Two media --one team -two outcomes

[BazBoy]

Reading reveiws by Gary "I,m back " Lyon and Tim Watson on a SEN news snippet

Lyon has us 12th whilst Watson see's us 6th

I feel Watson has the best opinion

What do others think

[watt price tully]

[BazBoy]

Guilty as charged-----un ojo

[mooretreloar]

This type of difference in two expert's opinions will happen a lot over the next few weeks as they disclose their projected final 8's for 2017.

2016 was the closest season I have seen in my time of watching footy, but I expect 2017 to be even closer.

For mine you can draw a line through Brisbane, Carlton, Fremantle, North Melbourne, Richmond, Gold Coast and Port Adelaide as final 8 contenders in 2017.

This leaves 11 teams and 11 into 8 doesn't go and where a team finishes will depend on things like whether they win the close ones, their luck with injuries and the ease or difficulty of their draw compared to the other 10 teams in contention for the 8.

With even luck the Pies should finish in the bottom part of the 8. If everything goes right top 4 is a distinct possibility. If we have a horror run with injuries again, 11th is not out of the question.

[droversdog65]

X is an unknown and spurt is a drip under pressure - surely no more accurate a description of Lyon is possible

[mattys123]

I reckon both could be right if things develop as either has predicted.

We will finish in that range, from 6th to 12th almost certainly.

I can't see us finishing any higher, because that would mean we will win something like 15 games. And I can't see us finising worse then 12th because there are at least 6 worse sides then us, even if we have a bad run wiht injuries.

Personally I won't be getting upset with any so called expert who doesn't pick us to make the 8. Thats a fair call based on the previous three seasons.

[Damien]

[mooretreloar]

^^
Melbourne? I didn't have them on my list.

North hardly won a game from halfway through 2016 and have lost a tremendous amount of experience in Dal Santo, Harvey, Petrie, Firrito and Wells. Their midfield is poor, their defence is poor and they will be lucky not to finish bottom 4.

Gold Coast, they would be some chance to play finals if everything goes exactly right. However, they lost Prestia and O'Meara in the off season and Ablett is not the player he was. The 4 top 10 draft picks they got in last year's draft will need time to develop and for mine they are two seasons at least from playing finals.

I am assuming the other one you meant instead of Melbourne is Port. Too many average footballers on their list, combined with a poor midfield and a poor defence, they have no chance of playing finals.

[Mugwump]

^ What price are we for the flag in 2017 ? I think I read 25/1 the other day. I'm certainly up for a nibble at that price.

It is a big unknown from season to season, but I think the second half of 2016 suggests that this might be a young team ready to explode into contention given a little luck with injuries. That's not a prediction, just an assessment of value-at-the-odds. I think we could be a real surprise packet this year (but then I thought that last year too) !