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

[Vdubs]

I don't.

Give me something pls Fred. Not a single reply. I didn't use the word to start with- was CE.

 

[Augustine]

I'd be very shocked if Ziebell plays, it's a long season why would you rush him back and risk him not being 100%, it's the same reason we rested Bartel (though Ironically had he played last week, he wouldn't be out for the next couple of months).

What's wrong with Wells and is there any chance he'll miss this week?

After Sunday, I'm a lot more confident that between Stanley in the ruck and Blicavs being third man up we can be competitive in the middle. But you should still beat us there.

Stokes hasn't be right since he injured his ankle, he isn't half the player he was before it. I'm sure your thinking of the game he came on as a super sub and had 16 touches after entering in the 3Q.

Given that you play a 3 tall forwardline, Petrie-Brown-Waite , Lonergan is a bigger loss(with Mackie already out) and Blicavs performance when moved in the middle in the second half, we might be undersized. I don't like the sound of Thurlow/Enright/Guthrie ( I honestly don't know who our third tall would be) playing on Brown.

Is there any chance that Black might play? Who are your KPDs at the moment.

KPDs: Grima's gone, Hansen will come back via the VFL it seems. So its Scott Thompson and one or both of Robbie Tarrant (is big and strong but also exceptionally mobile, played one AFL game in defence for his career) or Joel Tippett (would be the guy likeliest to play on Hawkins in my opinion, played like 8 games of AFL ever). Then there's Michael Firrito who can play on a tall if need be but I hope he doesn't. So all in all pretty vulnerable back there outside of Thompson.

So it might look something like Tippett or Tarrant on Hawkins (assuming he plays), Thompson on Clark, Firrito on Stanley or Blicavs if either goes forward. All in all its a bit scary for us back there.

Wells let's wait and see. He has soreness around his achilles. The club is scared from Swallow doing his so is playing it safe. Its really disappointing he was looking so good in preseason. Black won't play, he's been overtaken by a young player called Mason Wood who's shown some good signs. I still back Black in the longterm though.

How will you guys likely match up on Waite, Petrie and Black?

The danger men for you are Motlop and Johnson and for us Boomer and Higgins. Wouldn't want one of these guys getting off the chain.

 

[Augustine]

Yeah Stokes won't be playing this week Augustine

Who will you guys play on Selwood ya reckon?

A bit up in the air without knowing if Wells and Ziebell are in its hard to know how we'll set up at stoppages. I'd love us to give Selwood the hard tag but I think he'll just end up head to head with Swallow or something.

 

[Footy Smarts]

I think we are onto a good thing with Walker as a KPF and moving him back wouldn't be good for his development. If we decide that we must have a third tall and can't play Blicavs down back I'd rather we play Kolodjashnij then move Walker back.

I don't think Tarrant played in the final last year(he's quite injury prone)

Yep leave Walker where he is. Mitch Clark is just such a natural footballer at all facets of the game that I reckon you could play him just about anywhere with the right fitness base. We've been asking for big bodied midfielders for ages. What about a centre square combo with all 3 of Stanley, Blicavs and Clark?

 

[Vdubs]

KPDs: Grima's gone, Hansen will come back via the VFL it seems. So its Scott Thompson and one or both of Robbie Tarrant (is big and strong but also exceptionally mobile, played one AFL game in defence for his career) or Joel Tippett (would be the guy likeliest to play on Hawkins in my opinion, played like 8 games of AFL ever). Then there's Michael Firrito who can play on a tall if need be but I hope he doesn't. So all in all pretty vulnerable back there outside of Thompson.

So it might look something like Tippett or Tarrant on Hawkins (assuming he plays), Thompson on Clark, Firrito on Stanley or Blicavs if either goes forward. All in all its a bit scary for us back there.

Wells let's wait and see. He has soreness around his achilles. The club is scared from Swallow doing his so is playing it safe. Its really disappointing he was looking so good in preseason. Black won't play, he's been overtaken by a young player called Mason Wood who's shown some good signs. I still back Black in the longterm though.

How will you guys likely match up on Waite, Petrie and Black?

The danger men for you are Motlop and Johnson and for us Boomer and Higgins. Wouldn't want one of these guys getting off the chain.

Thomas has a great time against us- hope Bews can handle him.

 

[Augustine]

Yep leave Walker where he is. Mitch Clark is just such a natural footballer at all facets of the game that I reckon you could play him just about anywhere with the right fitness base. We've been asking for big bodied midfielders for ages. What about a centre square combo with all 3 of Stanley, Blicavs and Clark?

