The run home.

[phantom eel]

So the sharks 15 straight was early in the season. Anyone happen to know the longest win streak leading to a GF win. 13 straight would be a pretty remarkable feat given it would include a final, prelim and GF

Didn't Easts win the 1975 premiership undefeated? Probably 24 games in a season back in those days...

 

[phantom eel]

Apparently they lost 3 games from 25. 2 of the losses were in rounds 2 and 3, but they did 19-straight wins after that (before dropping a game in the first week of the finals).

 

[phantom eel]

So assuming Manly have a win against the Tigers, they will move above us on the table (on for and against) leaving us in 6th place (albeit equal 4th on 30 points).

Just wanting to check that we won't slip down more than 6th place... as I suspect we won't be able to beat the Broncos at Suncorp in R25...

Round 24:
Eels v Titans - we should win.
Broncos v Dragons - Broncos should win comfortably
Cowboys v Sharks
Raiders v Panthers

- We'd want the Sharks and Raiders to win those games to give us a 4 point buffer with two rounds to play
6. Eels 32
7. Panthers 28
8. Cowboys 28
9. Raiders 26
10. Dragons 26

Round 25:
Broncos v Eels - I'm expecting we'll lose this one
Raiders v Knights - Canberra win, with everything to play for
Tigers v Cowboys - Should be a Cowboys win
Panthers v Dragons - big game, Panthers can knock Dragons out and keep their position safe

6. Eels 32
7. Panthers 30
8. Cowboys 30
9. Raiders 28
10. Dragons 26
- or a Dragons win could result in a three way tie for 8th place, with one round to go


Round 26:
Cowboys v Broncos - could go either way, with Cowboys playing for finals footy and Uncle Wayne presumably resting some players.
Eels v Rabbitohs - a comfortable win, one would hope
Sea Eagles v Panthers - you'd think Manly would edge this one, putting Panthers at risk
Storm v Raiders - good timing for bringing Ricky's mob back to earth
Dragons v Bulldogs - St George might do a Bradbury with a win over Dessie's rabble

6. Eels 34 - at least we'll be safe for a finals spot!
7. Panthers 30/32
8. Cowboys 30/32
9. Raiders, Dragons 28 - both missing out... poor Ricky .

 

[Chipmunk]

So assuming Manly have a win against the Tigers, they will move above us on the table (on for and against) leaving us in 6th place (albeit equal 4th on 30 points).

Just wanting to check that we won't slip down more than 6th place... as I suspect we won't be able to beat the Broncos at Suncorp in R25...

Round 24:
Eels v Titans - we should win.
Broncos v Dragons - Broncos should win comfortably
Cowboys v Sharks
Raiders v Panthers

- We'd want the Sharks and Raiders to win those games to give us a 4 point buffer with two rounds to play
6. Eels 32
7. Panthers 28
8. Cowboys 28
9. Raiders 26
10. Dragons 26

Round 25:
Broncos v Eels - I'm expecting we'll lose this one
Raiders v Knights - Canberra win, with everything to play for
Tigers v Cowboys - Should be a Cowboys win
Panthers v Dragons - big game, Panthers can knock Dragons out and keep their position safe

6. Eels 32
7. Panthers 30
8. Cowboys 30
9. Raiders 28
10. Dragons 26
- or a Dragons win could result in a three way tie for 8th place, with one round to go


Round 26:
Cowboys v Broncos - could go either way, with Cowboys playing for finals footy and Uncle Wayne presumably resting some players.
Eels v Rabbitohs - a comfortable win, one would hope
Sea Eagles v Panthers - you'd think Manly would edge this one, putting Panthers at risk
Storm v Raiders - good timing for bringing Ricky's mob back to earth
Dragons v Bulldogs - St George might do a Bradbury with a win over Dessie's rabble

6. Eels 34 - at least we'll be safe for a finals spot!
7. Panthers 30/32
8. Cowboys 30/32
9. Raiders, Dragons 28 - both missing out... poor Ricky .

I think your being enormously optimistic if a team who can't beat Newcastle will comfortably beat Souths.

Having said that, if we can't beat the Titans or Souths do we really deserve to be in the Top 8

 

[Chipmunk]

Realistically, what will the difference be if Panthers finish 6th and we win 7th? We go out of the Away dressing sheds??

 

[84 Baby]

Realistically, what will the difference be if Panthers finish 6th and we win 7th? We go out of the Away dressing sheds??

Come on we all know what will happen if Panfers finish above us. Brandy111 will whittle himself down to a thumbtack

 

[phantom eel]

I think your being enormously optimistic if a team who can't beat Newcastle will comfortably beat Souths.

Having said that, if we can't beat the Titans or Souths do we really deserve to be in the Top 8

True that. If we drop one of those games, we deserve whatever fate awaits us. Hopefully the Newie loss is a wake up call.

Realistically, what will the difference be if Panthers finish 6th and we win 7th? We go out of the Away dressing sheds??

