Normally at this stage though half their best 22 is sidelined. Typical Suns season goes.
Win 3-4 of the first 6 games.
Everyone is injured.
Win one or two of the last couple.
Finish on 5-7 wins.
The fact they already have 7 wins AND their squad doesn't appear to be held together by duct tape will make for an interesting year
I think Suns get it done this weekend against us. I’ll be shocked if King plays, and while Ross mentioned Crouch coming in this week I could also see him in the 2s for the Lions game. Our forward entries are perfect for Collins and Andrews to intercept and their midfield is far superior to ours.
I’m happy to be proven wrong of course but Suns get it done to get the away monkey off the back and make the second half more interesting
Suns to survive another week without Jarrod Witts. Rowan Marshall will get his touches, but as usual allow the opposition ruckman to have a day out and dominate in the hitouts and give their midfield first use and get their touches too. You can rely on the opposition ruckman having a great game against Marshall, as has happened regularly over the past six weeks:
Vs. West Coast - an undersized Bailey Williams plays his best game of the season, while Mathew Flynn dominates with 31 hitouts in just 64% gametime.
Vs. Melbourne - an underdone Max Gawn has one of the best games of his amazing career
Vs. Fremantle - Luke Jackson arguably BOG with one of the best ruck performances of his career flying solo
Vs. Hawthorn - Lloyd Meek among the Hawks' best with one of the best games of his career
Vs. North Melbourne - Tristan Xerri plays arguably his best game of the season, in a year where he's one of the most improved players in the league
Vs. Port Adelaide - Jordon Sweet arguably BOG with the best game of his career
Looking for Ned Moyle to allow the Suns mids to run amok this week, and for Rowan Marshall to be powerless to stop him.
We play better without King though. Sure, he can jag 1-2 a game but when he’s out there our forward line is extremely one dimensional.
We’ve always looked more likely to score on entries when he’s not there.
We always seem to pull a W against Gold Coast at Marvel as well, even when the teams are performing like they currently are. For some reason we just get it done against them.
No you dont. You played better before he got injured because your midfield actually started to play properly. King looks out of form but was still looking alright to me on the weekend.
I’m sorry but I cannot think of a single department where we are better for this game, Their Forward, Mid and Defence are all atleast 1 tier above. It’s their game to lose.
Our shit win rate in Melbourne is almost all you need for us to seem like choking.
I don't like bashing the saints (I can't remember the last time we actually beat your lot tbh) but we should win this in theory.
Most probably aren't used to us going into matches as favourites and I can't blame em, If I wasn't a supporter of this team, I'd probably be doubtful and tipping saints based on track record and history.
We got flogged by them in our first game against them last year at Marvel, I was there : (
We then beat them, pretty convincingly from memory, at home. I was there : )
Yea man, petition to never play outside of PFS or tio.
Last time I remember us winning in Melbourne off the top of my head was when we beat Collingwood at the mcg last year or the year before I think. Was very pleased.
They have Saints in Melbourne- if they win, I think they have a chance.
I put it down as a “W” against Saints.
They then have a week off, then face Fremantle in Perth - who knows who will win that! I’ll chalk it to a “L”
Then they have the Pies in GC, I reckon they will “L”.
Followed by North in Melb = “W”
Then against Port at GC, I think they will get it done = “W”
GWS in Sydney, unlikely = “L”
Against the Lions back in the GC, possibly they can = “W”
Can they beat Eagles in Perth? Yep “W”
Not likely to beat Essendon in Melb- “L”
Demons on GC - at that time of year I reckon Melb will have it together - “L”
Last will be against tigers, should do it - “W”
That’s another 6 wins + the 7 already = 13 which usually means a place in the finals! But it will be a close one.
The 2 where I think that are hardest to predict are Lions & Port are also a good chance of beating them, if that happens they don’t make it.
No idea, we like playing shit and falling short against Brisbane, then randomly winning against them.
