Collingwood Vs Geelong, the Decider

[FAIRANDBALANCED]

I would have thought the Grand Final was the decider.

Like every other year.

The winner this week still has a lot of work to do.

It is in reference to Collingwood and Geelong splitting their two earlier games this season and thus the winner will have the edge over the season, it was in no way a reference to the premiership.

 

[Timmy from Thomastown]

I know what its in reference to, but the home and away is ancient history now.

Nobody cares about home and away results. History will show that one of these sides will make the GF. Whether they were 2-0, 0-2 or 1-1 in the home and away head to head is immaterial.

 

[jayjones1]

going to be a great game

 

[Lockyer24]

Should be worthy of a grand final.

The top 3 teams this year would all be worthy winners.

Agree. Any of the Top 3 would be worthy, a very good football team won't make the Grannie this year and one will lose it, hope it's not us in both cases.

Cat's lesser lights impressed me last night, the usual suspects got the job done but I hope we put a lot of planning into the likes of Varcoe and Byrnes as they can catch you out.

 

[Optimax]

It's high stakes stuff indeed.

The Cats haven't found a reliable method in countering the "forward press" employed by Collingwood and St Kilda. It will interesting to see if they are holding anything back tactically... doubtful you would think.

Also noted that the Bulldogs (vs Collingwood) persisted in playing down the interchange flank from all kick-ins. Presumably this was an attempt to nullify the "hidden man" affect that Collingwood sometimes gets from the massive number of bench rotations. Didn't really help them!

someone finally noticed our zone is the most open and loose mcc members wing, never worked out why, possibly the spare interchanger?

Regardless it's a kick and a half from the kick out most teams including Geelong have struggled after one kick

 

[rose jam]

. If Geelong can break free with relative ease when rebounding from half back, then we will win through sheer amount of ball won. Man, what a game this is shaping up to be. Wish I could be there so badly!

I think this is where Collingwood somewhat have the anti-game to Geelong. Geelong's back sag into the corridor and out number the central kick into the forward line. Collingwood don't kick the ball there and honour the leads of the forwards which tend to be wider and move the ball central very late and it catches out the defenders.

 

[MC Extra Dollop]

It will get 80 -90K we will once again see the same empty seats in the MCC because it isn't cricket season

We will see empty seats because some MCC members will watch the game from the Frank Grey Smith bar. Last time there was a Friday night Geelong vs Collingwood prelim, I went there straight after work, got to the front of gate 2 at 6pm and was two rows from the back of level 4. The queue before the gates opened at 4:30-5ish was back to the Hilton. But yeah, MCC members are just toffs who couldn't give a stuff about footy.

 

[bombermick]

We're going to get two Grand Finals this year. I cannot wait for this game as it should be a great contest. Collingwood's pressure style vs Geelong's free-flowing and beautiful game. Should get at least 95 k.

 

[Gavin Excell]

It will be interesting who bookies install as favourites

 

[Angelus512]

i second the MCC members are toffs, my grandfather is one and he's very...very toff. All his other MCC member friends are the same. Lucky if they even contemplate going once a year.

 

[Jammer]

I'll stick my neck out and declare that i think the Cats are up against it.

Watched last nights game closely and thought The Dockers were woeful....
They were missing three key players and i think about three or four others should not of played last night......
If that was a horse race I'd say ignore all form.

Cats still fell nearly 5 goals behind the Saints..... had a mountain of ball in the last qrt and still couldn't get other the top.

The week before they were only a goal up v West Coast at home at half time.....yes the game ment nothing but the Cats of a seasons past would of
been 7 goals up in that game....

I just don't think Geelong are
A. the team they once were and
B. in good form

I think one of the big differences now is when quality teams have their period of being on top during a game..... you can now score against the Cats back six.

I'm confident the Pies have the team to beat Geelong in the Prelim.
and think they will win....HOWEVER.....

You wouldn't want to go out there and kick 10 goals 18. next week

 

[Nebula1971]

It will be interesting who bookies install as favourites

Very close I would imagine. Pies probably slightly ahead...

A post by Gavin Excell that involves the Pies which doesn't include any subtleties that could be perceived as a troll. Actually, you have pulled your head in a little...

Great write up by the OP...

 

[MC Extra Dollop]

I'll stick my neck out and declare that i think the Cats are up against it.

Watched last nights game closely and thought The Dockers were woeful....
They were missing three key players and i think about three or four others should not of played last night......
If that was a horse race I'd say ignore all form.

Kind of like the Bulldogs last week, yeah?

Cats still fell nearly 5 goals behind the Saints..... had a mountain of ball in the last qrt and still couldn't get other the top.

Fair point.

The week before they were only a goal up v West Coast at home at half time.....yes the game ment nothing but the Cats of a seasons past would of
been 7 goals up in that game....

I just don't think Geelong are
A. the team they once were and
B. in good form

Collingwood's form, if you disregard the win against a severely undermanned Bulldogs is a one point win against Adelaide at the MCG and a loss against Hawthorn. It all comes down to the fact that you are disregarding a Geelong 11 goal win, but placing great importance on a Collingwood 11 goal win, for whatever reason.

