The Lie of the Ladder

[barry]

Going to Adelaide to play football in front of a Port Adelaide crowd would have to be one of the most depressing and soul destroying trips in football.

Port the team dont worry me at all.

Port supporters on the other hand...

[hammo]

Port the team dont worry me at all.

Port supporters on the other hand...

It's OK. Port supporters don't turn up to finals because they can't afford the ticket prices.

[reigning premier]

Going to Adelaide to play football in front of a Port Adelaide crowd would have to be one of the most depressing and soul destroying trips in football.

Unless of course you win.

[Sanecow]

Unless of course you win.

It's leaving that's the real reward.

[connolly]

Going to Adelaide would have to be one of the most depressing and soul destroying trips.

Edited for accuracy

[Danzar]

... NO ... Let me be frank!!!

Seriously, IMO we will finish as finals fodder. We just don't have the class (or the "want" or drive) we've had over the last two years. I certainly hope that the swannies will make me eat these words, but from where I'm sitting, we're gunna be ko'd early.

Well Annie, you've certainly proved the first part of your signature correct. Did you read Hammo's definition of 'finals fodder'?

Where's your argument, particularly given you don't know exactly who we will play in the finals??

EDIT: Fifth. I strongly believe we will win our next two games but can't see either the Roos dropping one of their last two nor Port dropping both games.

That said, we would then play 8th place finisher at home. So, no early fade out but we will have to see how the remaining games go....

[Thunder Shaker]

That said, we would then play 8th place finisher at home.

I hope it's not Adelaide. Please, let it not be Adelaide, anyone except Adelaide.

[AnnieH]

Well Annie, you've certainly proved the first part of your signature correct. Did you read Hammo's definition of 'finals fodder'?

Where's your argument, particularly given you don't know exactly who we will play in the finals??

EDIT: Fifth. I strongly believe we will win our next two games but can't see either the Roos dropping one of their last two nor Port dropping both games.

That said, we would then play 8th place finisher at home. So, no early fade out but we will have to see how the remaining games go....

Yes, I read hammo's description of finals fodder. I do know what finals fodder is - hence, I used the term quite correctly.
My argument is that they're going to have to pull out Jesus Christ, Budda, Krishna, Mohammed & all the others to make the granny this year (geez, I hope they're still on the list). IN MY OPINION - based purely on their current form, I just can't see the swannies going to Melbourne for the last week of September. Call me cynical if you wish, but that's how I see it.
I am, of course, hoping against all hope that they'll prove me wrong.

[top40]

I can't believe to what extent would people go to prove their point. All those games top40 is quoting were lost not won, so why would that fill me with more confidence? As far as I remember we let all those teams to gain quite a lead on us, before we were trying to fight back and failed short in the process. What makes you so confident that it would make any difference in the finals? Let's be frank about it. Our mid-tier players like Schneider, Buchanan, etc. let us down this year big time. Their occasionally good performance can't compensate for that.

I wasn?t contributing to Red and White Online back in September 2005, but I guess there must have been similar pessimistic views expressed about the Swan?s chances at that time.

As we approached the Preliminary Finals of that year, the three other remaining teams were St Kilda, Adelaide and West Coast. Our 2005 record at that stage against those three teams was:

Games: 6 /Win: 1 / Losses: 5

Included in the 5 losses were
? 41 points against the Crows at the SCG in Round 4;
? 45 points against the Eagles in Round 6; and
? 43 points against the Saints in Round 10.

[iigrover]

Im weighing up in my mind whether it would actually be as good to finish 5th as it would 4th, as either:
A) If we finished 4th, we would play Geelong away; or
B) if we finished 5th, we play a low ranked team at home.
Seems to me a loss in A vs a win in B gets us to the same point. Am I missing something?

[AnnieH]

I wasn?t contributing to Red and White Online back in September 2005, but I guess there must have been similar pessimistic views expressed about the Swan?s chances at that time.

aplogetic snip.

Back in August 2005 I wouldn't have even dreamt that the swannies would have made it to the granny, let alone win it.
I believe that the swans were in better form in 2005 than they are now.
We're playing a comp two years down the track where every other coach now intimately knows our game. If we make the granny this year, aside from being extremely pleased, I'd also be extremely surprised.

[hammo]

Im weighing up in my mind whether it would actually be as good to finish 5th as it would 4th, as either:
A) If we finished 4th, we would play Geelong away; or
B) if we finished 5th, we play a low ranked team at home.
Seems to me a loss in A vs a win in B gets us to the same point. Am I missing something?

Advantages of the top 4 over bottom 4 as I see it:

1. 1 win away from a PF as opposed to 2
2. A win in week 1 gets you a week off (given our injuries & niggles this would a god send)
3. A win in week 1 secures a home PF, stacking the odds firlmy in your favour to make GF
4. If you lose in week 1 when you get a second chance
5. Win or lose, you are guaranteed to play your second final at home - for positions 5&6, home ground advantage ends in week 1.
6. You 'only' need to win 3 games in a row to win the flag, as opposed to 4 in the bottom 4.