The sky's not falling...just yet!

[Stinger]

If you had of asked me 8 weeks ago "would you take a 4-4 start to the season?" the answer would have been, "Hell Yes!".

Injuries aside, the team is showing some good signs: a) a game plan that is able to be implemented more consistently; b) zoning defence, that generally doesn't leak over the top goals; and c) huge improvements to a consistent back six.

As good as Grundy is, surprisingly it's the centre clearances, where I believe we need to sharpen up most. We just can't get first hands on the ball. When this clicks, look out.

Coaches always say they are looking only one week ahead. Stuff that! On a brighter note, again despite injuries, it looks like a good run of winnable games. All of these are must wins and if we get the job done then it could see us sitting 11-4 after Round 16.

Round 9 - Saints W (5-4)
Round 10 - Dogs W (6-4)
Round 11 - Freo (MCG) W (7-4)
Round 12 - Melbourne W (8-4)
Round 13 - Bye
Round 14 - Blues W (9-4)
Round 15 - GC W (10-4)
Round 16 - Bombers W (11-4) Expecting the Bombers to have sorted their game out by then so probably will be closer than if played next week.
Round 17 - West Coast (MCG) - 50/50.

See you in 8 weeks time.

[mattdally]

Our next 9 games are very winnable with North at the MCG coming after the Eagles game.

This is our sweet spot in the fixture - but we need to capitalise.

7/2 get's us to 11/6 - I think that is the bare minimum achievement.

[Skids]

Yeah, I'm with you Stinger. Those are all very winnable games.
We really need some stability in the team. Maynard and Langdon are essential to our back half and I hope Ben Reid isn't far off?

Fasolo needs to stand up and really make a statement against the Saints this week and I'd love t see Levi back in the team too.

As you say, the centre clearances are where we need to gain the upper hand, having Scott back this week should see us regain some fluency here.

GO PIES!

[E]

its really interesting because so far we have played the top and the bottom, but not the middle.

We are abviously better than essendon, Brisbane and Carlton.

It seems we aren't quite up to the challenge against Hawthorn, Geelong, Richmond, Adelaide and GWs (although we had a great win against Adelaide).

I am curious to see how we go against the middling 7 or 8 sides. willl we go 7-0 or 6-1 and prove ourselves a class above them or will we go 4-3 or 3-4 and prove very much that we are just one of them. it would be nice to be able to keep a strong team on the field, but it is what it is.

[Dave The Man]

Win more then we Lose Probably but Doubt we win 8 in a Row

[Johnno75]

We are still in a good position. The Cats after yesterday's win are 3rd with 5 wins. I mentioned before it would be great to get to Round 8 at 4-4 as our draw opened up for the 10 games after that until we play Richmond again. All 10 are winnable as WCE is at the MCG and we haven't lost to them at the G for what feels like a century. We wont win them all but if we play with the consistency we have shown over the last few weeks we should win at least 7 of those.

With the ladder so log jammed if you string 3-4 wins together you are back in the top 4. Hopefully the injuries don't derail us too much.

[glasseyevfx]

we can do it only if McLarty, Wills, Sier - possibly Mihocek come in and prove to be rough diamonds. We also need nothing less than a dramatically improving injury list.

[Collingwood Crackerjack]

Gotta get the next three if we are serious, Melbourne game will be tough, but we have to get 3 of the next four I reckon

[RudeBoy]

We could well lose 3 of our next 8 games (to the Dogs, Dees and Eagles), but still be safely in the top 8 with 9 wins and 7 losses.

Then if we only won 3 of the remaining 6 games, we'd finish in the 8.

Hopefully we'll do much better than that.

[Piesnchess]

NO, never ending, ongoing, injuries, are ruining our season, yet AGAIN !!

[swoop42]

The draw opens up for us on paper but we have still lost our last 2 against the saints which seems remarkable looking at the names in that side. No star power at all.

The Dogs have beaten us 5 times in a row though they are now currently fielding the youngest side in the competition and by a fair margin. They were 2 years younger on average than us last round so have done well to get to 4 wins.

Our last game against Melbourne was our first win after 4 consecutive losses and they have one of the best balanced lists in the competition and the young talent akin to our own.

Even Carlton has beaten us twice in the past few years.

6-1 would be a fantastic result. 5-2 a solid pass mark. 4 wins or less a fail.