Game Day 2nd Semi Final - Geelong vs GWS

[PzBlinky]

Now that Dahl is out, we can't afford Miers wandering up the ground to be a link man. He has to player closer to goals and do his own share of tackling / pressure.

Rohan pushing up onto the wing and playing that role might help him and the team. Gets him more involved, frees up space for the big guys inside 50, and I'd rather him delivering the ball than someone like Esava. (Plus we're hardly going to miss his average of 0.5 goals per final).

 

[Down at K Park]

We better bloody lay some forward 50 tackles tonight otherwise it will be the same rebound 50 it has been the past few weeks, way too many easy passages out, need to make them panic a little rather than them waltzing it out and goaling at the other end.

How about we take some marks inside 50, so we don't need to tackle. That would be a change from last week too.

 

[Cataholic]

How about we take some marks inside 50, so we don't need to tackle. That would be a change from last week too.

Needs Hawkins and Cameron leading to encourage a lowering of the eyes, and both Sav and Rohan to wipe the butter off their hands.

 

[Kitcat]

There was something abnormally wrong with Hendo last week. Hopefully that has been sorted out. Port got too many easy goals, enough to turn the match.

 

[And_ROOS]

Disagree that we want to see that from Ratugolea at every single contest or for him to be mindlessly doing that because if that's his whole approach tonight then not sure it's a good one or one that's good for his teammates

Ratugolea needs to read the ball & understand the situation, he needs to learn & understand when it's his turn to go and to "crash" a marking pack and when he needs stay out of the contest & keep his opponent out of the contest because him going in is only going to disadvantage a teammate

If it's a high bomb into the forward line with no method or clear target, then yes that's the times for him to be going to those contests. But there's also hopefully going to be plenty of times that the ball is kicked to a teammates advantage - those are when he needs to clear out, not take his man to the contest or get involved in the contest when it may disadvantage his opponent

This is where people talk about having football or forward nous - being able to read the flight of the ball and understanding when it's your turn to impact the contest compared with staying out of the contest

We've seen on a few occasions this year that guys like Hawkins & Cameron have got easy goals because they read the play, they stayed out of the contest & allowed defenders to spoil each other with the ball coming over the back - we don't get easy goals like that if the focus is just crashing packs

Esava doesn't really read the ball and understand the situation. Its usually either long ball marks or crash packs.

So you likely either sit him deep with Hawkins, forcing a 2 on 2 so Taylor can't run off him, or you have him up around CHF so that Haynes doesn't get the easy intercept mark.

As for my "make them earn it at every contest they are in" I stand by it. How often last week did Cameron and Hawkins get the easy out the back goals despite out amount of i50s? You can't just rely on defenders to spoil each other and last week we frequently ONLY had Rohan taking a leap at it.

I imagine tonight every high ball in, and there will be a lot of them, Esava should and will go for most of them. Keep Cameron and Hawkins and Close and Rohan down for the ground ball where they are more effective. It was a glaring weakness last week, and theres no way Aliir gets so many clear marks if he was on Esava last week.

 

[cats_09]

Now that Dahl is out, we can't afford Miers wandering up the ground to be a link man. He has to player closer to goals and do his own share of tackling / pressure.

Rohan pushing up onto the wing and playing that role might help him and the team. Gets him more involved, frees up space for the big guys inside 50, and I'd rather him delivering the ball than someone like Esava. (Plus we're hardly going to miss his average of 0.5 goals per final).

Regardless of Dahlhaus in or out of the team, I'd rather see Miers closer to goal - I know he's got a good tank on him, but he's more dangerous when closer to goal

 

[Poetic Justice]

Honestly don't know what to say think or feel anymore.

A win would be nice.

If not... will be very interesting to see what the clubs/coaching staff reaction will be - plenty of talk about CS departing the ship from everyone but the man and the club.

Will be interested to see how the team lines up.

I feel personally like this game will be won by the coach.

 

[Grimoz]

There was something abnormally wrong with Hendo last week. Hopefully that has been sorted out. Port got too many easy goals, enough to turn the match.

He was endo last week, hopefully he's back to being Hendo this week!!!

 

[And_ROOS]

I think we win tonight. They made the right calls to drop a few non-performers, and we keep some flexibility. If Himmelberg or Hogan gets off the chain you have Blicavs to go back, or he could run a tagging role in midfield.
We have Esava to ruck and provide a tall marking forward, something we lacked last week.

We have a bunch of proud midfielders who were dog shit last week who will be up for it tonight.

Need a strong start, need to hit the scoreboard.

