Preview AFL 2nd Semi Final - Geelong v Fremantle, MCG, Friday 10 September 7:45PM

[meto]

All this rucking crap at Geelong has stuffed Hawkins this year, a lead-up forward.
So what if he's on the large size, should be playing HFF/Mid, we're wasting him at ATM.

He's good in the air and in the packs, but wasted with all this tapping crap.

I'd play him HHF, and let him get in around the mid field as well, playing a role around the stoppages like Mumford, but not rucking all over the ground.

 

[bulletproof]

Getting very concerned about the noises from Bomber about selection. Can see him bringing in Lonergan for Blake and making no other changes. Shuffle the side for balance. Maybe use Mackie up forward as an option. Personally, I think it is madness, but I have a horrible feeling.

 

[Footy_Fan2007]

My favourite player from another club. I'd say its just a severe corky and he'll be up and about.

Id like to say good luck to all supporters also.

Whoever wins this game i hope smashes Pies and wins GF.

I wish there were more supporters from other clubs like you mate

 

[Partridge]

And lastly, if Podsiadly plays, he will get McPharlin all night, which will be a great help to our other forwards (if you've seen what good form McPharlin's been in the last month you'll know what I'm talking about)...honestly if Bomber doesn't pick our second leading goalkicker it just proves he a) plays favourites with selection and picks people based on who he likes rather than performance and b) is idiotic and doesn't want to give us the best chance to win the game.

Pods must play, but we know Thompson does play favourites. The fact that Stokes is getting a game and Taylor Hunt isn't demonstrates that.

Great to be loyal to your players, but you also have to constantly rejuvenate the side. We looked awesome against the Dogs a few weeks back, and I can't help thinking the enthusiasm and youth that T.Hunt and Menzel provided played a small part in that.

 

[Partridge]

I sincerley apologise to you and all the other Geelong supporters that have hopped off the bandwagon after our 4 point loss. I was blinded by our 2 flags, our 3 GF's in 3 years and a winning percentage that is better than any team before it in history. The 2 Brownlow meadalists and 11 All Australians that played on the weekend have completely gone off the boil and their best is well behind them. I tip out my half full glass and ensure that it is now half empty to coincide with the boards majority.

Please forgive me. It was foolish to think that we could rebound and win against Freo. Should we fluke that then there is no beating Collingwood. If the unthinkable happens then we'd be a million to one to beat the all conquering Saints in the GF (if they make it past the Swannies or Dogs).

WE lost. We were being beaten comprihensively and then staged a massive comeback in horrid conditions. That for me tells me that the penny dropped, albiet to late to take the points. Yes we don't play the Saints next week but why on earth would you not be confident of beating them. We played good footy for just over a qtr and nearly won. Yes the boys wern't switched on and yes perhaps they were getting ahead of themselves. So why can't that be addressed so that this doesn't happen again. I'll back the players and the coaching staff in because what they have done and achieved over the past 3 years is massive and I believe (that's my opinion, you might not agree but my opinion is right to me) that there is still more to come.

This just means that we still need to win 3 finals to take out the flag. The bookies will probably have us installed as favourites for all three games should we progress, complacency on their behalf or just the obvious that we're a bloody good side that rarely puts in a poor showing.

Yes I think we'll beat Freo and yes I reckon we can beat the Pies after that. Should we get through the the GF then I'll be backing us to win that as well because we are Geelong, the greatest team of all!!!!

If we play well, I firmly believe we will destroy Fremantle, and be very, very awkward opponents against Colllingwood.

The problem isn't talent of the squad overall; it's inconsistency of performance during a game. Why is it a heinous crime to point that out? It's obviously better to mindlessly praise them no matter what I guess?

If we switch on and play four quarters of hard, sustained football, they absolutely could go a long way. They could still win the premiership. It's maintaining consistency that's the issue.

Yeah, nothing but doom and gloom here.

 

[Vdubs]

Did anyone notice Ottens taking himself to the interchange bench late in the game? Just before that he appeared to come to a grinding halt. I would not be surprised to see Ottens out, particularly if Sandilands is restricted. I know we have to beat Freo but I wonder if Ottens is capable of running a game out right now: if not he needs a rest because we would need him for Collingwood. So I would drop Ottens for Pods.

We've beaten Pies without Ottens, and like Corey, he seems WAY below his best, a week or 20 off would not hurt us

 

[RegHickeyStand]

My favourite player from another club. I'd say its just a severe corky and he'll be up and about.

Id like to say good luck to all supporters also.

Whoever wins this game i hope smashes Pies and wins GF.

Your hatred of Collingwood does you and your club great credit. Keep up the good work.

 

[Pure_Ownage]

Pods must play, but we know Thompson does play favourites. The fact that Stokes is getting a game and Taylor Hunt isn't demonstrates that.

