Is Glenelg flying under the radar?

[Squawk]

With only four rounds left, Glenelg sit outright second on the ladder by 2 points with only 4 losses for the year. They are 2 points behind league leaders Central.

I'm really surprised that the Bays seem to be flying under the radar as a genuine premiership contender. Grima and Kirky have 80+ goals between them and Cranston has been terrific in the rucks.

I heard Mark Mickan on Thursday night and tonight talking about the West game and both times he specifically mentioned Norwood as being big improvers. There's a heap of talk about Norwood being flag contenders but no one seems to want to mention the Bays. Whether that's opposition supporters, the media, or the Bays themselves. They seem VERY happy to underplay all their efforts at league level so far this year. Yet why aren't they getting much attention or adulation as 2010 flag contenders?

I know they still have to play the Eagles (away), South (home - and South has tested them in recent years at times), Norwood (hm) and Central (away), but before these games have been played, they surely deserve to be mentioned as a genuine premiership contender this year? On the other hand, if they stumble through the next four rounds, does that really change anything? There can be no doubt they have the cattle.

[Dutchy]

Ask any Glenelg fan and there have been very few impressive wins this year, which is good cause we all know that the real test will come in months time.

And dont deflect the attention off Norwood! They have beaten Centrals twice this year

[spell_check]

There's really only two challengers to Central; Glenelg is one of them, because they have the past few seasons experience in playing them in the finals and have the side to turn that around. Norwood is the other, because they trouble them for whatever reasons may be (match up well perhaps).

[dedja]

[whufc]

Dont think they are going under the radar as such more that there caught in the middle. Central are top and with there recent finals history are being tipped as hard to beat. While Norwood ARE the massive improvers of 2010 and are probably the 'media glamour story' this year with Bassett at the helm. Add to this the struggles of Sturt and North and theres not much time/space left for media outlets and so forth to discuss the Bays.

I imagine the Bays will get their fare share of attention come finals time especially with there straight sets exit last year in the minds of the SANFL public. We should run a poll on how many times Mickan will be asked.

"How does last years final exit impact on the Bays finals chances in 2010"

Have to be honest, one of the interesting parts of this years finals for me will be (if positions finish the way they currently are) how Glenelg will react if Norwood are within a goal or two of them at 3/4 of their first final game.

[85 WAS A GOOD YEAR]

We have Centrals at Elizabeth as our last minor round game. I'm sure the media circus will start then

[Squawk]

I imagine the Bays will get their fare share of attention come finals time especially with there straight sets exit last year in the minds of the SANFL public.

Maybe this is why the Bays do seem to be flying under the radar?

Have to be honest, one of the interesting parts of this years finals for me will be (if positions finish the way they currently are) how Glenelg will react if Norwood are within a goal or two of them at 3/4 of their first final game.

It's possible that Glenelg and Central will be playing for top spot in Rd 23. After all, Central play Sturt at Unley in Rd 22.

[Squawk]

And dont deflect the attention off Norwood! They have beaten Centrals twice this year

Well why should Norwood get more attention than Glenelg? And yes, 2 wins and a loss against Central in 2010, if you count a trial game. Sturt has beaten Central twice this year, for premiership points!

Seriously, with the team Glenelg has they SHOULD be challenging Central and any other finals side for the flag this year.

[whufc]

I imagine the Bays will get their fare share of attention come finals time especially with there straight sets exit last year in the minds of the SANFL public.

Maybe this is why the Bays do seem to be flying under the radar?

Have to be honest, one of the interesting parts of this years finals for me will be (if positions finish the way they currently are) how Glenelg will react if Norwood are within a goal or two of them at 3/4 of their first final game.

It's possible that Glenelg and Central will be playing for top spot in Rd 23. After all, Central play Sturt at Unley in Rd 22.

Definatly thats why i put in brackets if the positions stay the way they are currently, therefore i could use an example.

Don't think this will be an issue though because your boys are going to do us a favour a couple of weeks earlier, arent use now.

[Grahaml]

If Glenelg and the dogs don't lose before they match up, it will be for top won't it? Although Glenelg would have to win by a certain margin (10 goals at the moment by the percentage unless I'm mistaken).

Anyway, the question at hand I think not. The press will always be about the team that's top, the big improvers, the big disappointments and the sides fighting for 5th spot. Because the dogs have had a decent gap at the top for a while nobody really has had much cause to talk about them, but everyone knows they're there.

[Squawk]

Don't think this will be an issue though because your boys are going to do us a favour a couple of weeks earlier, arent use now.

