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

[Footy Smarts]

FB: Bews - Kolo - Enright
HB: Thurlow - Taylor - Guthrie
C: Duncan - Selwood - Motlop
HF: Johnson - Clarke - Gregson
FF: Cockatoo - Hawkins - Lang
R: Stanley - Selwood - Blicavs
B: Walker - Smedts - GHS (Gore)

I've probably Forgotten someone.

Kelly?

 

[catempire]

Can't see us getting within five goals.

Completely honestly.

Can't like the post, but can't disagree either.

 

[Tackle_happy]

Kolo will get smashed by NM's tall forwards.
Not the game for him to debut IMO.
I am all for rewarding great VFL performances, but not to completely shatter the blokes confidence.

If he gets in the best week in week out ... then it should not matter who he comes up against. He deserves an opportunity.

If we look back at Scarlett and who he came up against when he first started (Lloyd in hs prime for example) then the MC need to weigh up whether that is going to be of long term benefit to the team as a whole and Kolo as an individual and potentially very good senior player.

For me Blease, Gore, Kolo, Rivers should be the ones being considered. I'm sure Smedts and GHS will be in the mix too. Not fussed by Smedts ... I think he is adjusting. GHS ... just dont' see it.

Hoping Hawkins just takes his time and does what he needs to do to get through. I'm sure if he does play then adustments need to be made, and I'm hoping Walker does not get pushed aside if that happens, but we may get a little too top heavy.

 

[Teriyakicat]

Hard to disagree. And if the numbers we put up last week on I50, clearance and contested possession differentials are replicated (difficult circumstances during that game notwithstanding), we will probably get trounced by more than five goals in my view.

I'll also be surprised if "the damage" isn't done in some short, sharp stint somewhere along the way where we concede a stack of goals unanswered in less than half a quarter of footy.

Seems to be our game style these days.

Despite my dire prognostications, I'm hoping to be very pleasantly surprised instead.

Although the evidence supporting the case for the contrary positive viewpoint about our chances is pretty limited, to say the least.

Pick a quarter, goyoucatters Third quarter? Second quarter? I'll say mid-third Q.

 

[Teriyakicat]

Really? I wear one all the time. I guess I'm the weirdo then.

If you're really worried (I've done this before) you can always cut head and arm holes out of garbage bags. Works pretty well, then if there are no ponchos at the ground atleast you have a back up.

I think you'd be crazy living in Melb/Geelong and not having a raincoat.
Here in Perth, we can get away without one- because everyone drives everywhere and I don't think we don't get as many wet days.

 

[fpm84]

I keep thinking back to when the Swans broke our run of home wins in 2011, driven by the emotion of the tragic passing of Jarrad McVeigh's baby daughter.

It would have been a hugely emotional week at the club this week. Hawkins is such a popular figure among his teammates and it seems like a huge GFC contingency was at the funeral yesterday.

North's team on paper probably shades ours for talent especially with our experienced ours, but I am expecting a huge four quarter with or without Hawkins on the field.

 

[goyoucatters]

Pick a quarter, goyoucatters Third quarter? Second quarter? I'll say mid-third Q.

Given last time we played the Roos it was straight out of the blocks, I think we will mix it up and probably wait until the second and third quarters to throw in our SNS (shockingly non-competitive stint) this time around. Really hope we just give it a miss completely this week.

In fact, I think if we can make it to three-quarter time without conceding a barrelful in one fell swoop, we have a fair chance to finish off and win this one. Kangas won't easily forget how we reeled them in last time and the last-quarter effort on Sunday was heartening.

But still being 'in it' at the last change is the big challenge for me.

 

[Only Forwards]

wow.. Hats off to the Roo Boy posters. You guys are alright...
Best pre game discussion with opposition supporters I have seen on here in quite some time.

You guys play the tiggers next week, they run a pre-game banter thread on their board which was a lotta fun prior to our nab cup game.

Must say it is somewhat rare to venture onto opposition board and not get a whole lot of fist shaking and "you're not from around here are you boy" type responses.

 

[Teriyakicat]

Given last time we played the Roos it was straight out of the blocks, I think we will mix it up and probably wait until the second and third quarters to throw in our SNS (shockingly non-competitive stint) this week. Really hope we just give it a miss completely this week.

In fact, I think if we can make it to three-quarter time without conceding a barrelful in one fell swoop, we have a fair chance to finish off and win this one. Kangas won't easily forget how we reeled them in last time and the last-quarter effort on Sunday was heartening.

Still being 'in it' at the last change is the big challenge for me.

I'm thinking that the way the boys played late last week would've taken a lot out of them- it rained late, didn't it, too?
We had only 78 or something interchanges. It's going to be tough backing up again after that but at least they have a 7 day break.
I wouldn't be surprised to see a) North belt out a few goals early and b) a couple of our young blokes having a rest.
We seem to have the forward line covered adequately for now (smalls and talls) but there are big gaps in the midfield and backline, with Lonners, Mackie, Stokes Jimmy all gone- that's 820-odd games of experience missing.

If Tom doesn't play this week, his 150th game will be played against the Pies a the G in 2 weeks time.