Great to be loyal to your players, but you also have to constantly rejuvenate the side. We looked awesome against the Dogs a few weeks back, and I can't help thinking the enthusiasm and youth that T.Hunt and Menzel provided played a small part in that.

I know and it's not what should happen IMO.

TBH the only reason I am reasonably confident Pods will play is because Blake is not one of Bomber's favourites like Hawkins. If he was, then Pods wouldn't be getting a look in this week which really is crazy.

 

[Copulator]

Re: AFL 2nd Semi Final - Geelong v Fremantle/Hawthorn, TBA

bring back kent kingsley

 

[Pure_Ownage]

Re: AFL 2nd Semi Final - Geelong v Fremantle/Hawthorn, TBA

bring back kent kingsley

Noo we gave Richmond Kent which gave us Pods.

 

[AM]

I know and it's not what should happen IMO.

TBH the only reason I am reasonably confident Pods will play is because Blake is not one of Bomber's favourites like Hawkins. If he was, then Pods wouldn't be getting a look in this week which really is crazy.

C'mon PO, you're better than that. You've been spouting that line ad infinitum. It's an insult to Bomber and the match committee to suggest in a cut throat game they'd do anything other than put the team best able to beat Freo on the park.

 

[yebbo]

Rosso, agreed with your two posts a few pages back WHOLEHEARTEDLY. Why are all these Geelong supporters bagging the team that has bought so much success and why suggest that we cannot match Collingwood or StKilda?

Optimism is vital in any sport. Someone mentioned in an earlier post that these optimistic comments are filtering through to the players and making them arrogant.

So why not consider then that all the talk about being too slow and too old, and such and such is all of a sudden really sh#t are filtering through to the players and making them feel like we all hate em.

I know, I know you can say we point it out and make them all aware but cmon this team know what they are doing, they arent f-en stupid, we just need a few things to go our way. Remember everyone says saints always beat us now. WTf the last few games I can remember we lost by 4 points, won a grand final and the game before I kinda remember Geelong had about 3 free kicks in a row disallowed until Corey finally got one.....but that stopped stokes running into an open goal in the last minute to win the game. And Collingwood we always beat them.

Anyone wanting to see optimism go and look at Collingwoods page and they have already beaten us apparently (they say pies v cats already so I can say it too. We all know Collingwood freeze and Geelong can be an irrestible force so that makes us favourites.

Better than us f off, show some faith

 

[Big Fozza]

i have to say i am getting less and less confident as the week goes on. i think if Freo show up and play like they have nothing to lose and if we are 10% off our game then they are a good chance at rolling us.

i know it's good to have people pushing for selection every week but i think i would prefer a settled side.

what are the chances of bomber bringing rooke in? 10%? less? one of my mates (WCE supporter) loves the Rock n Rolla to death and would go ape poo if he came in....

 

[Gaz_Brownlow]

i have to say i am getting less and less confident as the week goes on. i think if Freo show up and play like they have nothing to lose and if we are 10% off our game then they are a good chance at rolling us.

i know it's good to have people pushing for selection every week but i think i would prefer a settled side.

what are the chances of bomber bringing rooke in? 10%? less? one of my mates (WCE supporter) loves the Rock n Rolla to death and would go ape poo if he came in....

FFS, take half a cup of cement and hardn' the **** up already....We will be good to go.

I am glad we have an extra game this year...just means that my premiership box set will have an extra final to mull over!!

Nah, all will be good, we just need to think realistically about things. We technically won the last game and we were eating St Kilda up for the last quarter and a half.... A few guys needed that first half wake up to get the fire in the belly.

I would expect a big improvement in the likes of Corey, Ottens, Hunt, Scarlo, Selwood and Taylor. No need for drastic changes, although it would be nice to include Taylor Hunt on some level.....Pods will definitely come in, probably for Byrnes, and Lonergan should come in too as he simply suits our structure down back - i would suggest Blake is the one to go here.

We just need to continue to back ourselves and be prepared to throw it all on the line.

A couple of minor tactics worth mentioning is

1. Defensive forward role; how much have we missed Max Rooke? Plenty....could Ling fill this role?
2. Lonergan to play traditional CHB or FB and allow Taylor to become third man up a bit more.
3. Corey to play back pocket....maybe even go to Pavlich. Is clearly not at peak fitness but is definitely hard enough to fill a finals role. Back Pocket - alla James Kelly last year (also allows Kel to play more midfield).

 

[Hybrid7]

I agree - I cant beleive that people arent confident in our boys.
We finished second on the ladder for gods sake and played some bloody impressive football.
I have full confidence that the boys will come out firing against the dockers.

Its the good wakeup call that the boys needed and will give them great ammo if we do make the grand final and face the saints - hopefully it will bring that hunger back!!

 

[krisholio14]

I'm not rapt in our chances of winning it all right at the moment, but one thing I am confident of is that we will go out there on Friday night and rip Freo a new arseh*le.

