The battle for the bottom 4 of the top 8

[yellowandback]

Before the season started, there were probably 5 "locks" for the Top 8:-
Magpies, Hawks, Swans, Cats and the Eagles.
So far 4 of these clubs are the top 8 with only Collingwood outside the top 5.
While I think the eagles will win their next 5 games - they can no longer be considered "locks" for the top 8.
So IMV, there are 4 finals spots up for grabs and ralistically 9 clubs chasing down those 4 available spots.
these are the clubs I reckon are in the mix along with their current H&A records.
It will be interesting to see how they finish up this year.

1. Essendon 20 points
2. Power 20 points
3. Richmond 12 points
4. Freo 12 points

5. Carlton 8 points
6. Adelaide 8 points
7. Lions 8 points
8. Kangas 4 points
9. Eagles 4 points

That 1 point loss has really hurt - a true 8 point play when you look at the above "mini ladder"

I don't reckon the Saints can make it now and the Lions are teetering.
With Lions, GWS and us in the next 5 games, Bombers will expecting to be on 8 wins at R10.
Power have an interesting 5 rounds after a soft early draw
I reckon we can win 3 of our next 5 with a good %
Blues will be expecting to win 4 of their next 5
Crunch month for the Crows coming up
In another 5 rounds, it is possible Brisbane will fall from contention and Kangas/Eagles will have needed to win at least 3 of their next 5 games to keep in touch.

It will be interesting to see how these clubs w/l ratios and % ebb and flow over the next 18 rounds. Reality is that we have made a good start and have a good show at holding our position if we hold our win/loss ratio over the next 5 weeks.

[tigs2011]

In 8 weeks lions will be 2-11. No walker no crows. Power will run outta legs. Bums and purple poofs will make it so its outta us scum eagles and ninth Melbourne to take other 2 spots.

[dwaino]

In 8 weeks lions will be 2-11. No walker no crows. Power will run outta legs. Bums and purple sissys will make it so its outta us scum eagles and ninth Melbourne to take other 2 spots.

Reckon nought v poot will be a telling game. N0rf have been playing top 4 sides and the plodders have only played minnows or teams horribly put of sorts. So will be a good gauge where the teams are at. Even if ninth win but struggle doing so it will say heaps considering their draw and they won't have the double up on easy beats coming from the same spot as this time last year.

Freo aren't as much as I thought they were going to be and have already lost a game at home. Wet toast have lost two at home and will be tough for them too. 6-10 might not be the log jam we all thought it would be 

But I'm generally full of poo and off the mark so 

[Eat_em_Alive]

Noought will beat poort down at Docklands and poort will bounce back against us when they play at home next week
I bet nought will beat em by 10 goals too  just to make it hard for us

Hawthorn
Sydney
Collingwood
Essendon
Geelong
Freo
Carlton
Richmond

Eagles and port hopefully unlucky to get in

[WilliamPowell]

N0rt are playing Port in Tassie BTW 

I reckon Eagles & Adelaide are goneskis

And I still have huge question marks over Essendon. So far 2013 is a carbon copy of 2012, let's see where they are win/loss wise after round 15 or so

Freo are an interesting one, they have to win at home and they've alreadly lost one and scrapped in against us. They cannot afford to lose home games IMV

Dont think the Lions are a chance, they are too far back and playing crap footy

Carlton, well I am not interested in them 

For the Tiger's - I think this week will give us a fair indication of what lies ahead

[Eat_em_Alive]

N0rt are playing Port in Tassie BTW 

I reckon Eagles & Adelaide are goneskis

And I still have huge question marks over Essendon. So far 2013 is a carbon copy of 2012, let's see where they are win/loss wise after round 15 or so

Freo are an interesting one, they have to win at home and they've alreadly lost one and scrapped in against us. They cannot afford to lose home games IMV

Dont think the Lions are a chance, they are too far back and playing crap footy

Carlton, well I am not interested in them 

For the Tiger's - I think this week will give us a fair indication of what lies ahead

Even better N000ught will pump em by 15 goals in their frenitic fast paced game, they are due for a win and Port due for a loss

[mightytiges]

Right now I can't see us making finals even though we are still 3-3. Our worse footy is substandard and team-wise non-competitive while our best cannot be sustained for more than a half. It's hard seeing us with our draw beating anyone but Melbourne before the bye. That would leave us 4-6 going into the second half of the year and in a similar position to last year trying to play catch up when 13 wins will be needed to make the finals. 

[Tigeritis™©®]

Right now I can't see us making finals even though we are still 3-3. Our worse footy is substandard and team-wise non-competitive while our best cannot be sustained for more than a half. It's hard seeing us with our draw beating anyone but Melbourne before the bye. That would leave us 4-6 going into the second half of the year and in a similar position to last year trying to play catch up when 13 wins will be needed to make the finals.

Agreed MT.
We are still 2 years away IMO.

[tiger101]

We can't allow teams to blow us away once the game is over like Geelong did tonight. % could be important when fighting for that last spot in the top 8.

[WilliamPowell]

We can't allow teams to blow us away once the game is over like Geelong did tonight. % could be important when fighting for that last spot in the top 8.

Exactly another reason why last nights capitulation was so disappointing

[WA Tiger]

Can't see us in the 8 now to be honest, if we keep playing like we are we will finish between 9th (GOD HELP US!!!) and 12th IMO.

If we keep playing like we are we actually don't deserve to be there either.

[tony_montana]

On exposed form so far we're way off the pace

[Rampstar]

We look shot and if we lose to Port next week our season will be just about done and dusted.

[eliminator]

We look shot and if we lose to Port next week our season will be just about done and dusted.

fair call. We don't look like we deserve to be playing finals footy at the moment. We need to be able to play four quarters. We need to cut down on basic errors and start playing like a team.

[bojangles17]

On exposed form so far we're way off the pace

how do you figure TM, how have our rivals for a 4-8 spot fared against COLL- FREO and CATS...none of them will beat them