The Kangaroos Myth

[Presti35]

Round 1: Beats Adelaide at Etihad. (A good win to start the year).

Round 2: Beat Brisbane by about 6 goals at the Gabba. (No big deal).

Round 3: Beat Melbourne by 5 points. (A high scoring game that Melb could have won).

Round 4: Beat Freo by 30 points at Etihad. (Honestly, the Zimbabwe cricket team would beat Freo).

Round 5: Beat Gold Coast by about 7 goals at Metricon. (Suns one of the disappointments of 2016).

Round 6: Beat the Bulldogs by 3 goals at Etihad. (Probably the second worst game of football for the year - Carlton Vs Essendon was worse).

Round 7: Beat St Kilda by 7 points at Etihad. (Another one the average opposition could have won).

Round 8: Beat Essendon by 2 goals. (A second half shocker saw them scrape home against the worst, or second worst, team in the comp).

Round 9: Beat Carlton by ten goals. (Carlton are not a great side, its infuriating that we lost to them, make that embarrassing).

Round 10: Loses by 5 goals to Sydney at the SCG. (Swans in control from the opening bounce).

Now Im not saying that Collingwood are the team to beat, or that we are close or better than North. I mean our opening rounds were hardly anything to write home about. I'm just saying that their opening 9 rounds saw them play mostly average opposition.

Sure, you can only beat who you're fixtured against, but we will find out if they are the real thing in the coming weeks.

The Roos run home:
Richmond in Tassie.
Geelong at Etihad.
Hawthorn at Etihad.
Adelaide in Adelaide.
West Coast at Domain.
Port Adelaide at Etihad.
Collingwood at Etihad. (Our home game )
St Kilda at Etihad.
Bulldogs at Etihad.
Hawthorn at MCG.
Sydney in Tassie.
GWS at Etihad.

[Pies4shaw]

I sort of agree, Presti. They haven't, for the most part, beaten much but, on the other hand, it was no disgrace to play an ordinary one against the Swans in Sydney last night.

What troubles me more, though, is the way that otherwise intelligent people over-rate teams because of wins they get at one particular venue. Unless that venue is the MCG, it doesn't really matter because the important finals aren't played there. So, who knows, frankly, if North or the Swans have a finals team? Answer, we think the Swans have because we've seen them win finals at the G. But from the actual season, at this stage, all we learn is whether they can get enough wins to get there. It's like Footscray - I'm reasonably confident they can't make, let alone win, a GF unless their team is quite radically restructured or the GF is played at Docklands, yet some media pundits seem to rate them a serious chance.

Paradoxically, Collingwood looks to me like a team that could win finals with its players and structure (if we play a competent CHF), provided the team keeps improving. Not this season, though.

[David]

I agree, Presti – they've had a very soft start to the season and really only two good wins in my book (Adelaide and Bulldogs) with the rest being performances you'd expect from a team battling it out for a space in the bottom half of the 8. I think they're in the mix for the top 4, no doubt, but I'd be surprised if anyone thought they were serious premiership contenders before last night. Looking at that draw they'd be doing well to win more than two of the next five.

[Pies4shaw]

That will still leave them with 11 and 4 and us no closer to knowing whether they can win a big MCG final.

[Pies4shaw]

I suppose we could draw a line through Freo, now, irrespective of whether they would be less worse at the MCG.

[Presti35]

[Jezza]

North were lucky that the Crows didn't smash them due to inaccurate kicking.

[Presti35]

[BEAMER09]

half dozen of their players queue up at centrelink for their fortnightly pension and right behind them is scott/brayshaw picking up their carer's allowance...

[Presti35]

I tell you after yesterdays result, the Power could be the team to steal the Roos top 8 spot. But their run home is not easy (Giants, Swans & Crows to come).

Seems like the Dees fans are giving themselves a chance too. But their run home is super difficult and they wont be able to make up the 2 game difference, and thats if they beat St Kilda today.

We are probably in the same boat as the Demons. But it all starts with next Fridays game.

[Jezza]

Next Friday night's match is crucial for both teams.

If we win we're still a chance otherwise our season is over in terms of making finals. If North wins, it steadies the ship for now, but doesn't guarantee them a finals spot necessarily and if they were to lose the fallout could be huge.

Unfortunately, the media is criticising them now so expect them to show some kind of response on Friday night.

[ronrat]

[Presti35]

****!

[Presti35]

[Presti35]

Well, I guess this was well and truly busted a few weeks back. And with the treatment of their older players, it shows even they knew it was a great Kangaroo myth.

Will be looking forward to meeting them next year.