Preview AFL Round 21 - West Coast v Geelong, Subiaco, 5:40PM local (7:40PM AET) Saturday 17 August

[PatrickBateman]

I think those are the likely changes at this stage, though GHS, Murdoch, Chapman, Smedts, Kersten and Brown should all be thereabouts with a good game in the twos. Duncan is obviously another who could miss and Varcoe must be under some scrutiny by this stage. If they had no qualms with dropping a player like Josh Hunt or Taylor Hunt (who, it could be argued, the MC persisted with for just as long as Varcoe, despite him not performing) last week, I'm not sure why people would assume that Varcoe will be considered untouchable.

He's built up credits over the years, like everyone else (some more, some less). But those credits must surely have been used up by now and if someone who can play a similar role (probably Murdoch) has a blinder tomorrow, that swap must be considered. If you drop him now, you at least give him a chance to smash it in the VFL and come back in to the AFL side by the final H&A round (which I'd say was definitely the reasoning for dropping the five players last week, any of whom could still be in the side in the first week of finals). If you keep playing Varcoe and just crossing your fingers that he comes good, when you finally have no option but to drop him, the horse may have bolted on him being a factor in the AFL side in September.

I do think the 'wide open expanses of Subiaco' is exaggerated to a degree though. Our ground is probably closer to Subi's dimensions than any other ground in the league (5m shorter, 7m narrower).

Of course it is, you're 100% correct. The way some people on here carry on about Subiaco, you'd think it's double the size of the average AFL ground.

But no, we should bring 'the poodle' (so lame) straight back in, even before showing he can get his hands on it in the VFL or prove that his man won't tear shreds off of us again, and again, and again....

After seeing what Monfries did to us, I'd be concerned about our inability to stop smaller forwards like Lecras. Hunt out and Rivers in makes us too tall, and filling the defensive gaps with mids like Bartel and Corey didn't get it done I'm afraid. We were exposed in that regard yesterday.

 

[meto]

As long as West comes in for Walker, I'm happy.

Will be interesting to see what they decide to do with Chappy if he has a good game in the VFL today. Play him as the sub or bring him back against the Swans?

If he does I'd be keeping him away from Varcoe, don't think chappy would be to happy!

 

[FredLeDeux]

He's built up credits over the years, like everyone else (some more, some less). But those credits must surely have been used up by now .

I don't think he has built up credits over the years because, to a far greater degree than any other young Geelong player, he well and truly spent them all long before he earned them. Over his career he has played far more bad games than good.

 

[Claude Balls]

Yes, Varcoe was so far in debt by the time he began his repayments that you could argue not even 2011 wrote it off completely. He's really racking it up now!

 

[FredLeDeux]

2011 barely paid half the accrued interest.

 

[MC Extra Dollop]

I don't know...by the end of 2010, I would have had Varcoe in the top half dozen or so players in our side. He was fantastic in the second half of that year. 2011 was up and down. 2012 was a write-off and 2013 has been hugely disappointing.

Once a player establishes himself in the side, which Varcoe really only did in 2010, I think the slate of 'poor games' they played while finding their way is wiped clean. I don't think you can blame Varcoe for getting consistently picked in 2008/09, when his production may not have warranted such faith. But would he have been the player he was in 2010/11, had he not got that extra 20-30 games under his belt?

Now that he is a veteran of the team and one of our more experienced players, he needs to produce more, or he'll find himself in the VFL. He's had more than enough chances, as far as I'm concerned.

 

[Claude Balls]

2011 barely paid half the accrued interest.

No, it was more like a formerly impoverished student suddenly have a bit of money and making a voluntary payment on their HECS, for which they receive a small discount. But then they stopped working and indexation began to do its thing.

 

[meto]

I cannot believe people on here that for some inexplicable reason, seem to think the Geelong Football Club owes travis varcoe anything,....the whole scenario surrounding him is farcical!
He's so over-hyped it's silly, even on the radio they were hyping his name,...it's like a disease!

 

[Gaz_Brownlow]

We have some issues to deal with and now is last time to get them right.

First and foremost we need to determine our best ruck structure. From what I can gather that is going to have to include West and Vardy given that both are not genuine number 1 options, but rather very strong second ruck options - hopefully this allows us to remain competitive over course of game against better big combinations. Vardy looked good in patches yesterday and when he leaps into some of the center square bounces he can be fantastic - just struggles to do it all by himself, hence we need an experienced West to provide a 50/50 rotation.

The Hawkins dilemma is concerning. Just can't carry this at the moment and I'm not sure what the solution is as T-Bone is central to our entire structure and has the ability to win us games as the focal point. Surely two weeks off would at least put him in the position to get some intensive back treatment and eek out a few finals games at higher capacity? We need him firing.

If Hawk can't get to this level then we do have some cattle to be able to change things around - that may include selecting Rivers as another backline option to allow Lonergan/Taylor more flexibility in moving forward. Josh Walker is also a very valid option as a permanent forward as he has been performing consistently in the VFL and is a presence. Kersten could be the smokey.....he certainly has the body to be a good option as stand alone forward.

We have the big guys, just need to shuffle the deck correctly - and this includes Vardy as a forward option as well.

Of course the other trump card we have in our pocket is playing Chapman one out as a forward. We wanted to do this at the start of the season, but obviously injuries have curtailed this plan. Is a great option to have - hopefully Chappy is able to get up and about today to show he is ready to come back to senior action.

But we need to get this right now; starting with the WCE games.

 

[candiehappy]

one issue seems to be that when we go on a surge out of the back line we are totally exposed on a turn over, especially by the opposing mids & small forwards. It is rarely the opposing power forwards that trouble us. That vulnerability to counter attack is our achilles heel.

do we just back ourselves to win this way every time. It seems to me that we put in so much work early in the game that we are out off run in the last quarter. We keep to the game plan but that is where we are opened up. Do we need a change of plan in the last quarter?

