Preview AFL NAB Challenge match 2 - Melbourne v Geelong, TIO Traeger Park, 5:40PM CST Friday 28 February

[Beanstalk]

I agree. I thought he was one of our better players in the finals last year and was really starting to show why the Cats went after him. But with all his added strength from this preseason, and his sublime skills and awareness I think he could really have a break out year this year. If Guthrie and Duncan can also do this then our midfield is looking very ominous. But it's still early days yet so I'll try not to get too excited.

I feel like Duncan and Christensen have somewhat stalled in their development... Do we hold hopes of either ever becoming a gun? Or will they always just be 'cogs' of the midfield?

I feel Caddy and Guthrie have shown enough to suggest their potentials exceed that of the former.

 

[Bobby_]

Duncan looks terrific, he's so much bigger through the chest and shoulders, was surprised to see how strong he and Caddy both looked.

 

[CF]

I feel like Duncan and Christensen have somewhat stalled in their development... Do we hold hopes of either ever becoming a gun? Or will they always just be 'cogs' of the midfield?

I feel Caddy and Guthrie have shown enough to suggest their potentials exceed that of the former.

I think Christensen is a gun. A sublime inside and outside midfielder already.

Duncan though hasn't yet become an A grader, I agree with that. I wonder if he thought it would all just happen for him last season. He does have the ability to be a Joel Corey type of midfielder IMHO, and I hope he really pushes the envelope this year.

Imagine if we had Christensen, Duncan, Guthrie, & Caddie playing at A grade level alongside Selwood, Bartel, Johnson, Stokes, & Kelly. Makes the mouth water. But it's still early days so all we can do is pray.

 

[MC Extra Dollop]

I feel like Duncan and Christensen have somewhat stalled in their development... Do we hold hopes of either ever becoming a gun? Or will they always just be 'cogs' of the midfield?

Duncan was excellent last night and was pretty good last year, in pretty much a permanent outside role. And I think people forget how good Christensen was in 2013; he is absolutely still on an upward curve.

 

[meto]

a month ago I posted that Caddy is going to be in our best 22 in 2014 (barring injury) and people shit canned me. Guess his performance against Collingwood shut them up.

Why? I thought his finish to last season was an omen for this year, without a doubt.

 

[CF]

Why? I thought his finish to last season was an omen for this year, without a doubt.

me too. But you know some people on this board, they can never see the forest for the trees

 

[dazbroncos]

To me anyone who is 28 and over only needs 2 pre-season games at the absolute most. So for Mackie, Johnson, Kelly, Enright, Stokes (is he 28 yet?), Rivers, Lonergan, Bartel and anyone else I've forgotten, ensure they get one of the next two games off. You could probably extend it to Hawkins and Taylor too.

Im quite sure that this is why all the 28+ played last night. They sleep in their own beds, train at KP and probably get a day or two off.

Add Hawk to that list. Just really hope the ground aint too shabby where they play…

Go Catters

 

[Catatonic Shock]

I feel like Duncan and Christensen have somewhat stalled in their development... Do we hold hopes of either ever becoming a gun? Or will they always just be 'cogs' of the midfield?

I feel Caddy and Guthrie have shown enough to suggest their potentials exceed that of the former.

Duncan and Bundy have a smaller percentage of improvement left in them, that would be why you don't notice them as much or consider their development "stalled", I can assure you though that is far from the case, both WILL become genuine A grade, All Australian considered players in the not too distant future, possibly (on last nights performance definitely) as soon as this year.
Duncan had a fantastic year last year and finished top 10 in the B&F for a top 4 side.

 

[meto]

me too. But you know some people on this board, they can never see the forest for the trees

I got Motlop and Stokes last year, and did I cop it plenty early on.
At least you've got the satisfaction to know you got something right even if nobody cares or remembers, I think you're on a winner with Caddy all the same.
Apart from him, I'm thinking possibly Murdoch for a breakout, but not so certain. Hope so.

 

[Beanstalk]

Duncan was excellent last night and was pretty good last year, in pretty much a permanent outside role. And I think people forget how good Christensen was in 2013; he is absolutely still on an upward curve.

Perhaps I just get too caught up in how quickly guys like Guthrie are developing and forget about the older guys. Christensen was in the top 5 of my player of the year voting all season now that I think of it.

 

[jim boy]

I imagine the last practise will be close to the team that plays in round 1. So any first 22 players that played against the pies wont line up against the Dees. Expect a very young line up with a smattering of seniors to act as onfield leaders to be playing in Alice.

 

[Stig_90]

A footy game in the Alice in February?! Better bring the ice truck.