LMAO - I hope so but in about 3 weeks time there will no doubt be all sorts of talk going around when the sides are picked for Glenelg v Central. If top spot is sewn up and the Bays have a double chance sewn up - and let's just say neither team's reserves are certainties to make finals, we could see an interesting scenario:

Both sides resting players regardless
Both sides dropping players to the ressies to try and get their ressies team into the finals series so the whole squad can keep training
Both sides eagerly qualifying AFL players if Primus and Craig (who cant make the AFL finals) start looking at junior players and a few guys get dropped back to the SANFL.

Not sure on the qualification rule for a player to play reserves finals - do you have to play a minimum number of reserves games in the minor round to be able to play reserves finals? Or do you have to call up u/18s players?

So many possibilities....it will be an interesting month ahead. Almost a mini-finals series of sorts.

Central play Port (h), Eagles (a), Sturt (a) and Glenelg (hm)
Glenelg play the Eagles (a), South (hm), Norwood (hm) and Central (a)
Norwood has a bye, then Sturt (hm), Glenelg (a) and West (hm)
Eagles have Glenelg (hm), Central (hm), North (a) and Sturt (hm)
West has Sturt (hm), Port (hm), South (a) and Norwood (a).
Sturt has West (a), Norwood (a), Central (hm) and Eagles (a).

How those results pan out at reserves level is just as interesting as how they pan out at league level.

But irrespective, the Bays could be in their premiership window in 2010 you'd think. Yet no one seems to want to talk about them in that way! All we hear about is Ty Allen's beard and Bechara Palmer!

[mighty_tiger_79]

we dont deserve to be on any radar. We cant beat dogs and struggled against nwd

[Adelaide Hawk]

Yep, I think the Glenelg v Norwood match in round 22 may answer a few questions. Anyone who thinks the Bays aren't a genuine premiership threat needs to think again.

[Squawk]

we dont deserve to be on any radar. We cant beat dogs and struggled against nwd

Glenelg smashed Norwood in Rd 1 and the two sides haven't played since Rd 7. Yet you still sit 2 points clear of Norwood on the ladder with a chance to go 4 pts clear this week (Nwd has the bye) and potentially play Central for top spot (percentage permitting) in Rd 23. I'm not sure who is second in the AFL atm but I reckon they'd be seen as premiership contenders too?

I just cant see that the issue can be avoided or dispelled. The Bays are outright second and yet few give them a chance of winning the flag - (apparently) - and even their own supporters are showing little in the way of optimism? Surely optimism and enthusiasm is there, even if confidence is being suppressed atm?

I reckon that hypothetically if the Eagles and Norwood sent Centrals on an early Mad Monday, whilst the Bays went through to the GF to play anyone but Central, Bays fans would be hugely confident of being a premiership contender!

[mighty_tiger_79]

cats are second in afl

but rd 1 was just a bad day for nwd. I believe the flu or a bug went thru the club then.

Nwd are more equipped to tackle dogs. We may win the clash at end of august but nwd will beat us in the finals make no mistake. They have an incredible defence who dont leak big scores.

[JK]

Fair discussion, and I reckon Whufc's post is pretty accurate.

I think the Brighton Rd crew, both club and supporters are certainly keeping a lid on things, and that's both understandable and the right way to go about it, after the gut-wrenches of recent finals series.

I reckon they have the best chance of any club of completing mission impossible (ie, upsetting the Dogs juggernaut) - that mission in itself grounds most clubs - But I certainly get the feeling there's a sense of unfinished business at the Bay, and I reckon they will play their best footy for the year in Spring as a result.

[doggies4eva]

I rate the Basy as our biggest threat to making it 4 in a row. They are second and may finish top if they beat us in the last round. They are finals hardened and they are winding up their training now - just like us. So they have focussed on the big prize all year. I'm impressed.

[whufc]

I rate the Basy as our biggest threat to making it 4 in a row. They are second and may finish top if they beat us in the last round. They are finals hardened and they are winding up their training now - just like us. So they have focussed on the big prize all year. I'm impressed.

they would probably need us to drop one other game as well as losing to them with the way percentage currently stands. i think we are roughly ten goals ahead on percentage which would be a huge margin to make up on the final day at elizabeth.

interestingly both teams have very siliar draws home and top spot could be decided by who can get the bigger victory when the dogs play port and glenelg play south if infact they do even win.

for that reason alone i dont expect either side to take the foot of the pedal if they are infront in their remaining games.

[Dogwatcher]

The talk is that Norwood have Glenelg covered.
That's one hoodoo to crack before playing finals.
Then of course there was last year's exit.

Heartening for Bays supporters on the weekend would have been the exceptionally straight kicking. That almost deserves a thread in itself. A definite talking point as it played a major part in the Bays' exit.

[Jimmy]

better chance than ever for the bays to win it this year.