The Equation

[Twodogs]

Brisbane is a danger game, they only went to Perth for frequent flyer points "The Lions will welcome back star midfielder Dayne Zorko from a one-week suspension after he was banned for striking Carlton midfielder Sam Petrevski-Seton in Round 18.*!Exciting key forward Eric Hipwood is also in line for a recall, alongside promising first-year pair Hugh McCluggage and Jarrod Berry, while key defender Dan McStay has recovered from a minor shoulder injury.*!

All 4 are winnable if we maintain yesterday's intensity. Any team that drops away gets rolled these days.

I feel sick.

If you want to get excited have a look at Adelaide's premiership defence in 1998. Most of the season they were stumbling and bumbling along at barely 50% W/L ratio but hit some form late to get to the finals with a 13-9 record. And then proceeded to win the flag from 5th spot

I've been thinking about that one a lot lately. Actually I've thought a lot about it over the last 19 years...

The West Coast loss is the glaring one that may eventually cost us.

Yep but it's like dropping a catch in cricket. We can't dwell on it because we are still in the game and gave to concentrate on what's coming up not what's happened.

There's plenty of time to beat ourselves up over lost games over the summer.

[Twodogs]

Brisbane is a danger game, they only went to Perth for frequent flyer points "The Lions will welcome back star midfielder Dayne Zorko from a one-week suspension after he was banned for striking Carlton midfielder Sam Petrevski-Seton in Round 18.*!Exciting key forward Eric Hipwood is also in line for a recall, alongside promising first-year pair Hugh McCluggage and Jarrod Berry, while key defender Dan McStay has recovered from a minor shoulder injury.*!

All 4 are winnable if we maintain yesterday's intensity. Any team that drops away gets rolled these days.

I feel sick.

If you want to get excited have a look at Adelaide's premiership defence in 1998. Most of the season they were stumbling and bumbling along at barely 50% W/L ratio but hit some form late to get to the finals with a 13-9 record. And then proceeded to win the flag from 5th spot

I've been thinking about that one a lot lately. Actually I've thought a lot about it over the last 19 years...

The West Coast loss is the glaring one that may eventually cost us.

Yep but it's like dropping a catch in cricket. We can't dwell on it because we are still in the game and gave to concentrate on what's coming up not what's happened.

There's plenty of time to beat ourselves up over lost games over the summer.

[Eastdog]

Twice we lost by 8 and 7 points.

That last time, the umpires killed us with two stupid free kicks - The Bont for a dangerous tackle, rubbish. The next kick they got another free for holding the man in the contest, again rubbish.

Yeah we easily could of won both the games against the Eagles but I feel we at least should have got them once. The GWS game is another I reckon we should of won - played very well in that game and we were coming right at them in the end just falling short.

[bulldogtragic]

Interesting on http://www.liveladders.com/AFL/

They have Sydney 6th and Dogs 7th - both winning 3 of 4. We've been finishing 10th on this predictor for ages now, but we've bumped up. Which according to them would be us playing an Elim Final at the SCG. If Sydney drop two more, then we'd move into 6th and play Sydney (7th) at Etihad/MCG.

[boydogs]

We're going to cost ourselves a Friday night game if we get in. The floating R23 fixture would have probably scheduled us for Friday night if Murphy, Hodge et al were retiring, but if we make the 8 it could be a different story. Hodge's retirement is another factor in the Hawthorn game I hadn't considered, aside from their finals chances

All 4 sides from 5-8 should lose this week and make us 6th. Sydney should lose again against Adelaide in R22 to keep us in if we drop a game, or if we beat Port we'll still be in if we lose to GWS instead

[bulldogtragic]

Also, Dale Morris was asked about coming back this year. Dale said it will be 6 weeks. The interviewer said so you'd have to make the second week of finals, with four more rounds. Dale immediately said 'no, there's the week off at the end of the season too. So if we make finals, I'd be ready for finals'.

Interesting that's right on the tip of his tongue. One, that he can get back this year. Two, that the week off is in his thinking. And three, that playing finals is at the forefront. I doubt it's just him thinking we can play finals.