 

[Vdubs]

In the past, Scott has not been afraid to play a lot of youngsters in the one team in the preseason. So following quite a mature team last night, we very well might see that next week.

Play the old codgers at home,
play the newbies far away,
play a mixture week 3 ?

 

[Partridge]

Play the old codgers at home,
play the newbies far away,
play a mixture week 3 ?

Sounds right to me. Week 3 against North will probably be 90% of the Round 1 team, if not more.

 

[4quarter_cat]

So let me get this right, ppl have ear marked.

Caddy, Duncan, Guthrie, Christensen, Murdoch, Thurlow to all have break out seasons where they take their game to a new level.

If that happens look out world!

Not saying it won't happen, but in my experience if it sounds too good to be true it usually is.

Certainly a very exciting time to follow the hoops.

 

[vinum coupe]

So let me get this right, ppl have ear marked.

Caddy, Duncan, Guthrie, Christensen, Murdoch, Thurlow to all have break out seasons where they take their game to a new level.

If that happens look out world!

Not saying it won't happen, but in my experience if it sounds too good to be true it usually is.

Certainly a very exciting time to follow the hoops.

I think Caddy will improve by being more consistent
Duncan could improve
Guthrie should improve due to positional changes
Not sure how much better Bundy can get
Murdoch will improve
Thurlow will get more games (call that improvement if you like)

Look out world

 

[James1970]

A footy game in the Alice in February?! Better bring the ice truck.

A friggin' joke. They should pick the side like we used to occasionally in Grade 3 - everyone lines up, and you start with the crappiest kid and go backwards.

 

[JUBJUB]

I'd give Hawkins, Boris and Simpson a rest, they are the guys who finished the year a little proppy last year and bring in Kersten, Murdoch and McIntosh (if fit)

Murdoch won't play.Scott says so in todays paper.

 

[Partridge]

ah thanks. Shame, looks in good shape in the videos posted on the GFC website.

Yeah, hope he plays the final game. Good to get a run before the real thing starts.

 

[Partridge]

So let me get this right, ppl have ear marked.

Caddy, Duncan, Guthrie, Christensen, Murdoch, Thurlow to all have break out seasons where they take their game to a new level.

If that happens look out world!

Not saying it won't happen, but in my experience if it sounds too good to be true it usually is.

Certainly a very exciting time to follow the hoops.

Not sure about Thurlow just yet. He hasn't played for one thing. I'd say from what we have seen Guthrie and Caddy both look better and Duncan looks better all the time.

 

[BIGANT]

Depending if both he (thurlow ) and bundy are tracking at the same recovery time. If so i wouldn't expect thurlow to get a game b4 bundy.

Sent from my GT-S7500T using Tapatalk 2

 

[winty]

Bored, so I'll have a stab at a side, even though it'll probably be miles off:

B: Kolodjashnij Lonergan Bews
HB: Varcoe Hamling Mackie
C: Duncan Guthrie Stokes
HF: Schroder Walker Kelly
F: McCarthy Brown Kersten
Foll: McIntosh Caddy Selwood
Int: Blicavs Smedts Lang Hartman Jansen Horlin-Smith
Subs: Toohey Luxford

In: Kolodjashnij Bews Hamling Kersten McIntosh Hartman Jansen Lang Toohey Selwood Luxford
Out: Bartel Taylor Stringer Simpson T.Hunt Johnson Rivers Hawkins Vardy Burbury Enright

 

[BlitzenTrapper]

Murdoch won't play.Scott says so in todays paper.

Any reason Jub? Pretty up to date with most things pre-season but rarely read newspapers.

 

[Stig_90]

Bored, so I'll have a stab at a side, even though it'll probably be miles off:

B: Kolodjashnij Lonergan Bews
HB: Varcoe Hamling Mackie
C: Duncan Guthrie Stokes
HF: Schroder Walker Kelly
F: McCarthy Brown Kersten
Foll: McIntosh Caddy Selwood
Int: Blicavs Smedts Lang Hartman Jansen Horlin-Smith
Subs: Toohey Luxford

In: Kolodjashnij Bews Hamling Kersten McIntosh Hartman Jansen Lang Toohey Selwood Luxford
Out: Bartel Taylor Stringer Simpson T.Hunt Johnson Rivers Hawkins Vardy Burbury Enright

Will Selwood be fit by then?

I would love to see that many kids, but I don't think Scotty is going to play too many.

 

[AM]

Will Selwood be fit by then?

I would love to see that many kids, but I don't think Scotty is going to play too many.

Think the coach said somewhere that because there will probably be only 3 praccies he'll be using them all as serious outings. So my guess is that he'll be focusing on players who are in contention for a round 1 place.