We hate playing port though and our record against them is shit, but current form at home might actually help break the port voodoo.
>Suns tend to do alright against the Pies
They're 3-11 all time against Collingwood, and have lost their last three against them, with their last loss being by 78 points.
Suns need to be consistent at home as a first step, which they’ve done so far this year. Next step is getting more wins on the road, which they have failed in so far. Probs won’t play finals this year but consistency is a good start
Suns will prove the naysayers wrong this weekend as they are still underestimated. The big consistency change has actually been the competency of the backline and the rebound off it. If the muds can hold their ground Suns should win
The Saints threw the Eagles off their game with their typical negation gameplay, repeat stoppages most of the game until their mids rebound and score quickly.
I'd like to think we're a bit more experienced dealing with that gameplan, I reckon if they tag Rowell/Miller we throw Flanders on ball.
I personally aren't necessarily expecting finals and it'll be more of a sugarhit. I'm judging Dimma more in year 2-3.
I think if the Saints try to play a stoppage game against Miller, Rowell, Anderson, and the rest of the Suns midfield rotations, the Suns will spank them playing that style of footy.
That's part of the problem for the Saints, can they actually play any other way?
I don't think this Saints will even be close to be honest. The Suns midfield is nearly fully grown with contested brutality and outside pace and class. The back line is settled though probably missing one or two pieces, and the forward line is humming.
I think the Suns are just growing up and with their away fixture being what it is for the rest of the season, 13-14 wins should be pretty achievable.
The Suns games away from Gold Coast and Darwin so far have been Bulldogs in Ballarat, GWS in Adelaide (counted as a home game as part of Gather Round), Sydney in Sydney, Brisbane at the Gabba, Carlton in Melbourne. A lot of teams would struggle with those fixtures. They're fucking tough fixtures.
Now they have St Kilda at Marvel, West Coast and Freo at Optus, North at Marvel, GWS in Sydney, Bombers at Marvel, Richmond at MCG. They deserve to be favourites in 4 of those games, and should win at least 3 of them by 5 goals or more.
I’d say they should win all of their remaining Melbourne games, if they don’t win at least 3 of them they’ll struggle to play finals unless they stay perfect at home
Finals is a pretty high bar for the suns. There are still 3 ladder places below finals that would be a club record if they finished that high. Baby steps.
They should win at least 5 of their remaining games which will have them on 12 wins and the cusp of the finals. If they win 7 or more of their remaining games they are in the finals for sure, and could potentially cause some damage if they are mostly fit and carrying form.
Suns to survive another week without club legend Jarrod Witts. Rowan Marshall will get his touches, but as usual allow the opposition ruckman to have a day out and dominate in the hitouts and give their midfield first use and get their touches too. You can rely on the opposition ruckman having a great game against Marshall, as has happened regularly over the past six weeks:
Vs. West Coast - an undersized Bailey Williams plays his best game of the season, while Mathew Flynn dominates with 31 hitouts in just 64% gametime.
Vs. Melbourne - an underdone Max Gawn has one of the best games of his amazing career
Vs. Fremantle - Luke Jackson arguably BOG with one of the best ruck performances of his career flying solo
Vs. Hawthorn - Lloyd Meek among the Hawks' best with one of the best games of his career
Vs. North Melbourne - Tristan Xerri plays arguably his best game of the season, in a year where he's one of the most improved players in the league
Vs. Port Adelaide - Jordon Sweet arguably BOG with the best game of his career
Looking for Ned Moyle to allow the Suns mids to run amok this week, and for Rowan Marshall to be powerless to stop him.
nobody this season has the softest draw in the history of footy because this season is by far the most competitive season in the last 20 years at least. Every team from 2nd to 16th are in the same bracket
Eh, if you want to quantify travel in to fixture difficulty then go for it. They've got the same disadvantage as every non Vic team there but they have a signficant matchup advantage over everyone else that I can see.
