Preview AFL Round 9 - Geelong v Western Bulldogs, Etihad Stadium, 7:50PM Friday 25 May

[topic97]

word is a rookie listed player will make his debut this week.

As in Stringer?

 

[witsend]

As in Stringer?

Stringer's already playing.

 

[you pick one]

Hope it's walker.

 

[winty]

I do feel that to some degree the game was lost in the first quarter when those shots at goal were wasted. He was outmarking Ried, he just had to make him pay the price. Big opportunity lost. And then all the focus ends up on the end of the game

I think the entire game would've had a different complexion on it if Hawkins nailed those early shots. He'd have had his tail up and Reid would have been thinking it was grand final day all over again. As soon as Hawkins was passing off shots from 40m out, Reid would've sensed that something wasn't right, and made Hawkins pay for it for the rest of the night.

word is a rookie listed player will make his debut this week.

Someone in the text the editor in the Addy was mentioning Sheringham as a potential debutant. Maybe someone in the match committee saw it.

 

[Casablanco]

i believe it will be simpkin

 

[Pure_Ownage]

word is a rookie listed player will make his debut this week.

Based on form, could only be either Simpkin or Walker.

My money would have been on Walker but we'd probably have to go back to one ruck to fit him in and Orren surely won't be dropped after his good game. Maybe West is sore?

Anyway, we'll find out for sure tomorrow, because they'll elevate someone onto the list and into the 22.

 

[Pure_Ownage]

i believe it will be simpkin

If so I'm not surprised, he has been playing very well at vfl level for nearly 18 months now and other than Hogan who is MIA atm he's the only other real genuine midfielder we could bring in. Now is as good a time as any to find out if he is capable.

I wonder who is making way though? (I am assuming Scarlo for Smedts but I can't see a second obvious omission).

 

[winty]

What I want to know is if we're elevating another rookie, who is going onto the long-term injury list?

We've seen Stringer get elevated for Vardy, but who is making way for the 2nd rookie?

 

[Pure_Ownage]

Someone in the text the editor in the Addy was mentioning Sheringham as a potential debutant. Maybe someone in the match committee saw it.

I like Sheringham's potential but he missed most of the PS, all the vfl trial matches and only returned a couple of weeks ago (because of injury). On that basis I would be surprised if it is him. It's a coin flip on either Simpkin or Walker.

 

[Pure_Ownage]

What I want to know is if we're elevating another rookie, who is going onto the long-term injury list?

We've seen Stringer get elevated for Vardy, but who is making way for the 2nd rookie?

Menzel went on the LTI many months ago (during the PS) so he stays there until he returns at vfl level. Now is a good time to debut a rookie because we get a free rookie elevation called the 'nominated rookie' (doesn't require injury) at round 12 which is around the time Menz will return. So whichever rookie they elevate, if that person plays well enough to stay in the 22 they can simply be transferred to nominated rookie status once Menz returns.

 

[Pure_Ownage]

By the way, for those of you with twitter, go follow Patrick Keane (PKeane), he is the afl's media relations manager, if we do put in the paperwork tomorrow to elevate a rookie, he will be the first person to announce it.

 

[you pick one]

This is based on nothing like all of my posts,but I'm going Walker to play down back with Scarlo to miss at least two more and maybe not even return till after the bye.

 

[Pure_Ownage]

I hope it's Walker.

However another point occurred to me:
given we play early (friday night) and the vfl guys only played on sunday whichever rookie is elevated will be coming off a 5 day break which means it's 99 % likely they will be the sub.

Given talls don't usually make good subs I will change my coin flip to Simpkin.

I'd be very happy to see Walker though, you guys know I'm a big Walker fan.

 

[Jhye Clark 13]

Menzel went on the LTI many months ago (during the PS) so he stays there until he returns at vfl level. Now is a good time to debut a rookie because we get a free rookie elevation called the 'nominated rookie' (doesn't require injury) at round 12 which is around the time Menz will return. So whichever rookie they elevate, if that person plays well enough to stay in the 22 they can simply be transferred to nominated rookie status once Menz returns.

