Preview 1st Semi-final: Geelong vs Collingwood, Sat 10 Oct GABBA @ 7.40pm AEDT

[Spazz Cat]

Woods too quick as it is. Constable would make us even more boring. Just get Paddy in the middle.

Paddy was on Pepper on Thursday though. And he got quite the touch up.
Plus he can't and should not be expected to do it all. That's been our long term problem

 

[Cronin]

The problem with that is, in finals we really struggle to get goals on the board, Hawkins just doesn’t stand up, and our smalls go missing, so yes we have Danger in the middle but then he goes forward to kick us goals because we need them, then our midfield weakens because of it, major problem for us.

I think if our best midfielder isn't in the midfield then the ball will live in our defence and we will lose.

 

[romeohwho]

Should've said the 90's, and I've agreed with that sentiment

I went to all those grand finals in the 90’s and I expected to win all of them!

 

[MotlopMagic]

The problem with that is, in finals we really struggle to get goals on the board, Hawkins just doesn’t stand up, and our smalls go missing, so yes we have Danger in the middle but then he goes forward to kick us goals because we need them, then our midfield weakens because of it, major problem for us.

Don’t disagree but we also struggle to get the ball forward when Dangerfield isn’t in the midfield. The chicken or the egg situation.

The thing that sways me is how easy we are to score against from clearances (and particularly centre clearances). Our backs often struggle when isolated. We defend much better from our front half where we can set up and get numbers behind the ball. Therefore it’s critical Dangerfield plays in the midfield to give us the best chance of getting the ball forward.


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[foxdog50]

Atkins has been attending more centre bounces over the past 4/5 games, so that wasn't a surprise to see him there

Not sure why Dangerfield wasn't in there though - Selwood was on the bench injured, Guthrie also on the bench (maybe we part of the rotations), we needed someone like Dangerfield to note who wasn't on the field and then inject themselves into that centre bounce

But wouldn't you put the best available players on.... even Menegola, or Ablett, who was unfortunately had a quiet one, but he has the runs on the board to know he could do it
.

 

[Chinacats]

Miers can stay in but is way more effective closer to goal.... im almost happy for him to be the deepest forward at times.... he can gut run but does his best work in F50.... CLose would be an add to keep it in F 50 too... not sure whom goes out as Atkins has seen MF time and Close is not big enough to be in there yet.

Go Catters

Miers and Gaz had to help down back in that 3rd quarter against port. I agree he should be used closer to goal, but we gotta get it out of our back half when the pressure cranks up.

 

[Cronin]

Miers can stay in but is way more effective closer to goal.... im almost happy for him to be the deepest forward at times.... he can gut run but does his best work in F50.... CLose would be an add to keep it in F 50 too... not sure whom goes out as Atkins has seen MF time and Close is not big enough to be in there yet.

Go Catters

He can gut run from forward pocket to half forward flank, back and forth all night!

 

[Nickoo]

Did i hear Steven got injured in the scratch match and is out for year (hammy?)

If so then id make 1 change.

Esava for Henry.

Henry looked a dear in headlights and dont see a great matchup for him. Who will be the defensive match ups...

Taylor->Mihochek
Henderson->Cox
Bews-> Elliott
Stewart->DeGoey
O'Connor->Hoskin elliott
Kolo-> Daicos

Close?

No no Henderson please.


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[Cronin]

Miers and Gaz had to help down back in that 3rd quarter against port. I agree he should be used closer to goal, but we gotta get it out of our back half when the pressure cranks up.

That's why i think Sav has to play so he can be that marking target down the line and Hawkins can stay deep forward, no point in clogging up our defence even though this MC would love to play 22 defenders.

 

[cats_09]

But then who will guard the patch of grass on the half forward flank

Dahlhaus...

 

[Seeds]

It won’t happen anyway. But it’s now been noticeable in the finals the last two years that Ablett is unable to have anywhere near the same influence as he once did. He really did very little the other night. They’ll play Ablett anyway.

Last year it was fitness. He was struggling well before the finals. That isnt the case this year. He was very sharp against the swans. All fowards were down thursday. Miers and rohan more than ablett. Im happy to say that was a one off. In drier No slippery weather i think he will be much better as thats when its less about bash and crash and more about silk.

 

[Cronin]

No no Henderson please.


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You'd drop Henderson before Henry?

 

[Nickoo]

Harry Taylors stats for the night: 7 Disposals, 3 Kicks, 4 Handpasses, 1 Mark, 1 Tackle and 14 metres gained from 94% ToG. Taken from here: https://www.afl.com.au/matches/2898#player-stats

Sorry, but Taylor was a liability on Thursday night. Their forwards were zoning off him all night and he struggled to keep up. By no measure at all was he our best player on the field on Thursday.

Taylor and Hendo out.


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[Cronin]

Dahlhaus...

Nah he's on the other flank... so many flanks to guard lol

 

[catnutter]

B scarlett, lonergan, wojo
hb enright, harley/taylor, stewart.

i think people have forgotton how good harley was in the early 2000s. Plus he would be the captain if he played. Its either him or taylor for mine for the last spot on the backline.