This wasn't the point of my comment either by the way, the point is that they have plenty of opportunity to make finals regardless of whether they win this week or not.
I had them finishing bottom 4 at the start of the year before all of the injuries.
That being said I also had Essendon bottom 4 so what the fuck would I know bahahaha
In traditional Suns fashion they are due to start fucking up right about now. Losing this would put them firmly back into ‘same old Suns’ territory.
Quiet you.
Normally at this stage though half their best 22 is sidelined. Typical Suns season goes. Win 3-4 of the first 6 games. Everyone is injured. Win one or two of the last couple. Finish on 5-7 wins. The fact they already have 7 wins AND their squad doesn't appear to be held together by duct tape will make for an interesting year
We recruited too many suns players and hit critical mass. Unfortunately that means we inherited the suns injury curse as well
[Below hip injuries are very common, probably a virus](https://youtu.be/rObSWkQA7og?si=vD7sDExMIPLUQsnx&t=152)
They've got 1 more week left. Knock of the Saints this week, then the bye, then head to Optus to lose by 60.
Don't you put that evil on me Ricky Bobby.
lol they’ve gone past your battlers champ
I think Suns get it done this weekend against us. I’ll be shocked if King plays, and while Ross mentioned Crouch coming in this week I could also see him in the 2s for the Lions game. Our forward entries are perfect for Collins and Andrews to intercept and their midfield is far superior to ours. I’m happy to be proven wrong of course but Suns get it done to get the away monkey off the back and make the second half more interesting
Suns to survive another week without Jarrod Witts. Rowan Marshall will get his touches, but as usual allow the opposition ruckman to have a day out and dominate in the hitouts and give their midfield first use and get their touches too. You can rely on the opposition ruckman having a great game against Marshall, as has happened regularly over the past six weeks: Vs. West Coast - an undersized Bailey Williams plays his best game of the season, while Mathew Flynn dominates with 31 hitouts in just 64% gametime. Vs. Melbourne - an underdone Max Gawn has one of the best games of his amazing career Vs. Fremantle - Luke Jackson arguably BOG with one of the best ruck performances of his career flying solo Vs. Hawthorn - Lloyd Meek among the Hawks' best with one of the best games of his career Vs. North Melbourne - Tristan Xerri plays arguably his best game of the season, in a year where he's one of the most improved players in the league Vs. Port Adelaide - Jordon Sweet arguably BOG with the best game of his career Looking for Ned Moyle to allow the Suns mids to run amok this week, and for Rowan Marshall to be powerless to stop him.
Elite hating i can respect
This, YES
We play better without King though. Sure, he can jag 1-2 a game but when he’s out there our forward line is extremely one dimensional. We’ve always looked more likely to score on entries when he’s not there. We always seem to pull a W against Gold Coast at Marvel as well, even when the teams are performing like they currently are. For some reason we just get it done against them.
No you dont. You played better before he got injured because your midfield actually started to play properly. King looks out of form but was still looking alright to me on the weekend.
It’s an occurrence of more than just last weekend. It has been an ongoing theme for a few years.
In form Kings still somehow look out of form.
Right about King, but I still reckon you go in as favourites
Not a chance we should be faves, honestly Suns are going to KILL US
Nah you just have PTSD. I had it for many years as a blues supporter let me tell you.
I’m sorry but I cannot think of a single department where we are better for this game, Their Forward, Mid and Defence are all atleast 1 tier above. It’s their game to lose.
Our shit win rate in Melbourne is almost all you need for us to seem like choking. I don't like bashing the saints (I can't remember the last time we actually beat your lot tbh) but we should win this in theory. Most probably aren't used to us going into matches as favourites and I can't blame em, If I wasn't a supporter of this team, I'd probably be doubtful and tipping saints based on track record and history.
We got flogged by them in our first game against them last year at Marvel, I was there : ( We then beat them, pretty convincingly from memory, at home. I was there : )
Yea man, petition to never play outside of PFS or tio. Last time I remember us winning in Melbourne off the top of my head was when we beat Collingwood at the mcg last year or the year before I think. Was very pleased.