I heard somewhere that Menzel has been removed from the LTI list. Is this true?

Maybe Cowan will be added to the LTI list with Walker elevated. Pods looked a bit sore on the weekend so may miss.

 

[you pick one]

I hope it's Walker.

However another point occurred to me:
given we play early (friday night) and the vfl guys only played on sunday whichever rookie is elevated will be coming off a 5 day break which means it's 99 % likely they will be the sub.

Given talls don't usually make good subs I will change my coin flip to Simpkin.

I'd be very happy to see Walker though, you guys know I'm a big Walker fan.

I see what you mean about the 5 day but unless there is a real need you would think they would hold off to the following week and not just elevate a player to be sub against the Dogies.

PS maybe no Josh Hunt as well this week,maybe DTC was on the money with the injury.

 

[Pure_Ownage]

I heard somewhere that Menzel has been removed from the LTI list. Is this true?

Maybe Cowan will be added to the LTI list with Walker elevated. Pods looked a bit sore on the weekend so may miss.

The player does not get 'removed' from the LTI, he stays there until he plays a game (either at vfl or afl level) at which point he is automatically removed from the LTI. Menzel therefore is still on the LTI, the fact that he is training doesnt change it.

If we wanted to play 2 rookies this week, yes it is possible we could shift another player to the LTI, be it Cowan or Murdoch or whoever.

That would surprise me though, I'd say we would only be bringing in 1 rookie. Given the short break between games, I'll bet Simpkin. Bringing in Walker off a short break where he would have to be sub would be a strange way to debut him, unless our hand has been forced by West being sore etc.

 

[Pure_Ownage]

I see what you mean about the 5 day but unless there is a real need you would think they would hold off to the following week and not just elevate a player to be sub against the Dogies.

It probably is need. If someone is sore or being omitted they need to bring someone in, and it just so happens the two best players on Sunday were both rookie listed players.

It is strange I admit but we will find out tomorrow.

 

[vinum coupe]

This is the type of game we usually lose

 

[Turbocat]

Im a bit split on this.

Would like to see both get a game. Its probably far more important that Simpkin gets a go, as I think Walker may well be the a good match as our 1/2 ruck forward position.

It would be a good game for Simpkin to show his stuff. The Dogs are not the best going round , its a fair chance for him to get in and show what he can do. We need players his age and he needs to get on a list NOW.

 

[CatTricks]

I heard its going to be Simpkin

 

[Jhye Clark 13]

I heard its going to be Simpkin

Any source?

 

[MC Extra Dollop]

4-5. The sight of that win-loss record would be galling to Geelong supporters, used to following a team entrenched in the top two on the ladder by this stage of proceedings. And while the Cats will enter the game on Friday night as warm favourites, the Dogs have recent form on their side and an ability to win the contested ball that will make Chris Scott wary.


Three losses in a row. You have to travel all the way back to 2006 for the last time it happened to the Cats in the AFL. It’s never even been seriously threatened, with the rare occasions in recent times that Geelong has found itself on a two-game losing streak being punctuated by a comfortable dispatching of an overmatched opponent to get the Cats back on track.

While the Bulldogs have the recent form on their side, a tougher-than-expected game against the Suns and a six day turnaround on the trip back from Darwin can be expected to impact their preparation for the Friday night battle. The Dogs have usually backed up their matches at TIO Stadium reasonably well, but that is usually with the benefit of eight days and it is a science experiment to give them just six.

LAST TIME: A walk in the park for the Cats at Skilled. Ottens booted five in a best-afield display, Stevie J was everywhere, Scarlett was at his taking-the-piss best in the backline and the old firm of Bartel and Corey racked them up with a minimum of fuss. For the Dogs, Gia kicked five, but despite Lake kicking three junk-time goals, the game may be best remembered as the most worrying ‘What the hell happened to that guy?’ display until Shane Warne stepped out in public a few months later. Needless to say, both have bounced back in a big way. Chances are the Cats will be missing 7-8 players from the team that played that game, less than twelve months ago: Cowan, Ling, Menzel, Ottens, Scarlett, Varcoe, Vardy, Wojcinski.

