Game Day 2nd Prelim Final Geelong v Brisbane Sat Sept 21 2024 515pm @ MCG

[supahoops]

If we're sticking with what we've done all year though the sub will come from the I/C.

Highly, highly doubt it's Bruhn, Close, or Humphries, so that leaves Duncan & Oisin.

Agreed, but highly doubt Mullin is the right Sub, I think we’d be proactive in negating a certain player with him starting rather than coming on and standing a white hot Ashcroft or Rayner. Duncan with the heat out of the game and the experience to sum up and affect things in the moment makes more sense to me. And as Mullin is still going through the gears a full game and a bit of confidence might just see him given the plumb matchup on Heeney next week, has the tools. But I know I’m in the minority here.

 

[supahoops]

On the 1:30pm train from South Geelong (it originated somewhere before that) and it was standing room only from SG

This train is packed - predominantly Geelong colours, but a few Lions scarves on show also

Good to see folk wanting to get up to the ground early

On the 1447 from South and Yeap, lucky to get one of the last seats, people standing from South.

 

[cats_09]

Lots of Blue & White in the bars at Fed Square

Let's pack out the joint

 

[cats_09]

On the 1447 from South and Yeap, lucky to get one of the last seats, people standing from South.

In terms of how packed the train was, it was only when I was getting off at Southern Cross that I realised my ex-sister-in-law was in the same carriage & I had walked past her when I got on

We had a chat while going to our next platforms, but hadn't noticed her before

Good luck to those still making their way to Melbourne

 

[coylez]

I've got a week off work next week, so I'll either be riding the wave of anticipation for the granny or completely switching off from all media networks

 

[cats_09]

 

[cats_09]

Time to settle the nerves

 

[Strange Cat]

Please ****ing win today boys

 

[supahoops]

On the 1447 from South and Yeap, lucky to get one of the last seats, people standing from South.

Approaching Tarneit. Chockers. I’m tipping us to win by as many goals as there are delivery bikes denied boarding lol

 

[Finknottle]

A lot of money for Brisbane, not sure why,
Geelong $1.80 Brisbane $2.00

 

[Footy_Fan2007]

Time to settle the nerves

View attachment 2116918

Nice choice. Not a bad drop.

 

[cats_09]

A lot of money for Brisbane, not sure why,
Geelong $1.80 Brisbane $2.00

I'm not sure if it's Max Holmes out rumours that have been doing the rounds or maybe someone else from Geelong, but betting on the match had been suspended earlier for like 15 minutes

Maybe some concern that "No Max = No Geelong", but I'm yet to hear any confirmation of Max being out

 

[supahoops]

A lot of money for Brisbane, not sure why,
Geelong $1.80 Brisbane $2.00

Easy come, Easy go..

 

[CHAWKTS]

I'm not sure if it's Max Holmes out rumours that have been doing the rounds or maybe someone else from Geelong, but betting on the match had been suspended earlier for like 15 minutes

Maybe some concern that "No Max = No Geelong", but I'm yet to hear any confirmation of Max being out

I am travelling for work so not at the game (very annoying given have seen every other one this year!) but have heard from people at the ground that Max has arrived and “is looking fine”. So hopefully all good

 

[09 Cats]

I'm not sure if it's Max Holmes out rumours that have been doing the rounds or maybe someone else from Geelong, but betting on the match had been suspended earlier for like 15 minutes

Maybe some concern that "No Max = No Geelong", but I'm yet to hear any confirmation of Max being out

Max is on the ground in front of me with plenty of smiles and looks to have no issues

 

[cats_09]

Nice choice. Not a bad drop.

I've really got into alcoholic ginger beers over recent years - probably had my first a decade ago and it was meh, but they've vastly improved since then

This is the first time trying the local Geelong drop and pretty impressed - it's a lighter style than others but has a good ginger kick

 

[cats_09]

I am travelling for work so not at the game (very annoying given have seen every other one this year!) but have heard from people at the ground that Max has arrived and “is looking fine”. So hopefully all good

Even on our supporter FB page there's like a dozen posts on Max and BS like he's got a stomach complaint etc

Do people not understand that if it was a stomach complaint he's not at the club and instead is totally isolated - you don't have someone with gastro at the club, even if you're keeping them away from others

 

[Tony Barber]

My concern is that with Neale on one leg they'll be forced to use other avenues and we can't effectively predict what they'll look like and they get the jump on us as we tag Neale for zero effect

yeah thats a fair call.
I said the other day that Neale damages you with handball and you cant stop that if he gets to the contest.