Now that would be revolutionary.

 

[Vdubs]

Yep leave Walker where he is. Mitch Clark is just such a natural footballer at all facets of the game that I reckon you could play him just about anywhere with the right fitness base. We've been asking for big bodied midfielders for ages. What about a centre square combo with all 3 of Stanley, Blicavs and Clark?

Big. Very big.

 

[Stan The Caddy]

Given that you play a 3 tall forwardline, Petrie-Brown-Waite , Lonergan is a bigger loss(with Mackie already out) and Blicavs performance when moved in the middle in the second half, we might be undersized. I don't like the sound of Thurlow/Enright/Guthrie ( I honestly don't know who our third tall would be) playing on Brown.

Taylor, Rivers and Kolo sounds good to me. Do it Scotty!

 

[Augustine]

Thomas has a great time against us- hope Bews can handle him.

That's another key matchup. Thomas is in great form right now, you need to cut him out of the game completely.

 

[Teriyakicat]

Give me something pls Fred. Not a single reply. I didn't use the word to start with- was CE.

Sorry- the grammar queens are all busy just now, vdubs.
I believe the correct pronunciation is 'am' as in 'Vietnam'... Though if you pronounce that 'VietnaRm', we could be in trouble here

I thought we sorted out 'enamoured' months ago?

 

[Vdubs]

Sorry- the grammar queens are all busy just now, vdubs.
I believe the correct pronunciation is 'am' as in 'Vietnam'... Though if you pronounce that 'VietnaRm', we could be in trouble here

I thought we sorted out 'enamoured' months ago?

He read your reply, which I agreed with, but wanted a larger sample.

 

[Teriyakicat]

KPDs: Grima's gone, Hansen will come back via the VFL it seems. So its Scott Thompson and one or both of Robbie Tarrant (is big and strong but also exceptionally mobile, played one AFL game in defence for his career) or Joel Tippett (would be the guy likeliest to play on Hawkins in my opinion, played like 8 games of AFL ever). Then there's Michael Firrito who can play on a tall if need be but I hope he doesn't. So all in all pretty vulnerable back there outside of Thompson.

So it might look something like Tippett or Tarrant on Hawkins (assuming he plays), Thompson on Clark, Firrito on Stanley or Blicavs if either goes forward. All in all its a bit scary for us back there.

Wells let's wait and see. He has soreness around his achilles. The club is scared from Swallow doing his so is playing it safe. Its really disappointing he was looking so good in preseason. Black won't play, he's been overtaken by a young player called Mason Wood who's shown some good signs. I still back Black in the longterm though.

How will you guys likely match up on Waite, Petrie and Black?

The danger men for you are Motlop and Johnson and for us Boomer and Higgins. Wouldn't want one of these guys getting off the chain.

Boomer always gets off the chain against us. It usually takes us a bout 3 quarters to think of a plan to nullify him

I reckon Hawkins won't play. Just my opinion but I understand that he missed a bit of training last week- understandable, of course- and I'd say with his Mum's funeral up in NSW, he might miss a bit more training this week, too. Still, as I said, it's just my opinion and he could very well be doing his own training elsewhere and manage a couple of sessions at Geelong late in the week, should he wish to, then play on the weekend.

 

[Teriyakicat]

He read your reply, which I agreed with, but wanted a larger sample.

Darnit. So 2x my answer isn't enough? Could I point you toward the pronunciation in the dictionary? The Oxford? The Mac-whatsit? The Webster?

 

[Lana]

KPDs: Grima's gone, Hansen will come back via the VFL it seems. So its Scott Thompson and one or both of Robbie Tarrant (is big and strong but also exceptionally mobile, played one AFL game in defence for his career) or Joel Tippett (would be the guy likeliest to play on Hawkins in my opinion, played like 8 games of AFL ever). Then there's Michael Firrito who can play on a tall if need be but I hope he doesn't. So all in all pretty vulnerable back there outside of Thompson.

So it might look something like Tippett or Tarrant on Hawkins (assuming he plays), Thompson on Clark, Firrito on Stanley or Blicavs if either goes forward. All in all its a bit scary for us back there.

Wells let's wait and see. He has soreness around his achilles. The club is scared from Swallow doing his so is playing it safe. Its really disappointing he was looking so good in preseason. Black won't play, he's been overtaken by a young player called Mason Wood who's shown some good signs. I still back Black in the longterm though.

How will you guys likely match up on Waite, Petrie and Black?

The danger men for you are Motlop and Johnson and for us Boomer and Higgins. Wouldn't want one of these guys getting off the chain.