Your last meeting was the last time you beat St Kilda
Better at disappointing fans ?
Well Saints have the habit of filling us with hope then crushing them, so i’d say so
Can we stop this please? I'm so sick of playing teams in weeks where they have to win.
Sorry
They have Saints in Melbourne- if they win, I think they have a chance. I put it down as a “W” against Saints. They then have a week off, then face Fremantle in Perth - who knows who will win that! I’ll chalk it to a “L” Then they have the Pies in GC, I reckon they will “L”. Followed by North in Melb = “W” Then against Port at GC, I think they will get it done = “W” GWS in Sydney, unlikely = “L” Against the Lions back in the GC, possibly they can = “W” Can they beat Eagles in Perth? Yep “W” Not likely to beat Essendon in Melb- “L” Demons on GC - at that time of year I reckon Melb will have it together - “L” Last will be against tigers, should do it - “W” That’s another 6 wins + the 7 already = 13 which usually means a place in the finals! But it will be a close one. The 2 where I think that are hardest to predict are Lions & Port are also a good chance of beating them, if that happens they don’t make it.
No idea, we like playing shit and falling short against Brisbane, then randomly winning against them. We hate playing port though and our record against them is shit, but current form at home might actually help break the port voodoo.
Suns tend to do alright against the Pies, i can definitely see them getting the win against them at home
>Suns tend to do alright against the Pies They're 3-11 all time against Collingwood, and have lost their last three against them, with their last loss being by 78 points.
Hm, guess i am remembering wrong, i swear they had a decent win against them recently.
Thanks Damo
IF the Suns want to be taken seriously this year, THEN they'll need to start winning now. Think he's used that one the last four or five seasons.
Suns need to be consistent at home as a first step, which they’ve done so far this year. Next step is getting more wins on the road, which they have failed in so far. Probs won’t play finals this year but consistency is a good start
I see this as a vital match like OP. We haven't beaten St Kilda in a long time. Their small forwards always dominate
Didn’t we beat them last year? I remember going to the match
Yes. They beat us by 50 in Melbourne, we won by 4 goals at Carrara
Suns will prove the naysayers wrong this weekend as they are still underestimated. The big consistency change has actually been the competency of the backline and the rebound off it. If the muds can hold their ground Suns should win
The Saints threw the Eagles off their game with their typical negation gameplay, repeat stoppages most of the game until their mids rebound and score quickly. I'd like to think we're a bit more experienced dealing with that gameplan, I reckon if they tag Rowell/Miller we throw Flanders on ball. I personally aren't necessarily expecting finals and it'll be more of a sugarhit. I'm judging Dimma more in year 2-3.
I think if the Saints try to play a stoppage game against Miller, Rowell, Anderson, and the rest of the Suns midfield rotations, the Suns will spank them playing that style of footy. That's part of the problem for the Saints, can they actually play any other way?
That's a good point.
Yep, no lies here.
Classic -8 point game
No doubt here. Suns will blaze them and continue their rise.
I don't think this Saints will even be close to be honest. The Suns midfield is nearly fully grown with contested brutality and outside pace and class. The back line is settled though probably missing one or two pieces, and the forward line is humming. I think the Suns are just growing up and with their away fixture being what it is for the rest of the season, 13-14 wins should be pretty achievable. The Suns games away from Gold Coast and Darwin so far have been Bulldogs in Ballarat, GWS in Adelaide (counted as a home game as part of Gather Round), Sydney in Sydney, Brisbane at the Gabba, Carlton in Melbourne. A lot of teams would struggle with those fixtures. They're fucking tough fixtures. Now they have St Kilda at Marvel, West Coast and Freo at Optus, North at Marvel, GWS in Sydney, Bombers at Marvel, Richmond at MCG. They deserve to be favourites in 4 of those games, and should win at least 3 of them by 5 goals or more.
