have a crack at the 2008 ladder anyone ????

[JK]

I know bumping of threads isn't allowed, but at the halfway mark of the season I thought some Punters might be interested in reflecting on their pre-season thoughts.

[Psyber]

Port, Freo, Saints, Carlton, lower. Sydney, Adelaide, Brisbane, Roos, higher.
I wiouldn't try to be more specific this early in the pre-season.

I haven't done badly, but I missed predicting the WCE collapse...

[the joker]

it is surprising that every one thinks the crows will finish down the bottom. they have twelve games at aami win 8 of 12 and only have to win 4 of 10 just to make the finals. and i exspect johncock,thompson,knights,maric,vince to make big strides this year. and with the core group crows will be hard to beat at home and the have a very good record away over the last three years

I said that back in FEB. now do people think the crows are better than a bottom 4 team. all those players have played very well, plus porplyzia has turned into an apsolute gun. and last night showed we can go with the best team in the comp

[the joker]

looks like I might be bumping the Kangaroos Apology Thread come September again

Nah the the thread in september for the Kangas will be HAVE A NICE HOLIDAY

[Dutchy]

Geelong
St Kilda
Hawthorn
West Coast
Nth Melbourne
Brisbane
Port
Collingwood

Bullies
Sydney
Fremantle
Adelaide
Richmond
Carlton
Essendon
Melbourne

Faint Kilda got me going again...

[redden whites]

. and last night showed we can go with the best team in the comp

excuse me?

[the joker]

. and last night showed we can go with the best team in the comp

excuse me?

we lost by 4 points a missed easy goals

REDDEN WHITES whats your definition.

[Hazbeen]

1. Geelong
2. St Kilda
3. Port
4. Hawthorn
5. Fremantle
6. Collingwood
7. Kangaroos
8. Brisbane

9. Adelaide
10. West Coast
11. Carlton
12. Sydney
13. Western Bulldogs
14. Melbourne
15. Essendon
16. Richmond

St Kilda, Port 7 freo WTF was i thinking.
Under estimated Sydney & the Doggies

[gadj1976]

I think the saints will surprise a few and finish top 4.

To those people who have Carlton Top 8, I put it to you that Judd and Stevens doesn't fix our backline problems. We need a full season out of Judd, Stevens, Murphy, O'hAilpin x 2, Fev's brain not to explode, AND key injuries to other sides for us to make the top 8.

Well put fellow Blue Boy !

Hmm, I might need to reassess on all counts. Although it is only round 12.

[damian]

1. Bulldogs
2. Hawthorn
3. Kangaroos
4. Collingwood
5. Geelong
6. Adelaide
7. Brisbane
8. West Coast

9. Fremantle
10. Port
11. Sydney
12. St Kilda
13. Essendon
14. Carlton
15. Richmond
16. Melbourne

I had 2 that didn't make the 8, how did everyone elses predictions go? I picked 3 of the top 4 (why i didn't have Geelong in there, i don't know!)

[Baron Greenback]

1. Collingwood
2. Geelong
3. West Coast
4. Hawthorn
5. Brisbane
6. Carlton
7. Port Adelaide
8. Western Bulldogs

9. Kangaroos
10. Fremantle
11. Richmond
12. St Kilda
13. Sydney
14. Essendon
15. Adelaide
16. Melbourne

Collingwood v Geelong GF

I only got 4 in the top 8.
At least I got Melbourne right!!

The Collingwood v Geelong GF could still happen too.

[Booney]

Can win it-

Geelong - right
Collingwood - sort of
Hawthorn - right
Port -
West Coast -

Cant win it-
Adelaide - sort of
Essendon - right
Carlton - right
Richmond - right
Melbourne - oh so right


The rest can work out thier draft picks over the next 22 weeks

Pretty much right.

[Dutchy]

reckon you cant put a line through Rich, Melb, Essendon and Carlton straight up not to make the 8...

Many are knocking the Roos but I cant see much reasoning...we are in a better situ than this time last year...4 players coming back from long term injuries (Jones, Thomspon, Harding & Adams) that were ready to play late last year so have done all their rehab plus full pre season....look forward to continued development of Campbell, Thomas etc and have high hopes for Lochie Hansen this year....Draw is much much better this year also....and dare I mention coming off a Prelim final after beating a team that everyone rates as a Top 4er this season...must say its quite bemusing

tick,tick,tick,tick,tick,tick

[Dutchy]

Geelong
St Kilda
Hawthorn
West Coast
Nth Melbourne
Brisbane
Port
Collingwood

Bullies
Sydney
Fremantle
Adelaide
Richmond
Carlton
Essendon
Melbourne

5/8 overrated Port/WCE as most did...interesting reading going back thru threads like this

[mal]

If anyone picks the 16 in exact order I will donate $100 to SAFOOTY
And buy whoever picks the 16 a carton of beer

I have not studied as yet
BUT will tip GE as minor premier

Did anyone get the 16 in order ?
At least I got the blind freddy minor premier up