 

[Claude Balls]

I cannot believe people on here that for some inexplicable reason, seem to think the Geelong Football Club owes travis varcoe anything,....the whole scenario surrounding him is farcical!
He's so over-hyped it's silly, even on the radio they were hyping his name,...it's like a disease!

You haven't got it backwards have you? Fred and I were suggesting just the opposite - that Trav was afforded time and opportunity he didn't deserve early, and still hasn't fully repaid the club for it...

 

[candiehappy]

You haven't got it backwards have you? Fred and I were suggesting just the opposite - that Trav was afforded time and opportunity he didn't deserve early, and still hasn't fully repaid the club for it...

Claude - I would throw in a third view. He was afforded time & opportunity, he has repaid it, but has now spent his credits.

 

[FredLeDeux]

You haven't got it backwards have you? Fred and I were suggesting just the opposite - that Trav was afforded time and opportunity he didn't deserve early, and still hasn't fully repaid the club for it...

Welcome to the Vortex.

 

[Pure_Ownage]

As long as West comes in for Walker, I'm happy.

Will be interesting to see what they decide to do with Chappy if he has a good game in the VFL today. Play him as the sub or bring him back against the Swans?

I think another full game in the vfl is preferable rather than just a quarter in Perth. We will see him for the Sydney game I think.

 

[sarah.13]

I think another full game in the vfl is preferable rather than just a quarter in Perth. We will see him for the Sydney game I think.

Agree, 3 Vfl and 2 Afl games should have him cherry ripe for the finals.

 

[Zuta]

CS on the footy show:
Said Vardy is the number 1 ruck at the moment, then throw a blanket over west, blicavs, walker.
Also said Varcoe needs to play to get fitness, although its not out of the realms of possibilities that he could play some VFL if his doesn't improve.
Bill mentioned Guthrie playing well, and Scott said 'yep we like him Bill' so I'd say he is now clearly best 22.

 

[PatrickBateman]

Now that he is a veteran of the team and one of our more experienced players, he needs to produce more, or he'll find himself in the VFL. He's had more than enough chances, as far as I'm concerned.

I wish we could see a pic of him at his physical best and now, he's way, way off it. His pace is purely a thing of the past.

CS was just on the Sunday footy show, claimed that they're persisting with Varcoe along with a bunch of excuses. Obviously it warranted a direct question (from Lloyd), typically, CS blew it off.

A Shame J.Hunt doesn't get the same treatment. Playing great footy all year and still gets dropped. Bartel was made to look like an idiot by Monfries, as were the coaches. Genuine bias. If this stupidity ruins our year, I'm really gonna be pissed. I know T.Hunt will get back too... We can't carry the 'the two chumps' (Varcoe & T.Hunt) at once.

 

[magic_johnson!]

Interesting inverview with Walker on the cats site; pods the interviewer seems to heavily imply his inclusion next week

 

[Gaz_Brownlow]

CS on the footy show:
Said Vardy is the number 1 ruck at the moment, then throw a blanket over west, blicavs, walker.
Also said Varcoe needs to play to get fitness, although its not out of the realms of possibilities that he could play some VFL if his doesn't improve.
Bill mentioned Guthrie playing well, and Scott said 'yep we like him Bill' so I'd say he is now clearly best 22.

I think we just have to go with Vardy and West.....if Vardy is our first choice ruck, and he isn't that bad, he is still not capable of rucking as number 1 for whole game and needs an experienced ruck in West to carry the load.

Its nor our best modus operandi as that would include Simpson, but it does give us some flexibility as Vardy can obviously push forward for greater periods.

I love Josh Walker, but he is not viable in the ruck, if he plays he plays as a forward.

Sent from my HTC One XL using Tapatalk 2

 

[meto]

You haven't got it backwards have you? Fred and I were suggesting just the opposite - that Trav was afforded time and opportunity he didn't deserve early, and still hasn't fully repaid the club for it...

No I was in agreement!....what else could one be????

People that try to suggest an excuse for Varcoes selection that he's needs to play to gain fitness is so pathetic and irrational!.....most people understand that's what training's all about!
He's had around 2 months of training prior to,..and now 5 games on!....he's not going to get any fitter, sorry it won't happen....... It's just not valid!

 

[Claude Balls]

Interesting inverview with Walker on the cats site; pods the interviewer seems to heavily imply his inclusion next week

Pods on the match committee? Hmm...

 

[meto]

Pods on the match committee? Hmm...

I reckon Pods appreciates the 3rd tall, one on one he's very hard to beat, so I think he's hoping.
Especially if Hawkins is down as well.

 

[PatrickBateman]

So... Lecras has kicked 5 goals 2 and the game isn't done yet.

Are we going to be stupid again, stock our defence with talls and play a midfielder on him like Bartel on Monfries?

 

[Zuta]

West Coast winning today means they will be up for this game, their season is still alive!

 

[bulletproof]

Eagles finding some form and playing for lives, this is going to be a really tricky visit out West.

With Cox the major danger, we need some cover in the ruck, so I think West comes back in.

I would leave out Hawkins, with the big ground and long flight not ideal.

Walker and Pods up forward, with Vardy providing another option when resting from ruck duties.

Josh Hunt might need to return, unless we have a better option for LeCras (I just had a pang of sadness thinking that Scarlett could probably do the job).

Stringer and Varcoe right in the firing line, though with Duncan, missing Varcoe probably gets another (last) chance.

We are going to need multiple goals from Christensen, Motlop, Johnson and Stokes.

Big temptation to play Chapman.