Early season predictions of the final ladder positions

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heres what i wrote on easter thursday afternoon

Centrals have made the last 7 grand finals. On this basis I think North are lucky to be equal favourites with woodville.

I would say Eagles and Central equal favs with North (a lot to prove) 3rd close behind. North have lacked hardness in the middle and were bushed aside by West Torrens and the Dogs when it mattered last year and I cant really see where that will change unless the younger Martin, Millar and Cubillo come to the party regularly. Of course Howard is better on the park than in the grandstand. Will Hart and Sporn help fix defensive issues? Will Brett White get fit?

Centrals have built a winning culture in recent years and I think they are deserving of carrying the hunted tag still. Central will miss cochrane, mcabe and scoullar however I reckon they are at worst breaking even after recruiting and the expected improvement of a guy like Westhoff.

Ports advantage is they dont fear the dogs and play well against them. Remember in 2005 they knocked off Woodville in a final somthing North havn't done yet. Baird a huge loss. If Hargraves can play full forward ok having waterhouse roaming will be a great asset. As usual the Magpie spine looks good. Possibly Scott Stevens to add to it at some stage too.

South well who knows........ They have the potential to be top 3 and you would think recruiting sees them ahead of last year.


PREDICTIONS:

I cant see North or West Torrens doing much better than 16-4. However the other 3 contenders would be hoping for minimum 12-8 which is equal or better to last year. Once again make sure your top 3 and go from there. Very even and too close to call, injuries will play a part.

My minor round favourites is North and Centrals.

[brod]

Central District
North Adelaide
Port Adelaide
Woodville West Torrent
South Adelaide

Norwood
Sturt
West Adelaide
Glenelg

[Jimmy]

Did you put ina prediction before the beginning of the season Graham? It would be interesting to compare that one with the Round 5 version you have just posted. I know that almost everybody had Sturt 8th or 9th. I had them 7th and I think I had them the highest, unless Sturt 1 or MST put in a tip ( I'm pretty sure Sturt Peter didn't) because those guys have been prediciting Sturt to throw off the shackles for months now.
I am not going to put in another ladder prediction, because Sturt is still an unknown quantity IMO. Our early form astounded everybody, and created a few serial stalkers in the process (Dutchy?). But it may be that we just out performed ourselves and just don't have the players to maintain that intensity all season. We still only have three wins on the board, and that is not enough to clear bottom by the season's end, so I think my pre-season prediction of 7th could still very much be on the money.
The Eagles can still rally, the Bays pushed the Dogs, Norwood pasted Sturt, West beat the Eagles... I just don't know what's going to happen, so my pre-season guess is as good as anything I can come up with now.
Except for one thing...Centrals should definitely finish top.

great post totally agree, ill stay with sturt around 7th and pretty much keep my preseason picks, watever the hell they were

[MST]

Did you put ina prediction before the beginning of the season Graham? It would be interesting to compare that one with the Round 5 version you have just posted. I know that almost everybody had Sturt 8th or 9th. I had them 7th and I think I had them the highest, unless Sturt 1 or MST put in a tip ( I'm pretty sure Sturt Peter didn't) because those guys have been prediciting Sturt to throw off the shackles for months now.
I am not going to put in another ladder prediction, because Sturt is still an unknown quantity IMO. Our early form astounded everybody, and created a few serial stalkers in the process (Dutchy?). But it may be that we just out performed ourselves and just don't have the players to maintain that intensity all season. We still only have three wins on the board, and that is not enough to clear bottom by the season's end, so I think my pre-season prediction of 7th could still very much be on the money.
The Eagles can still rally, the Bays pushed the Dogs, Norwood pasted Sturt, West beat the Eagles... I just don't know what's going to happen, so my pre-season guess is as good as anything I can come up with now.
Except for one thing...Centrals should definitely finish top.

My prediction regarding the Blues has not faltered from the minute people started predicting on this site.

