Be honest, do you really think we'll win the flag in 2008?

[Saints Premiers 2008]

yes

[The Craw]

now that rudd has got his 5 point plan............ yes

[Saints Premiers 2008]

now that rudd has got his 5 point plan............ yes

with the assistance of 1000 of australia's best and brightest hand-selected by rudd to give him the answers he wants

[Quixote]

Yes... and no.

[saintdooley]

no!

(hopefuly now i say this we will win the premiership!!!)

[Eastern]

now that rudd has got his 5 point plan............ yes

with the assistance of 1000 of australia's best and brightest hand-selected by rudd to give him the answers he wants

Not quite. There will be no members of the Jewish Community at Kevin's Summit. He scheduled it at the same time as passover !!

[asiu]

wow

quite the post srr

i read it , and go .....thats strong , important , needed

but why do i continually here from successful people in all walks of life , that luck played a major part in their stories

are they just being humble maybe ?

[iwantmeseats]

I hope to be 8/3 or so half way. Then, Ill start thinking maybe, bout a flag, till then all bets are off!

[Ghost Like]

Yes, no doubt in my mind, mainly because I believe the bottom half of our list is better than in past seasons.

A bit like going to a Grand Final BBQ with some steaks that had been marinating for a little while rather than rocking up with the smelly old chops that had been in the fridge for a while.

[GrumpyOne]

wow

quite the post srr

i read it , and go .....thats strong , important , needed

but why do i continually here from successful people in all walks of life , that luck played a major part in their stories

are they just being humble maybe ?

Successful people make their luck through working hard to be in a position to make the most of it.

Unsuccessful people waste what luck they receive.

[brown-coat]

[LENNY LEADS THE WAY]

YES WE CAN WIN THE FLAG

YES HARVEY CAN WIN THE NORM SMITH

YES DAL WILL WIN THE BROWNLOW

AND YES AS MY FRIENDS ALWAYS TELL ME I'M VERY VERY DELUSIONAL

In all seriousness with a good injury run we're as good a chance as any

[Armoooo]

We are a very good chance if:
We have a half decent run with injuries
If our players give it their all
If Roo, Kosi, Dal, Lenny, S.Fisher, Gehrig, Gram can keep up their good form
If King, Gardiner, Ball, Xavier and Raph can get some good footy under their belts...
We play a gameplan that takes advantage of our strengths...

IMO this can all be handled by our football department...
If our players are conditioned well, inspired and used well we WILL win the flag...

[jezza]

YES we can if Ross the Boss gets it right in the box and our fitness guru can keep our list on the paddock.

Jezza

[StSteven]

Yes we can but so can Cats, Pies, Hawks, Swans, Eagles, Power, Dockers....

The excitement is killing me.....bring it on!

[HarveysDeciple]

Yes we can but so can Cats, Pies, Hawks, Swans, Eagles, Power, Dockers....

The excitement is killing me.....bring it on!

would bet 10 grand on the swans not winning the flag this year.

[rodgerfox]

wow

quite the post srr

i read it , and go .....thats strong , important , needed

but why do i continually here from successful people in all walks of life , that luck played a major part in their stories

are they just being humble maybe ?

Luck is the single most important part of modern AFL footy.

This is the catch to the even comp we all wanted.

The top 12 teams could win the flag.

The premiers of the past 5 years have all shown that with luck, they win. And without it, they lose.

Even the great Brisbane side got rolled in a GF when they had to play a 'home' prelim at the MCG, whilst their opponent played their 'home' prelim at their home ground.
Sydney had injuries for the first 10 weeks and couldn't get within 7 goals of anyone. Then they fluked the most important 10 weeks of the season with an unchanged lineup.
Fluke? You ask.

Yes fluke. Hall was no good last year due to soft tissue inuries and guess what? Sydney are just an average side again.

And on Sydney, not only did they require 10 straight weeks of no injuries, they needed us to lose 8 of our best 22 aswell to get into the GF! And the week before, Geelong lost 4 players in the last quarter and it still took Sydney until 4 seconds left to get over the line.

What are the chances, seriously, of getting an unchanged lineup for 10 straights weeks, and then copping a team who loses 4 players by 3/4 time in a final, then copping a team with 8 players missing the following week in a prelim?? Seriously.

Whilst we're on Geelong. We saw what happened to them when they had injured players. Nearly a bottom 4 side. When in jury free, they win the GF by 1000 points.

Footy is based on luck. We play with an oval ball, outside in the elements (well, mostly). This means a perfectly timed kick for goal can be caught in a swirling gust of wind and hit the post. It means you can absolutely do everything right in a contest and lead your opponent to the ball - only to have it bounce over your head into their waiting arms.
We also have some entire results based on the opinion of one person - the umpire. You can in AFL footy, be totally dudded by the umpires. It is often completely out of your control.

In 97 Winmar's dad died in the leadup rendering Cuz pretty much useless. Stewie had his own personal issues to deal with that week also. Then there was the freak colision that put Everitt out, whilst another freak injury out our other ruckman out.

How lucky were we that the goal umpire in the Brisbane game we won by a kick in 04 was in the wrong position?