Hopefully there's full belief back now in the playing group. If it is, I'd like to go with minimal changes. Like Cordy, Roberts & Daniel last year. You've got be in the team that could do something special, and you can stay there at this time of the year if you do your job. That should motivate Dale, Young, Webb, Williams and even Cloke.

I'm not certain we are going to make it, but we need the whole of club momentum strategy like last finals. We need to have a few re-signings, have a media pump up with the launch of the Merc ute, make some big announcements and build up and up the energy of the club, players, members and fans. Create a wave and ride it until it ends.

[westdog54]

If you want to get excited have a look at Adelaide's premiership defence in 1998. Most of the season they were stumbling and bumbling along at barely 50% W/L ratio but hit some form late to get to the finals with a 13-9 record. And then proceeded to win the flag from 5th spot

Pfft, 5th. Child's play

[bornadog]

Also, Dale Morris was asked about coming back this year. Dale said it will be 6 weeks. The interviewer said so you'd have to make the second week of finals, with four more rounds. Dale immediately said 'no, there's the week off at the end of the season too. So if we make finals, I'd be ready for finals'.

Interesting that's right on the tip of his tongue. One, that he can get back this year. Two, that the week off is in his thinking. And three, that playing finals is at the forefront. I doubt it's just him thinking we can play finals.

Hopefully there's full belief back now in the playing group. If it is, I'd like to go with minimal changes. Like Cordy, Roberts & Daniel last year. You've got be in the team that could do something special, and you can stay there at this time of the year if you do your job. That should motivate Dale, Young, Webb, Williams and even Cloke.

I'm not certain we are going to make it, but we need the whole of club momentum strategy like last finals. We need to have a few re-signings, have a media pump up with the launch of the Merc ute, make some big announcements and build up and up the energy of the club, players, members and fans. Create a wave and ride it until it ends.

From Twitter:

Bob Boblarr ����‏

@BobBoblarr1

17h17 hours agoMore



Bevo had some hard one on one meetings with each senior player this week to reset their minds for the season..
It worked.

Bob is usually on the money.

If true, it is what the group needed to focus the players minds. With only 5 rounds to go, they needed to be reminded we could miss finals - and they responded beautifully.

With the run home:

Brisbane - Should beat them, they are the bottom team - Bevo will remind them we lost last year and can't let this slip.

GWS - We hate them so much we will put in extra effort to knock them off

Port Adelaide - First game in Ballarat, need to impress the locals, and make sure they stay with us.

Hawks - *!*!*!*! Hodge, we are out to show we can make it bark to bark.

Go Dogs!!!!

[Happy Days]

Jeremy Cameron is out for 3 weeks with a hamstring. All we need now is for Toby Greene to belt Jon Patton at training and we could be on.

[bulldogtragic]

Jeremy Cameron is out for 3 weeks with a hamstring. All we need now is for Toby Greene to belt Jon Patton at training and we could be on.

I want Toby to play. Then we kick high balls across the 50 near Toby, with Zaine nearby to legitimately spoil his head in.

[Eastdog]

Jeremy Cameron is out for 3 weeks with a hamstring. All we need now is for Toby Greene to belt Jon Patton at training and we could be on.

The chances of beating them increase.

[Doc26]

Jeremy Cameron is out for 3 weeks with a hamstring. All we need now is for Toby Greene to belt Jon Patton at training and we could be on.

With our dwindling KPD stocks Cameron out is huge for us for next week's match up. Very good news.

[BornInDroopSt'54]

All 4 sides from 5-8 should lose this week and make us 6th. Sydney should lose again against Adelaide in R22 to keep us in if we drop a game, or if we beat Port we'll still be in if we lose to GWS instead

We're going to be sitting pretty after this weekend.

[bulldogtragic]

According to http://www.liveladders.com/AFL/

Win 2 of 3 - Sydney at the SCG
Win 3 of 3 - Sydney at the MCG/Etihad

[Topdog]

According to http://www.liveladders.com/AFL/

Win 2 of 3 - Sydney at the SCG
Win 3 of 3 - Sydney at the MCG/Etihad

That site is kind of useless for predictions.

But for accuracy if we win 3, we finish above Port so would play Essendon at the G