Are we a top 8 side

[swansrule100]

Are we a finals side like we looked the first few weeks or did we just beat up on the weak sides of the comp and now been exposed for what we are.

I think at full strength we are a top 8 team, probably a contender for a top 4, top 6 spot.

But i think our depth is a worry, the youngster look good, but at the start of the year i think players like richards, bevan and barlow were good back up, but when we are forced to play them it looks bad.

We really needed to win one of these last three games to show we were decent, but the efforts have been poor, it is just injuries or are we the most likely side to drop out?

Im not saying the skys falling or anything like that just interested where people think we sit

[Robbo]

At full strength I would say yes. But the injury God's aren't smiling down on us this season.

[Blood]

I think at full strength we are a top 8 team

You've pretty much answered your own question.

Bring Mumford, Seaby, Bolton, Moore, McGlynn and a fit Bradshaw (not the limp-wristed one we saw today) into the side and you'll see a major improvement.

We just have to hope like hell we can win our next two - otherwise even making the 8 will be tough.

[swansrule100]

i guess then do we need better depth to be a genuine top side? Or are the injuries we have had the sort that would cripple most teams?

[digital]

Horror run with injuries, only betetred by Adelaide. Full strength team on the park we would sit around 6. Depth is sorely test more by the injuries to the personnel. Seaby,Mummy (tho unjustly suspended), Bolts, Bradhsaw, McGlynn, add Kennelly; probably 6 out of the top 12. Any side would struggle.

[KirkysSocks]

Injuries have both stuffed us up and exposed our general spread of depth. If anything we are 6-8th side at full strength.

[hammo]

No. I think we will miss the 8.

[dimelb]

i guess then do we need better depth to be a genuine top side? Or are the injuries we have had the sort that would cripple most teams?
They sure are: our best forwards (Bradshaw and McGlynn), our best defender, our two first-pick ruckmen, concussion to a couple of our top ball-winners. Would sink most sides.

[Damien]

We will find out over the next two weeks. If we can continue beating the non premiership threats like we did over that 5 week period, we will do just enough to get into the 8.

Also, Bradshaw, White, McGlynn, Rucks, Bolton etc need to come back as soon as humanly possible. Fingers crossed we do enough to sneak into the Top 8 and in the weeks prior to the finals we get our best team on the paddock.

[Cheer Squad]

No.

[BSA5]

Playing with a very important third of our side out, we're borderline. Get a few of those players back, and we'll be safely within the 8. Get most or all of them back and we'll be pushing for top 4 again.

[Donners]

I laughed when people were talking us up as top-four when we'd really proved nothing at all, beating up on the worst sides with a full-strength side. When we've had stiffer competition, we've been missing key players, so I'm not sure it's possible to assess our true position yet. I think we could finish around 8th, but could fall on either side depending on injuries and form.

[Dogzbody]

Probably NO. I think our injury run is going to leave us too short. The list is getting longer. The saltwater therapy cant help us with the high level of serious injury that is developing.

I'd like to think Yes, but the ones on the park are either looking tired or confused.

[nicko18]

sydney's premiership odds round by round make for some embarassing reading

http://img704.imageshack.us/img704/6231/syd.png

[Big Al]

Best 22.... absolutely. I look at the teams outside of the 8 and none of them bother me with a full side in. With the injuries though we are no guarantee to beat anyone.

[sWAns63]

You've pretty much answered your own question.

Bring Mumford, Seaby, Bolton, Moore, McGlynn and a fit Bradshaw (not the limp-wristed one we saw today) into the side and you'll see a major improvement.

We just have to hope like hell we can win our next two - otherwise even making the 8 will be tough.
Don't forget Bird!

[sWAns63]

Need even more youngsters in the team & a bit of shepherding of the ball carrier wouldn't hurt

[swansrule100]

i have big concerns we will lose the next 3

[Plugger46]

At full strength, no doubt.

With a few players out, still a solid chance. The teams from 9-16 are hardly super teams so I'm still pretty confident.

I think our depth for smalls is pretty good. The problem is that we've lost our two ruckmen, our best key defender and our best key forward. No team in the competition can cover losses like that.

[KirkysSocks]

Its been a really weird season thus far. We have teams being thrashed one week by a lesser side then seeing them thrash (the team that was thrashed by a lesser side the week before) the top 4 for that side to only be thrashed by a lesser bottom 4. The only consistent is richmond being so bad.

[old blood]

They sure are: our best forwards (Bradshaw and McGlynn), our best defender, our two first-pick ruckmen, concussion to a couple of our top ball-winners. Would sink most sides.

