After the first 2 games...

[sainter#4]

What are your thoughts on how we will stack up to the four teams that have played??

Many people think that these four 4 will most likely be there in the top 8 and realistically fighting it out in the last few weeks.

And after watching these two games, I personally felt that we could match them comfortably.

Your thoughts?

[plugger66]

I can nver work out from watching other sides how we would go against them but as I have all 4 above us I would think we would lose to most of them.

[Sobraz]

WC and Freo looked a level above Crows and Essendon...

Crows will have a flat year and will barely win away from home this year, Essendon are nothing to worry about, too many foot soldiers..

WC and Freo both very good, talented, well coached/drilled teams..

[dragit]

We will be behind all 4.

[BigMart]

We are better than the crows.... Would beat them at home close away

Essendon, Freo and WCE will beat us comfortably

[3rd generation saint]

Bad result for those who wanted our ex's to lose.
Mind you, you can't read to much into round 1, some teams get up for it, then fall away badly, and the opposite, some teams perform badly then bounce back.
Let's wait a couple of weeks, well at least to round 4 for Essendon to see how we stack up.

[Old Mate]

Freo look like a grand final team...They totally smothered WC into submission and should've won by 10 goals. So similar to STK in 09/10. Range: 1-4

WC had a few key players out but certainly look like a finals team.....But I think they have been overrated in the media. Range: 4-8

The Bombers took their opportunities, the Crows didn't. I reckon both those teams will be competing for spots in the bottom half of the 8. Range: 7-12

[The Redeemer]

WC and Freo looked a level above Crows and Essendon...

Crows will have a flat year and will barely win away from home this year, Essendon are nothing to worry about, too many foot soldiers..

WC and Freo both very good, talented, well coached/drilled teams..

It is because the two teams in the west are a level or two above.

The Crows have a squad to make September but what is the point if you cannot win it?

The Eagles probably will struggle due to too many stars coming back injured or a way off injured. Remember when we lived in hope of our stars coming back in 2005-2006?

Freo look good and its expected, he have a good squad. Pav and McPharlin will not be around forever so best to make the run now

Essendon are average and I expect us to account for them.

[bigcarl]

Let's see how we start. We weren't that far off it last season and had a few things gone right in several games (the umpiring against Fremantle and Collingwood for example) we could have played finals.

Yes, our stars are ageing, but they are still capable of good football and I feel a few of the younger brigade like Steven and McEvoy could have breakout seasons.

I like Gilbert in the midfield and I think he could be very important there.

[gringo]

I only watched the friday night game. So on that we are ahead of Adelaide but the Bombers probably won't have that accuracy again either. Bombers could be anything and hard to gauge on that alone. They will either be like last year where they could beat anyone or the pressure could eventually eat them up.

Freo and WCE are both teams that will win most home games and really need to see them away from home to see where they are at.

[saintspremiers]

Who cares.

More relevant is beating Richmond in Round 2, assuming we knock off GC and GWS.

We will lose plenty of games against the top teams. That's a given.

[bergholt]

Bad result for those who wanted our ex's to lose.

Ross, Zac, Cripps, Lynch and Goddard couldn't all lose...

[sainter104]

Ross, Zac, Cripps, Lynch and Goddard couldn't all lose...[/quote]


Why ??

[bergholt]

Ross, Zac, Cripps, Lynch and Goddard couldn't all lose...

Why ??

Because their teams were playing each other.

[stinger]

Freo look like a grand final team...They totally smothered WC into submission and should've won by 10 goals. So similar to STK in 09/10. Range: 1-4

WC had a few key players out but certainly look like a finals team.....But I think they have been overrated in the media. Range: 4-8

The Bombers took their opportunities, the Crows didn't. I reckon both those teams will be competing for spots in the bottom half of the 8. Range: 7-12

both losing teams started off like a house on fire but bad kicking let them down.....west coast most disappointing team of the round.....

[spert]

After round one, I wouldn't make any prediction..the road is long, with many a winding turn...

[SaintPav]

I hope the reality check doesn't come in round 2.

[saintkellerm]

or even Round 1 (last year)

[Superstar]

I'd say all four are better placed than the Saints.

Who cares.

More relevant is beating Richmond in Round 2, assuming we knock off GC and GWS.

We will lose plenty of games against the top teams. That's a given.

Yep, drop one of these and it could be come a long year.

First five games are;

Gold Coast Suns
Richmond Tigers
GWS Giants
Essendon Bombers
Sydney Swans

Say we'd know a fair bit by then.

[SunburySaint]

I'd say all four are better placed than the Saints.

Who cares.

More relevant is beating Richmond in Round 2, assuming we knock off GC and GWS.

We will lose plenty of games against the top teams. That's a given.

Yep, drop one of these and it could be come a long year.

First five games are;

Gold Coast Suns
Richmond Tigers
GWS Giants
Essendon Bombers
Sydney Swans

Say we'd know a fair bit by then.

IMHO I can honestly only see us definitely winning 2 of those....

[Cairnsman]

Who cares.

More relevant is beating Richmond in Round 2, assuming we knock off GC and GWS.

We will lose plenty of games against the top teams. That's a given.

Richmond is going to be a very tough game to win. They will set themselves for us. They will be looking to make us their bitch and return the favour of years of floggings. Won't this place be a if we lose the first two matches. The build up the GWS game would be tense.

[battye]

I'd say all four are better placed than the Saints.

Who cares.

More relevant is beating Richmond in Round 2, assuming we knock off GC and GWS.

We will lose plenty of games against the top teams. That's a given.

Yep, drop one of these and it could be come a long year.

First five games are;

Gold Coast Suns
Richmond Tigers
GWS Giants
Essendon Bombers
Sydney Swans

Say we'd know a fair bit by then.

If we aren't 4-0 going into the Sydney game we can kiss any chances of going deep into September goodbye, as unlikely as it is anyway.

[rexy]

I'd say all four are better placed than the Saints.

Who cares.

More relevant is beating Richmond in Round 2, assuming we knock off GC and GWS.

We will lose plenty of games against the top teams. That's a given.

Yep, drop one of these and it could be come a long year.

First five games are;

Gold Coast Suns
Richmond Tigers
GWS Giants
Essendon Bombers
Sydney Swans

Say we'd know a fair bit by then.

IMHO I can honestly only see us definitely winning 2 of those....

We won't definitely beat any of them, if sport was definite it would not be played? Anywhere from 3-2 to 5-0 is my guess, confidence is under rated in football, get rolling and anything is possible!

[bergholt]

We won't definitely beat any of them, if sport was definite it would not be played? Anywhere from 3-2 to 5-0 is my guess, confidence is under rated in football, get rolling and anything is possible!

But we don't have it yet, and if we lose two of the first three we'll never get it?

I'd be happy if we won three of the first five, any more than that would be a massive bonus.

[rexy]

We won't definitely beat any of them, if sport was definite it would not be played? Anywhere from 3-2 to 5-0 is my guess, confidence is under rated in football, get rolling and anything is possible!

But we don't have it yet, and if we lose two of the first three we'll never get it?

I'd be happy if we won three of the first five, any more than that would be a massive bonus.

In that case my gut tells me you will be somewhere between happy and really happy after 5, confidence can be initiated in off season and quickly built upon in the early rounds, no one has outright confidence in round 1, even reigning premiers are worried about desire/hangover etc!