LAST TIME (AT THIS GROUND): Like the same walk in the park, only if Geelong had access to a golf buggy and the Bulldogs were senior citizens who’d left their asthma pumps at home. Famous for Tim Lane’s ‘days of dominance are over’ statement (quickly followed by fourteen unanswered Geelong goals). Stevie J was again rampant, Podsiadly was marking everything and finishing his good work, Enright did whatever he felt like and Ablett and Selwood combined for a lazy 74 possessions and five goals. Menzel made his debut and signalled that he had a big future at the Cattery. Again Giansiracusa was a major target up forward (three goals) for the Dogs and Boyd was their best with 35 disposals and eight clearances.

AT SELECTION: Scarlett and Gillies are the only injured Geelong players who are expected to come under consideration for Friday night from the injured players, with Scarlett currently rated a 50-50 chance to be recovered from his ankle injury, while Gillies’ knee complaint is being continually assessed through the week. It is a shame that Gillies is unlikely to push in at this stage (presuming both are fit), as the Bulldogs would be a good team for him to test his negating ability against, freeing up Harry Taylor to be a sweeper.


At VFL level, George Horlin-Smith is probably the only recognised AFL player who has done enough to put his name up, while Dawson Simpson’s return has been met with sighs of relief from the Geelong faithful, after watching the AFL side running on the smell of an oily rag for the best part of half a season. If anyone knows the whereabouts of Mitch Brown and Simon Hogan, please feel free to contact MC Extra Dollop, c/o the Geelong Football Club. Just want to know they’re ok.

Jesse Stringer was quite prominent after coming on as the sub, but the man he passed the vest to, Billie Smedts, was quiet and may be under pressure. Josh Hunt has been the hot topic on many AFL-commentators’ minds this week, after a couple of brain farts against Collingwood. But despite keen minds, such as Matthew ‘Essendon are no chance against Carlton and should rest half their side’ Lloyd and Shane ‘This is the first year I think Hawthorn can win the flag since 2008’ Crawford ruling a line through Hunt’s name, Chris Scott has come out in defence of his nuggety back pocket. If Scarlett or Gillies is to come back in, Scott will not want to fuel speculation that Hunt has been dropped, so expect Taylor, Lonergan, Enright or Mackie to get an RDO. This writer believes Orren ‘The Jinx’ Stephenson (relax, I’m joking) was better on the night than West, so if a ruckman is to be rested, it will be West. However it is likely that both will be retained to put the acid on a young and unproven Bulldogs tall man brigade, which has more question marks than The Riddler’s outfit.


For the Bulldogs, Cooney is expected to be fit and if so, he will automatically come in. Addison has been suspended, so he is an out. The query is whether the Bulldogs make any more changes to a winning lineup. Veszpremi and Djerrkura would be others who will be knocking on the door if they pull up from groin and quad injuries respectively, while Zeph Skinner may be the unfortunate one to make way, after not doing too much wrong as the sub. Djerrkura could play a role off half back if required (i.e. if Veszpremi is unavailable). Christian Howard is also an option off half back.

TEAMS

Western Bulldogs
B: Hargrave, Lake, Veszpremi
HB: Murphy, Austin, Sherman
C: Cross, Boyd, Liberatore
HF: Giansiracusa, Jones, Dahlhaus
F: Cooney, Cordy, Grant
R: Minson, Griffen, Picken
I/C: Dickson, Wallis, Higgins, Djerrkura


OUT: Addison, Skinner, Smith
IN: Cooney, Veszpremi, Djerrkura

Geelong
B: Enright, Lonergan, J. Hunt
HB: Mackie, Taylor, Guthrie
C: Duncan, Selwood, T. Hunt
HF: Chapman, Hawkins, Johnson
F: Stokes, Podsiadly, Motlop
R: Stephenson, Bartel, Kelly
I/C: West, Stringer, Horlin-Smith, Corey


