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

[Only Forwards]

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

Ziebell, Wells, Dal Santo would be in our top 5-10 players.

Hansen has missed a fair chunk of footy but in form probably sits in there too.

The outs make this a pretty intriguing match from my point of view. Both sides are pretty different to what they would line up like if everyone was available.

 

[Warsaw Winder]

Would love to see gore in for bartel, kolo in for lonergan, blease in for stokes (I doubt either he or smedts will be on our list next year, but if I was a gambling man, I'll back the ranga) and ghs for Murdoch

 

[Lana]

Ziebell, Wells, Dal Santo would be in our top 5-10 players.

Hansen has missed a fair chunk of footy but in form probably sits in there too.

The outs make this a pretty intriguing match from my point of view. Both sides are pretty different to what they would line up like if everyone was available.

The guy listed 9 players, implying your missing a third of your best 22

I'll give you theses guys as good players missing
Dal Santo
Grima
Wells
Ziebell

If all of the above we fit these guys wouldn't be playing
Hansen, you can't play four KPD can you
Adams, he's your last rotated in Inside mid. You don't need four of them. He was the sub 6 times, shows how he's rated by your match
committee

These guys are
Black- can't get a look in due to Brown
MacMillan- played 7 games in 2 years
Mullett- I think ordinary sums him up perfectly

 

[fpm84]

So nobody thinks we'll bring in McIntosh or Simpson to take on Goldstein? Stanley can't do it all on his own.

If Hawkins misses, I wouldn't mind seeing Clark/Walker up forward and McIntosh/Stanley in the ruck.

 

[Footy Smarts]

Ziebell, Wells, Dal Santo would be in our top 5-10 players.

Hansen has missed a fair chunk of footy but in form probably sits in there too.

The outs make this a pretty intriguing match from my point of view. Both sides are pretty different to what they would line up like if everyone was available.

Not to be rude but that's definitely not the half he was referring to.

 

[Footy Smarts]

So nobody thinks we'll bring in McIntosh or Simpson to take on Goldstein? Stanley can't do it all on his own.

If Hawkins misses, I wouldn't mind seeing Clark/Walker up forward and McIntosh/Stanley in the ruck.

No. Stanley's got the talent and now the body to be a number 1 ruck. He's genuinely built now. It's time to make it happen.

 

[steady2]

Is there any info anywhere about whether we are going to wear an ANZAC themed jumper for Sundays clash?

You mean with bullet holes and fake blood dribbling out?

 

[Only Forwards]

Before I break this down I will state I don't believe in best 22s they are ficticious, they exist in fantasy lands because reality is that it would be exceedingly rare that a clubs best 22 players can be on the park for any prolonged period.

The guy listed 9 players, implying your missing a third of your best 22

I'll give you theses guys as good players missing
Dal Santo
Grima
Wells
Ziebell

Hansen is better than Grima, outside of that they are the players I listed.

If all of the above we fit these guys wouldn't be playing
Hansen, you can't play four KPD can you
Adams, he's your last rotated in Inside mid. You don't need four of them. He was the sub 6 times, shows how he's rated by your match committee

If fit Hansen would play ahead of Firrito
Adams is contemplating retirement after reciving a concussion in the VFL, don't really expect him to ever play again.

These guys are
Black- can't get a look in due to Brown
MacMillan- played 7 games in 2 years
Mullett- I think ordinary sums him up perfectly

At a likely wet Kadinia park I'd play Black instead of Waite if he was anywhere near fit enough.

With MacMillan it depends on when you count the 2 years from, from this round 2 years ago he's played 24 games. Has suffered a broken leg and is in the leadership group if he was fit he'd play. Not sure who in front of, But I am not in the match committee. What I do know is that if he was fit they'd play him.

Mullett so far away from footy its not funny.

 

[Only Forwards]

Not to be rude but that's definitely not the half he was referring to.

No doubt.

What North have is an evenness about them, when we do lose those that are legitimately at the top of our talent pool it can cause holes that we struggle to fill.

Coupled with our sporadic intensity of play, I am not sure what to really make of how we'll go this week.

