Preview QF2 Geelong v Port Adelaide Thursday Sept 5 2024 @ AO 7:40 pm

[My Tilly]

he is the 2nd best kick inside 50 when comparing the amount of inside 50 kicks to the amount your teamates mark. he is also the 2nd or 3rd highest inside 50's in our team. he is also top 5 in the comp for score involvments and has the 3rd amount of score assist over the last two years. this is damage, you dont have to kick the goals to be damaging, putting other teamates in the good positions and brigning everyone into the game and creating plays is as damaging.

What makes you so confident you will beat us this tine round? after all we have the best midfield in the comp, and the best backline over the last 8 weeks.

There was a brief moment this season where Butters was playing at a level not many can get to. He was only able to sustain this for a period before dropping off a bit.
Don't get wrong, he's an absolute gun but I think a player like Heeney, who can do what Butters does and then add goals to his repertoire is at level above. Quite a few others are in that same category. Bont, Daicos etc.

Butters is Lachie Neale. He's the barometer of the team but as I said, not the most damaging.

I'm confident we have your midfield covered this time around. Last time it was a different looking midfield as we were missing Dangerfield, Bruhn & Bowes. Two of them are not stars but they certainly complement our side well and will be crucial in helping us get the win.

I also like the acquisition of Neale compared to Hawkins as he will go and help out in the ruck which is something we will need if Dixon is an inclusion.

 

[Rash]

FWIW if there were one player in the comp I could bring to Geelong I think it would be Butters. Elite skills, forwards would be licking their lips everytime time he has the ball.

Do you still rate your backline number 1 without Houston and Farrell?

possibly, its hard to tell as we havent played a game with both of them out. they didnt contribute to much defensivley however they are the reason for ports corridor game being good and ability to create scores off of backhalf turnovers.

 

[My Tilly]

possibly, its hard to tell as we havent played a game with both of them out. they didnt contribute to much defensivley however they are the reason for ports corridor game being good and ability to create scores off of backhalf turnovers.

You seem pretty confident yourself coming in here and questioning me why you think Geelong win.

Any reason why you are so confident given those players you mentioned are missing and you have Ken Hinkley as your coach?

 

[year of the cat]

No Farrell and Houston gives us a bit of hope here now I think. We may well lose centre clearance but their ability to rebound off half back now has been hurt.

Port should win at home if they are a legitimate contender but they aren’t a side that makes you reallly tremble with fear.

 

[Romeoh1]

Port has a couple of important outs and we will field a better team than last time we played them. It won’t be easy but we are a chance.

 

[Klink]

Yeah, the more I dissect this game, the more confident I get. I think this game will be epic; it's a genuine 50/50 game and we're every chance here.

 

[PhilX]

Probably the hardest matchup we could have for the QF. I like it. Win, and I like us for Premiers. Lose and we confirm we're probably not good enough this year, but we get another shot at it anyway.

 

[CatRiot]

Who will it be?
Port or Cats with

 

[GeelongFTW]

Probably the hardest matchup we could have for the QF. I like it. Win, and I like us for Premiers. Lose and we confirm we're probably not good enough this year, but we get another shot at it anyway.

win and play at Melbourne all the way through.

 

[Vdubs]

Sounds like you should win the premiership.

They should if they play their best. Would love to see Sav with a premiership medal around his neck,

along with JHF, Rozee, Butters, Boak, Wines, Aliir- they have some very exciting talent, and of course, Kenny.

IF we are not able to upset Port in just over a week.

 

[Lana]

They should if they play their best. Would love to see Sav with a premiership medal around his neck,

Well Billy Frampton has one

 

[Rash]

You seem pretty confident yourself coming in here and questioning me why you think Geelong win.

Any reason why you are so confident given those players you mentioned are missing and you have Ken Hinkley as your coach?

our form the last 9 weeks mate, thats why. we have won 8 out of last nine and i dont think 2 players out will change that. and we have a good record against u in qualafying finals. However anything could happen.

 

[crocsta]

I just went for a visit to Port forum and I’m feeling more confident that cats have a decent chance to win.

Port need to move their players around to cover a few gaps and if they get it wrong, it could be quite disruptive. Their coaches might not sort of out

Our line-up feels more settled with perhaps a decision on SDK or a small defender.

 

[Cataholic]

our form the last 9 weeks mate, thats why. we have won 8 out of last nine and i dont think 2 players out will change that. and we have a good record against u in qualafying finals. However anything could happen.

Your post 352 says the two players in question are the reason for Port's corridor game being so good, and being able to score from half back, in the last 9 weeks but in this post their absence won't change that.....

Ok.

 

[Vdubs]

I just went for a visit to Port forum and I’m feeling more confident that cats have a decent chance to win.

Port need to move their players around to cover a few gaps and if they get it wrong, it could be quite disruptive. Their coaches might not sort of out

Our line-up feels more settled with perhaps a decision on SDK or a small defender.

Their board is as nervous as we are. 8/9 wins in their last 9. And some excellent scalps.

 

[Cats_R_Cool_4_Ever]

Charlie Dixon will return for this game.

He’s the most overrated player in the league imo

 

[Cats_R_Cool_4_Ever]

Ports mids are next level.

Look what they did to Sydney a few weeks back at AO. Only thing is our record in the past there has been strong except in Finals and can we change that?! Guess we’ll see next Thursday night.

