Preview AFL NAB Challenge - Fremantle v Geelong, Saturday 13 March 4:30PM (AWST), Subiaco

[CCrackers]

Re: NAB Challenge - Fremantle v Geelong, Saturday 13 March 4:30PM (AWST), Subiaco

Do agree with that, BUT we achieved the luxury of a 13-0 start which allowed us to manage our list and injuries, and that is my concern about a sluggish start, which still may not happen anyway

Yeah, that is true. Bomber had the luxury to let them coast after the St Kilda game and then peaked their fitness successfully. We were of course in no danger of missing the top four.

Hmmm, it's going to be interesting that's for sure.

 

[witsend]

Re: NAB Challenge - Fremantle v Geelong, Saturday 13 March 4:30PM (AWST), Subiaco

1st 7 games:

Essendon
Hawthorn
Fremantle
Port Adelaide
Carlton
Richmond
Swans

If we win 4 of those after a deliberate slow start fitness wise and are fully caught up to speed by Rd 8, we are in great shape for an assault on a flag.

 

[Selective Retention]

Re: NAB Challenge - Fremantle v Geelong, Saturday 13 March 4:30PM (AWST), Subiaco

In 08 we got weary heading into the finals. Last year we were up and about early and then had our flat patch a month out from the finals instead of in them. I'm happy enough to sit out and see how it all plays out but I don't think we have had a very good preparation. Players coming back late is playing with fire.

The early fixture does look reasonably kind, so we shall see.

 

[vinum coupe]

Re: NAB Challenge - Fremantle v Geelong, Saturday 13 March 4:30PM (AWST), Subiaco

Do agree with that, BUT we achieved the luxury of a 13-0 start which allowed us to manage our list and injuries, and that is my concern about a sluggish start, which still may not happen anyway

New oldsmobiles are in early this year. I take it.


mate you were so negative last year it wasn't funny.
And this year you are starting before it has started.

I'm dreading what you may cough up if we are 3-3






you're not my brother are you? If not I have finally found a person who has a greater desire to talk themselves into a feeling of remorse so that they feel better and can say 'I told you so' if the worst happens.



And lets face it, the worst aint going to happen.
Because that would mean finishing below freo.

 

[Vdubs]

Re: NAB Challenge - Fremantle v Geelong, Saturday 13 March 4:30PM (AWST), Subiaco

New oldsmobiles are in early this year. I take it.


mate you were so negative last year it wasn't funny.
And this year you are starting before it has started.
SERIOUSLY not meant to be funny
I'm dreading what you may cough up if we are 3-3
I'D BE HAPPY with 3-3





you're not my brother are you? If not I have finally found a person who has a greater desire to talk themselves into a feeling of remorse so that they feel better and can say 'I told you so' if the worst happens.

I AM YOUR BROTHER and yes that psychology works for many of us, just in case

And lets face it, the worst aint going to happen.
Because that would mean finishing below freo.

The worst for me already happened in 08. Nothing worse. And I rate Freo this year to make the 8, told you so tonight

 

[CCrackers]

Re: NAB Challenge - Fremantle v Geelong, Saturday 13 March 4:30PM (AWST), Subiaco

1st 7 games:

Essendon
Hawthorn
Fremantle
Port Adelaide
Carlton
Richmond
Swans

If we win 4 of those after a deliberate slow start fitness wise and are fully caught up to speed by Rd 8, we are in great shape for an assault on a flag.

It also may prove useful that we don't meet St Kilda until Round 13 and the Western Bulldogs until Round 20.

The worst for me already happened in 08. Nothing worse. And I rate Freo this year to make the 8, told you so tonight

That's a massive call mate.

 

[winty]

Re: NAB Challenge - Fremantle v Geelong, Saturday 13 March 4:30PM (AWST), Subiaco

I strongly believe its Lappin that helped our preparation last year.

I don't see why we can't finish 6th and still win the flag.

Don't forget we also have Blake Caracella on our coaching staff this year too, who not only was a teammate of Lappin in 2003, but also played in the awesome Essendon side of 2000 as well. Another coach with plenty of experience about what it takes to taste success in September.

 

[Belisarius]

Re: NAB Challenge - Fremantle v Geelong, Saturday 13 March 4:30PM (AWST), Subiaco

The worst for me already happened in 08. Nothing worse. And I rate Freo this year to make the 8, told you so tonight

Even after last years fantastic GF win I still feel a tinge of regret about '08. Certainly the '09 GF win helped - but I sought of feel that one more Premiership (especially back to back) would remove all the fragments that bombshell caused.

My guess is that the H & A season for Geelong will be tougher - even more so than last year given all the injuries. 16-6 would do nicely and see us in the top 4.