I think North can win this game, I have also thought that we would beat you before only to be handed our asses.

 

[Tas]

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

Tarrant(Grima), Nahas(Wells), Bastinac(Dal Santo), Wood(MacMillan), Turner(Adams), Jacobs(Ziebell)

Then 3 of the semi-regulars who have got opportunities due to injuries mostly. Firrito/Wright (Hansen/Mullett). The odd one out is Black's position has somewhat been taken over by Waite and Higgins. We just haven't been in the position for a long time where form determines position, there have always been positions available due to numerous injuries.

I think out of the fill-ins, Wright, Turner have done the most to have any claim on their position. Firrito has also staved off what was looking at retirement a year or two ago, however, neither compare to the offensive drive Mullett provided and his ability to kick goals from the back line.

I'd shove Gibson out of the team, but Scott isn't going to do it.

 

[Biggy_Boy]

No doubt.

What North have is an evenness about them, when we do lose those that are legitimately at the top of our talent pool it can cause holes that we struggle to fill.

Coupled with our sporadic intensity of play, I am not sure what to really make of how we'll go this week.

I think North can win this game, I have also thought that we would beat you before only to be handed our asses.

Nah, you'll cream us this time.

 

[costanza23]

I would like to see McIntosh back for this game. Goldstein will be too good for Stanley. And McIntosh. But at least Tosh has the experience and sounds like he's put in 4 very solid games at VFL level. If he doesn't get a game this weekend, they've put a line through his name and will just be insurance for Stanley the rest of the season.

What I think might happen this week:

OUT: Lonergan (conc.), Bartel (knee), Stokes (achilles), Murdoch (knee?/omit) and Johnson (foot?/back?/brain?/soreness)
IN: Rivers, Horlin-Smith, Kolodjashnij, Smedts and Gore

B: Bews, Rivers, Kolodjashnij
HB: Enright, Taylor, Guthrie
C: Thurlow, Blicavs, Duncan
HF: Caddy, Walker, Motlop
F: Gregson, Clark, Lang
R: Stanley, Selwood, Kelly

Int: Smedts, Cockatoo, Gore
Sub: Horlin-Smith

Emg: McIntosh, Blease and Cowan

Johnno's not right. If he puts in another game like the GC one, then it's poor form from Johnno and match committee. Murdoch hadn't played a game at any level in about 4 weeks and it showed.

We went with a smaller backline against GCS. It'll have to be bigger against North (Rivers-Waite, Taylor-Petrie, Kolo-Brown).

Guthrie at half-back worked well in the second half against GCS. His dash out of defence is something we've missed. Kelly in the guts to do some tagging instead.

Hopefully Thurlow and Smedts can push up the wings to do a bit more attacking. Sick of seeing Duncan play in the backline. Was he one of our highest inside 50 kicks last year?

Blitz's role in the second half against GCS should be replicated this weekend. Improved our midfield and ruck.

Including pre-season, Clark has played 6 (?) games in a row? If Tom comes back this weekend, he may be given a rest. Walker has to play again after 4 goals.

Horlin-Smith's lack of pace is an issue. Hence starting him as sub. Can we turn him into the new Cameron Ling? Again, I feel Guthrie's best suited to half-back.

Blease hasn't even been an emergency yet this year - might be one this weekend. Sounds like he's doing alright in the VFL, but is it still his disposal that's the issue?

If we put the team I've proposed out this weekend, we'd have 7 players (Bews, Kolo, Thurlow, Gregson, Lang, Cockatoo, Gore) under 12 games! In any case, I think we'll be very inexperienced this weekend and will be a great test for the 22-24 year-olds (Guthrie, Smedts, Motlop, Walker, Duncan, Caddy, Stanley, Horlin-Smith) to really stand up in the absence of the old legends.

 

[00VicWard001]

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.

Yeah - backs against the wall switched them on. They weren't playing like millionaires waiting for someone else to get them the ball. I saw Motlop tackling too! He had a beauty where he took down McKenzie near their forward 50.

 

[Only Forwards]

Nah, you'll cream us this time.