[the wonder elephant]

1. Geelong: This team now knows what it takes to win the flag and that makes them very dangerous. Won't win 21 matches in 2008 though. Will probably start off 2-3 again before coming home with a wet sail.
2. West Coast: I can think of ten areas where the West Coast can improve on last season and last season they finished third. Cousins and Judd will both be missed but plenty of games were put into the up and comers last year. Only Geelong have gone past them since their 2006 flag IMO.
3. Collingwoood: Collingwood just don't get thrashed, they win on the road and normally cop Essendon, Richmond and Carlton twice plus a host of matches in Melbourne. Top four for mine.
4. Fremantle: An experienced combination that underperformed drastically in 2007. If you are looking for a 2007 side to 'do a Geelong' this year then for me that team is the Dockers, but that only equals fourth and not a flag as the midfield is still suspect.
5. Port Adelaide: Port will be in the unusual position of winning less matches on the field but actually advance as a group. Most Portonians would accept they punched on above their weight last season..hopefully for the Power some of the lighter brigade have hit the gym and that they have adopted Port's traditional 'power at the ball and the body' approach.
6. Sydney: People who aren't too keen on the Swans style of play have been gleefully but prematurely in my view predicting their demise. The Swans are a hardened combination who have had the benefit of an extended pre-season unlike last year. Expect a faster start than the last few seasons but they'll run out of steam I reckon.
7. Brisbane: The Lions improvement will continue and they will earn themselves a spot in the top eight. The return of Bradshaw and the recruitment of Johnstone has many talking up the Lions as a top four chance but not with that defence boys.
8. St Kilda: It's Summer time and it is the season to be overrating the Saints. They will fill their medical room once again as they play so many matches at Telstra Dome. Will be very hard to tip accurately as they are up and down like a yo-yo. They'll make the eight but that's about it.

9. Kangaroos: The Kangaroos will be about the place but might get overtaken by a few clubs next season. Unlike 2007 they won't have put in as many yards on the training track over Summer. Only a small factor but it doesn't take much of a drop off to go from top four to just outside the eight.
10. Hawthorn: Hawthorn have been the talk of the town over Summer and I reckon if any group will believe it's own press it might be this one. The Hawks start the season with a few blokes on the sideline and may not hit the ground running. They have a farily hyped forwardline but Buddy, Roughead and Boyle are still not consistent (probably why the got Dew) and the defence will leak in 08 I feel. A step backwards before they move forwards is my tip.
11. Western Bulldogs: The Dogs have pinched a couple of Crows but last year they lacked a power foward and too my knowledge such a beast did not grace the playing fields of AAMI stadium last season. The Dogs are another side that might make a monkey out of me and recapture their 2006 form but some of their runners look a bit unaccountable and there is another year on the odometers of Johnson and West.
12. Carlton: Carlton will emerge from the bottom four and will threaten for the eight but I feel they will pay the price for tanking and losing that winning culture that they used to have a decade ago. In other words, look to the Blues to drop matches they were a chance of winning. Judd and Stevens are huge ins but don't expect Kruezer to do a Selwood as he won't be ready for a few years. Kruezer is the key to Carlton so they'll be handling him with kid gloves.
13. Melbourne: This time last year a lot of people were overrating the Demons and this year a lot of peope are prepared to underrate them. Perhaps I have done the same here. The Demons' depth was found wanting last year but at full strength Melbourne are a 6-10 proposition. I'm still not sure about the defence at Demonland but the rucks and fowardline remains sound.
14. Adelaide: I predict a bleak winter for the Crows. They have (on paper) the worst foward line and ruck division in the league but there is still class in the form of the Goodwin, Bassett, Rutten, Edwards and McLeod. The excellent defence will be forced to work very hard to keep this team in matches. If Craig can get the Blackbirds into the eight this season I would rate that as his finest coaching achievement as he doesn't have the catttle any more.
15. Richmond: Richmond will improve a hell of a lot but will still be a long way away from it in 2008. Except an upset here and there and more than a few floggings as well. If they can get some game time into their ruck options they might finish ahead of a few more clubs but this list is still in the potential stage and is a fair way off delievering.
16. Essendon: With a new coach and without their spirtual leader, I can see some wooden kitchen implements heading out to Windy Hill come September. That midfield is a Barry Crocker, the defence leaks like a sieve and any team with two key defenders should be able to keep the Bombers to a losing score. Stone motherless.

regards,

REB

wont win 21 games eh ...........

[Hazbeen]

1. Geelong
2. St Kilda
3. Port
4. Hawthorn
5. Fremantle
6. Collingwood
7. Kangaroos
8. Brisbane

9. Adelaide
10. West Coast
11. Carlton
12. Sydney
13. Western Bulldogs
14. Melbourne
15. Essendon
16. Richmond

St Kilda, Port 7 freo WTF was i thinking.
Under estimated Sydney & the Doggies

5 correct in the top 8