 

[Mr Meow]

There’s always hope of course.

It’s not sulking mate it’s being realistic.
If you look at the stats, premiership profiles, premiership window, even the squiggle we are no where near it in any of them. Not even close.
In fact, along with Carlton we are the weakest team in it.
This year might be the anomaly - who knows.

I’m not saying we can’t win, I just think it’s incredibly long odds.
Just like Vdubs said - we would have to be at our absolute best and Port would have to be off.

The last time I went into a final thinking we were really long odds like this was funnily enough the 2004 QF against port.

I’m over the moon we made top 4. Brilliant effort from the club.

If we win, I’ll be the first to put my hand up and say I was wrong.

Yeah we're rightly underdogs and nobody has really challenged any of your sentiments around our unlikely tilt at a flag.

It just felt like people were being told off for daring to speculate on any vulnerabilities or inconsistencies of the opposition, and maybe even a few things we might do right next Thursday if we are "on".

Nobody rates us - even as supporters we all feel a bit "iffy" about our chances - but it's always exciting to be top 4 where anything could happen. If it's straight sets, it's straight sets. But expecting a loss can still come with a less than miserable attitude in the entire lead in.

 

[Vdubs]

Yeah we're rightly underdogs and nobody has really challenged any of your sentiments around our unlikely tilt at a flag.

It just felt like people were being told off for daring to speculate on any vulnerabilities or inconsistencies of the opposition, and maybe even a few things we might do right next Thursday if we are "on".

Nobody rates us - even as supporters we all feel a bit "iffy" about our chances - but it's always exciting to be top 4 where anything could happen. If it's straight sets, it's straight sets. But expecting a loss can still come with a less than miserable attitude in the entire lead in.

As you've said elsewhere, we don't or can't play 4 quarters of pressure footy against quality teams, and even poor teams (WCE, TIGERS) That does not inspire confidence, and we all acknowledge how well we have done to actually finish top 4. But, like turning up to an exam you are not well prepared for, this will be a lesson in what a real quality midfield means. How we have manufactured enough wins with our set-up is highly meritorious. Port, Swans, Lions, Dogs, Blues, Hawks and GWS ALL have much better MF's than we do, yet here we are- top 4 again.
In my experience following Geelong, this is the LEAST impressive top 4 Geelong side I have followed.
I am certainly not perturbed by this state of affairs, and am very proud of our season.
But we have to prognosticate as we see it.

 

[Mr Meow]

As you've said elsewhere, we don't or can't play 4 quarters of pressure footy against quality teams, and even poor teams (WCE, TIGERS) That does not inspire confidence, and we all acknowledge how well we have done to actually finish top 4. But, like turning up to an exam you are not well prepared for, this will be a lesson in what a real quality midfield means. How we have manufactured enough wins with our set-up is highly meritorious. Port, Swans, Lions, Dogs, Blues, Hawks and GWS ALL have much better MF's than we do, yet here we are- top 4 again.
In my experience following Geelong, this is the LEAST impressive top 4 Geelong side I have followed.
I am certainly not perturbed by this state of affairs, and am very proud of our season.
But we have to prognosticate as we see it.

The lack of 4 strong quarters in Geelong games is why I can't say I'm confident or expectant. I never pretend to know what will happen in a football match between two sides with different strengths and weaknesses. You'll notice that rarely do I actually forecast "this will happen" statements (and usually challenge them), rather I ponder where the game could be won or lost.

Banging on about how unimpressed I am with this Geelong side 30 times, and declaring how defeatist I am - I respect others rights to be like that, but it just ain't me. I look at our midfield and see that since the Essendon game it has performed much better with a core of Dangerfield, Stewart, Bowes, Bruhn and Atkins. That alone gives me more hope than the round 8-15 period where it was genuinely one of the worst in the comp.

 

[Art Vandelay_]

This game is absolutely must win.

With BL, Carl, Syd and GWS on the other side of the draw we are a 3/4 chance of playing a prelim in Melbourne against interstate opposition.

Lose and straight sets is seriously on the cards. And if we win the SF we are guaranteed a PF in Sydney.

Win this and make a GF. Lose and I fear best we can hope for is PF loss.

 

[mcwilrob]

In all seriousness my big worry is Duncan and Tuohy.

I have footy trauma from watching Henderson get horribly exposed for being old and slow in a QF against the power a few years ago. I don't want to see it happen to one of those guys.

Trouble is I just don't think Mullin is up to it yet. And Bewsy is out of favour. O'Connor's injured?

I dunno it's a big worry for mine.

Agree - Duncan looked a lot like the game has passed him by vs. Eagles who are no where near as good as Port (obviously)

 

[BIGANT]

He’s the most overrated player in the league imo

He might be finished mentally, and he's hanging on by a thread physically but he's playing a role.
Compete, bring a contest and get the ball to the ground for Rioli alike.
And bash and crash our defence to make them jump at shadows.

 

[Pollywaffle]

Agree - Duncan looked a lot like the game has passed him by vs. Eagles who are no where near as good as Port (obviously)

Yep..Duncan now looks slow and indecisive and is playing bruise free, like every opponent is a potential Mumford.

 

[kickazz]

On what basis is he lazy or unfit?

You made the assertion, it can’t just be because you said so.

He got most of his goals last time from taking a gamble on not running both ways. Had Holmes or next player not turned it over his game would have looked very different.