AlxFromNthNarra
Rarely does big posts worth reading....maybe
I kinda like that we have a Finals-emulation scenario now, with a 100% chance of finals still regardless of outcome.
This week we play one of the 5-8 teams - away - that we will likely have to play in week 1 of finals, and then the following weekend we play a team 1-4 - Cronullla - who are likely to be one of the top-4 losers in week-1 anyway imo. Its a dress-rehersal before the real thing - perfect prep.
If we lose the final 2 season games, we know where we stand compared to contenders, where we need to lift before the finals - and we get another shot. If we can win these 2 games then we know we have a real shot of doing damage in finals, yet at the same time we won't feel invincible after last week's debacle of a result.
After the disappointment of that Tigers game at the time, I think in hindsight it might be the right motivational kick in the rear for us to come out breathing fire this week - honestly, if that doesn't gee the boys up and if Seibold can't have them absolutely firing in response to that then perhaps we have peaked too early or don't have the hunger for September footy yet. An if so, it's unlikely anything would have gotten us up for finals beyond week 1 anyway.
We lost our chance for a home-final which is a blow, but that would have only taken us 1 week further into finals. Winning a week-1 final away from home would be a more impressive feat, and set us up for an 'anything is possible' week-2 (again at an away venue).
Keeping a lid on expectations - but ultimately you just gotta be there at the end of the season to start with, and we have that step done now.
This week we play one of the 5-8 teams - away - that we will likely have to play in week 1 of finals, and then the following weekend we play a team 1-4 - Cronullla - who are likely to be one of the top-4 losers in week-1 anyway imo. Its a dress-rehersal before the real thing - perfect prep.
If we lose the final 2 season games, we know where we stand compared to contenders, where we need to lift before the finals - and we get another shot. If we can win these 2 games then we know we have a real shot of doing damage in finals, yet at the same time we won't feel invincible after last week's debacle of a result.
After the disappointment of that Tigers game at the time, I think in hindsight it might be the right motivational kick in the rear for us to come out breathing fire this week - honestly, if that doesn't gee the boys up and if Seibold can't have them absolutely firing in response to that then perhaps we have peaked too early or don't have the hunger for September footy yet. An if so, it's unlikely anything would have gotten us up for finals beyond week 1 anyway.
We lost our chance for a home-final which is a blow, but that would have only taken us 1 week further into finals. Winning a week-1 final away from home would be a more impressive feat, and set us up for an 'anything is possible' week-2 (again at an away venue).
Keeping a lid on expectations - but ultimately you just gotta be there at the end of the season to start with, and we have that step done now.