Is there any reason why you wouldn't send Thompson to Hawkins? Though I'm doubtful that he'll play.

I'd send Taylor to Waite, Blicavs(if back) to Petrie and Rivers on Brown. If Blicavs isn't back then Rivers to Petrie and Thurlow to Brown(Think of Thurlow as a younger mackie, I don't like this matchup) Based on this I'd be surprised if Blicavs at the very least doesn't start back.

Blicavs doesn't generally rest forward(when he was a ruck he's a KPD for now, though this could change if you listen to Scott's post match press conference)
Stanley is our number 1 ruck, he'll be spending next to zero time as a forward.

Without Hawkins, it's just the two KPFs, Clark and Walker. I don't think that Firrito will have to play tall, actually you might be a little too tall in defense with the 3 KPDs and Firrito. Hopefully it's something we can exploit.

I hope we send Guthrie to Harvey, I think we sent him to Gibson in the final. If you had your whole team in you're quite scary on the outside(at least on paper)

Johnson like Stokes is NQR but Motlop's been in good form this year, he sets up a lot of our counter attacks using the Johnson's school of asspulls.

 

[Lana]

Yep leave Walker where he is. Mitch Clark is just such a natural footballer at all facets of the game that I reckon you could play him just about anywhere with the right fitness base. We've been asking for big bodied midfielders for ages. What about a centre square combo with all 3 of Stanley, Blicavs and Clark?

Did you see that snap from the stoppage in the third quarter? Probably a sign of things to come. What we could do is launch a flying V with Selwood being protected by Stanley, Blicavs and Clark. We need to ensure that his face isn't ruined so that he can fulfill his dream of becoming a model.

 

[Bobby_]

That's another key matchup. Thomas is in great form right now, you need to cut him out of the game completely.

won't matter what your forwards/defenders can and can't do. It will be your midfield that completely smacks us good and proper.
Gibson, Cunnington and Swallow will have 30+, and when they look to be finally tiring, it will be the next wave of Bastinac, Higgins and Harvey who finish us off.

Unless Guthrie, Duncan and Caddy can pull their finger out, we have arguably the most pitiful midfield in the entire competition right now.

 

[Stan The Caddy]

Sam Blease seems to be getting pumped up on the Geelong website so I'd say that he's a good chance to come into the team.

This is known as "Scottaganda".

 

[Biggy_Boy]

won't matter what your forwards/defenders can and can't do. It will be your midfield that completely smacks us good and proper.
Gibson, Cunnington and Swallow will have 30+, and when they look to be finally tiring, it will be the next wave of Bastinac, Higgins and Harvey who finish us off.

Unless Guthrie, Duncan and Caddy cab pull their finger out, we have arguably the most pitiful midfield in the entire competition right now.

The first half against GC was shocking. The ease with which Gold Coast won the ball from the center and then got it inside 50 was just staggering. They were allowed so much time and space, and so little pressure was applied. Looked like we came off worse in terms of pace in every midfield match up. If they are that uncompetitive against North, it's scary to think how much the margin will blow out.

 

[Footy Smarts]

Did you see that snap from the stoppage in the third quarter? Probably a sign of things to come. What we could do is launch a flying V with Selwood being protected by Stanley, Blicavs and Clark. We need to ensure that his face isn't ruined so that he can fulfill his dream of becoming a model.

Don't worry he'll go to the Nathan Bourke school of modelling...

I'm surprised after the success of Blicavs and previously guys like Richo and Reiwoldt that there isn't more of a push for elite endurance athletes who are tall. Get them in while they're teenagers and you can teach them most of the skills they need. Considering footy's about the only team sport where running the opponent off their legs is a realistic tactic, these guys could be champion players.

 

[Augustine]

Is there any reason why you wouldn't send Thompson to Hawkins? Though I'm doubtful that he'll play.

I'd send Taylor to Waite, Blicavs(if back) to Petrie and Rivers on Brown. If Blicavs isn't back then Rivers to Petrie and Thurlow to Brown(Think of Thurlow as a younger mackie, I don't like this matchup) Based on this I'd be surprised if Blicavs at the very least doesn't start back.

Blicavs doesn't generally rest forward(when he was a ruck he's a KPD for now, though this could change if you listen to Scott's post match press conference)
Stanley is our number 1 ruck, he'll be spending next to zero time as a forward.

Without Hawkins, it's just the two KPFs, Clark and Walker. I don't think that Firrito will have to play tall, actually you might be a little too tall in defense with the 3 KPDs and Firrito. Hopefully it's something we can exploit.

