Preview Rd 13 Cats V Swans Sunday June 9 320pm @ SCG

[dazbroncos]

Got out of jail and put the Tuggers to bed after 1/2 time.

60 point turnaround led by Bowes, Stengle, Atkins, Dempsey, Kolo - not the old age brigade. Neale had a few moments too.

Point is - this week V the Swans if we have a bad 5 mins we are cooked.

Our MF can't get smashed again and expect to be able to turn it around V the best team in the game right now on their dung heap.

We get BLitz and Clark back in form MRO duties, and maybe PFD as well.

9-4 into the Bye week would be nice but probably over inflates our position a bit given the struggles we have been showing.

Still - winners are grinners and for now we are.

Maybe we can get it together and give them a run for their money.

GO Catters

 

[CHAWKTS]

Got out of jail and put the Tuggers to bed after 1/2 time.

60 point turnaround led by Bowes, Stengle, Atkins, Dempsey, Kolo - not the old age brigade. Neale had a few moments too.

Point is - this week V the Swans if we have a bad 5 mins we are cooked.

Our MF can't get smashed again and expect to be able to turn it around V the best team in the game right now on their dung heap.

We get BLitz and Clark back in form MRO duties, and maybe PFD as well.

9-4 into the Bye week would be nice but probably over inflates our position a bit given the struggles we have been showing.

Still - winners are grinners and for now we are.

Maybe we can get it together and give them a run for their money.

GO Catters

Do we have any news at all on Kolo in terms of potential to miss with a couple of slaps to the head? I hope not as he is probably our most consistent defender so far in 2024.

 

[cats_09]

Do we have any news at all on Kolo in terms of potential to miss with a couple of slaps to the head? I hope not as he is probably our most consistent defender so far in 2024.

Krock wasn't too concerned about him, thought he possibly has a broken nose from the repeated hits

They were a little more concerned about Stewart who they thought may have had to undergo a HIA Saturday night/Sunday after the doctors took him from the field late in the match following a head knock - sounds like Stewart didn't want to go off, but the doctors strongly encouraged him

 

[Kobe Gryant]

Like our chances a lot more with PFD playing. One would think they've been holding him over for this week's game.

In: PFD, Blicavs, Clark

Out: Touhy, Mullin, Henry (Injury)

Rohan into the 22, MOC to sub with 3 mids returning.

 

[Johanpetro]

Like our chances a lot more with PFD playing. One would think they've been holding him over for this week's game.

In: PFD, Blicavs, Clark

Out: Touhy, Mullin, Henry (Injury)

Rohan into the 22, MOC to sub with 3 mids returning.

PFD is playing?

 

[CatToTheFuture]

Low expectations of a win here.

This could get ugly.

 

[Kobe Gryant]

PFD is playing?

Something something "he could have played last week" something something.

I expect we'll pick him. Scott was cagey when asked if he'd play against Richmond (while still prefacing that he could have) but was much more open about the possibility of Sydney.

If he's right to go - which we've implied he is - it would be pretty arrogant to leave our skipper at home for the hardest roadtrip of the year.

 

[Art Vandelay_]

First trip to Sydney, and first trip to the SCG.
Please don't put in a shocking performance.

 

[Cataholic]

Low expectations of a win here.

This could get ugly.

The last 5 weeks have me fearing this one.

Yes, we won last week, but damn....it was bloody hard yakka against a team that'd only won one game to date. It's also concerning they apparently showed little hunger from the opening bounce, despite the 4 losses preceding it.

Not very convincing.

 

[BotsMaster]

Last time:

AFL Tables - Sydney v Geelong - Fri, 30-Jun-2023 7:50 PM - Match Stats

 

[bulletproof]

This could be an almighty flogging I think.

Aside from the large gap in class, one team looking for the break and one team with a week’s freshen.

Can’t make any sort of case for Geelong here.

Limit the damage and see you in two weeks.

 

[FootyLad0]

I strangely get the feeling that we may jump them early annd actually beat them.
Everyone will book in a Swans easy win…. I can just see us turning up while they are rusty coming from a week off.

 

[Chinacats]

Well let’s hope the bye has broken their flow of form and that the cats underdog tag frees us up a bit. They’re not unbeatable!
One thing’s for sure the Swans will lose future games and probably another one or two unexpectedly and even at home…..
Let’s get this done and bring some tactics to ruffle them up a bit……

 

[Chinacats]

This could be an almighty flogging I think.

Aside from the large gap in class, one team looking for the break and one team with a week’s freshen.

Can’t make any sort of case for Geelong here.

Limit the damage and see you in two weeks.

I’m calling the swans pretenders! Absolutely first half of year June champions and destined for a top 4 finish as it sits, but we all know they won’t get it done when it matters…..

 

[Cataholic]

I strangely get the feeling that we may jump them early annd actually beat them.
Everyone will book in a Swans easy win…. I can just see us turning up while they are rusty coming from a week off.

Not sure we could jump a painted line at the moment, but I sincerely hope you're right.

Would love to see it.

