Do we 'Deserve' to play finals?

rodgerfox · Post: # 444692Post **rodgerfox** » Tue 28 Aug 2007 1:13pm

It's an interesting question.

When we went to Perth to play West Coast, I fgiured that if we made the 8 (at the time I thought that would require 12 wins) we deserved to make it.

If we didn't get the 12 wins, then quite simply we didn't deserve it. I didn't think we could make it and not deserve to be there as we would have to have beaten 2 of West Coast, Adelaide and Sydney to get the 12 wins we need.

We have beaten West Coast, Adelaide, Sydney and Hawthorn this year.

Now, we may scrape in with 11.5 wins which on face value isn't a ratio which warrants finals footy.

What do you think? Do we 'deserve' to be there?

If we make it, then I do.

If we don't, then we don't.

Make sense?

stinger · Post: # 444694Post **stinger** » Tue 28 Aug 2007 1:17pm

if we get there it will because we either have more points or a better percentage than the next 8 teams...so of course we would deserve to be there.......

saintdooley · Tue 28 Aug 2007 1:24pm

no

but its going to be out of Lions, Crows and us. i have seen better footy from us but not good enough for finals!

The Peanut · Post: # 444708Post **The Peanut** » Tue 28 Aug 2007 1:41pm

'deserve' is not in my vocabulary . . . did we deserve to lose Bakes?
Considering a new coach and new adjusted game plan, tactics and injuries (especially on the outset with BJ) it was always going to be tricky. But it would be a fantastic result, even if we don't last long. It would be great for the players to get a feel for finals before next year as we miss out on all the big game blackbusters throughout the year. On paper I reckon with everyone on song we could still give the others a fright if we get past this week. I will keep my dream - whatever the odds.

GO SAINTS - GO PIES

Solar · Post: # 444709Post **Solar** » Tue 28 Aug 2007 1:41pm

yes

you go back to the hawks game where we barely had a player fit and to think we are a chance to play finals is fantastic to be honest. Thats just taking this year as a context.

rodgerfox · Post: # 444715Post **rodgerfox** » Tue 28 Aug 2007 1:49pm

The Peanut wrote:'deserve' is not in my vocabulary . . . did we deserve to lose Bakes?
Considering a new coach and new adjusted game plan, tactics and injuries (especially on the outset with BJ) it was always going to be tricky. But it would be a fantastic result, even if we don't last long. It would be great for the players to get a feel for finals before next year as we miss out on all the big game blackbusters throughout the year. On paper I reckon with everyone on song we could still give the others a fright if we get past this week. I will keep my dream - whatever the odds.

GO SAINTS - GO PIES

Your post seems to be a bit more focussed on whether or not it would good for us to play finals, not whether or not our efforts this year warrant us a spot in the 8.

Stephen Theodore · Tue 28 Aug 2007 1:50pm

We deserve to be there as much as Adelaide or Brisbane, who like us have had inconsistent years

terry smith rules · Tue 28 Aug 2007 2:00pm

firstly as someone said before if we win more games than 8 other teams then of course we deserve to be there

I think it was mentioned during the call on friday night, that since the mid season break, if there was a ladder just on those games we would be coming third, that probably changed with fridays loss, but we are still going ok

someone else asked is it good to play finals, the answer to that is of course yes yes and yes

just to give the experience to people like gilbert is reason enough

if we can make the finals, it is a whole new season (albeit short) of footy and anything can happen

hawks, roos and pies all have inexperienced finals lists
swans are getting injured and form is questionable

so of course we want to play finals

fqf

st_Trav_ofWA · Tue 28 Aug 2007 2:01pm

in retro spect we have beaten syd freo westcoast and adl this year thats last years top 4 and we have also beaten hawthorn and been in winnable situations against Geelong North and Collingwood

in hinesight losing early games to Essendon & Brisbane have hurt us
but if we do make the finals then over all i feel we have deserved to make it

Mr X from the West · Tue 28 Aug 2007 2:08pm

We "deserve" it as much as (if not more than) Adelaide who even their own fans admit are playing s*** footy this year.

yipper · Post: # 444749Post **yipper** » Tue 28 Aug 2007 2:32pm

If we make it - we would be in 8th spot. That means we have had a better season than 8 other teams - and we finished as the 8th best team. So, yes we will deserve to be there totally.

Once the finals start - we could well make it down to the last 4. So, that would mean we have had a very good year.

