Hands up

[brad]

If you expected us to be fighting it out for a finals birth in Round 22 (yes the last round of the season) this year?

Most pundits and so called football experts had us bottom half of the 8 (which we still may end up being) with many bottom 4.

We've done well.

Suggest everyone to gather at the G and see what this unpredictable team of ours can muster up next week against the Reigning Premiers of last year.

We might be flat now but there'll be one hell of a roar come 4.40pm next Saturday if we're the team in front and extended our season into the first week of September.

[BenDoolan]

I had us down for 9th (with about 10 wins). Looks like I'll either get 9.5 wins and 9th position, or 10.5 wins and 8th position.

[paddyl90]

Not me. I was dreaming. The point of this thread is fantastic and I agree wholeheartedly. Good to see more people sharing the same opinion as I.

[BenDoolan]

More importantly though, which players put their hands up to say we weren't going to reach the finals this year?

[Windy_Hill]

We'll cream Hawthorn - it's an on week and they are the reigning premier. Thank god we are not playing Melbourne or we would be no chance.

[s'dreams]

Yes - expect us to come out fighting (maybe Knights may even point out to some players that they may be fighting for their careers). Would be wrapped if we make the finals - but aside from beating clubs in the 8 (and top 4) - we probably do not deserve to be with the crap efforts dished up to bottom four sides.

Part of me (only a small part) thinks that I would not be disappointed to lose ... to build hunger and teach the youngsters (but mainly some more experienced players) that you cannot play crap to bottom sides (or not seem to give a toss) and expect to be thereabouts in September. This part of me thinks it would harden up attitudes and promote the ruthlessness if it hurt - that essentially the team lost the chance in the last few seconds of the Brisbane game.

The other part of me - the bigger part - thinks it would be great to make the finals to get the experience. And who knows ... may even be competative early if injuries are not an issue.

Cheers - STI

[swoodley]

Just checked my long range tipping forecast on bomberblitz...I had us down for 11 wins so it looks like I was a tad optimistic (unless we win this week and then the first week in the finals )

[gringo]

Yes, a fair point you raise Brad.

I thought we'd finish around 11-12th, with no chance of making finals. So to be playing a game on Saturday with finals on the line I'd have to say the team has exceeded my expectations. Albeit they were reasonably low to begin with.

Having said that, expectations change. Were Hawthorn content with threatening last year? No. And they went on and won an unexpected flag.

The bottom line is we had an opportunity yesterday and we simply didn't turn up to play. I didn't expect us to win the game but f*** me, any danger of putting your head over the ball or showing some accountability?

When the smoke has cleared I suspect we will be happy with the improvement of a lot of our youngers players, but still be aware that we have a long way to go.

[j-mac31]

Irrelevant.

We have f***** up games we should have won this year.
NO EXCUSE.

[pevfan]

My sentiments entirely j-mac. In my mind (I'm goin to California) I've kinda written the year off already. That happened after we lost to that absolute rabble Richmond. Knew we didn't deserve it after that, despite beating the Aints... Then, with a certain finals spot on the line, to not even fire a shot against cellar dwellers the Dockers, who, it should not be forgotten were flogged by 10 goals by the Dees the previous week...Nah! don't deserve to be there in Sept. It almost seems to me that by the way they played last Sun, the players themselves think the same way.

[Rossoneri]

I thought we would win 4 games this year.
We have a game plan, we have a plan for players and positions and also draft picks. For the first time in 5 years I am excited about our future.

Just f****** wish we could be more consistent.

[hop]

At the start of the saeson I believed we had the cattle to finish in the bottom 4 of the eight.

The perennial problem for the EFC is that our cattle are subject to culling and mad cow disease.

[tom9779]

i expected finals.

its been a long time between drinks.

[robrulz5]

I thought we would just miss out on the finals. Hopefully I can still be wrong!