Preview AFL Round 4 - Geelong v North Melbourne, Simonds Stadium, 3:20PM Sunday 26 April

[Cataholic]

It must be the 8-years of following such a quality footy side but this has to be the most enjoyable opposition board to have a pre-game chat on!

Anyway, so much up in the air this week with injuries, availability etc. Both teams will be far from full strength which is a real shame, but perhaps we'll see some young players show their worth.

Our midfield got destroyed against Port Adelaide, Swallow was good but Cunnington had a rare off night and we really struggled for other options at the clearance, our half backs kept us in it. Really felt the loss of Greenwood on Saturday with Ziebell going down earlier and both Dal Santo and Wells missing. While Ziebell and Wells will be tested later this week I can't see Ziebell playing after spending 2 nights in hospital, wells maybe.

We don't have a bonafide tagger, so not sure what we can do with Selwood. I wouldn't mind Gibson going to him but we lose the outside run he provides. Bastinac isn't strong enough and Swallow/Cunnington would only be a H2H.

Up forward Brown is becoming close to our best forward, remarkable that the young lad has only played 13 games but he hasn't played a bad game yet. Waite and Petrie are so hit and miss, they'll kick none or a bag, hard to know. Decent defenders do hold them though.

I'm at a loss at how we will structure up this week, don't expect too many personnel changes from the Port game unless Ziebell misses, then we'll probably debut Dumont.

Posts like this from opposition supporters help build the quality of this board, so well done to posters like you.

It seems most likely that 3 of our older players will be out with injury, so we'll be fielding quite a young, inexperienced side, while you guys have more than a few changes too.

Will make for a very interesting game I reckon, and both sides will get a good glimpse of the future.

All the best for a great game, and wishing for no injuries.

 

[00VicWard001]

God I hope not........we've been near the bottom end of the table of clearances and stoppages for a couple of years now.

I think it has to be won with ball efficiency, not over using the footy and good decision making going inside 50.

I'm worried about the run and spread game of North Melbourne.......the last couple of times we've played them I've been frustrated by how easily they chipped the ball around and got so many uncontested possesions

What I mean is that our midfield need to be competitive and run hard like they did in Q3 and Q4 last week. They were manic and were willing to hunt the other team to cause turnovers or errors.

I don't expect the team to win clearances and stoppages with Goldstein around, however, I expect that they will look to cause turnovers or shark his taps.

 

[Frappe]

What I mean is that our midfield need to be competitive and run hard like they did in Q3 and Q4 last week. They were manic and were willing to hunt the other team to cause turnovers or errors.

I don't expect the team to win clearances and stoppages with Goldstein around, however, I expect that they will look to cause turnovers or shark his taps.

Replicate this and we're a massive chance. Especially the hard running - I haven't seen that for awhile. I was watching the last 15min on telly last night and when Motlop took the mark inside 50 that led to him kicking the goal, he had 2-3 options running into the 50 unmarked to kick to if he wanted to do so.

 

[ArjenTheGreat]

This is known as "Scottaganda".

Brilliant.... our board will eat this up.

 

[iameviljez]

Waite and Petrie are so hit and miss, they'll kick none or a bag, hard to know. Decent defenders do hold them though.

Reminds me a bit of when we had Billy in the goalsquare - had buckets for hands, could leap tall defenders in a single bound and kick it a country mile, and was about as reliable as an Alfa Romeo. In his defence, he would have probably been a far better player had he not been shoved aside for one G Ablett.

 

[Partridge]

Reminds me a bit of when we had Billy in the goalsquare - had buckets for hands, could leap tall defenders in a single bound and kick it a country mile, and was about as reliable as an Alfa Romeo. In his defence, he would have probably been a far better player had he not been shoved aside for one G Ablett.

He had plenty of chances, more than enough, to become a superstar. That he didn't was far more due to his lack of dedication and discipline. The first year Ablett was earmarked as a full-forward was 1993 - which meant Brownless had 7 full seasons to make that spot his own.

His legacy is a good player who was occasionally very good. He could have been much better.

 

[Tas]

Talk about the walking wounded game, probably fitting it is the day after ANZAC day.

Our best 22 players who are out injured, or recovering from injury:
Adams
Black
Dal Santo
Grima
Hansen
MacMillan
Mullett
Wells
Ziebell

Geelong's list probably just as bad. It is a real depth tester.

 

[iameviljez]

He had plenty of chances, more than enough, to become a superstar. That he didn't was far more due to his lack of dedication and discipline. The first year Ablett was earmarked as a full-forward was 1993 - which meant Brownless had 7 full seasons to make that spot his own.

His legacy is a good player who was occasionally very good. He could have been much better.

