2014 - is this the year Geelong finally falls?

[DaVillaBlues]

You mean the load of bad/inconsistent teams that everyone plays ?




We only get 7 games at Simonds Stadium.Some interstate teams get 12 games at their home grounds,so technically we're being ripped off.

Well in terms of other Victorian clubs (who all play on neutral grounds against each other) it is a big advantage. Anyhow i think Geelong need to beat another top 4 contender, like Freo next week, before i am sold on your premiership credentials, think the only top 4 team you've beaten this year so far was Hawthorn ??

 

[MC Extra Dollop]

Well in terms of other Victorian clubs (who all play on neutral grounds against each other) it is a big advantage. Anyhow i think Geelong need to beat another top 4 contender, like Freo next week, before i am sold on your premiership credentials, think the only top 4 team you've beaten this year so far was Hawthorn ??

Sort of like Fremantle has only beaten Geelong?

 

[Jhye Clark 13]

Time to close this thread and start the 2015 edition.....rinse and repeat every year until someone is finally correct and declare themselves maestro's.

 

[romeoh]

Considering middle of the road/struggling teams in Richmond and Carlton very nearly beat you in Melbourne, I'd argue Adelaide, The Bulldogs and possibly North (first time around) would have been halfway decent chances. Also when was the last time a team got flogged by 100 + points during the season and went on to win the Grand Final ?
Geelong certainly deserve much praise for their amazing consistentcy over the past decade, but this year i don't think they have enough quality to get far in September.

Yep think these are fair points. But just as there are quite a few middling teams this year, so too the top teams have vulnerabilities and don't think anybody is standing out as playing terrific, consistent football. Hawks most convincing but even they have weaknesses in back line etc.
Which means if Geelong play a bit better, you just never know.

 

[Faysals Swans]

Underestimate the cats at your own peril, still a great team, and they don't rely on one guy to get them up an going, it's a team effort. An whilst they haven't been that convincing in their wins, great teams just keep winning.

 

[JUBJUB]

Well in terms of other Victorian clubs (who all play on neutral grounds against each other) it is a big advantage. Anyhow i think Geelong need to beat another top 4 contender, like Freo next week, before i am sold on your premiership credentials, think the only top 4 team you've beaten this year so far was Hawthorn ??

I doubt any Geelong support really give a fat rats what some pre-pubescent Carlton nong thinks of our premiership chances.

 

[romeoh]

Well in terms of other Victorian clubs (who all play on neutral grounds against each other) it is a big advantage. Anyhow i think Geelong need to beat another top 4 contender, like Freo next week, before i am sold on your premiership credentials, think the only top 4 team you've beaten this year so far was Hawthorn ??

Yep Geelong lost to Port, Freo and Swans interstate. Beat Hawks in Melbourne. (Let's see how we go against Freo this week.)
Freo lost to Swans, Hawks and Port interstate. Beat Geelong in Perth.
Hawks beat Freo, Swans in Melbourne and lost to Port and Swans interstate.
So really, is our form that bad in comparison?

 

[Xtreme]

Wouldn't surprise me if Geelong fall all the way to 1st spot on the ladder

Fremantle is their last challenge before the last few "training drills" before finals start

 

[cats_09]

Wouldn't surprise me if Geelong fall all the way to 1st spot on the ladder

Fremantle is their last challenge before the last few "training drills" before finals start

Is a Hawthorn fan actually calling our Rnd 22 match against Hawthorn a "training drill"?

 

[DaVillaBlues]

Yep Geelong lost to Port, Freo and Swans interstate. Beat Hawks in Melbourne. (Let's see how we go against Freo this week.)
Freo lost to Swans, Hawks and Port interstate. Beat Geelong in Perth.
Hawks beat Freo, Swans in Melbourne and lost to Port and Swans interstate.
So really, is our form that bad in comparison?

Well it is bit of a crazy season, with a couple of big upsets each week becoming the norm. Just speaking hypothetically (and this usually isn't the case even in finals), the best/peak form of Hawthorn, Sydney and Freo's is better then Geelong's (based on this season).

I don't think the Cats have been playing well at all in the past six weeks, but aside from that shocker on the Gold Coast, you still manage to find a way to win during form slumps which is a trademark of all great teams. You'll obviously have to lift your game come the finals (which goes without saying)

 

[Xtreme]

Is a Hawthorn fan actually calling our Rnd 22 match against Hawthorn a "training drill"?