OUT: Smedts
IN: Horlin-Smith

MATCH-UPS: In the Geelong backline, the likely assignments will be Taylor to Jones and Lonergan to Cordy/Minson. Enright will probably go to Dickson and Mackie to Grant. This leaves Josh Hunt and Cam Guthrie to debate over Gia/Higgins/Cooney, with both being ok match-ups for the Doggies’ small forwards. Gia needs significant attention; he has kicked eight goals in the past two games against Geelong, despite his side being obliterated. Of course, Scarlett is every chance to come in for someone suffering a phantom injury, in which case he can play on pretty much any of the above.

In the midfield, the first question is whom the taggers go to. From a Bulldogs’ perspective, the answer is obvious: Picken will be inside Selwood’s jumper from the first bounce, daring the rest of the Cats’ midfield to step up. It is not only a case of Corey, Bartel, Duncan and Chapman needing to lift their possession counts, but to hammer Picken fairly every chance they get, like the good old days when a tagger was locking on to Ablett. For Poodle, the options are plentiful. The obvious choice would probably be Griffen, though Hunt’s early-season form suggests his skill-set is currently best suited for the in-and-under types like Boyd and Cross. It says here that he goes to Boyd. Dahlhaus and the junior Libba and Wallis are young guns in good form and need to be treated with the respect afforded to the more well-known Bulldogs mids.

In Geelong’s attacking zone, it will be interesting to see which key forward Lake goes to. While Hawkins hasn’t continued his hot goalkicking form from early on in the season, he is still presenting and taking marks and he will require close attention. Lake should go to him early, with Austin to Podsiadly and see how this is progressing throughout the night. This time last year, we would have been reasonably happy with a four goal, ten mark, 22 possession night from our two big forwards, but it wasn’t so much the numbers from last Friday night that frustrated; it was the fact that they had already gone into their shells in the first quarter, handpassing off (often to stationary targets) inside the forward 50, rather than taking the responsibility of banging the goal home. One of Pods’ first ‘silence the critics’ games was when he pulled Lake’s pants down in the 100+ point demolition of 2010 at this venue and conditions could not be better suited for at least one of our big forwards to have a massive night. Hargrave and Murphy will probably go to Johnson and Chapman, respectively, when they are playing in the Cats’ forward line. Addison’s suspension robs them of a lock-down defender, which should give Stokes and Motlop plenty of opportunities to put some goals on the board.

VERDICT: It was a greatly improved Geelong last Friday; some silly little mistakes, sure, but you couldn’t question their aptitude for the contest. They’re going to need to improve to knock off the up-and-about Bulldogs, who would love nothing more than to get three wins on the trot, go to 5-4 and put their name up as a genuine September chance. With an undermanned backline (missing Morris, Markovic, Addison and perhaps Gilbee out of their first 22) and an inconsistent tall forward brigade, coming off a game in Darwin and a day less rest, I can’t see them getting over the line. Cats to get back on the winners list, with a confidence-boosting 38-point win.

 

[you pick one]

I heard its going to be Simpkin

Sounds like he's putting his name forward,but considering we have got Christensen and Wojo not to far away and Varcoe and Menzel who would more likely take a smalls place to follow and to lesser extent Byrnes and Hogan on the list and I've probably missed some one not best 22 last week,were going to have a lot of smalls disappointed each week as players come back from injury and suspension.
Where as pardon the pun where a bit short on big bodied talls,so hoping your info dodgy and it's Walker.

 

[Jhye Clark 13]

Great preview MC.

Love your work.

I agree with Footscore regarding the end result.

 

[you pick one]

terrific review Dollop

Geez' everyone of these reviews have been absolutely first class



I think the end result however, will be around 70 points

That's a chance but they'd need to kick a bit straighter than last week a 7 goal 2 first quarter instead of 2 goal 7 and anything is posible.