Preview 2nd qualifying final 2016: Geelong v Hawthorn, 9 September 2016, 7.50pm @ MCG

[Agent Smith]

I really think we need langford in. Disposal is poor but we were destroyed in the centre today and he can at least get it up our end of the ground.

I agree. Stratts can straighten up our backline and I think our forwards are starting to click, especially with Schoey releasing Gunners to his roaming role. Our mids though are still too static and slow. Every week it seems we're dependent on tiring out the opposition so that guys like Hill and Smith can get off the leash, but as we saw today it is fraught with danger. Having more Hodge, Silk and Mitch on the ball didn't suddenly just make us more dangerous, so we need Langers in to add both speed and grunt inside, especially against Geelong.

 

[badgrill]

How's this ******? Sooking it up big time on Twitter.

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What, does he expect the AFL to have it @ SS? Lol

 

[Ned Ryerson]

Is it worth bringing in Langford to primarily tag Dangerfield? We've won a final against the Cats despite a 'brave' Selwood performance.

 

[Harper_Hawk]

Two weeks of listening to Cats fans tell us how they're going to smash us.

 

[Der Drop Kick]

So few posts. So much obsession.

Another #head****ed cat.

 

[macdaddio]

Plenty of people have been bitten by cats...

Hopefully we treat them the way they should be, with a boot to the arse.

Disclaimer: Not a cat person

Cats love my foot

 

[Taskmaster]

I'll say it again. Stop Daingerfield and we win. That is all they have!

I do also hope what I am thinking is true and that is.. we have played pretty ave footy this season and have given the rest of the 8 a false sense of security. But we are about to flick the switch......

Bring it!!

 

[savagelunchbox]

Stratton and another tall KPD are a must.

Sicily can say see ya later. Too soft and no defensive side. Will be liability come finals.

Burton to go forward, replaced by Stratts and the KPD.

 

[SA HAWK]

Is it worth bringing in Langford to primarily tag Dangerfield? We've won a final against the Cats despite a 'brave' Selwood performance.

If we let Danger do whatever he wants like Round 1 we are no chance.

Langers or Shiels must curtail his influence.

 

[cryptor]

Danger game.

Just get the 4 points.

Don't worry about percentage.

 

[crazywildhorse]

Collingwood and the Eagles have illustrated that the way to beat us is to keep the ball off us—disposal efficiency is the key. The game plan we've gone with, so far, relies so heavily on turnovers. I've basically not watched Geelong this season, can they hit targets under pressure?

 

[Ned Ryerson]

If we let Danger do whatever he wants like Round 1 we are no chance.

Langers or Shiels must curtail his influence.

Shiels sets up (well) a lot of our forward entries so I would prefer Langford do the tagging.

 

[KOLOKOTRONIS]

Memories are so short in afl circles. We came off a brilliant win against Sydney and effectively took the foot off the gas and had a terrible month of footy, yet still never lost two in a row. Sydney needed to chase, we didn't. Geelong were horrible also for a stretch losing close games and almost stumbling against Fremantle. Clubs go through rough patches. We have had ours.

Today we flirted foolishly and almost shot ourselves in the foot. We were better than collingwood today and I felt we were in control after half time. We just faded late (port Adelaide style 2014), we all know what happened the following week.

The seasoned heads seem to drag us over the line when required. The greats realise they are three wins away from the most ridiculous achievement in Australian sport.

I do not consider us winning against the cats to be anything marvellous. It would be strictly business for our superstars. Geelong needed to play perfect footy in round 1, against a seriously depleted hawthorn outfit. We still managed to pile on goals in quick succession in the third. Yes, they do have superstars, however it should be noted that geelong have done zero in a final since their 2011 triumph. On the big stage the big boys play. We are not the underdog

KOLOKOTRONIS

 

[Lotus]

How's this ******? Sooking it up big time on Twitter.

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He works for HS. Might need to send him big bouquet of flower and big bucket of ice cream.

Those supposedly unbiased AFL journo .

 

[Tuck In]

We're no chance. Straight sets. Only win when we parachute free agency players into our team BEFORE finals. Got the fix in with the AFL re playing at "home" and no doubt the umpires. Too many campaigners and poor players in our team.

Done well recently with all these handicaps!

Stop Dangerfield, finals intensity tackling and we win by 16.

 

[cryptor]

A bit of satire but also a lot of reality too...


http://www.thegreenfieldpost.com.au...r-qualifying-final-match-up-against-hawthorn/

Geelong fans Australia-wide are pretending to be excited for a qualifying final match against bitter rivals Hawthorn after the Hawks tight win over Collingwood.

The prevailing emotions amongst Cats fans are fear and trepidation, but they’re making an effort to convey excitement for a match that they’re dreading.

“Of course I’m excited to play them (Hawthorn),” a Cats fan who wanted to be named as Owen told the GFP.

“I’m just dreading the week off, the build up to the game, the media coverage, having to talk to Hawks fans, and the actual match itself.

