We will play the WB

[saintsRrising]

Nah... I will go for the Swans to win.

McGlynn is very good in for the Swans..

Bradshaw may not be fit, but he is a very smart footballer, and so is still an upgrade on an out of form White.

[saint3d]

A lot of people seem to think the Bulldogs are in poor form. I dare say it has more to do with their recent fixture.

Their recent results:

Smashed by Collingwood in QF
Regulation win against Essendon R22
Lost easily to Sydney R21 at SCG
Demolished by Geelong R20
Beat Adelaide R19 in Adelaide in a close low scoring game
Flogged North Melbourne R18

So just like last year they're not in the top echelon and will get spanked by the best teams, but apart from that they've only lost at the SCG. Almost nobody wins at the SCG except Sydney.

Sydney are in great form but there's no conclusive evidence the Bulldogs have slipped that far.

[Bernard Shakey]

Dogs have run out of quality players and will get smashed.

Hope they win though, so we can smash them next week.

[jonesy]

They've slipped alright.

Lake,the premier backman in the comp,is a shadow of himself at the moment,playing at about 50%.

Higgins,Cooney,Morris are all out. Two elite midfielders,and a quality back.

Griffin,although played well last week,is limping badly.

The dogs are shot,as would most sides be if you lost 2 star mids,a quality defender,and other stars playing severly hampered

[saintnick12]

Dogs have run out of quality players and will get smashed.

Hope they win though, so we can smash them next week.

Fully agree and I hope they win too, though don't think they will.
It would be great to smash them after they almost beat us in the prelim last year.

[Cairnsman]

Happens every year that people think the side that wins the elimination is a good chance against the side who loses the qualifying final. Sydney fell in at home against an ordinary side. WB got destroyed by the best side in the AFL so far this year. Swans have to travel. Should be close but IMO we get the WB on Saturday week. That means we play a night final.

Is that you Nostradamus?

I dont think so but if you go to the ladder prediction thread maybe it is.

Pontificating with web tools=Nostadamus

[Ghost Like]

I'm going to have to go against Plugadamus66 this time, I think the Swans are good things and that is even thinking that Bradshaw won't play.

I agree with Jonesy, the Dogs have a 3 of their top 10 out, some badly out of form players in their 22 and IMO have erred by not including Everitt, Hill & Moles.

Brian Lake is playing like Brian Harris, down on confidence, I suspect playing injured and really missing his lieutenant in Morris. Boyd & Cross can only do so much, Griffen is their only bloke who can run and carry but often that goes to waste with a pressured or poor kick into a forward line functioning on two cylinders, Hall & Grant...it's a lot to ask.

PLUS, their performance last Saturday night was one of the most insipid I've seen from the Dogs in some time. A big ask to turn that around & start playing with the confidence you need to beat Sydney.

Swans by 24+ with or without Bradshaw (IMO)

[mohannair]

There are doubts over Brian Lake & Tom Williams playing tonight.

There is a strong possibility that all the 3 emergencies (Hill, Moles & Everitt) may play.

Already Johnson is playing 60% fit & if they are desperate to put a rookie in at this stage that shows that there are very depleted.

I think it will still be a close one but the Swans will go one more step for Roosy & Kirky.

[Finna]

Cats and pies prelim - pies will win it - and I reckon easily. (and I did win my footy tipping comp )

Saints and dogs in the other prelim with saints winning it.

PIes and saints in GF -

I have been seeing this for months.

Spot on I reckon.

[degruch]

Head says Sydney, gut says Bulldogs...either way, we have a history of tight finishes against both. Next week will be a nail biter.

[stinger]

Happens every year that people think the side that wins the elimination is a good chance against the side who loses the qualifying final. Sydney fell in at home against an ordinary side. WB got destroyed by the best side in the AFL so far this year. Swans have to travel. Should be close but IMO we get the WB on Saturday week. That means we play a night final.

bookmarked...

[plugger66]

Happens every year that people think the side that wins the elimination is a good chance against the side who loses the qualifying final. Sydney fell in at home against an ordinary side. WB got destroyed by the best side in the AFL so far this year. Swans have to travel. Should be close but IMO we get the WB on Saturday week. That means we play a night final.

bookmarked...

What the hell does that mean old rolling eyes who claims be a lawyer but in fact cleans tennis courts?

