Preview AFL Rd 23 - Collingwood v North Melb - MCG Sunday 3.20pm Changes and Prematch Discussion

[Maggie5]

The only changes I would make would be if either or both Beams and Ball are available, then Kennedy out and I am not sure who the other would be.

Another point I would like to make is that we shouldn't care who beat who next week. No easy run in the finals for us - we have to win every game. No resting players unless they are really sore as previous posters have said, 9 day break has been good for us.

 

[THATSGOLD]

Why we would be rest anyone this week at all?

Our players are having a rest as we speak, with a 9 day break between games there is absolutely no reason what so ever to rest a player for the sakes of resting next week.

Yes, if anyone has an injury concern that may get worse by playing than we leave them out, but no resting is required.

Plus 5th is going to be a hell of a lot better position than 6th to finish.

If we finish 5th we will play the "default" side, the ninth place side who got into the final through utter luck and then we'd play the loser of 2nd vs 3rd, which is likely to be Sydney.

I don't know about you but I give us about a 50 times better chance of beating Sydney at ANZ than I do Freo at Subiaco Oval in week 2.

No resting, go full out and get fifth.

Exactly. Remember last year? Cats beat us by nearly 100. Not great preparation going in to finals.

 

[THATSGOLD]

K

The only changes I would make would be if either or both Beams and Ball are available, then Kennedy out and I am not sure who the other would be.

Another point I would like to make is that we shouldn't care who beat who next week. No easy run in the finals for us - we have to win every game. No resting players unless they are really sore as previous posters have said, 9 day break has been good for us.

Kennedy provided spark and an injection of genuine pace in to the team, not to mention mongrel, why would you drop that again?

 

[Cory]

Exactly. Remember last year? Cats beat us by nearly 100. Not great preparation going in to finals.

Last year?

 

[THATSGOLD]

Last year?

Right two years ago.

 

[Mungo Mulligan Stew]

Bring_Back_Brad said: ↑

Ill give you 50 to go troll someone else​

Done. PayPal?

Silly bugger...

He woulda given ya a C note if you'd held out...

 

[SuperSub17]

Plus 5th is going to be a hell of a lot better position than 6th to finish.

If we finish 5th we will play the "default" side, the ninth place side who got into the final through utter luck and then we'd play the loser of 2nd vs 3rd, which is likely to be Sydney.

I don't know about you but I give us about a 50 times better chance of beating Sydney at ANZ than I do Freo at Subiaco Oval in week 2.

No resting, go full out and get fifth.

The loser of 1v4 plays the winner of 5v8. Sydney will definitely finish 4th so we line up with them if we finish 5th - I can't see them beating a Hawthorn or Geelong in Melbourne (or anywhere for that matter ATM).

 

[HFF]

The loser of 1v4 plays the winner of 5v8. Sydney will definitely finish 4th so we line up with them if we finish 5th - I can't see them beating a Hawthorn or Geelong in Melbourne (or anywhere for that matter ATM).

The thing is, Hawthorn play Sydney next week in round 23. Now, the Hawks will have a dilemma on their hands.

Do they go all out and win this match and take on the Swans again the following week in week 1 of finals or do they "lose" match, Geelong account for Brisbane and that means Cats finish 1st, Hawks 2nd allowing the Hawks to take on Freo in the first final at the MCG?

Food for thought.

 

[mattys123]

The loser of 1v4 plays the winner of 5v8. Sydney will definitely finish 4th so we line up with them if we finish 5th - I can't see them beating a Hawthorn or Geelong in Melbourne (or anywhere for that matter ATM).

Yeah, that's what I meant. I want to play Sydney in the second week, who will finish 4th. If we have to go to Freo off maybe a 5 day break (no Saturday night final in WA in the second week due to Rugby) we are screwed.

 

[SuperSub17]

Yeah, that's what I meant. I want to play Sydney in the second week, who will finish 4th. If we have to go to Freo off maybe a 5 day break (no Saturday night final in WA in the second week due to Rugby) we are screwed.

Yeah that's a terrible situation. If we're in Freo's half we'd surely be scheduled on Saturday in week one though, we'd never have to play off five days I wouldn't think.

 

[SuperSub17]

The thing is, Hawthorn play Sydney next week in round 23. Now, the Hawks will have a dilemma on their hands.

Do they go all out and win this match and take on the Swans again the following week in week 1 of finals or do they "lose" match, Geelong account for Brisbane and that means Cats finish 1st, Hawks 2nd allowing the Hawks to take on Freo in the first final at the MCG?

Food for thought.

To be honest, if I were Hawthorn, I'd be more confident of beating Sydney than Freo on current form.

 

[the mighty T]

The thing is, Hawthorn play Sydney next week in round 23. Now, the Hawks will have a dilemma on their hands.

Do they go all out and win this match and take on the Swans again the following week in week 1 of finals or do they "lose" match, Geelong account for Brisbane and that means Cats finish 1st, Hawks 2nd allowing the Hawks to take on Freo in the first final at the MCG?

Food for thought.