 

[Teriyakicat]

You guys play the tiggers next week, they run a pre-game banter thread on their board which was a lotta fun prior to our nab cup game.

Must say it is somewhat rare to venture onto opposition board and not get a whole lot of fist shaking and "you're not from around here are you boy" type responses.

You're not from around here, are you boy?? What do you think you're doing?!!
(oops. forgot to shake my fist!)

lol
just kidding Yeah, most posters here are very relaxed about opposition posters joining in the discussion. Some can get a bit touchy after a loss, though

 

[Footy Smarts]

Can't see us getting within five goals.

Completely honestly.

Can't like the post, but can't disagree either.

Yep. I haven't felt this pessimistic about a Geelong game in a long, long time.

 

[TheJimmyCartel]

What I'd like to see.

FB: Bews - Kolo - Enright
HB: Thurlow - Taylor - Guthrie
C: Duncan - Selwood - Motlop
HF: Johnson - Clarke - Gregson
FF: Cockatoo - Hawkins - Lang
R: Stanley - Selwood - Blicavs
B: Walker - Smedts - GHS (Gore)

I've probably Forgotten someone.

If Hawkins doesn't get up, then we should have small reshuffle, and bring gore into the starting 22, with Blease as the Sub.

If that happens though I would probably pick rivers over Kolo, just so we're not starting with 2 first gamers.

Caddy/Kelly. Replacing Smedts/GHS.

Will be interesting to see if they run with Blitz as a pure midfielder this week, esecially with Domsy likely out?

 

[catempire]

Yep. I haven't felt this pessimistic about a Geelong game in a long, long time.

Unfortunately, it has only been a couple of weeks for me.

 

[fpm84]

Yep. I haven't felt this pessimistic about a Geelong game in a long, long time.

You were confident going into the Freo game?!?

 

[manboob]

 

[4quarter_cat]

Kelly?

Thanks FS and TJC knew it didn't feel quite right.

Update on what I want to see.

FB: Bews - Kolo - Enright
HB: Thurlow - Taylor - Guthrie
C: Duncan - Selwood - Motlop
HF: Johnson - Clarke - Gregson
FF: Cockatoo - Hawkins - Lang
R: Stanley - Selwood - Blicavs
B: Walker - Caddy - Kelly (Gore/GHS/Smedts)

I've probably Forgotten someone.

 

[manboob]

I like that - I'd keep Smedts out in favour of Gore but that's just my opinion. Kelly killed it last week he goes nowhere.

 

[4quarter_cat]

I like that - I'd keep Smedts out in favour of for that's just my opinion. Kelly killed it last week he goes nowhere.

Yeah I didn't mean to leave Kelly or Caddy out. It feels alot stronger looking at that now.

 

[catempire]

From the Addy. Hawk will be named tonight and it will be his call:

Scott said it would be Hawkins’ decision whether he played on Sunday.

“Virtually all Tom, the only thing we need to be clear with Tom about is he understands it is completely his decision and he doesn’t owe us anything in terms of playing this weekend,” Scott said.

“If Tom decides to play, he’ll have our full support but if there’s any doubt there I think we’ll push him to take another week.”

Josh Walker, who kicked four goals last week, is set to keep his place in the Cats’ squad.

Geelong could wheel out its latest debutant, with defender Jake Kolodjashnij set to be included in the extended team after strong VFL form.

Mathew Stokes is set to miss, although Scott could not categorically rule him out.​

 

[4quarter_cat]

Thanks CE,

I think he'll play, if it were me I'd want to play. Of course only Tom knows how he really feels though.

 

[xtatik222k]

If it were me, I'd want to be around my mates doing what I love / am good at. That's just me though, and Hawkins won't be getting any critical thoughts from me if he doesn't want to play.

 

[catempire]

So squad might look like:

In: Hawkins, Kolo, Rivers, Gore, Blease
Out: Bartel, Stokes

With calls to be made on Hawk and Lonergan in next couple of days.

 

[TheJimmyCartel]

So squad might look like:

In: Hawkins, Kolo, Rivers, Gore, Blease
Out: Bartel, Stokes

With calls to be made on Hawk and Lonergan in next couple of days.

Can't see Domsy playing, especially seeing how cautious they were with Jimmy and they were saying he pulled up really well a day or two after the game.

Considering Domsy said he was sluggish for a few days until today in that article, I'd give him about 10% chance of playing. I'd rather Kolo get a gig anyway, can't see us winning so I'd go for blooding another youngster. Keep rolling the conveyer belt of youth around!

 

[Footy Smarts]

You were confident going into the Freo game?!?

They're a very good team and our bogey side so going into that game thinking it would be tough but we might pinch it wasn't unusual. Going in this week against a side I don't rate that highly and feeling like we're really long odds just feels weird.

 

[bulletproof]

Not normally one to be positive, but I guess we did nearly beat them last year in the final, in what was a truly awful performance.

Our home ground is still worth a few goals, and their midfield looks a little vulnerable minus a few players from that game.

I am not nearly as pessimistic as I was going into Freo and Hawthorn games. I don't think North are a top 4 side like those two. North favorites, but if Hawkins plays I think 50-50.