I maintain that Sturt will win between six and ten games and be battling to earn a spot in the elimination final. An eleventh or twelth win will solely depend on jagging a couple of upset's along the way (against top three sides), similar to the unexpected victory at Alberton. To play finals we also have to beat our hoodoo v Norwood and win at least once against them, as well as beat South, Glenelg and West consistently.

Central
North
Port

Eagles
South
Sturt
Norwood

West
Glenelg

The top three is going to be as above, the next four sides will battle for a spot in the elimination final and unfortunately for West and the Bays, they will occupy the bottom two rungs.

My opinion of course.

[doggies4eva]

Hey guys stop syaing we will play off against daylight.

We played daylight in 02 and lost

They're our bogey team

[MST]

8-[ Hey guys stop syaing we will play off against daylight.

We played daylight in 02 and lost

They're our bogey team

CORRECTION

You played daylight three times in the minor round and once in the finals for a clean sweep of victories.

In the Grand Final you played a Sturt Football Club that, for the first and only time in 2002 against CDFC, was able to pick it's best 21.

[doggies4eva]

8-[ Hey guys stop syaing we will play off against daylight.

We played daylight in 02 and lost

They're our bogey team

CORRECTION

You played daylight three times in the minor round and once in the finals for a clean sweep of victories.

In the Grand Final you played a Sturt Football Club that, for the first and only time in 2002 against CDFC, was able to pick it's best 21.

Funny how different our recollections of that year was I was sure we had played SFC 3 times plus an easy final. Sill don't know who we played in the GF. If it was the real SFC where did they disappear to since?

[MST]

8-[ Hey guys stop syaing we will play off against daylight.

We played daylight in 02 and lost

They're our bogey team

CORRECTION

You played daylight three times in the minor round and once in the finals for a clean sweep of victories.

In the Grand Final you played a Sturt Football Club that, for the first and only time in 2002 against CDFC, was able to pick it's best 21.

Funny how different our recollections of that year was I was sure we had played SFC 3 times plus an easy final. Sill don't know who we played in the GF. If it was the real SFC where did they disappear to since?

Congrat's mate, you have officially got me confused.

Three times in the minor round was exactly what I said, plus an 'easy' final (with a monstrous final margin of 9 points )

It's history now but the great thing about history is the pages never lie.

Play on.....

[Sam_goUUUdogs]

8-[ Hey guys stop syaing we will play off against daylight.

We played daylight in 02 and lost

They're our bogey team

CORRECTION

You played daylight three times in the minor round and once in the finals for a clean sweep of victories.

In the Grand Final you played a Sturt Football Club that, for the first and only time in 2002 against CDFC, was able to pick it's best 21.

Funny how different our recollections of that year was I was sure we had played SFC 3 times plus an easy final. Sill don't know who we played in the GF. If it was the real SFC where did they disappear to since?

Congrat's mate, you have officially got me confused.

Three times in the minor round was exactly what I said, plus an 'easy' final (with a monstrous final margin of 9 points )

It's history now but the great thing about history is the pages never lie.

Play on.....

wasn't it 14 points?

[Sam_goUUUdogs]

Centrals
Port
North
Sturt
Eagles

Glenelg
South
Norwood
West

[Wedgie]

Here's a link to previous predictions made, I did make the point that Im hopeless with predictions which has already been proven true as I had Centrals 4th!
http://safootycentral.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=6368&highlight=predictions

[MST]

8-[ Hey guys stop syaing we will play off against daylight.

We played daylight in 02 and lost

They're our bogey team

CORRECTION

You played daylight three times in the minor round and once in the finals for a clean sweep of victories.

In the Grand Final you played a Sturt Football Club that, for the first and only time in 2002 against CDFC, was able to pick it's best 21.

Funny how different our recollections of that year was I was sure we had played SFC 3 times plus an easy final. Sill don't know who we played in the GF. If it was the real SFC where did they disappear to since?

Congrat's mate, you have officially got me confused.