I'm pleased to see reference to the concussions suffered by Bolton and O'Keeffe. Both have struggled since and it does make you wonder whether it is wise to take the short-term option of continuing to play them. A week or two off might have had them back to their best by now.

[caj23]

Plenty of pessimists in this thread, with a full strength team we are top 8 easily, just going to have to ride out these rough weeks until the injury list begins to shrink again

As a comparison, take Ottens, Mooney, Scarlett, Blake, Enright and 3 of their regular onballers (admittedly ours dont compare in quality) out of the Geelong side and i reckon a few teams would start knocking them off too

[andyn]

Its been a really weird season thus far. We have teams being thrashed one week by a lesser side then seeing them thrash (the team that was thrashed by a lesser side the week before) the top 4 for that side to only be thrashed by a lesser bottom 4. The only consistent is richmond being so bad.

Hit the nail on the head there. Hawks for example beating Carlton by 50 points yesterday. Bizarre result. I know that they've had injuries, but this was a similar team that struggled to beat Richmond the week before. Top 8 will be a combination of us playing some good footy again, as well as what other teams do. Can anyone name a couple of sides below us who are showing the consistency needed to finish top 8? Lets also remember that we have ourselves to blame for exciting hopes. At the start of the year just 3 captains said we would play finals footy. 5 and 4 is still a decent start considering. but we're going to need a cleaner run of injuries to have a hope.

[#73]

At full strength I would say yes. But the injury God's aren't smiling down on us this season.

I agree with what Robbo done said.

You gotta look at the teams not in the eight. Are we better than most of them? Yes. I don't rate the Hawks.

[snajik]

i have big concerns we will lose the next 3

If this were to happen I'd say our chances would be pretty slim. To be assured of a spot we would probably need to win 7 of the remaining 13 games. Hard to see where those wins are all going to come from. We'd need a far healthier list to pick from, and refind the confidence that that healthier list brought us earlier in the year. We won't win 7 wit hthe team we have at the moment.

[Dalai Lama]

We are good flat track bullies - or we were for 5 rounds at least?

[sharp9]

Just a radical thought, but maybe we are better than the teams we beat and not as good as the teams that beat us!

[Cheer Squad]

i have big concerns we will lose the next 3

Perfectly understandable.

Hard to see us beating Hawthorn, to be honest. Essendon have beaten us a couple of times now at the SCG in the last few years. But we do have a good record against Port in Adelaide.

Depends on how hungry the team are. I think the Cats burst their bubble.

[caj23]

Hawks will beat us if we don't bring our A game, but we will comfortably beat Essendon and Port even with the current injury list

[KirkysSocks]

1 win and all of a sudden the hawks are back. The blues were woeful and have really over achieved this year.

[dimelb]

... Depends on how hungry the team are. I think the Cats burst their bubble.
No, it was the personnel losses that did that. A considerably narrower loss and the bubble would still be in good shape.

[Melbourne_Blood]

Well if the season was on the line last week, than it is well and truly on the line this week. We lose we're probably out of the eight and we may struggle to get back in there

The Mummy will be hungry, starving, and I wouldn't wanna be in his way on Sunday. Gazza Rohan and Jets to relish the wide open spaces of the G to stretch their little chicken legs at full throttle. And somebody to kick some goals........hmmm.......?

If say MOD gets a game, i would love to see ROK play a fair chunk of the game up forward. I know he's a star on the ball, but he was pretty darn handy up forward for us as well. Great hands, leads well, beautiful kick. Might give him some confidence back after a couple of average games

[aardvark]

I too would like to see ROK in the forward line. Also hope McGlynn gets back as he and Kennedy should be fired up for a big one against the old club.

[RogueSwan]

1 win and all of a sudden the hawks are back. The blues were woeful and have really over achieved this year.

I would love it if the Swans had beaten last years grand finalists by a combined total of 97 points

[Bloody Hell]

We are a top 8 side, even weakened. We've played 3 of the top 4 sides in the past 3 weeks (provided the Saints don't come good) and lost. Unsuprising. Would give them all, except Geelong, a good shake at full strength.

Swans will play finals this year...things can't get worse - he said:p

[msb]

If this were to happen I'd say our chances would be pretty slim. To be assured of a spot we would probably need to win 7 of the remaining 13 games. Hard to see where those wins are all going to come from. We'd need a far healthier list to pick from, and refind the confidence that that healthier list brought us earlier in the year. We won't win 7 wit hthe team we have at the moment.

We'll be lucky to win 1 with the team we have at the moment! Well maybe richmond :)