I hope we send Guthrie to Harvey, I think we sent him to Gibson in the final. If you had your whole team in you're quite scary on the outside(at least on paper)

Johnson like Stokes is NQR but Motlop's been in good form this year, he sets up a lot of our counter attacks using the Johnson's school of asspulls.

I'm showing my lack of Geelong knowledge a bit. I'd have Thompson on Hawkins but I'm just going off what B.Scott's done in the past.

I'd go with:
Hawkins (if he plays) vs Tippet
Clark vs Thompson
Walker vs Tarrant/Firritto, all depends on who Scott selects

If there's no Hawkins Brad won't choose both of Tarrant and Tippett

&
Waite vs Taylor
Petrie vs Blicavs
Brown vs Rivers

But what about this whole Blicavs third man up to help Stanley against Goldstein plan I'm reading about? Lonergan is really a massive loss for you and I don't mean to be rude but without claiming to be an expert it looks like your depth back there is pretty woeful. Maybe you should promote Delaney from the rookie list, put someone on the LTI?

 

[Footy Smarts]

I'm showing my lack of Geelong knowledge a bit. I'd have Thompson on Hawkins but I'm just going off what B.Scott's done in the past.

I'd go with:
Hawkins (if he plays) vs Tippet
Clark vs Thompson
Walker vs Tarrant/Firritto, all depends on who Scott selects

If there's no Hawkins Brad won't choose both of Tarrant and Tippett

&
Waite vs Taylor
Petrie vs Blicavs
Brown vs Rivers

But what about this whole Blicavs third man up to help Stanley against Goldstein plan I'm reading about? Lonergan is really a massive loss for you and I don't mean to be rude but without claiming to be an expert it looks like your depth back there is pretty woeful. Maybe you should promote Delaney from the rookie list, put someone on the LTI?

Delaney might be a good player but who was the last player to hold a key forward quiet while wearing a moon boot?

I think he might have just started back training but he's still months off playing AFL. We might see a bit of what we did in the last quarter which was play a small on a key forward (Guthrie on Day) and play Mitch Clark as a spare man in defence. If we need another tall defender Kolodjasnij might be given a debut.

 

[Augustine]

Delaney might be a good player but who was the last player to hold a key forward quiet while wearing a moon boot?

I think he might have just started back training but he's still months off playing AFL. We might see a bit of what we did in the last quarter which was play a small on a key forward (Guthrie on Day) and play Mitch Clark as a spare man in defence. If we need another tall defender Kolodjasnij might be given a debut.

You're telling me Delaney's toe is still causing him grief? Just chop the thing off!! I hope its a different injury.

Kolodjasnij debut would be the way I'd go if I was Chris Scott. The problem with playing Clark lose in defence, and I know he'd be great at it, is that it means Thompson could play lose for us and you wouldn't want that. And you'd have one target to kick to in forward 50 if Hawkins doesn't play. I don't like that plan.

 

[Bobby_]

Kolodjasnij debut would be the way I'd go if I was Chris Scott.

Kolodjashnij won't play I don't reckon.
Blicavs is looking better every week and wouldn't be surprised to see him spend most of the game in defence.
We also welcomed back Thurlow on the weekend. Had a long lay off due to kidney issues. Highly rated young footballer who will not be out of place in this game.

As I said above, we are looking better down back now we have these agile types getting games. Where we are poor is in the middle of the ground.

 

[Footy Smarts]

You're telling me Delaney's toe is still causing him grief? Just chop the thing off!! I hope its a different injury.

Kolodjasnij debut would be the way I'd go if I was Chris Scott.

Yeah it's his toe but I think he already had the injury when we drafted him so we knew he was going to miss a big chunk of this year. It's just a case of wait and see.

Kolo deserves a debut but I don't think this game is the right time. That would give us 4 players with under 5 games experience and 3 more with under 20 games. That's too much to carry against you guys. I'd be playing Rivers and Taylor as key defenders with someone like Thurlow going to the 3rd tall. Taylor and Rivers are so good at reading the high balls that I'm happy to take that risk. We can also put Blicavs back who's played there a fair bit recently. At a pinch we could even play Stanley back and shift Clark to the ruck if your height is really causing us grief.

 

[Augustine]

Yeah it's his toe but I think he already had the injury when we drafted him so we knew he was going to miss a big chunk of this year. It's just a case of wait and see.

I reckon Delaney has had that toe injury for close to 12 months now. I can find out for certain but that is one long toe injury. I guess it is important for kicking and running comfortably.