 

[fpm84]

I think we are in with a chance here. If for no other reason than the Swans are due a down game and a slow start coming off a bye is quite common.

We obviously have had the wood over them for the last couple of years and I think if we start well we will be right in it.

Of course, we cannot allow an appalling quarter like those we've had v Port, GWS and Richmond where we're outscored by 4-6 goals in the space of half an hour.

 

[moond0g]

TBH this is a free hit game.

Anything other than a complete belting will be ok. If we happen to snatch the win, even better.

 

[Turkey Tom]

I rarely tip against Geelong...this might be the week. Although, how my tipping is going this is a good sign for the team!

 

[Goggin Our Best]

Can’t make any sort of case for Geelong here.

Limit the damage and see you in two weeks.

Dangerfield in the Geel side is the Cats only hope

Swans $1.33 Cats $3.35

I reckon that market is bang on the money - those odds are saying The Swans are Red hot favourites but they aernt an over the line proposition to win , and Geelong are the outsiders but they have still got a sneaky chance of winning

I have quite liked Neale in the side , hes getting better each game , and i think Hawkins has nearly stopped to a halt , Swans like to have plenty of run and dash from the backline , Blakey and a few others , and i think they will expose Hawkins lack of mobility in a big way , and the other thing you have to factor into that , is Cameron isnt moving too flash either , so i would like Hawkins out of the side this week - because in my opinion this will be an up tempo game , and a few weeks back the Swans beat Carlton by about 8 goals at the SCG , you know and the Blues are playing decent football

 

[Taper]

I have a feeling we'll win this by 3-4 goals.
Swans are good but far from unbeatable, and we match up well on them.

 

[00VicWard001]

I strangely get the feeling that we may jump them early annd actually beat them.
Everyone will book in a Swans easy win…. I can just see us turning up while they are rusty coming from a week off.

The tigers actually played us into form.

I think we'll come out red hot, now that we;ve remembered how to play with determination.

 

[BlakeyNoFlakey]

It grinds my gears that the Swans are coming off their second bye for the season to play us while the Cats haven't even had one yet. AFL fixturing at its worst.

 

[Footy Smarts]

Interesting selections this week.

Do we throw everything at it and treat it as a must win knowing we'll probably lose anyway? Or back in the younger guys knowing it could get ugly?

Big decisions:

Ruck options. A) Conway will get dominated by Grundy but he'll learn a lot. B).Stanley the most likely to compete this week but it's not a long-term move. C) Blicavs as number 1 the other interesting option.

Danger. A) give him the bye. B) throw him in.

Neale. A) give him another crack. B) go smaller in the forward line.

I'm leaning towards going full rebuild mode for this one and accepting we likely can't win. Save Danger until after the bye, give Conway a crack at Grundy and give Neale another game. Get Clark in midfield too.

Ins - Clark, Blicavs
Outs - O Henry, Stewart/SDK/Kolo (need a miracle for none of them to be concussed from last week).

 

[Kobe Gryant]

Interesting selections this week.

Do we throw everything at it and treat it as a must win knowing we'll probably lose anyway? Or back in the younger guys knowing it could get ugly?

Big decisions:

Ruck options. A) Conway will get dominated by Grundy but he'll learn a lot. B).Stanley the most likely to compete this week but it's not a long-term move. C) Blicavs as number 1 the other interesting option.

Danger. A) give him the bye. B) throw him in.

Neale. A) give him another crack. B) go smaller in the forward line.

I'm leaning towards going full rebuild mode for this one and accepting we likely can't win. Save Danger until after the bye, give Conway a crack at Grundy and give Neale another game. Get Clark in midfield too.

Ins - Clark, Blicavs
Outs - O Henry, Stewart/SDK/Kolo (need a miracle for none of them to be concussed from last week).

Getting thumped does nothing for the development of the kids.

Going down by 3 goals or so with Danger & Blitz playing, and still getting games into a large cohort of youth is far more viable than just going all out with the kids, and having a repeat of the GC game.

All of Bruhn, Holmes, Clark, Conway, Neale, Dempsey, & SDK are either certainties to play, or highly likely.

Mullin probably gets squeezed out for one of the returning vets, while Henry's out injured.

We're playing youth either way, might as well try to be competitive and teach them something than just having them get flogged.

The 'full rebuild' path you mention is basically what we're already doing. Our youth are getting games on merit, and have overtaken a lot of their senior contemporaries.

PFD, Blitz, and a fit Guthrie are the only veterans not in the side who are non negotiable best 22, and even then, that could be at the expense of guys like Touhy & Rohan who are on the fringes.

 

[catsfootyfan89]

Feels like the SCG has been one of our least successful away-grounds over the last ten years. I'd be interested to know if this is accurate or if my intuitions are just wrong in hindsight.

The 3-1 odds feel about right to me. We most likely get done here by 30ish.

Still, if the majority of the team plays close to their best, we could certainly squeeze a win. We'll need to be competitive in the ruck / inside mid. Can't lose that battle too badly with their battlers around the ball.

Wouldn't it be fantastic if Paddy came in and turned back the clock to his 2022 best?