That's just on-field.

Off-field in modern footy is even more in the hands of the gods - and more importantly the AFL.
Take our draw last year compared to 06. If we had have had the 07 draw in 05 or 06, even with the injuries we copped, we've have been almost guaranteed an extra 2 wins minimum.

It's not just the luck you have either, it's also the luck your opponent gets - or doesn't get.

People who tow the 'there's no such as luck in footy' etc. etc. are those who are paid to ensure that everyone gives 110% no matter what. They don't believe it, but they need to ensure the players believe it.

If players went out on the ground thinking that some elements were out of their control, they're done before the ball bounces.

The reality is though, that alot of what happens out there is totally out of their control.

The one thing with luck is, you need to take advantage when you get it. You need to ensure you've covered everything so when it comes your way you're able to make the most of it.

Sydney did that. Geelong did that.

However, I don't think that there is one club in the comp that wouldn't or couldn't.

All clubs do the same stuff. They all hire fitness gurus. They all have detailed training, fitness and injury plans. They all have sports pshycologists, they all have good players.

They basically chop and change from club to club anyway, so it's ver rare that one club is doing things vastly different from everyone else.

Fair enough coaches peddling it, fair enough players believing it, but if anyone else believes that the majority of what happens on the footy field and off it is not to do with luck, they're dreamin'.


What I should add, is that you can stuff up. No luck involved, just a stuff up. You can't blame things on luck neccessarily, but when success comes in footy, if you don't thank the gods you're being very ungrateful.

Malcolm Blight makes constant references to what he calls 'the footy gods'. He's very right in this case.

They hold the key.

[aussiejones]

Need to kick more goals .

We have the players.

We have to hope for a reasonable run in the injury dept.

GF who knows !!

[bigcarl]

Luck is the single most important part of modern AFL footy.

This is the catch to the even comp we all wanted.

The top 12 teams could win the flag.

The premiers of the past 5 years have all shown that with luck, they win. And without it, they lose.

Even the great Brisbane side got rolled in a GF when they had to play a 'home' prelim at the MCG, whilst their opponent played their 'home' prelim at their home ground.
Sydney had injuries for the first 10 weeks and couldn't get within 7 goals of anyone. Then they fluked the most important 10 weeks of the season with an unchanged lineup.
Fluke? You ask.

Yes fluke. Hall was no good last year due to soft tissue inuries and guess what? Sydney are just an average side again.

And on Sydney, not only did they require 10 straight weeks of no injuries, they needed us to lose 8 of our best 22 aswell to get into the GF! And the week before, Geelong lost 4 players in the last quarter and it still took Sydney until 4 seconds left to get over the line.

What are the chances, seriously, of getting an unchanged lineup for 10 straights weeks, and then copping a team who loses 4 players by 3/4 time in a final, then copping a team with 8 players missing the following week in a prelim?? Seriously.

Whilst we're on Geelong. We saw what happened to them when they had injured players. Nearly a bottom 4 side. When in jury free, they win the GF by 1000 points.

Footy is based on luck. We play with an oval ball, outside in the elements (well, mostly). This means a perfectly timed kick for goal can be caught in a swirling gust of wind and hit the post. It means you can absolutely do everything right in a contest and lead your opponent to the ball - only to have it bounce over your head into their waiting arms.
We also have some entire results based on the opinion of one person - the umpire. You can in AFL footy, be totally dudded by the umpires. It is often completely out of your control.

In 97 Winmar's dad died in the leadup rendering Cuz pretty much useless. Stewie had his own personal issues to deal with that week also. Then there was the freak colision that put Everitt out, whilst another freak injury out our other ruckman out.

How lucky were we that the goal umpire in the Brisbane game we won by a kick in 04 was in the wrong position?

That's just on-field.

Off-field in modern footy is even more in the hands of the gods - and more importantly the AFL.
Take our draw last year compared to 06. If we had have had the 07 draw in 05 or 06, even with the injuries we copped, we've have been almost guaranteed an extra 2 wins minimum.

It's not just the luck you have either, it's also the luck your opponent gets - or doesn't get.

People who tow the 'there's no such as luck in footy' etc. etc. are those who are paid to ensure that everyone gives 110% no matter what. They don't believe it, but they need to ensure the players believe it.

If players went out on the ground thinking that some elements were out of their control, they're done before the ball bounces.

The reality is though, that alot of what happens out there is totally out of their control.

The one thing with luck is, you need to take advantage when you get it. You need to ensure you've covered everything so when it comes your way you're able to make the most of it.

Sydney did that. Geelong did that.

However, I don't think that there is one club in the comp that wouldn't or couldn't.

All clubs do the same stuff. They all hire fitness gurus. They all have detailed training, fitness and injury plans. They all have sports pshycologists, they all have good players.

They basically chop and change from club to club anyway, so it's ver rare that one club is doing things vastly different from everyone else.

Fair enough coaches peddling it, fair enough players believing it, but if anyone else believes that the majority of what happens on the footy field and off it is not to do with luck, they're dreamin'.


What I should add, is that you can stuff up. No luck involved, just a stuff up. You can't blame things on luck neccessarily, but when success comes in footy, if you don't thank the gods you're being very ungrateful.