I think people tend to forget that it is the early wins that set your season up. Be 4 from 5 games and you are well on your way to getting that top 4 position.

It is hard to know what shape the team is in given this different pre-season we have had. If we can get over Ess. I think things will be ok. The early run is not that hard early on (on paper at least)- and we just need to have enough good players in the side, finding some form - and we can win this one.

Losing that game then playing the Hawks would not be a scenario I would like too much.

I think Geelong supporters should be prepared for a good H & A season - not necessarily a great one - as we have experienced 3 tears in a row.

Just give me to 4 wins from the first 5 games and I think, barring significant injuries, that should be enough to make sure we can rest players and bring some new talent thru. If you are 3-2 or worse - you seem to be fighting all the time to make up lost ground on the clubs having a good season (yes in '07 we did this but I do not see Geelong dominating as it did that season).

 

[Lach72]

http://au.news.yahoo.com/thewest/spo...geelong-clash/

Mark Harvey will pick close to his best side when Fremantle take on reigning premiers Geelong in a NAB Challenge clash at Subiaco Oval on Saturday.

Harvey said while that could be difficult given the different pre-season workloads of the players, he wanted to give most of his best outfit one last hit-out before round one against Adelaide at Subiaco Oval on March 28.

 

[SJ]

Re: NAB Challenge - Fremantle v Geelong, Saturday 13 March 4:30PM (AWST), Subiaco

Will be interesting how we treat this game considering we head over to play the same team on the same ground in a Home and Away game in less than a month.

 

[Farmer2Goggin]

Re: NAB Challenge - Fremantle v Geelong, Saturday 13 March 4:30PM (AWST), Subiaco

Don't forget we also have Blake Caracella on our coaching staff this year too, who not only was a teammate of Lappin in 2003, but also played in the awesome Essendon side of 2000 as well. Another coach with plenty of experience about what it takes to taste success in September.

Interesting point about the Coaching Staff.
We appear to be taking a different approach to the Bulldogs and Saints both of whom played well into September. They are both up and about whereas we are happy to stick with resting / managing players through the NAB ( as we did last year but we kept winning ! )
You'd think there is enough Premiership experience amongst the Coaching Staff to get the balance right - I hope so anyway
As they say " timing is everything "

 

[Vdubs]

VINUM COUPE, I do appreciate your posts , your confidence, and your frankness. Everything you said last year leading to the GF was accurate. I'm happy to heed your words of wisdom regarding my perpetual fear of loss. I am truly also fairly satiated by what these Cats have offered us in the last while or so. But like all of us, just 1 more would see me through the next 44 years again.

By the way, I have the current DEXTER series, in case you don't and are interested.

Hope your brother is a good bloke.

 

[Belisarius]

Re: NAB Challenge - Fremantle v Geelong, Saturday 13 March 4:30PM (AWST), Subiaco

Don't forget we also have Blake Caracella on our coaching staff this year too, who not only was a teammate of Lappin in 2003, but also played in the awesome Essendon side of 2000 as well. Another coach with plenty of experience about what it takes to taste success in September.

Thanks for the coaching update I must have missed.

Interesting choice of assistant coach. I assume that Geelong did the due diligence and he has a good track record as an assistant coach.

How do other, more knowledgeable posters, think about the important ?

 

[Partridge]

Re: NAB Challenge - Fremantle v Geelong, Saturday 13 March 4:30PM (AWST), Subiaco

But last year, we were pretty desperate to atone for 08, you'd think,and very hungry, and we had a magnificent platform to base our entry into the finals. We had a great preseason as well.

Now, everybody knows we are behind, by at least 4 weeks according to Nigel Lappin, we have not yet hit any form, and the competition seems to be catching up, and it is very likely we could drop several early games, maybe then having to play catch up instead of having the luxury to "manage" our list like 09.

I mean this in the nicest possible way, but what's that based on? The season hasn't started - we don't how good any other sides really are until round 1. The only proof we can go by is the last game that mattered, which was the Grand Final - and we won it.

There is one other point that keeps getting mentioned - the late start and how far behind we apparently are. I assume everyone realises that we ended the 2007 and 2008 seasons just as late (ie by playing in the Grand Final, which surely should be the aim), which meant a later pre-season then too. This affected us so terribly we started 2008 with 8 successive wins, and 2009 with a club-equalling 13. Put simply, it's complete and utter bullshit. They've had months to prepare - if players take the field in round 1 and they aren't ready to go they've got no excuse.

I'll state what I thought would be the consensus view (how wrong I was) again - I want us to start the season by defeating Essendon, end of story. Unlike some posters I don't think we can pick and choose when to play our stars, to have our best players available for September we need to get there first.

 

[Whiskers]

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
This, thank god for patridge.