Milburn easily over Stewart

 

[cats_09]

Last year it was fitness. He was struggling well before the finals. That isnt the case this year. He was very sharp against the swans. All fowards were down thursday. Miers and rohan more than ablett. Im happy to say that was a one off. In drier No slippery weather i think he will be much better as thats when its less about bash and crash and more about silk.

Could it also have been 2nd game blues for Ablett? It's sometimes suggested that players to well on their first game back but can turn be down the next game

I know Ablett hasn't returned from injury, but he did have an extended break from the game

 

[Seeds]

I have zero faith the geelong mc will try to rectify mistakes with the structure of the side.

if there are no injuries my prediction is

no changes.

 

[Cronin]

I have zero faith the geelong mc will try to rectify mistakes with the structure of the side.

if there are no injuries my prediction is

no changes.

See you next year then.

 

[Pure_Ownage]

Do you want to win the game or not?
Stuff ruthlessness. It is about the club, not the individual. Taylor hurts our chances in this one. He's slow, runs in straight lines and is making sloppy errors.
This is what irks me with this coach. His obsessiveness to keep playing his favourites at all costs (even a final of all places) is holding us back.

I was talking about what I think will happen not what i want to happen.

To be fair if coll play all of cox Cameron and mihocek in the front half Taylor has to play for height reasons anyway I'd probably say.

 

[Seeds]

Milburn easily over Stewart

Not even close. Stewart is a level above milburn as a half back flanker. milburn also a great mid. milburn was a utility who was great in many positions. But we clearly underappreciate what we have with stewart. He will be challenging for a spot on the back flank in our next team of the century. He will end up with atleast 4 all australians (milburn only ever got one) if he doesnt start to suffer injuries. when stewart has a fit season he is clearly the best half back flanker in the game.

 

[Chinacats]

We were the highest scoring team in the H & A, yet in finals we ‘shrivel up’ . ( Kane Cornes) Our last 2 games against woods we’ve scored 51 (QF) and a pitiful 35 in round 7. Recent matches against tigers round 17 we were 1.5.11 to 3/4 time and last week against port we were the lowest scoring team in the first week of finals( a few missed shots) .
Scoring is a problem and will be against woods. Their backs are settled and good. And their mids will control a lot of the ball as they did last time.
Roughead to Hawkins, Maynard to Ablett. And then we have a combination of Rohan, Miers , maybe close or Sav, Dahlhaus. It looks thin. So paddy becomes an option but we need him in the middle.
We definitely need some midfield/forwards and some speed on and with the ball to put scoreboard pressure on them.
Big concerns! Can we kick 70+? That has to be the goal this week..

 

[Pure_Ownage]

Close game the travel from Perth to the gabba has to favour the cats. A winnable game I don't think this Collingwood side is travelling anywhere near as well as the 2019 version. They have an extremely deep midfield which is a concern considering Port overwhelmed Geelong around the football. If Selwood is fit I assume the Greenwood tag comes into play held Tim Kelly vs westcoast to very little impact. Obviously pendlebury and Grundy deserve respect. Darcy Cameron played o.k for the pies so personally I highly doubt the match committee changes the back half as per usual Taylor holds his spot. I make two changes Bews and Atkins out for Sav and Narkle. Listen a list of players who also deserve a rest but I struggle to make more than two changes this time of year and just felt those two guys in particular add very much to this type of team so went for some size and ball winning over the workmanlike approach vs the pies need to kick 70 points to win this game.

Think the pies go in unchanged basically if you let the pies dominate the midfield you will lose. If you limit that impact you give yourself a real chance

B. O'Connor Taylor Kolo
Elliot Cox DeGoey
HB. Stewart Blicavs Henry
Thomas Mihocek Hoskin Elliot
C. Duncan Selwood Menegola
Daicos Greenwood Pendlebury
HF. Ablett Hawkins Tuohy
Maynard Roughead Crisp
F. Rohan Sav Dalhaus
Madgen Moore Quaynar

Foll. Stanley Danger Guthrie
Grundy Treloar Adams
Inter.
Parfitt Narkle Miers Henderson
Stephenson Noble Mayne Cameron


Out. Bews Atkins

Bews won't go out he has a very good record against Elliot and given how badly oconnor went vs Papley we would be mad to risk that.

Henry is the defender to come out if we need to drop one.

 

[Seeds]

See you next year then.

i agree. We are goneski. If we werent going to make changes after the richmond game where our structure was completely exposed to foward defensive pressure then it wont happen now. It would be admitting a massive mistake and our coaches and mc do not do this.

 

[cats_09]

Nah he's on the other flank... so many flanks to guard lol

Which flank is Tuohy guarding?

He's not playing back, he sometimes on the wing and other times forward

 

[Seeds]

Bews won't go out he has a very good record against Elliot and given how badly oconnor went vs Papley we would be mad to risk that.

Henry is the defender to come out if we need to drop one.

the improvement in bews was one of the shining lights of our season.