 

[witsend]

Whats the weather doing for Friday night? Should I go for tickets undercover?

I'm gonna try and forget you said that...

 

[Topper]

We will win this.

Wet
Windy
MCG
Freo kids in front of 70,000
The drilling our boys have copped from Bomber
The return of Pods, giving Moons the 2nd defender


My tip, Cats by 50. Jimmy best on in the wet

 

[noclashjumpers]

I want to see Chappy play more (or indeed, the majority of) time up forward this week.

While he's undoubtedly been a bonus in the midfield of late, the fact is he is one of the most damaging and consistent half forwards in the league.

It's time to stop experimenting and playing Chappy out of position ...even if he prefers being a mid.

From here on in: 80% in the forward line, then swapping with Gaz for the remaining time.

For me, this NEEDS to happen if we are to pull this out of the fire this year.

 

[SJ]

We will win this.

Wet
Windy
MCG
Freo kids in front of 70,000
The drilling our boys have copped from Bomber
The return of Pods, giving Moons the 2nd defender


My tip, Cats by 50. Jimmy best on in the wet

You can halve that crowd.

 

[Poetic Justice]

I want to see Chappy play more (or indeed, the majority of) time up forward this week.

While he's undoubtedly been a bonus in the midfield of late, the fact is he is one of the most damaging and consistent half forwards in the league.

It's time to stop experimenting and playing Chappy out of position ...even if he prefers being a mid.

From here on in: 80% in the forward line, then swapping with Gaz for the remaining time.

For me, this NEEDS to happen if we are to pull this out of the fire this year.

I'd agree with this one. Definitely damaging, and he may be sore so keep him fresh down forward as well.

 

[OldStyle2007]

C'mon PO, you're better than that. You've been spouting that line ad infinitum. It's an insult to Bomber and the match committee to suggest in a cut throat game they'd do anything other than put the team best able to beat Freo on the park.

2008 GF ring a bell?

I almost got the feeling that Bomber was going to bring Stokes back in 2009 GF as well but I have a hunch Tom Harley put his views about team selection pretty strongly with some of the comments he made in the media

 

[Pure_Ownage]

C'mon PO, you're better than that. You've been spouting that line ad infinitum. It's an insult to Bomber and the match committee to suggest in a cut throat game they'd do anything other than put the team best able to beat Freo on the park.

In regards to this week's semi, well that's a question that can't be answered, we'll know on thurs whether I'm right or wrong.

In regards to the general trend, no it's absolutely true Bomber has 'favourites' who get preferential (read non merit) treatment at selection, 08 GF should remind you of this among many other examples of selections and non selections. Even the way Bomber has spent the last 2 months talking about 'we'll give Max every chance because he's our spiritual leader and because of the quality of person that he is'. Now I have nothing against Max, in fact I absolutely love Max, and hate the fact that he's out injured, but once you hear a coach talking in those terms, it should be a clue to you that that player (if they can get cleared by the medical staff) will be treated differently at selection than another player on the list would if they were coming back from the same injury. It's just a fact. I will concede you one point-I should not be so quick to tar the whole MC with the same brush, because they don't talk about their philosophy in public enough for me to know whether they play favourites or not, but I absolutely know that Bomber plays favourites, tis' just a fact mate.

In regards to thursday, I just hope for a JPOD, and in general, the best possible team we can field. Time will tell if that's what we get.

 

[Partridge]

2008 GF ring a bell?

I almost got the feeling that Bomber was going to bring Stokes back in 2009 GF as well but I have a hunch Tom Harley put his views about team selection pretty strongly with some of the comments he made in the media

I just don't get Thompson's love for Stokes. In 2006-2007 he was a very valuable member of the team. Worked really hard, chased, tackled, did all the things a small forward should. But he's progressively dropped off. He did not lay one tackle Friday night. Not one.

It's funny, the Age today specifically mentioned Byrnes as having a bad game Friday night (probably true), however there was no mention of Stokes or Varcoe. Byrnes had as many touches as Stokes (13), and more than Varcoe. He also had 6 inside 50s. But he still gets singled out.

He must wonder what he's done wrong sometimes.

 

[Gaz_Brownlow]

Stokes has been good this year. I don't know what your criticisms of him really are??? He has kicked big goals, provides great crumbing and generally has the full support of those around him. He deserves his spot.

In my opinion, if Rooke has showed in the last month that he is training at 100%, then maybe, just maybe he is worth the punt. Purely because of the grunt he adds...we would play him in the vital defensive forward position (on Harry O'brien or Sam Fisher) - he needn't be a big possession winner to make a large impact. I'd back bombers call on this, but doubt he would do it.

And in regards to Chappy - yep, would like to see him more in the forward line too? Not sure why we playing him more in the midfield when he clearly adds so much potency to our forward line and we still have a plethora of good mids'.