Maximum of 3 more losses

[ace]

The maths of making the finals is complex but the odds are if you win 11+1/2 games you make it, but if you win only 10+1/2 you miss.

That means 3 loses out of the last 10 games is OK.
4 loses and it becomes tanking time.

[SaintSimmo]

Well we play:
BYE
North Melbourne at Etihad
Port at Aami
Eagles at Etihad
Crows at Etihad
Gold Coast at Metricon
Freo at Etihad
Pies at Etihad
Sydney at ANZ
North at Etihad
Carlton at MCG

So from that you would think we can beat:
North, Crows, Gold Coast, Freo, North

50/50 matches:
Eagles, Sydney, Port

Lose:
Pies, Carlton

So if we win all the games with should + 2 of the 50/50 games we will make the finals, and im fairly confident we will make it. Especially on tonights performance, which I was pleased with, considering we were playing the best team in the competition.

[SydneySainter]

What is the point of scraping into the 8 when we're clearly no match for any of the teams in the top four? We haven't beaten any teams in the top four this year and I can't see us beating the Pies or Blues and the tail end of this season.

The more Ross believes top 8 is an option, the more game time players like Gram and Clarke get at the expense of youth.

[SaintSimmo]

you know what gives me the sh*ts is the commentators saying our finals campaign is gone! FFS!!! WE ARE ONLY 1 F***ING GAME FROM THE 8!!!!

[plugger66]

you know what gives me the sh*ts is the commentators saying our finals campaign is gone! FFS!!! WE ARE ONLY 1 F***ING GAME FROM THE 8!!!!

We arent after next week and does that matter anyway?

[InkerSaint]

you know what gives me the sh*ts is the commentators saying our finals campaign is gone! FFS!!! WE ARE ONLY 1 F***ING GAME FROM THE 8!!!!

Walls, Quarterbrain, Hudson. Surely you only had the volume up to hear the umpires's whistles.

[totallyfrank]

The maths of making the finals is complex but the odds are if you win 11+1/2 games you make it, but if you win only 10+1/2 you miss.

That means 3 loses out of the last 10 games is OK.
4 loses and it becomes tanking time.

That 4th loss may come in the last round or two, isn't that a bit late to be thinking about tanking?

Personally, I'd take another 4 wins at this stage

[Legendary]

Won't beat North.

They were super impressive against the Bombers. Are a huge chance to make the finals, they are playing some very good football.

[Stillwaiting]

North os now a 50/50 game at best . I managed to see most of there game against the bummers and they are improving. As for Freo it depends on which freo shows up, the good freo wil beat us with the way we are playing.

[SaintSimmo]

North os now a 50/50 game at best . I managed to see most of there game against the bummers and they are improving. As for Freo it depends on which freo shows up, the good freo wil beat us with the way we are playing.

Agree about North they are 50/50 games
Freo in Melbourne however, and at Etihad, that would be a shocker of a loss.

[3rd generation saint]

Teams that finish in the bottom half don't have a finals campaign, they play an extra game or two and that's it.
I don't want to just make the eight, making the eight isn't success, winning premierships are.
The only way I want to go to the finals is entrenched in the top 4 and looking like a contender.
Don't see why, after the last 7 years people are excited because we made finals, gee Essendon did 2 years ago, and lost by nearly 100 points in the elimination final, was that a finals campaign?

[matrix]

shesh if we got into 5th to 8th id take it
its still a chance

ok granted its a slim chance but a slim chance is better than no chance at all imo

[Dan Warna]

aye

tanking is a nothing option now.

fighting for something = better revenue, better membership, better sponsorship = living another year as st kilda saints rather than north hobart saints to Greater Western Sydney Saints.

[Stillwaiting]

aye

tanking is a nothing option now.

fighting for something = better revenue, better membership, better sponsorship = living another year as st kilda saints rather than north hobart saints to Greater Western Sydney Saints.

quick question, is the draft differnt this year that will encourage teams not to tank?.

[matrix]

no diff to last year
bottom gets pick 4

[Stillwaiting]

no diff to last year
bottom gets pick 4

thanks, I am not sure if I want the better draft pick or finish in a meaningless final at the bottom of the8.

[saintspremiers]

I'd love us to finish 8th.

Big deal if we bomb out in week one.

Clearly we won't win the flag, but at least a kid or two may get to play a finals game.

Anyway, can't see us making it now due to North's improvement and the fact we play them twice.

[Dr Spaceman]

Gee we've come a helluva long way as a club when we can consider the possibility of making the finals and decide we'd prefer not to

If anyone had said that back in the 80s they would have been institutionalised!

[meher baba]

I'm sick to death of posters on here suggesting that we don't want to make the finals.

For mine, it is as objectionable as supporters from other clubs coming on here trolling and should be banned. No genuine supporter would be cheering for their club to miss the finals. 2001-02 was an exceptional time in which we had already hit rock bottom and decided to stay there for a season or two to harvest some very rich drafts. Times have totally changed now.

I want to see the best possible team run out each week and try to win. Some lifelong Saints fans are nearing the end of their lives and I reckon they deserve to see their team give it their best shot in 2011.

[Con Gorozidis]

you know what gives me the sh*ts is the commentators saying our finals campaign is gone! FFS!!! WE ARE ONLY 1 F***ING GAME FROM THE 8!!!!

the general logic is to be really in it you need to be top 4.
5-8 are just making up the numbers arent considered real finals campaigners. and the fact is its fair logic.

[SainterSoul]

North are in good form. WC will be hard to beat at home.

Port, Crows and GC should be winnable though.

[evertonfc]

Finishing 8th is as good as finishing 5-7, and it's preferable to finishing 9-12th.

But if you're going to bomb, bomb good, and play every kid you can find.

I'd rather make the 8 than not make it, but I don't want any more compromises on playing kids.

[saintbrat]

still 5 Home games to come and none of them at the G.

still worth buying a membership for that...

[bozza1980]

Teams that finish in the bottom half don't have a finals campaign, they play an extra game or two and that's it.
I don't want to just make the eight, making the eight isn't success, winning premierships are.
The only way I want to go to the finals is entrenched in the top 4 and looking like a contender.
Don't see why, after the last 7 years people are excited because we made finals, gee Essendon did 2 years ago, and lost by nearly 100 points in the elimination final, was that a finals campaign?

Why would supporters get excited about making finals??

Aren't you the glass half full police??

Yes, we all understand that finishing 8th means you are more than likely just making up the numbers. But, as the poker saying goes, all you need is a chip and a seat. If you finish 8th you can still win the flag, finish 9th or lower and you can't.

How horrible of someone to want to cling on desperately to hope.

[bozza1980]

What is the point of scraping into the 8 when we're clearly no match for any of the teams in the top four? We haven't beaten any teams in the top four this year and I can't see us beating the Pies or Blues and the tail end of this season.

The more Ross believes top 8 is an option, the more game time players like Gram and Clarke get at the expense of youth.

What is better for their long term development??

Getting a game because we decide to pick sides based on birth certificates rather than attempting to win games, or:

By giving them games as the earn them as we fight to the death to make the finals, meaning they take the field in quasi finals and hopefully at the end of it actual finals.

What would be better for their development??

Winning a Round 23 game against someone else not in the hunt and suring up 14th on the ladder, or

Maybe winning an elimination final and giving themselves a birth in a cut throat final with the carrot of a prelim final awaiting the winner??

We have all jumped out of gear thinking the youth drive is over beacuse none of them played Geelong, but have we forgotten 2 weeks ago 2 more got their debut against Collingwood.

We are going to keep on hunting a spot in the 8, and we are going to keep on giving some kids a go.