Malcolm Blight makes constant references to what he calls 'the footy gods'. He's very right in this case.

They hold the key.

good read roger. you make some very good points that are often overlooked.

[Oh When the Saints]

Agree ... was a good read rodgerfox

The one thing with luck is, you need to take advantage when you get it. You need to ensure you've covered everything so when it comes your way you're able to make the most of it.

Sydney did that. Geelong did that.

However, I don't think that there is one club in the comp that wouldn't or couldn't.

All clubs do the same stuff. They all hire fitness gurus. They all have detailed training, fitness and injury plans. They all have sports pshycologists, they all have good players.

We didn't have the same number or quality of fitness gurus, the same level of detail or technology systems with our injury management and the same football operations staff when we were on the verge of success.

Did not having the injury technology stuff in 2005 that Sydney did make a difference between them winning the flag and us winning it?

Probably not.

But we should never be in a position where we have to guess.

[Enrico_Misso]

YES
2008 is our best chance.

5 reasons

- the coach is settled in and looks comfortable with himself and clear in his thoughts
- for the first time in years we can have two dominant ruckman working in tandem to give us first use
- I believe in the laws of averages and we are overdue to have a "low injury" season (new fitness staff will hopefully help too)
- effectively "new" recruits Ball (injury free?), Goose, Hayes (back to his best), BJ, Dempster, Schneider, King and big Gardiner will give us a huge boost
- and if we are travelling well as the finals approach then don't underestimate the "do it for Harves" factor.

[RBnW]

YES
2008 is our best chance.

5 reasons

- the coach is settled in and looks comfortable with himself and clear in his thoughts
- for the first time in years we can have two dominant ruckman working in tandem to give us first use
- I believe in the laws of averages and we are overdue to have a "low injury" season (new fitness staff will hopefully help too)
- effectively "new" recruits Ball (injury free?), Goose, Hayes (back to his best), BJ, Dempster, Schneider, King and big Gardiner will give us a huge boost
- and if we are travelling well as the finals approach then don't underestimate the "do it for Harves" factor.

Good Post
I think we can finish top 4 and win it from there.....
We will know a lot by round 11 with so many games at Telstra Dome in the first half of the year.....

[The Jeff]

Yes

[esaint66]

with all these positive thoughts ally ou gusy make i dont see any reason why we cant

[stinger]

Punters still splashing out



Andrew Stevenson
February 8, 2008




CRICKET remains the flavour of the month for punters - if anyone finishes a match. "If they play [today] - which you'd have to bet against, the way the weather is - Australia has gone up as favourite," SportsTAB's Glenn Munsie said.

Despite Munsie's suggestion, the agency won't run against the weather, with two Brisbane wash-outs followed by a week's downpour in Sydney. "We're not a charity," Munsie said.

"I can't remember a series where we could potentially go three games without a result," he said. Result payouts need each side to face at least 20 overs.

"But there hasn't been that much interest in the game - the interest has been in the series market. We've had one bet today of $50,000 on Australia to win the series at $1.38, and they're now in to $1.33."

Despite that, any rumours about the game's supposed ill-health are inaccurate.

"People say no one's watching cricket but that can't be further from the truth regarding betting. The holds were very good for the Test matches with India, and we held a million dollars on the Twenty20 in Melbourne. They love to bet on cricket," Munsie said.

"You'll get them betting on a Test match if it's close but they really love Twenty20 and the one-dayers because they sit down, and a few hours later they get up and they know there's going to be a result."
Deserting Sydney

Quality will out, and with quality, in the form of Juninho, out of the Sydney FC side for their A-League semi-final second leg against Queensland Roar tonight, punters are shying away from Sydney.

Munsie said the Roar have firmed to clear $2.40 favourites to win in normal time following the news.

"In first TAB Sportsbet markets posted on the match, Queensland Roar had a slight call over Sydney, $2.55 to $2.60, with the draw at $3.20, but now are in to $2.40 with Sydney out to $2.90 and the draw coming in to $3.10," he said.

The first leg of the semi-final in Sydney two weeks ago finished in a 0-0 draw, as has been the case in three of the four meetings between the sides this season. Another 0-0 draw in normal time for this match is paying $6.50.
Still deserting Sydney

The NAB Cup starts on Saturday night with the first match pitting Collingwood and Adelaide in downtown Dubai in the AFL pipe-opener. "The two best-backed sides to win the competition have been St Kilda and the Kangaroos, but the most interesting point is there's absolutely no money for Sydney because they just treat it as a joke. They're $41 outsiders and they are the extreme outsiders every year," Munsie said.

Geelong are red-hot favourites for the flag with Centrebet at $3.30 but St Kilda have also found support, said Neil Evans.

"We took a $4000 bet on St Kilda to win the flag, and they've firmed up a bit and they're on the second line at $10. The word from a couple of guys is that for the first time in a long time they've got a completely clean bill of health, no injuries whatsoever. They're pretty confident and starting on the right foot," he said.
Touchdown feast
"


......................................................................................



...that you with the 4 big ones eastern.......??????????.