Honestly thought we'd get you in our 2 home and away games last year. The first one we were in and had the capacity to beat you and let ourselves down.

The second one we weren't even close.

The words North cream Geelong are not really how I see it. You've soundly beaten us for years, I have great trepidation every time we play you, regardless of who you field.

 

[Dirty_11]

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

Yeah, only NDS, JZ, Wellsy and Hansen walk up best 22. MacMillan probably, the rest would be fighting it out on form.

 

[CatTricks]

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.

 

[TheKanga]

Looking like Ziebell & Wells are still a chance to play.
I wouldn't be opposed to it
This is a must win for us, lose and we are 1-3 with the Hawks next round.

 

[tenderwarrior]

The guy listed 9 players, implying your missing a third of your best 22

I'll give you theses guys as good players missing
Dal Santo
Grima
Wells
Ziebell

If all of the above we fit these guys wouldn't be playing
Hansen, you can't play four KPD can you
Adams, he's your last rotated in Inside mid. You don't need four of them. He was the sub 6 times, shows how he's rated by your match
committee

These guys are
Black- can't get a look in due to Brown
MacMillan- played 7 games in 2 years
Mullett- I think ordinary sums him up perfectly

Lol

Hansen if fit is a lock, and MacMillan is in their leadership group, missing most of last year with a broken leg but played all of 2013, so that is 7 games in one year, not two. Mullett would be thereabouts, as would Black. North might not 'need' them, but that is the beauty of depth. I would say fully fit, between 5-8 of those players would be 'best 22' (whatever that means).

 

[you pick one]

Looking like Ziebell & Wells are still a chance to play.
I wouldn't be opposed to it
This is a must win for us, lose and we are 1-3 with the Hawks next round.

Yeh I see they will have the benefit of an extra days recovery as well,that will be tough.

 

[naturally north]

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

Ha, Dal Santo, Wells, Hansen & Ziebell would be best 22. Mullett, McMillian and Black there abouts.

Nahas, Wood, Jacobs, Bastinac probably out. Wood stiff. Jacobs stiff.

Yeah we've improved our depth.

Best of luck for Sunday.

 

[Willo_]

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.

I'd second that, how good is it to see genuine respect and exchanging of opinions.. I've just caught up on a couple of days worth in this thread and hats off to all.involved

 

[Willo_]

Ha, Dal Santo, Wells, Hansen & Ziebell would be best 22. Mullett, McMillian and Black there abouts.

Nahas, Wood, Jacobs, Bastinac probably out. Wood stiff. Jacobs stiff.

Yeah we've improved our depth.

Best of luck for Sunday.

What has happened to Bastinac? I remember when GWS were coming he was talked about as a big target for them wasn't he?

He seems to have gone backwards since

 

[Whiskers]

Honestly thought we'd get you in our 2 home and away games last year. The first one we were in and had the capacity to beat you and let ourselves down.

The second one we weren't even close.

The words North cream Geelong are not really how I see it. You've soundly beaten us for years, I have great trepidation every time we play you, regardless of who you field.

You usually challenge us recently but this year is different. We aren't the same side. It seems your players know it aswell, Petrie acknowledged the trip down the highway isn't as daunting now, hopefully a bit cocky.
North should be winning this and winning well as opposed to other years where I've thought we were the better side.

 

[catempire]

Ha, Dal Santo, Wells, Hansen & Ziebell would be best 22. Mullett, McMillian and Black there abouts.

Nahas, Wood, Jacobs, Bastinac probably out. Wood stiff. Jacobs stiff.

Yeah we've improved our depth.

Best of luck for Sunday.

Ha.

 

[Only Forwards]

You usually challenge us recently but this year is different. We aren't the same side. It seems your players know it aswell, Petrie acknowledged the trip down the highway isn't as daunting now, hopefully a bit cocky.
North should be winning this and winning well as opposed to other years where I've thought we were the better side.

If we're getting cocky based on winning 4/5s of FA then we deserve to lose.

Your team has earned respect, while yeah signs indicate that you are entering a transition period* only people who don't understand football would not pay respect where its due.

* I believe that Chris Scott is entering the hardest part of his tenure with you guys.