It was more the risk of getting run down and missing out on the 8. Maintaining 6th is a little safer than letting yourself drop to 7th, as the draw above indicates.

 

[phantom eel]

f**king Manly... Now I'm talking about us maintaining 5th, and have to re-do my ladder predictions

 

[Parra Pride]

f**king Manly... Now I'm talking about us maintaining 5th, and have to re-do my ladder predictions

Don't really have to re do it, either way we ideally win two of our last three. Which means with Parra being Parra we probably beat the Broncos while getting belted by the Rabbits and Titans.

 

[phantom eel]

With Manly choking in the face of a top 4 opportunity, we remaining in 5th place, sharing 30 points with 4th placed Sharks. We're one step higher from the danger zone, with Panthers, Manly and Cowboys rounding out the eight in that order, sharing 28 points.

So for us to maintain safety in the next few weeks...

Round 24:
Eels v Titans - we should win, using the Newie upset as a wake up call
Broncos v Dragons - Broncos should win comfortably
Bulldogs v Manly - Manly should bounce back, like us
Cowboys v Sharks
Raiders v Panthers
- We'd want the Sharks and Raiders to win those games to give us a 4 point buffer with two rounds to play
5. Eels 32
6. Manly 30
7. Panthers 28 - assuming Raiders win
8. Cowboys 28 - assuming Sharks win
9. Raiders 26 - still climbing with a home win
10. Dragons 26 - still falling

Round 25:
Broncos v Eels - I'm expecting we'll lose this one
Warriors v Manly - Warriors are shit this year, even at home
Raiders v Knights - Canberra win, with everything to play for
Tigers v Cowboys - Should be a Cowboys win
Panthers v Dragons - big game, Panthers can knock Dragons out and keep their position safe

5. Manly 32 - jump us on for and against
6. Eels 32
7. Panthers 30 - assuming a Panthers' win at home
8. Cowboys 30
9. Raiders 28 - still on the up
10. Dragons 26 - knocked out of contention

Round 26:
Cowboys v Broncos - could go either way, with Cowboys playing for finals footy and Uncle Wayne presumably resting some players.
Eels v Rabbitohs - a comfortable win, one would hope
Sea Eagles v Panthers - big match in terms of positions within the 8, don't think Manly will choke at home
Storm v Raiders - good timing for bringing Ricky's mob back to earth
Dragons v Bulldogs - St George might do a Bradbury with a win over Dessie's rabble

5. Manly 34 - on for and against
6. Eels 34 - at least we'll be safe for a finals spot!
7. Cowboys 32 - assuming Wayne lets his side relax in this one
8. Panthers 30
9. Raiders 28 - knocked out by the Storm... poor Ricky .
10. Dragons 28

Looks like we come out of it with a knockout "home" semi against the Cowboys...?

 

[Poupou Escobar]

I think your being enormously optimistic if a team who can't beat Newcastle will comfortably beat Souths.

Having said that, if we can't beat the Titans or Souths do we really deserve to be in the Top 8

A team that beat Brisbane can beat Souths. The Knights loss is no more representative of our team than any other game.

 

[Kornstar]

A team that beat Brisbane can beat Souths. The Knights loss is no more representative of our team than any other game.

Yep Manly beat the Roosters last week and lost to the team coming last this afternoon.

It's frustrating as f**k for fans but it does happen!

 

[Poupou Escobar]

And you'd rather lose to a non-contender than another team near you on the ladder because you're not giving points to a rival.

 

[I'm a loser baby...]

And you'd rather lose to a non-contender than another team near you on the ladder because you're not giving points to a rival.

You're talking about four-point games?

 

[TheParraboy]

Ideally finishing 5th and playing a depleted cowboys or the hopeless dragqueens would be our best scenario

Then again finishing 5th and playing raiders and booting them out would have a nice twang to it

 

[Kornstar]

When we lose Thursday night will we all turn into Raiders supporters?

 

[Noise]

The Storm will have the minor premiership wrapped up by round 26 and I reckon they will rest their stars. Lucky Raider merkins

 

[phantom eel]

Storm still win games even when they rest the stars....

 

[TheParraboy]

The Storm will have the minor premiership wrapped up by round 26 and I reckon they will rest their stars. Lucky Raider merkins

true

but he could also rest a player per game till the semis, rather than 3 or4 in one hit

they only have one away game left knights next week, id rest a couple here

 

[eels_fan]

I wonder whether there is any real benefit in the long run to finishing 4th over 5th/6th.

Sure, we get a second bite, but we'd need it, as I don't think anyone expects us to head to Melbourne and win.. and what does that do to our confidence, first finals game in 8 years are potentially get smashed, heads drop and we go into the semi's against a team like the Panthers or Sharks high on confidence after a first week finals win.

Imo we are better off finishing 5th/6th and playing at home, and then taking the confidence of a finals win forward