From 2008-the present day, Geelong have often gone through periods of just doing enough to win. Their Rd 22 result in 2009 (Freo at Skilled) was a mirror image of their Rd 22 win in 2010 (West Coast at Skilled). If you think the Pies will win, I'd be basing it on the meeting at the MCG about a month ago, where Collingwood was clearly the better team on the night.

 

[Archangel]

It will be interesting who bookies install as favourites

Collingwood will be overwhelming favorites and should win...... should

 

[Pnut]

I'm alot more confident of a cats win than in round 19, where the maggies were deserved favourites. Geelong are more settled now than then

so the cats selection of tall forwards and rucks is now settled ? ok.

 

[daics_35]

I couldnt take a close match, It will be a tough game and we would need to kick straight if we want to win. Cat fans who are saying they will win by 6 goals+ are kidding themselves. I think the winner will win by no more then 20 points. I cant wait!

 

[Jimmy Yamazaki]

It will be interesting who bookies install as favourites

As of Today. Sportsbet has Pies at $1.85 and Cats at $1.95 so pies slightly favorites...

Hope Cats have one more Premiership in the tank! GO CATS

 

[skywalker1977]

pies will wim easily, the cats are struggling, if the saints were accurate they would have blown them away early one.
Last night the dockers inexperienced outfit and the cats getting the jump on them and from there on end the cats maintained their lead all night and it grew gradually as the game wore on.
The pies are fresher and have finally had a confidence breaking win in round 19 and have the team to take it to the cats and after half time the cats will be out of steam and the pies will run over the top of them.
The wet weather conditions would have caught up with geelong from the week before against the saints.
They put everything into last night and had a free run into the prelim, this is usually where the cats are preparing for their grand final given its their third final this season and not their 4th grand final.
As for the pies been younger than the saints its only a matter of the saints having 18 players aged 25 or over in comparison to the pies having 14 players aged 25 and over.
Hardly worth bragging about.
This time next year both teams will have players aged 30 years or over.

 

[pedro hopkins]

Excellent analysis. The best I have read for a long time. Very fair but not bland. Who said us Pies aren't educated goodly?

Even money bet. If either side lose a player in the first half through injury, that side will not play the following week. I think the battle between the respective ruck divisions will be very important. It would hurt the side whose opposing rucks kick goals. Will Leigh Brown kick goals or points?

Wellingham won't play in my opinion. A player dosen't go down like he's stepped on a grenade and get up 13 days later. He will need the healing powers of Apollo to convince Malthouse he is no risk.

 

[FAIRANDBALANCED]

pies will wim easily, the cats are struggling, if the saints were accurate they would have blown them away early one.
Last night the dockers inexperienced outfit and the cats getting the jump on them and from there on end the cats maintained their lead all night and it grew gradually as the game wore on.
The pies are fresher and have finally had a confidence breaking win in round 19 and have the team to take it to the cats and after half time the cats will be out of steam and the pies will run over the top of them.
The wet weather conditions would have caught up with geelong from the week before against the saints.
They put everything into last night and had a free run into the prelim, this is usually where the cats are preparing for their grand final given its their third final this season and not their 4th grand final.
As for the pies been younger than the saints its only a matter of the saints having 18 players aged 25 or over in comparison to the pies having 14 players aged 25 and over.
Hardly worth bragging about.
This time next year both teams will have players aged 30 years or over.

In the game last weekend Collingwood had 13 players aged under 25, that will probably change to 12 with Presti coming in for Nathan Brown, so that's 10 players aged 25 or over, not 14. Where did you come up with that number? Just wing it and hope nobody checks?

 

[Jimthegreat]

All come down to how hungry Geelong are after years of success. They are alot better team player for player but are they hungry enough. If they are Geelong win well.

In the end though I'm thinking the Saints will be the one's to take out the flag. Pies kick around the boundary style will play into St.Kilda's hands under finals conditions where the game is a little less free-flowing. Geelong will be tougher but think the Saints will take them this time after being so close last year.

 

[lozza63]

Excellent write up F&B!
Geelong vs Collingwood
27yo v 24yo
Better attack vs slightly better defence
Highly skilled vs Highly disciplined
151 games vs 105 games
been there done that vs wanna, ganna do it
were bigger stronger vs now bigger stronger

We know the Cats are a skilled inner corridor focused outfit and the Pies are as hard as nails flankers.

We know what the Champs can do - the Challenger may yet have the required improvement left in them - many have played less than 44 games so I feel they will take it up another notch - we'll have to and hopefully it will be enough!

 

[maryjames]

Cats had a great training session.. Got more of a feel of the MCG and team looks very settled. Cats don't often lose 2 games in a row against the same side and that loss against Saints has sure fueled the Cats..
Cats should win by 30. One burst and game will be over. Won't be surprised if Pies have their chances but miss their set shots which could just come back to bite them in this game..and it becomes a talking point after the game..

 

[PieEyedLad]

Great write up. Thoroughly enjoyed it. I seriously reckon this game would have to go close to pulling 100k.

I'm pretty confident if we display four quarters of good footy we can come away with the win, but we must respect Geelong. They haven't won 2 flags in 3 years for nothing.

 

[kosifantutti]

It's the decider.

So if one of them goes on and loses the Grand Final, at least they can say they won "the decider"