 

[Goggin Our Best]

Pretty Powerful side Geel have picked tonight

I am also in the camp with other posters views in the preview thread - that win tonight - get over GWS ( thats the tricky bit ) then Geel are a huge chance for the Premiership

Melb have been good this year - but they are not Rich of the prior 3-4 years - not in the same street - plus the game isnt at the MCG -its at a neutral fair ground

If Geel can win tonight ( and its not just the Cats who can be inconsistent - Gws -they can be horrid at times - so which version of them is turning up ) then i think the winner of the Melb v Geel PF - will absolutely smash Pt Adel - who hardly beat a top 4 team all year - and are hanging their hat on beating Geel in the 1st week of the finals

 

[Mad_Hatter]

Who's going to lay those tackles?

Maybe Rohan will be playing smaller rather than taller and be the menacing tackling option

Honestly it isn't much different from previous weeks, it's not like Dahl was making 12 tackles a game. Holmes likely more than matches any defensive pressure through the half forward line.

 

[Poetic Justice]

i think the winner of the Melb v Geel PF - will absolutely smash Pt Adel - who hardly beat a top 4 team all year - and are hanging their hat on beating Geel in the 1st week of the finals

I admire the confidence, not sure I'd be able to say "we'd smash port adelaide" with a straight face after the embarrassment of last week. Not to mention the pace, pressure and effort they put in that seemed miles ahead of most of Geelongs year aside from 1 or 2 games.

 

[Goggin Our Best]

I admire the confidence, not sure I'd be able to say "we'd smash port adelaide" with a straight face after the embarrassment of last week. Not to mention the pace, pressure and effort they put in that seemed miles ahead of most of Geelongs year aside from 1 or 2 games.

Have a look at their other performances this year - and there isnt much gloss or sheen

 

[Poetic Justice]

Have a look at their other performances this year - and there isnt much gloss or sheen

I would say similar about Melbourne over a lot of the year but they looked an absolute class above the Lions last weekend!

 

[CarAttack]

Thinking of those in lockdown , good luck to all , will be barracking bloody loud - will probably bust a foofer valve......

I actually enjoy the feeling of a busted foofer valve after a big finals win. Adds to the experience.
My foofer was literally busted for days after the 2011 GF.
Enjoy the night.

 

[Drunkcat]

Just had a look at GWS board wow they are outrageous fans worse than Richmond fans, they want to send us too a retirement village the fowl mouth fans they are.

 

[catpremier 07]

Just had a look at GWS board wow they are outrageous fans worse than Richmond fans, they want to send us too a retirement village the fowl mouth fans they are.

GWS have a board on bigfooty?

 

[Footy Smarts]

Worried about going in too tall. The team just looks wrong on paper and I sort of expect a late change. Simpson was stiff to be dropped so wouldn't be surprised at all if he comes in for one of them. Maybe Hendo if there's something not right with him so Blicavs plays full time defence or maybe we leave out Sav or Stanley late to change the structure.

 

[Down at K Park]

Just had a look at GWS board wow they are outrageous fans worse than Richmond fans, they want to send us too a retirement village the fowl mouth fans they are.

What, all 3 of them?

 

[Drunkcat]

What, all 3 of them?

Game day has been open all week and they are still on page 1 lol

 

[And_ROOS]

GWS have a board on bigfooty?

They took over the University board. About the same amount of members.

 

[Commando]

Win tonight and we’ll make the GF!

Purely based on a feeling.. but I think the occasion will get to Melbourne

 

[Jhye Clark 13]

Honestly don't know what to say think or feel anymore.

A win would be nice.

If not... will be very interesting to see what the clubs/coaching staff reaction will be - plenty of talk about CS departing the ship from everyone but the man and the club.

Will be interested to see how the team lines up.

I feel personally like this game will be won by the coach.

The coach doesn't tell Henderson to drop marks or Duncan to kick across the back half straight to the opposition.

Last week was fairly and squarely on the players.

 

[Poetic Justice]

The coach doesn't tell Henderson to drop marks or Duncan to kick across the back half straight to the opposition.

Last week was fairly and squarely on the players.

Awesome.. the coach also waited until deep into 2nd half to mix things up. He walked out on to the ground after the half time break and told the media person that we'd get the game back on our terms (ie: We won't change what we're doing).

My point is, I have a feeling there might be a couple of tweaks shown tonight that show that Chris is getting us into gear.

 

[51niwstac]

A win is written all over this game. If the team doesn't win it...significantly, there is seriously something broken within the club. I have thought for a long time that Scott is the wrong coach to win a premiership, others do not. My understanding is that Scott thinks a game plan & the player's physical talent & abilities is all that is required, but I also think an elite team need a more spiritual-like guidance to augment the faith in those abilities, in front or behind on the scoreboard.