim week in week one..

[boydogs]

It could be as few as 4 wins that's true. I can't see us finishing top four though. I'm not much of an optimist.i think we will need all 5 wins.

Could lose to Freo and win 4 from 7th

[Twodogs]

Could lose to Freo and win 4 from 7th


That's why I think we will have to win four finals to win the flag.

[merantau]

I vaguely remember in a 'Quote of the Week' column in an old Footy Record, Gerard Healy is quoted during a post-match on Radio as saying "Whoever was in front at the final siren was always going to win".

Didn't Healy also come out with: "Let me recapitulate back to what I said previously"? Or, was that Duhwayne?

[Eastdog]

If we can win another 3 games we are premiers. Another 3 times that performance last night replicated. Would be the first team under this final system outside the top 4 to win.

[LostDoggy]

If we can win another 3 games we are premiers. Another 3 times that performance last night replicated. Would be the first team under this final system outside the top 4 to win.

Having the R23 bye and then a Thursday final gives us a better chance than any of the non-top 4 teams before us. We're looking at a Thursday, Friday, Friday, Saturday finals run. Beautiful.

[bornadog]

After this weekend it is do or die for every team. Those winning and having a bye are going to lose momentum completely, and we are in with a chance.

[bornadog]

http://s.afl.com.au/staticfile/AFL%20Tenant/26-Pathway-to-the-Grand-Final.jpg

[bulldogtragic]

Just three more wins... Two of the possible three games at the MCG.

[bornadog]

Just three more wins... Two of the possible three games at the MCG.

and SCG holds no fear.

[bulldogtragic]

and SCG holds no fear.

None at all. But it may be at ANZ or Spotless. Hopefully the SCG.

[Ozza]

None at all. But it may be at ANZ or Spotless. Hopefully the SCG.

Sydney at the SCG are our bunnies! I hope they win tomorrow.

[Bulldog Joe]

Perhaps the planets are aligning.

The decision of the pre-finals bye has been an enormous benefit to our chances.

That last gasp win by Hawthorn to keep Adelaide out of the top 4 may just be the best thing that could have occurred for us.

[bulldogtragic]

1 in 18 chance to win the flag 24 weeks ago. 1 in 6 chance now...

[LostDoggy]

Damn straight we can Brothers and Sisters.

[Eastdog]

The way I like to look at. We are 3 more wins from being premiers.

[Twodogs]

The way I like to look at. We are 3 more wins from being premiers.


I look at it as only 3 wins. We win 3 games in a row all the time.

[bornadog]

I look at it as only 3 wins. We win 3 games in a row all the time.

2 more

[Eastdog]

2 more

1 more hopefully after tomorrow.

[Twodogs]

Come on Eastie, everyone should be all in by now. No more qualifying terms like 'hopefully'.

WE WILL WIN TOMORROW. NO IFS, NO BUTS. WIN!

[Eastdog]

You are so right Twodogs. It is our time right now.

[bornadog]

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/Cs9kkqpUEAA219c.jpg

[EasternWest]

No, we can't.

Don't listen to this moron.

[LostDoggy]

don't listen to this moron.

gold!! ;)

[EasternWest]

gold!! ;)

Gotta call a spade a spade. And this guy is a tool.

[Eastdog]

Yes we can!!

[angelopetraglia]

Yes.

[BulldogBelle]

Lets keep it simple.
Of course we f#%&ing can!!!

[cinder]

Best chance we'll ever have!