 

[Pure_Ownage]

Re: NAB Challenge - Fremantle v Geelong, Saturday 13 March 4:30PM (AWST), Subiaco

I mean this in the nicest possible way, but what's that based on? The season hasn't started - we don't how good any other sides really are until round 1. The only proof we can go by is the last game that mattered, which was the Grand Final - and we won it.

There is one other point that keeps getting mentioned - the late start and how far behind we apparently are. I assume everyone realises that we ended the 2007 and 2008 seasons just as late (ie by playing in the Grand Final, which surely should be the aim), which meant a later pre-season then too. This affected us so terribly we started 2008 with 8 successive wins, and 2009 with a club-equalling 13. Put simply, it's complete and utter bullshit. They've had months to prepare - if players take the field in round 1 and they aren't ready to go they've got no excuse.

I'll state what I thought would be the consensus view (how wrong I was) again - I want us to start the season by defeating Essendon, end of story. Unlike some posters I don't think we can pick and choose when to play our stars, to have our best players available for September we need to get there first.

This is a sensible view.

Everyone knows we have had a shorter pre season than some other clubs, but when you take the field you've got to be ready to go, effort and otherwise. I hope we take a strong side in for round 1, and get off to a winning start.

Re this Saturday, I'd expect the best 24 excluding injured players etc.

 

[SJ]

Re: NAB Challenge - Fremantle v Geelong, Saturday 13 March 4:30PM (AWST), Subiaco

http://www.geelongadvertiser.com.au/article/2010/03/09/152961_gfc.html

GEELONG appears set to unveil its best available line up on Saturday when it confronts Fremantle at Subiaco in the final practice match before round one.

The Cats are facing a race against time to be match-ready for the season-opener against Essendon after their practice match against Brisbane was abandoned on Saturday due to Melbourne's ferocious storm.

http://www.geelongadvertiser.com.au/article/2010/03/09/152961_gfc.html

 

[thejester]

Re: NAB Challenge - Fremantle v Geelong, Saturday 13 March 4:30PM (AWST), Subiaco

There is one other point that keeps getting mentioned - the late start and how far behind we apparently are. I assume everyone realises that we ended the 2007 and 2008 seasons just as late (ie by playing in the Grand Final, which surely should be the aim), which meant a later pre-season then too. This affected us so terribly we started 2008 with 8 successive wins, and 2009 with a club-equalling 13. Put simply, it's complete and utter bullshit. They've had months to prepare - if players take the field in round 1 and they aren't ready to go they've got no excuse.

Pretty sure that unlike the previous two years senior players were given until after Christmas off. First through to third year players have done full preseasons, though.

 

[Partridge]

Re: NAB Challenge - Fremantle v Geelong, Saturday 13 March 4:30PM (AWST), Subiaco

Pretty sure that unlike the previous two years senior players were given until after Christmas off. First through to third year players have done full preseasons, though.

The older players sure, that's common sense. The core of the side you'd hope would do something, remember most of them are between 23-28. Absolute peak years.

Some interesting quotes from assistant coach Steve Hocking about our preparation in today's Geelong Addy:

"Hocking said while missing Saturday's match was not ideal, it was unlikely to have any lingering affect on the Cats' preparations for a premiership defence."

and...

"No (it won't have an on-field impact), the guys have done all the work required, they've done all the running."

So as you'd expect, it seems they'll be ready to go for Essendon.

 

[H E Pennypacker]

Re: NAB Challenge - Fremantle v Geelong, Saturday 13 March 4:30PM (AWST), Subiaco

Game has been moved from Subi to Fremantle Oval, and from 4:30 to 1pm. I assume due to the ground quality after last nights ACDC concert.

 

[TMS]

For those planning to attend:

Fremantle's practice match against Geelong on Saturday has been moved from Subiaco Oval so the ground can have more time to recover from the two AC/DC concerts.

The match will now be played at Fremantle Oval at 1pm.

Source: http://au.news.yahoo.com/thewest/sport/a/-/afl/6909697/dockers-cats-game-switched/

 

[Mr_Bojangles]

That's good. A trip down to the one of most beautiful grounds in the country to watch the Cats play rather than having to go to a mostly empty Subiaco. They have a decent TAB at Freo oval too.

 

[True Blue Cat]

I do have to say i am glad that our match last week was moved from the Gold Coast as traveling to Queensland and then traveling to WA the following week would have been about the worst possible preparation for round 1.

 

[vealesy]

Any idea how much tickets cost to get in?

Might make a day of it down in freo.

Noice.

 

[Mr_Bojangles]

Any idea how much tickets cost to get in?

Might make a day of it down in freo.

Noice.

$15 Adult $10 Concession through ticketmaste. 32 on Saturday so will be a bit taxing in the midday sun but will still be a decent day.