[stinger]

it means that once again your complete lack of footy savvy will be highlighted...... ...should have realised that you would be slow on the uptake albert......i'd draw pictures for you if i could......

[plugger66]

it means that once again your complete lack of footy savvy will be highlighted...... ...should have realised that you would be slow on the uptake albert......i'd draw pictures for you if i could......

You failed drawing at school did you. Lack of footy knowledge because i may get a tip wrong. Do have a brain. Does everyone with football knowledge get every tip right. No wonder they will not let you clean the law courts anymore because you really are embarrassing even for someone as old as you. Now get back to cleaning the tennis courts. I want to play later. On your way now old man.

[Sobraz]

Agree with P66....

Swans did not play that well last week, despite winning through... They were less than a goal better, at home, than Carlton who finished eigth this year with merely 11 wins...

They were lucky to win... Many times a team is hyped up to win, not cos of their own form, but the poor form of the opposition... This is exactly the case this week imo..

I do think that Eade has coached and selected poorly in recent times, and I believe Hill and Everitt should've been in the side weeks ago, but they will still account for the over achieving swans...

[saint75]

Not 100% confident as to whom I believe will win this game tonight.

Lake looks like he has only one leg at the moment, so that tends to have me leaning towards the Swans as Lake is so crucial to the Bulldogs team and their structure.

However, the Swans looked slow and sluggish last week after the first half and were lucky to scrape across the line. If the Bulldogs can move the ball quickly and efficiently, I still believe they are a better side than the Swans even with their current injuries. Interesting that Everitt still can't cement a regular place in that side (although granted, he is certainly not setting the world on fire....but given a regular place in team, you never know).

So Bulldogs for mine - JUST. I will be watching with great interest as I believe it will be a hard tough contest, unlike the game last night.

[mick13]

Heh. The odds are exactly the same for just about everything on Sportsbet.

$1.92 for either side. Hmm.

[saintnick12]

Heh. The odds are exactly the same for just about everything on Sportsbet.

$1.92 for either side. Hmm.

Yep I heard that too. Even the punters and bookies can't split them.

[saintsRrising]

Narrow win to the Dogs...so good result for us as the second half was gut busting for the players unlike the Cats in their cakewalk.

From what was on display tonight IF we play our better football we should win ok.

[saintspremiers]

Yep, piece of shyte the final 8 is once again.

As almost always, the Top 4 play the Prelim.

Howbaout we just have 3 finals:

1 vs 4 and 2 vs 3, winner into the Grand Final.

Would save a wasted two weeks of ours lives.

....and the dogs are rubbish.

[plugger66]

Yep, piece of shyte the final 8 is once again.

As almost always, the Top 4 play the Prelim.

Howbaout we just have 3 finals:

1 vs 4 and 2 vs 3, winner into the Grand Final.

Would save a wasted two weeks of ours lives.

....and the dogs are rubbish.

If they are that bad why would you care. 3 great finals out of 6. Sounds pretty good to me.

[saintspremiers]

Yep, piece of shyte the final 8 is once again.

As almost always, the Top 4 play the Prelim.

Howbaout we just have 3 finals:

1 vs 4 and 2 vs 3, winner into the Grand Final.

Would save a wasted two weeks of ours lives.

....and the dogs are rubbish.

If they are that bad why would you care. 3 great finals out of 6. Sounds pretty good to me.

Plugger, in case you are not aware, the whole expansion of the finals system is purely financially based.

oh, and a pathetic crowd of 39K - now THAT says a lot for the Semi finals!
just a heads up!

[SainterK]

Not sure I'll be able to handle next week if it's a close one like that

[plugger66]

Yep, piece of shyte the final 8 is once again.

As almost always, the Top 4 play the Prelim.

Howbaout we just have 3 finals:

1 vs 4 and 2 vs 3, winner into the Grand Final.

Would save a wasted two weeks of ours lives.

....and the dogs are rubbish.

If they are that bad why would you care. 3 great finals out of 6. Sounds pretty good to me.

Plugger, in case you are not aware, the whole expansion of the finals system is purely financially based.

just a heads up!

Yes and your point is? A final 4 that would be great for the competition. After round 11 8 sides would be out of the race. How exciting. Dont know if you remember being around the middle of the pack but making the finals back then was great for the club.

[LaUrEnCe]

happy with this result

todays game was very average i must say