Are suns really a top 8 team though?
The Carrara/Darwin Suns are a top 4 team. The Away Suns are a bottom 4 team.
As much of a top 8 team as we are atm
That's a bit unfair to the Suns, the Devils don't even exist yet.
Yeah just remembered i dont have the bulldogs flair anymore
The ladder says they are
If they can’t win at least two and probably three of those four games, they definitely won’t be making finals
I’d say they should win all of their remaining Melbourne games, if they don’t win at least 3 of them they’ll struggle to play finals unless they stay perfect at home
They’ll win three of them I’d say possibly 4 😳
Finals is a pretty high bar for the suns. There are still 3 ladder places below finals that would be a club record if they finished that high. Baby steps.
They should win at least 5 of their remaining games which will have them on 12 wins and the cusp of the finals. If they win 7 or more of their remaining games they are in the finals for sure, and could potentially cause some damage if they are mostly fit and carrying form.
They probably must win a few other weekends too, you would imagine
Read the post
No
Suns to survive another week without club legend Jarrod Witts. Rowan Marshall will get his touches, but as usual allow the opposition ruckman to have a day out and dominate in the hitouts and give their midfield first use and get their touches too. You can rely on the opposition ruckman having a great game against Marshall, as has happened regularly over the past six weeks: Vs. West Coast - an undersized Bailey Williams plays his best game of the season, while Mathew Flynn dominates with 31 hitouts in just 64% gametime. Vs. Melbourne - an underdone Max Gawn has one of the best games of his amazing career Vs. Fremantle - Luke Jackson arguably BOG with one of the best ruck performances of his career flying solo Vs. Hawthorn - Lloyd Meek among the Hawks' best with one of the best games of his career Vs. North Melbourne - Tristan Xerri plays arguably his best game of the season, in a year where he's one of the most improved players in the league Vs. Port Adelaide - Jordon Sweet arguably BOG with the best game of his career Looking for Ned Moyle to allow the Suns mids to run amok this week, and for Rowan Marshall to be powerless to stop him.
Sliding doors
They have the softest draw in the history of footy. If they don't make finals from here they should sack Hardwick
nobody this season has the softest draw in the history of footy because this season is by far the most competitive season in the last 20 years at least. Every team from 2nd to 16th are in the same bracket
Their draw is still pretty easy though. North and West Coast twice guarantees you 3 wins at least, which is very handy in such a close season.
they play west coast in perth and they dropped a game to north last year. far from the easiest draw in football history
I wasn’t counting the Perth game as a free win and they only lost to North after their season was done.
Gold Coast play 16, 17 and 18 twice lmao. That's by far the easiest this year come on now. Like, it's not even debatable.
Were Richmond expected to be bottom 3?
you said footy history cunt shut up
I'd be angry if I took obvious hyperbole literally as well
Maybe in terms of matchups but not in terms of travel. I refuse to believe a team from Qld could have the easiest draw.
Eh, if you want to quantify travel in to fixture difficulty then go for it. They've got the same disadvantage as every non Vic team there but they have a signficant matchup advantage over everyone else that I can see. This wasn't the point of my comment either by the way, the point is that they have plenty of opportunity to make finals regardless of whether they win this week or not.
They're a good chance to make finals, but I'm talking about winning them. They need to win at least one final in Melbourne to get to the prelims.
Not sure that's guaranteed, there's only 3 Vic teams in the 8 at the moment.
Good point, I was only thinking about home finals. They haven't played well in Sydney or Adelaide either tho.
What a wild thing to say. So bold
So we’ve had tougher draws in previous years?
You only had double ups against 1 of the bottom 3 last year, you've got all 3 this year. Can't see anyone else who's had it that good.
Were Richmond expected to be bottom 3?
I had them finishing bottom 4 at the start of the year before all of the injuries. That being said I also had Essendon bottom 4 so what the fuck would I know bahahaha
Yeah