Are Hawthorn the only decent side we have beaten this year?

[ROK Lobster]

I can't remember. Have we beaten anyone else likely to finish in the 8?

[ScottH]

I can't remember. Have we beaten anyone else likely to finish in the 8?

Dogs.

[TheMase]

Dogs.

And Port Adelaide who currently sit 3rd.

[ScottH]

Current ladder pos of teams we have beaten.

2 - Hawks
3 - Port
7 - Dogs
12 - Lions
13 - Freo
14 - Carlton
15 - Melbourne
16 - Richmond

[Nico]

All but 2 losses I think have been under 3 goals. In the previous 2 years we won most of those games. The difference is other teams have improved a % and we have dropped off a %. That % is probably not very much but it equates to about a 5 goal turnaround. Anyone dare to put a % on it.

I think we have dropped off in general hardness and it looks like we have played injured players, plus we have a few passengers. It shows though that some players are working their guts out while carrying others.

[annew]

Our biggest loss was by 26 points to St Kilda so we have only been 1/4 of football away from being better and winning more games. In a sense not too bad considering the last 4 years including consecutive GF finals including 1 Premiership. The biggest worry is where are we going to build from (ala Port Adelaide, Brisbane & Collingwood) as the Reserves do not seem to have players ready for the big time. Too big a gap between Canberra competition and Seniors. I think that Brisbane being in 4 GF's has made it look like all teams should be able to achieve that when in reality appearing in 1 is pretty damn hard never mind 2 consecutively. In recent times Port only appeared in 1, Collingwood 2, Essendon 2, Adelaide 2, so Brisbane were the exception. Swans not really doing too bad it is the future that is the worry.

[hammo]

I can't remember. Have we beaten anyone else likely to finish in the 8?

More proof we're just making up the numbers this season. The Dogs win was the only time we've gone close to reaching top gear (which is debatable anyway). The Hawthorn win was gritty but not spectacular. It's been a dire season all things considered.

[liz]

All but 2 losses I think have been under 3 goals. In the previous 2 years we won most of those games. The difference is other teams have improved a % and we have dropped off a %. That % is probably not very much but it equates to about a 5 goal turnaround. Anyone dare to put a % on it.

I think we have dropped off in general hardness and it looks like we have played injured players, plus we have a few passengers. It shows though that some players are working their guts out while carrying others.

Taking into account how even the competition really is, our ladder position isn't that surprising when you look at our more important players of recent years.

Hall - way down on recent years, whether it be injury or merely form
Goodes - couple of good games but even his best hasn't been close to last year's best and a handful have been cod ordinary
Kennelly - injured for more than half the season
Monty - nowhere like as effective as over the past two seasons (probably injury affected) and currently missing
LRT - not one of our best but important structurally - missing all year
Crouch - not that important last year but very much so in 2005 - missing for practically the whole year
Jude - we have different views on his value in past seasons but no dispute that this year he has been below mediocre

Balancing that out has clearly been the emergence of Malceski and a much better ruck division (notwithstanding it's disappointing output yesterday).

The rest have been much the same as last year and 2005, with possibly Kirk playing slightly better (though he's been critical in the last few years too so the difference isn't huge) and Fosdike probably having his best year. Those who have come in, even Schmidt, haven't had enough impact to really make a difference.

So it is hardly surprising that the engine hasn't been purring along as well as in previous years when we've got on that run late in the season.

[JF_Bay22_SCG]

More proof we're just making up the numbers this season. The Dogs win was the only time we've gone close to reaching top gear (which is debatable anyway).

Playing the Dogs is not necessarily a good comparison. The Dogs like to run when they have the footy. They are definitely fast. But as shown by their effort against defensively strong Geelong they are no match for teams who adopt a hard tackling defensive game plan.

Port I see in a similar vain to the Dogs. Even if they are going well at the moment and have an exciting running onball and forward department.

Port and the Dogs don't scare me much this season. Everyone else, well they do to a greater degree.

JF