Three times in the minor round was exactly what I said, plus an 'easy' final (with a monstrous final margin of 9 points )

It's history now but the great thing about history is the pages never lie.

Play on.....

wasn't it 14 points?

I have nine in mind.

Either way it could hardly be classified as 'easy'.

By the way Sam, I'll certainly be delighted if your predictions of the five are correct.

[MST]

Here's a link to previous predictions made, I did make the point that Im hopeless with predictions which has already been proven true as I had Centrals 4th!
http://safootycentral.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=6368&highlight=predictions

Makes for interesting reading Wedgie.

I lost count of how many times Sturt were bottom or second bottom in people's predictions. The other stand out was Central being picked by most as fourth or fifth.

It is a long season I know and both of these sides could fulfil the prophecies, but in all likelihood the pre-season 'guesses' of another horror year for the Blues, and the demise of Centrals empire, look premature.

Go the Mighty Blues!

[Wedgie]

Here's a link to previous predictions made, I did make the point that Im hopeless with predictions which has already been proven true as I had Centrals 4th!
http://safootycentral.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=6368&highlight=predictions

Makes for interesting reading Wedgie.

I lost count of how many times Sturt were bottom or second bottom in people's predictions. The other stand out was Central being picked by most as fourth or fifth.

It is a long season I know and both of these sides could fulfil the prophecies, but in all likelihood the pre-season 'guesses' of another horror year for the Blues, and the demise of Centrals empire, look premature.

Go the Mighty Blues!

Im embarassed by my pics every year and every year I warn people that I have no idea, I had the Bays for bottom last year in my predictions at the start of last year. I have no idea!

[smac]

Im embarassed by my pics every year and every year I warn people that I have no idea, I had the Bays for bottom last year in my predictions at the start of last year. I have no idea!

Perhaps you were just 1 season ahead of everyone else?

[Wedgie]

Im embarassed by my pics every year and every year I warn people that I have no idea, I had the Bays for bottom last year in my predictions at the start of last year. I have no idea!

Perhaps you were just 1 season ahead of everyone else?

lol, good one, Yes, I'll claim that, now if I can just find bookies to put on bets 2 years in advance with!

[Wedgie]

Just being serious again, I wonder if a wetter winter will stop the table being as strung out as it was last year?
Also Central are the sort of team that will continue to be great in the wet or the dry so I cant see them slipping but the bottom teams could cause more upsets in the wetter conditions which quite often happens.

[mighty_tiger_79]

Just being serious again, I wonder if a wetter winter will stop the table being as strung out as it was last year?
Also Central are the sort of team that will continue to be great in the wet or the dry so I cant see them slipping but the bottom teams could cause more upsets in the wetter conditions which quite often happens.

the wetter the better

[Wedgie]

Just being serious again, I wonder if a wetter winter will stop the table being as strung out as it was last year?
Also Central are the sort of team that will continue to be great in the wet or the dry so I cant see them slipping but the bottom teams could cause more upsets in the wetter conditions which quite often happens.

the wetter the better

Sounds like an advert for the Crazy Horse!

[doggies4eva]

8-[ Hey guys stop syaing we will play off against daylight.

We played daylight in 02 and lost

They're our bogey team

CORRECTION

You played daylight three times in the minor round and once in the finals for a clean sweep of victories.

In the Grand Final you played a Sturt Football Club that, for the first and only time in 2002 against CDFC, was able to pick it's best 21.

Funny how different our recollections of that year was I was sure we had played SFC 3 times plus an easy final. Sill don't know who we played in the GF. If it was the real SFC where did they disappear to since?

Congrat's mate, you have officially got me confused.

Three times in the minor round was exactly what I said, plus an 'easy' final (with a monstrous final margin of 9 points )

It's history now but the great thing about history is the pages never lie.

Play on.....

wasn't it 14 points?

The scores were:
Central 9 14 68
Sturt 8 6 54

Yes 14 points - plus 23 scoring shots to 14 and 56% if it % had meant anything which I think is a comfortable win.