Well it won't be a training drill as such but i'm penciling it in as a loss for Hawthorn already haha. Not sure if either side will go HARD at that stage of the season, gotta save something in the tank for September.

And when i say that Geelong could fall to 1st place i just mean Hawthorn, Sydney and Fremantle could slip up between now and the end of round 23..... Geelong could do all the right things (ie: keep winning) while the others lose. It'll probably come down to percentage.

 

[MC Extra Dollop]

Well it is bit of a crazy season, with a couple of big upsets each week becoming the norm. Just speaking hypothetically (and this usually isn't the case even in finals), the best/peak form of Hawthorn, Sydney and Freo's is better then Geelong's (based on this season).

I don't think the Cats have been playing well at all in the past six weeks, but aside from that shocker on the Gold Coast, you still manage to find a way to win during form slumps which is a trademark of all great teams. You'll obviously have to lift your game come the finals (which goes without saying)

The Cats (hopefully) have. Pretty polished display last night, that probably would have held them in good stead against anyone. Win next week at Simonds and I feel like there could be a fair bit of backtracking by many of those that have perhaps been a bit too quick to write Geelong off.

Well it won't be a training drill as such but i'm penciling it in as a loss for Hawthorn already haha. Not sure if either side will go HARD at that stage of the season, gotta save something in the tank for September.

It's a tough one. (Assuming Geelong gets the points next week, no certainty of course) If Hawthorn beats Fremantle as well and Sydney keeps winning, it's probably a dress rehearsal. But if Hawthorn and Geelong beat Fremantle, but Sydney drops a game at some stage, the loser of Geelong v Hawthorn might have an away Qualifying Final against Sydney to deal with. And if Fremantle beats one, or both, at least one of the teams will have plenty to play for.

Fair chance Geelong would want to avoid that scenario, not sure about the Hawks. Regardless, eight days with no travel v six days coming back from WA, Geelong really shouldn't drop that one either, assuming there's no major outs between now and then.

 

[manboob]

Will be interesting to see if they are any late outs. I expect to be a cagey affair with powder dry until the last when both clubs will be like "**** it, lets beat these campaigners"

 

[romeoh]

Well it is bit of a crazy season, with a couple of big upsets each week becoming the norm. Just speaking hypothetically (and this usually isn't the case even in finals), the best/peak form of Hawthorn, Sydney and Freo's is better then Geelong's (based on this season).

I don't think the Cats have been playing well at all in the past six weeks, but aside from that shocker on the Gold Coast, you still manage to find a way to win during form slumps which is a trademark of all great teams. You'll obviously have to lift your game come the finals (which goes without saying)

We played pretty week the first five weeks and haven't played well since. Shows how crazy the season is, but we are on 52 points-amazing. Agree the other top teams -their good footy has been much better than ours ( which has been almost non existent) and you'd expect them to go deeper than us into Sept-but it is a funny year and we are not so far off as it appears. Signs of good form returning in last couple of games. But yep we will get flogged if we don't improve.

 

[Xtreme]

It's a tough one. If Hawthorn beats Fremantle as well and Sydney keeps winning, it's probably a dress rehearsal. But if Hawthorn and Geelong beat Fremantle, but Sydney drops a game at some stage, the loser of Geelong v Hawthorn might have an away Qualifying Final against Sydney to deal with. Fair chance Geelong would want to avoid that scenario, not sure about the Hawks. Regardless, eight days with no travel v six days coming back from WA, Geelong really shouldn't drop that one either, assuming there's no major outs between now and then.

Oh i think both teams would want to avoid playing in Sydney regardless if it were at ANZ or the SCG as both grounds are bad to play at .

 

[cats_09]

Will be interesting to see if they are any late outs. I expect to be a cagey affair with powder dry until the last when both clubs will be like "**** it, lets beat these campaigners"

Any chance of something along the lines of a Round 23, 2011 style replay, but with the Hawks instead of the Pies?

 

[MC Extra Dollop]

Oh i think both teams would want to avoid playing in Sydney regardless if it were at ANZ or the SCG as both grounds are bad to play at .

SCG is a bad ground to watch a game at too, going on my 2014 experience

 

[jim boy]

Right now the cats are on top of the ladder, so I suppose there is only one way they can go