St DAC · Post: # 444752Post **St DAC** » Tue 28 Aug 2007 2:35pm

On form? Probably not; but I'd still take it!

terry smith rules · Tue 28 Aug 2007 2:43pm

St DAC wrote:On form? Probably not; but I'd still take it!

thats my point, our form is not too bad

if we get in we will go in with 7w 1d and 3l from last 11

I think that would stack up pretty well and signify that we are actually in form

St DAC · Post: # 444764Post **St DAC** » Tue 28 Aug 2007 2:55pm

I meant over the entire season Terry; 4-7 from the first 11 is poor.

terry smith rules · Tue 28 Aug 2007 3:05pm

St DAC wrote:I meant over the entire season Terry; 4-7 from the first 11 is poor.

agreed

no worries I guess the forum has been alot of doom and gloom this last week (with some justification)

the reality of the last 11 weeks is that we have really only just been beaten in all 3 loses, as disappointing as they have been

we have not actually been pumped for some time

my les foote · Tue 28 Aug 2007 3:35pm

If Collingwood beats Adelaide and we win the next five games, do we 'deserve' a premiership?

I'll take it.

riccardo · Post: # 444801Post **riccardo** » Tue 28 Aug 2007 3:36pm

I think we have done better this year than we would have under the previous system, we would have been bottom 4 I firmly believe if GT had stayed in charge.

In terms of "deserving" to make the Finals, it is a hard question to answer, I'd probably say no, but 8th rarely does anything anyway in terms of impact so it matters little.

If we somehow managed to fluke a Flag (ha ha) we would be the least deserving premiers since Fitzroy in 1916.

St. Luke · Post: # 444808Post **St. Luke** » Tue 28 Aug 2007 3:42pm

Can I answer this question after Friday night??

st_Trav_ofWA · Tue 28 Aug 2007 4:02pm

riccardo wrote:I think we have done better this year than we would have under the previous system, we would have been bottom 4 I firmly believe if GT had stayed in charge.

me feels you have opened a whole new can of worms with that comment

saintspremiers · Tue 28 Aug 2007 4:08pm

agree Ric, now that the underhanded GT is gone we are much better for it.....if we do make the finals, I just want us at worst to make it to week 2 - so that the record books say we've finished higher than in 2006.....BUT given our better draw this year, I estimate to be worth 8 points (2 games) over and above the 2006 draw, this year won't in adjusted terms be better than last year IMO unless we make the Prelims or better, if that makes any sense!

The final 8 system is flawed - you are a midrange team (8th spot) and make the finals.

What a crock!

No team that finishes in the middle of the pack in any comp with 16 teams in it is much chop.

Oh well, at least it's better than the VFL, where 8 teams make the finals....out of only 13 clubs....work that one out!!!!

riccardo · Post: # 444857Post **riccardo** » Tue 28 Aug 2007 4:37pm

Woah! "Underhanded" I did not say or mean.

I just think he was out of tricks, a coaching style like that had its benefits, but a limited shelf life, and after 5 1/2 years, it was out of steam.

battye · Post: # 444957Post **battye** » Tue 28 Aug 2007 7:48pm

If we end up with more points and/or a better percentage than 8 other teams, then yes, we deserve to make it.

joffaboy · Post: # 444959Post **joffaboy** » Tue 28 Aug 2007 7:53pm

Deserve has nothing to do with it in this so called competition.

Cam1lla · Post: # 444960Post **Cam1lla** » Tue 28 Aug 2007 7:58pm

deserving hasnt got nothing to do with it i dont think. i think it is based on our players skills and seen as we have had a few injuries with some key players this year then we might just scrape through to the 8. But even if we dont get in it doesnt mean we never deserved it.

rexy · Post: # 444967Post **rexy** » Tue 28 Aug 2007 8:05pm

If we make it we deserve it, if we dont then we dont.

Ric, I cant help but feel completely the opposite to you on your statements, with Gt as coach I feel our early season form would have been a lot better but we may not have won as many games against top 8 teams like W/C Adelaide and Sydney. I think we would be similarly placed but with a better %.

However I dont beleive our preassure/intensity or the defensive side of our game would have improved as much as they have and I dont beleive our current form would be as good as it currently is.

To asess coach Lyon as a whole I would say that he has taught our side some valuable lessons however at times he has curbed our natural ability to score heavily to much, which has cost us some games. The weekends game was the best all around football we have played this year IMO and if we can produce that football in finals then i personally think we could go deeper in to september. The worry is that we may have cost ourselves the chance to prove that with some overly negative tactics in the first half of the year.