Sydney have the ability, on their day, to beat any side in the competition but the Dockers dont have the weapons to take on the Cats or Hawks this year, especially at the G. I think we'd account for them as well if we got another chance, truth be told (mind you, i dont particularly rate the dockers so i might be a little biased)

All in all, the point is moot as the result will be the same either way:

Cats vs Swans - Cats Cats vs Dockers - Cats
Hawks vs Dockers - Hawks Hawks vs Swans - Hawks

 

[SuperSub17]

Sydney have the ability, on their day, to beat any side in the competition but the Dockers dont have the weapons to take on the Cats or Hawks this year, especially at the G. I think we'd account for them as well if we got another chance, truth be told (mind you, i dont particularly rate the dockers so i might be a little biased)

All in all, the point is moot as the result will be the same either way:

Cats vs Swans - Cats Cats vs Dockers - Cats
Hawks vs Dockers - Hawks Hawks vs Swans - Hawks

It's all pointing to a Hawthorn-Geelong GF if you ask me. They're clearly the best two teams in it IMO.

 

[the mighty T]

To be honest, if I were Hawthorn, I'd be more confident of beating Sydney than Freo on current form.

Lets not embellish Freos recent form.. Port, Melbourne, GWS, Carlton and Adelaide arent exactly the who's who of the AFL. Even the Port win was to be expected: their Grand Final is next week against the Blues

The Dockers have only beaten us and Port from the top 8 and managed a draw against the Swans.

Ridiculously lenient draw for a side that made a semi final last year

 

[the mighty T]

It's all pointing to a Hawthorn-Geelong GF if you ask me. They're clearly the best two teams in it IMO.

Oh absolutely, and it will be a cracker if it turns out that way. We can throw a spanner in the works if we come up against favorable opposition and have a good September, but we'll eventually run into Hawthorn who just have our number at the moment.

Swans have done well without a solid forward setup all year, and the addition of big Kurt has been massive. But the cracks have shown in the last month or so, starting from when the dogs pushed them down here at etihad. At their best their brilliant, dunno if we'll see that again this year.

You know my feelings about the Dockers (see above). Had they secured a top two spot, you wouldve seen them in a Grand Final, but they cant get there now. And i reiterate, if they do, they dont have what it takes just yet to beat the best two sides.

Cats have shown a lot this year, so much improvement. In a lot of ways, we're positioned where they were last year: blooding a lot of talent, inconsistent etc. Theyve come together well at the right time, will beat the Brions in second gear next week and then will probably play host to the Swans.

Sigh.. Hawthorn. They look due.. overdue in some peoples eyes. But theyre not without weakness.. it just takes the right team to exploit it. In a perfect world, they lose week 1 and run into the Tigers who do our dirty deeds for us.. We can dream

 

[SuperSub17]

You know my feelings about the Dockers (see above). Had they secured a top two spot, you wouldve seen them in a Grand Final, but they cant get there now. And i reiterate, if they do, they dont have what it takes just yet to beat the best two sides.

Cats have shown a lot this year, so much improvement. In a lot of ways, we're positioned where they were last year: blooding a lot of talent, inconsistent etc. Theyve come together well at the right time, will beat the Brions in second gear next week and then will probably play host to the Swans.

Sigh.. Hawthorn. They look due.. overdue in some peoples eyes. But theyre not without weakness.. it just takes the right team to exploit it. In a perfect world, they lose week 1 and run into the Tigers who do our dirty deeds for us.. We can dream

That's not out of the question, Richmond will finish 5th now with their performance today and Hawthorn will finish them on top. Sydney are near certain (barring Freo losing to St Kilda) of finishing 4th, so they'll be up against Hawthorn. Ideal scenario: Sydney win, sending Hawthorn to play Richmond, and then we play Sydney in the PF

 

[Magpie Girl]

Funny things happen in the finals

And I don't think any team would be wise to 'lose' in order to manipulate the situation

 

[SuperSub17]

This game is effectively a dead rubber now with Richmond already miles ahead of our percentage.

 

[the mighty T]

That's not out of the question, Richmond will finish 5th now with their performance today and Hawthorn will finish them on top. Sydney are near certain (barring Freo losing to St Kilda) of finishing 4th, so they'll be up against Hawthorn. Ideal scenario: Sydney win, sending Hawthorn to play Richmond, and then we play Sydney in the PF

And then the Tigers get past the Cats and play us in a Grand Final.. their first since 1980.. the city would have to be shut down.

Dare to dream.. Also I dont think i'd be able to handle a potential Coll/Carlton final.

Funny things happen in the finals

And I don't think any team would be wise to 'lose' in order to manipulate the situation

Thats the way i see it MG.. in '07 we got past the previous seasons grand finalists in consecutive weeks and fell just 5 points short of a premiership coming from outside the top 4.

 

[ppoiter]

I had similar feelings before I saw Jolly play today. He was poor, he was ok in the ruck but around the ground and up forward he was so slow it was painful to watch.

If we are to replace Lynch, Ben Hudson is the only option at the moment and even that wouldn't improve us at all.

It's Grundy and Lynch for the rest of the season barring injury I reckon.

Our much-loved VFL coach disagrees with you
http://www.collingwoodfc.com.au/news/2013-08-24/jollys-form-on-the-rise

 

[SuperSub17]

And then the Tigers get past the Cats and play us in a Grand Final.. their first since 1980.. the city would have to be shut down.

Dare to dream.. Also I dont think i'd be able to handle a potential Coll/Carlton final.

I wouldn't either...but it's not going to happen now unless Essendon beat Richmond, we beat North and Carlton beat Port.

 

[TradeDraft]

It's a Dead Rubber. We can't go up or down next week

 

[Rusty22]

so book it in Collingwood vs Port Adelaide at ...etihad

 

[jefffff34]

It's a Dead Rubber. We can't go up or down next week

Well it's not...what if Essendon beat Richmond?

 

[Rusty22]

Well it's not...what if Essendon beat Richmond?

nothing