I think Ashcroft is the one.

 

[Simbatheking21]

Good luck today cat fans! Hopefully it’s a better game than last night. All the best

 

[dont stop me meow]

Last night we watched Sydney secure their spot in the 2024 Grand Final - their second GF appearance in 3 years and by 9pm tonight we'll know who'll they be facing, with the Mighty Blue & White aiming to face off in a rematch of the 2022 'Big Dance'

But what a ride we've been on with this team - this is Scott's 14th season as our senior coach and the 9th prelim we've played in. On paper, we've rarely been the favourite team at the start of a season, often had question marks over the balance of the list & who the unknown to outsiders, players are - but Scott & our coaching group just know how to get the best out of our ever evolving squad, and as per the often repeated words within the 4 walls of KP,

View attachment 2116728


Tonight we face off against Brisbane in a prelim final for the 3rd time in 5 seasons - having beaten them on their home turf in 2020 & a comfortable win as part of our premiership run in 2022. On paper, they look the more polished option with the 2 x Brownlow medalist Lachie Neale in the guts, the tall timber of Daniher & Hipwood up forward and the rock solid KPD Harris Andrews who acts as a brick wall in defence if you decide to mindlessly kick long

But our guys shouldn't be dismissed - Captain Dangerfield often seemed to overreach & push too hard come September during his earlier years in the hoops, but in 2022 he found that magic ground where he got the absolute best of our himself and bought his teammates along for the ride; when he is in that mindset he's one difficult man to stop. Max Holmes was the highest rated wing in the league in the league during the second half of the 22 season & an unfortunate hamstring injury saw him miss our grand final, but barely 2 years on he has developed his game to show he is much more than just an outside runner and if you give the space to take a running bounce, he won't be stopping at one

Jezza Cameron has shown time & time again that when he is in a goal kicking mood, there's no spot on the ground he can't kick them from and being the finals we know he'll have something up his non-existent sleeve for tonight. Scratcher Neale has 1 final under his belt, and showed himself to not be overawed by the occasion, while Ollie Henry continued to get himself into dangerous positions in his first final and with some better finishing could have finished with 2 or 3 goals himself. Those guys are surrounded by the small forwards group of Close, Miers, Stengle & hybrid forward/mid Mannagh, with our new look forward line knowing how to trouble opposition defences - you can try to close down on one or maybe two, but not necessarily easy to shut them all out

It would be easy to go on & on, mention each of the players by name ahead of this afternoons final but their stories are ones we're all familiar with as we live this experience each & every week of the season in our own ways

To those heading to the match this afternoon, scream loud all match long - let's make the MCG our September fortress. If you're watching at home, down at the pub or a mates place, enjoy and scream as loud as you can before they'll kick you out

And I'll leave the last word to the often unheard second verse of our song:

So! Stand up and fight, remember our tradition
Stand up and fight, it’s always our ambition
Throughout the game to fight with all our might
Because we’re the mighty blue and white
And when the ball is bounced, to the final bell
Stand up and fight like hell!






yep copying content over to here - not typing it up only to lock my own thread and not have this read

Love this write up, exactly what I needed to hear.

 

[Romeoh1]

Comon cats- let’s win this.

 

[Lethal09]

Come on the cats, this really is a god damn golden ticket, Home prelim final against an interstate team banged up,

We have the best coach and player in the game (Jezza), the home ground and crowd.

 

[supahoops]

Just popped in to ICU - Max is in good spirits and hopes to see y’all next week.

 

[catters_28]

 

[Goggin Our Best]

I'm not sure if it's Max Holmes out rumours that have been doing the rounds or maybe someone else from Geelong, but betting on the match had been suspended earlier for like 15 minutes

Maybe some concern that "No Max = No Geelong", but I'm yet to hear any confirmation of Max being out

Wow , didnt know about that , and like they say money talks all languages .

Hopefully there is nothing adverse in that re Geelongs team