I did find it interesting that in the 1989 The Final Story Billy told a tale about him and a ginger CHF who shall remain nameless being out on the turps until early dawn on the Monday before the GF. You can't imagine that happening nowadays (see: Motlop), and it doesn't hold up too well that both Stoneham and Billy had very quiet games in the GF.

 

[sauron256]

http://www.geelongcats.com.au/news/2015-04-22/stokes-sidelined-for-short-time

Stokesy to miss "at least one match." No significant damage.

Decision on Lonergan later in the week.

 

[Footy Smarts]

Talk about the walking wounded game, probably fitting it is the day after ANZAC day.

Our best 22 players who are out injured, or recovering from injury:
Adams
Black
Dal Santo
Grima
Hansen
MacMillan
Mullett
Wells
Ziebell

Geelong's list probably just as bad. It is a real depth tester.

Yep both teams hurt by injuries. It looks like we'll be missing Mackie, Stokes, Bartel, Hawkins and Lonergan.

North Melbourne's just in a much better spot to cover outs than we are and a few of those names are only really fringe players whereas that's probably 5 of our best 10 players. Just as a comparison North Melbourne has 28 players on their list with 40 or more games experience whereas Geelong only has 20. When you guys lose half a dozen best 22 players you can replace them with guys who've played a couple of seasons of AFL whereas we're relying on teenagers and sub-20 game players.

 

[Bobby_]

I can't believe Lonergan is going to still be in the mix. Should have a good 2 weeks off (uproar about this in American sports atm).

Bring in Kolodjashnij.

 

[Winter]

Yep both teams hurt by injuries. It looks like we'll be missing Mackie, Stokes, Bartel, Hawkins and Lonergan.

North Melbourne's just in a much better spot to cover outs than we are and a few of those names are only really fringe players whereas that's probably 5 of our best 10 players. Just as a comparison North Melbourne has 28 players on their list with 40 or more games experience whereas Geelong only has 20. When you guys lose half a dozen best 22 players you can replace them with guys who've played a couple of seasons of AFL whereas we're relying on teenagers and sub-20 game players.

Fair comments, we are really missing Hansen down back though, by far our weakest line and his third up contested marking was outstanding before the hip injuries. Wells & Dal Santo are pretty tough replacements too, we don't have many A-grade ball users.

Really feeling for Hawkins on a personal level. In terms of football he is by far the biggest out from both sides, best FF going around.

 

[Footy Smarts]

Fair comments, we are really missing Hansen down back though, by far our weakest line and his third up contested marking was outstanding before the hip injuries. Wells & Dal Santo are pretty tough replacements too, we don't have many A-grade ball users.

Really feeling for Hawkins on a personal level. In terms of football he is by far the biggest out from both sides, best FF going around.

Don't get me wrong I'm not saying your players out are spuds or anything like that. Wells, Dal Santo and Hansen are all very good footballers. It's just that the experience of the replacements makes it harder for Geelong than North right now.

I mean if we lose Stokes, Bartel and Lonergan and go with the most experienced of the realistic replacements we'd be bringing in Rivers, Smedts and Horlin-Smith. By my calculation that'll give us an average age of about 24 years and 8 months and an average games played of just under 90. I don't know what changes you guys are making but last week you had an average age of 26 years and 4 months and an average games played of 116.

Experience isn't everything but history suggests that teams giving up that much maturity and experience rarely win. Certainly not when the team make-up is skewed hugely towards aging stars and inexperienced kids.

 

[Teriyakicat]

I did find it interesting that in the 1989 The Final Story Billy told a tale about him and a ginger CHF who shall remain nameless being out on the turps until early dawn on the Monday before the GF. You can't imagine that happening nowadays (see: Motlop), and it doesn't hold up too well that both Stoneham and Billy had very quiet games in the GF.

It's hearing stuff like that that really makes you , isn't it?!

 

[Teriyakicat]

http://www.geelongcats.com.au/news/2015-04-22/stokes-sidelined-for-short-time

Stokesy to miss "at least one match." No significant damage.

Decision on Lonergan later in the week.

That's good news about Stokes, though 'at least one match' could blow out to 4 games, couldn't it?

What I'd hate to see is him getting rushed back and having a quiet season, much like what happened to him after his ankle injury last year (not that I know if he was rushed back in that case). He got 5 Brownlow votes in the 2 weeks before injuring his ankle and just didn't seem quite the same after his return, despite having 3 weeks off.

 

[Daniel McL]

What I would do:

Out - Bartel (inj), Stokes (inj), Lonergan (inj) & Murdoch.
In - Gore/GHS, Smedts, Kolodjashnij & Blease.

With Thurlow much better at that attacking half back position, move Smedts to Forward line where he can use his evasiveness & goal sense for us as well as pressuring opposition defenders when they have the ball.