“But I’m definitely really looking forward to the game being over,” Owen, who had been openly barracking for Collingwood, said.

Hawthorn and Geelong have a significant history, with Hawthorn holding the wood over Geelong in finals scenarios.

The Cats haven’t beaten the Hawks in a knockout finals game since 1963, and lost to them in the 1989 and 2008 Grand Finals.

Geelong did beat Hawthorn 11 times in a row between the 08 Grand Final and 2013 - the so called "Kennett Curse" - but the Hawks broke the streak in the 2013 preliminary final.

Another Cats fan named Luke had similar feelings to Owen.

“Yeah look every waking minute until the match is over is gonna feel like a thousand knives of fire are stabbing me if I’m honest,” he told us while sweating profusely.

“But I welcome it. Finals footy! It’s normal to feel sick for 12 days right?”

Another Cats fan named Carlie told us about her coping mechanisms for when she’s overcome with the excitement of playing Hawthorn in a finals match.

“The 2007 Grand Final DVD will cop a work out over the next couple of weeks,” she said.

“There’s something about seeing us pile 24 goals against hapless opponents that really soothes the anxiety.

“Sorry, did I say anxiety? I meant excitement. Excitement is the emotion I’m feeling.”

 

[madhawksfan]

Big Boy and Stratton are the obvious ins.

Pittonet (did a good job today) and Sicily (does a lot of good things but made a few mistakes today that we can't afford) go out for mine. Will spew if Burton is dropped.

The question of whether to bring in Langford is interesting. He usually plays well against Geelong and is made for finals. He has break away speed, can tackle and is a proven tagger.

Whether this makes up for his substandard disposal is the question. Turnovers in finals are a killer and Will often turns it over through either an errant disposal or by taking too long to make a decision and getting pinged. Not sure we can afford this with our pace issues through the middle. For me, he doesn't play.

Defensively, the matchups will be interesting. Cats will try and stretch us after having good success in Round 1. Plus let's face it, they have never beaten us doing anything else.

Frawley gets Porkins, Stratton goes to Menzel, Gibbo takes Stanley/Smith, Duryea on Motflop and Burgoyne/Hodge to cover Bartel.

In our forward half we can expect to see Lonergan, Taylor, Enright and Mackie take lots of intercept marks unless we are smarter with the ball. Schoey and Fitz/Big Boy need to provide a contest and Gunston, Bruest and Rioli need to get on the move so it is harder for Geelong's defenders to zone off.

If the ball is coming in with our mids under pressure we are screwed. More efforts like we saw from Billy in the final quarter where he took the game on and he backed himself to finish instead of bombing it long will be needed.

Smith, Hill, Burgoyne, Hodge, Lewis, Birchall and to a lesser extent Shiels are all capable of kicking a running goal and if no lead up options are happening we should try and ping a couple from 40-50 early on.

Not confident that we will win playing the way we are. However, we have guys who know how to win big games and hopefully this is the challenge they have been waiting all year for and we will step it up.

Also, Geelong rely heavily on Dangerflog and Sookwood and if we can nullify one of those two, particularly Danger, we are a chance.

 

[Lotus]

Collingwood and the Eagles have illustrated that the way to beat us is to keep the ball off us—disposal efficiency is the key. The game plan we've gone with, so far, relies so heavily on turnovers. I've basically not watched Geelong this season, can they hit targets under pressure?

No, especially if motlop is off.

 

[HarryZLA]

Good luck boys, hope you smoke the Cats.

 

[bigton08]

Dangerless is just one big chest puffer like porkins .... I notice dangerless has his usual slick back his hair routine down pat(excuse the pun) too.Really don't know how this will pan out... I'm hoping langers is included as we need some grunt against these pricks... A bit of craziness.take dangerless down by maybe interfering with his hair slicking routine and we might have a shot! I'm hoping this doesn't get ugly.

 

[bigton08]

Dangerless is just one big chest puffer like porkins .... I notice dangerless has his usual slick back his hair routine down pat(excuse the pun) too.Really don't know how this will pan out... I'm hoping langers is included as we need some grunt against these pricks... A bit of craziness.take dangerless down by maybe interfering with his hair slicking routine and we might have a shot! I'm hoping this doesn't get ugly.

 

[Cleavy]

I hope it's one of those Geelong games where their inaccuracy in front of goal costs them victory.

 

[bigton08]

Dangerless is just one big chest puffer like porkins .... I notice dangerless has his usual slick back his hair routine down pat(excuse the pun) too.Really don't know how this will pan out... I'm hoping langers is included as we need some grunt against these pricks... A bit of craziness.take dangerless down by maybe interfering with his hair slicking routine and we might have a shot! I'm hoping this doesn't get ugly.

 

[Hawk Hawkins]

How's this ******? Sooking it up big time on Twitter.

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How are the Japanese lessons going?
ホークス

 

[Paul Kersey]

How are the Japanese lessons going?
ホークス

私は日本語がすこしわかります。