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91
Robert Heatley Stand / Re: AFL EF#1 2026 Post Game Prognostications Carlton vs Geelong
Last post by laj -
It's been a fabulous ride and finally after all these years we go in with some hope next season.

Wildcard showed tonight the benefit of being top 6 at least early in a final series. 2 week break to freshen up, sort injuries and soreness, while the other side is straight up after a hard H & A season. 6 days v 13 days. We started great but were out of legs by mid 2nd qtr. History of the wildcard so far in the VFL shows similar. One wildcard side won the next week, the others have been thumped by an average of a 60pt margin. No issue with that. Top 2 have an advantage sometimes of two home finals finals if needed (ie interstate sides involved) and a double chance, top 4 one home final if needed and a double chance, top 6, a week off, a home final if needed, a week off and play a wildcard side, tired from the previous week. It's how it should be. Wildcard did it job this year in a number of ways.

Now watch the Dogs make a liar of me tomorrow night...haha.
92
Robert Heatley Stand / Re: AFL EF#1 2026 In Game Angst Carlton vs Geelong
Last post by Thryleon -
Quote from: laj – on
Quote from: Thryleon – on
so our boys coughed up a lead, in the wet and this time its not about mentality?


Nup. got a lead in the wet too. Just cooked. Mentally we were good last week. Not an issue there.

Going to find out now what an advantage is it to be top 6 early in a finals series with the wildcard system in. 6 days v 13 days of the H & A season, big help.
last night I said once the hawks lead 40 to 10, they would motor away with it and manage the game.

We are incapable of doing this.  As soon as they got out to a 10 point lead, you just knew we were done.  Mentally weak.  Sure its hard to stay up, but it isnt impossible.
93
Robert Heatley Stand / Re: AFL EF#1 2026 In Game Angst Carlton vs Geelong
Last post by laj -
Quote from: Thryleon – on
Quote from: laj – on
They're fresh, we're cooked. Can always make a scoreboard look worse. Wildcard did it's job and the benefit of finishing top 6. Come in fresh after a break, while the wildcard sides are non-stop after the end of a hard home and way season, Shown the same in the 3 years it's been in the VFL with only one wildcard side winning the EF and the average loss being 10 goals. In most cases the EF's was contested still between sides 5th to 8th but the margins have been much bigger.

That's how it should be too. A big reward for being top 6.
so our boys coughed up a lead, in the wet and this time its not about mentality?


Nup. got a lead in the wet too. Just cooked. Mentally we were good last week. Not an issue there.

Going to find out now what an advantage is it to be top 6 early in a finals series with the wildcard system in. 6 days v 13 days of the H & A season, big help.
96
Robert Heatley Stand / Re: AFL EF#1 2026 In Game Angst Carlton vs Geelong
Last post by Thryleon -
Quote from: laj – on
Quote from: PaulP – on
Tonight really looks like 5th v 10th.
They're fresh, we're cooked. Can always make a scoreboard look worse. Wildcard did it's job and the benefit of finishing top 6. Come in fresh after a break, while the wildcard sides are non-stop after the end of a hard home and way season, Shown the same in the 3 years it's been in the VFL with only one wildcard side winning the EF and the average loss being 10 goals. In most cases the EF's was contested still between sides 5th to 8th but the margins have been much bigger.

That's how it should be too. A big reward for being top 6.
so our boys coughed up a lead, in the wet and this time its not about mentality?

99
Robert Heatley Stand / Re: AFL EF#1 2026 In Game Angst Carlton vs Geelong
Last post by laj -
Quote from: PaulP – on
Tonight really looks like 5th v 10th.
They're fresh, we're cooked. Can always make a scoreboard look worse. Wildcard did it's job and the benefit of finishing top 6. Come in fresh after a break, while the wildcard sides are non-stop after the end of a hard home and way season, Shown the same in the 3 years it's been in the VFL with only one wildcard side winning the EF and the average loss being 10 goals. In most cases the EF's was contested still between sides 5th to 8th but the margins have been much bigger.

That's how it should be too. A big reward for being top 6.