Gore/GHS in to help in midfield with Jimmy going down of course. GHS has the experience but Gore has the pace & bigger bulk already. I would be going Gore simply because I prefer his pace, his fitness is great already, and perhaps will give us more outside run than a GHS would.

Kolodjashnij to debut because he has to sooner or later. No point bringing him in against an easier team as harder teams will be great experience for him. If his opponent kicks 1-2 goals I would be absolutely fine with that as long as he plays his role. Let guys like Thurlow do more attacking out of the back half & be more like Bews just shutting down their opponent.

Murdoch never should have come back in for his first game in the seniors. Form has been horrible since last years final series. Blease has the form, and seems to use his pace to pressure a bit more than Murdoch does. MC might keep Murdoch in because of what he did last time against North during the H&A season with his pace, though I would prefer Blease doing it as he gets more of the ball it seems.

Smokie - Menzel. Who needs to come back to the VFL after not playing AFL since 2011 pfft

 

[Grimoz]

Blease had 21 touches, 9 tackles and 8 clearances in the VFL, get him in and give us some run, can imagine him burning it up along side Gregson and Cocky.

 

[sauron256]

What I would do:

Out - Bartel (inj), Stokes (inj), Lonergan (inj) & Murdoch.
In - Gore/GHS, Smedts, Kolodjashnij & Blease.

With Thurlow much better at that attacking half back position, move Smedts to Forward line where he can use his evasiveness & goal sense for us as well as pressuring opposition defenders when they have the ball.

Gore/GHS in to help in midfield with Jimmy going down of course. GHS has the experience but Gore has the pace & bigger bulk already. I would be going Gore simply because I prefer his pace, his fitness is great already, and perhaps will give us more outside run than a GHS would.

Kolodjashnij to debut because he has to sooner or later. No point bringing him in against an easier team as harder teams will be great experience for him. If his opponent kicks 1-2 goals I would be absolutely fine with that as long as he plays his role. Let guys like Thurlow do more attacking out of the back half & be more like Bews just shutting down their opponent.

Murdoch never should have come back in for his first game in the seniors. Form has been horrible since last years final series. Blease has the form, and seems to use his pace to pressure a bit more than Murdoch does. MC might keep Murdoch in because of what he did last time against North during the H&A season with his pace, though I would prefer Blease doing it as he gets more of the ball it seems.

Smokie - Menzel. Who needs to come back to the VFL after not playing AFL since 2011 pfft

While I like the look of it, I reckon GHS will be ahead of Gore, and Rivers will be ahead of Kolo. I can't see us going with two new debutants this weekend, given so many inexperience already in the side and so much experience going out.

Menzel's still on the medium term injury list

 

[Footy Smarts]

What I would do:

Out - Bartel (inj), Stokes (inj), Lonergan (inj) & Murdoch.
In - Gore/GHS, Smedts, Kolodjashnij & Blease.

If you choose Gore over GHS that would leave us with 5 players with under 5 games experience (Gore, Kolo, Lang, Gregson, Cockatoo), another 3 with under 20 games (Walker, Thurlow, Bews) and another 3 players who've just come to the club (Blease, Clark and Stanley).

That's half the team who've either barely played AFL or barely played AFL with this group. For mine that's just too much inexperience to be competitive which is why I think Rivers should play ahead of Kolo and probably GHS ahead of Gore.

 

[catempire]

Talk about the walking wounded game, probably fitting it is the day after ANZAC day.

Our best 22 players who are out injured, or recovering from injury:
Adams
Black
Dal Santo
Grima
Hansen
MacMillan
Mullett
Wells
Ziebell

Geelong's list probably just as bad. It is a real depth tester.

Who are the nine from this week's 22 that would come out?

 

[catempire]

I can't believe Lonergan is going to still be in the mix. Should have a good 2 weeks off (uproar about this in American sports atm).

Bring in Kolodjashnij.

It's ducks and drakes. He won't play. Just like Bartel last week who was passed fit to play but they held back anyway.

 

[Grimoz]

It's ducks and drakes. He won't play. Just like Bartel last week who was passed fit to play but they held back anyway.

Think Lonergan has a history as well so that will probably come into play since that's usually what happens.

 

[Lana]

Who are the nine from this week's 22 that would come out?

Exactly, half of those players are like a Carlton supporter pointing to the absence of Armfield, as if his out is a loss.

 

[Bobby_]

It's ducks and drakes. He won't play. Just like Bartel last week who was passed fit to play but they held back anyway.

sure hope so because Lonergan may have copped just as many concussions as what Bartel has over the journey.

 

[catempire]

Exactly, half of those players are like a Carlton supporter pointing to the absence of Armfield, as if his out is a loss.

I wasn't going to be so blunt, but thanks.