Preview Round 21: Geelong vs Port Adelaide, - Saturday 5 August 7:25pm @ KP

[CatToTheFuture]

I understand you can't usually play SDK and Sav in the same backline, but with Marshall, Finlayson (resting forward) both 198~ and Dixon (2m) all being on the taller side, perhaps you can get away with it.

I'll grant that Sav is a better match up for Dixon one on one but defence is a system and our system hasn't worked with both sdk and Sav together.

The real issue is the midfield. What is the change there?

 

[CatToTheFuture]

Well for our elimination final this week, compared to our grand final side of 2022:

In: Holmes, Ratugolea, Bruhn, Bowes, O.Henry

Only Holmes was best 22 last year.

It can be pretty easy to lose perspective and fall into a narrative. Good lens

 

[BIGANT]

Battle of the banged up and desperate by the looks. Port if Warren Tredea is on the money might have two more out in Dixon & Lycett. Wait and see I guess.

 

[Strange Cat]

Lucky for you lot that Dixon is carrying an injury, Marshall has lost all confidence and can't kick straight, Finlayson is dealing with off-field issues and can't focus on the game, AND we dropped our only multiple goalkicker from last week - who kicked 4 goals.

Luckily for you our midfield can’t even beat a depleted bottom 4 mids

You’ll destroy us

 

[catempire]

They've given up

Coincidentally, so have I.

 

[fpm84]

Battle of the banged up and desperate by the looks. Port if Warren Tredea is on the money might have two more out in Dixon & Lycett. Wait and see I guess.View attachment 1763997

Lycett is already out of the team ie wasn’t named to face us.

Dixon would be a withdrawal if he doesn’t play.

 

[catsfootyfan89]

Hah - the footy gods trying to get me to believe we can win this game. I'm not falling for it.

 

[Footy_Fan2007]

Hah - the footy gods trying to get me to believe we can win this game. I'm not falling for it.

It is the type of game we usually win.
Then lose against the saints and dogs.

 

[Pure_Ownage]

We have done it this year with Bruhn and O Henry. These guys (and Holmes and SDK last year) are just playing at a higher level than Dempsey, Knevitt and Neale right now.

Knevitt has been playing at a very high level.

 

[Pure_Ownage]

Well for our elimination final this week, compared to our grand final side of 2022:

In: Holmes, Ratugolea, Bruhn, Bowes, O.Henry

Only Holmes was best 22 last year.

Yes but our older guys are on the decline in a way they werent last year and a few are playing injured.

 

[Mr Meow]

Yes but our older guys are on the decline in a way they werent last year and a few are playing injured.

It's still not an "identical side" to the 2022 squad. Neale in for Sav wouldn't change that either since Sav wasn't playing last year. Fair enough I would've been happy with Knevitt instead of O'Connor. Dempsey for Smith etc type changes are still a game too soon.

 

[Cataholic]

Yes but our older guys are on the decline in a way they werent last year and a few are playing injured.

That's right......our older guys aren't performing to the same level, we're shuffling them because of injury, and along the way we've also lost some cohesion.

 

[Mr Meow]

That's right......our older guys aren't performing to the same level, we're shuffling them because of injury, and along the way we've also lost some cohesion.

Throwing Knevitt, Neale and Dempsey in wasn't going to give us that cohesion you're craving.

 

[Willo_]

I haven't read any of this thread... but was anyone else just completely underwhelmed with selection?

 

[Cataholic]

I haven't read any of this thread... but was anyone else just completely underwhelmed with selection?

Yep, a few of us were.

catempire even called it cowardly. Don't disagree.

 

[iameviljez]

I haven't read any of this thread... but was anyone else just completely underwhelmed with selection?

Yes, me. I'm disappointed that they've just gone the very conservative route. Shannon Neale deserves to be picked at the very least.

 

[Sire of Claude]

A few have said we're sticking to the same team because we can still - theoretically - make finals.

But this is the same team that's seen us in danger of missing finals.

As for comment above that we get too excited about young players .. well i shakes me head.

 

[iameviljez]

A few have said we're sticking to the same team because we can still - theoretically - make finals.

I don't see the point of picking sides for the short term in order to cling on to the bottom of the eight. Only two teams have ever won the flag outside of the top four, and one (Adelaide) required North to trip over their own shoelaces, and the other (Bulldogs) got a very charmed run in a very even year.

 

[Cataholic]

Yes, me. I'm disappointed that they've just gone the very conservative route. Shannon Neale deserves to be picked at the very least.

I thought I read some commentary very recently about the club and Scott trying something new and different in the mf etc??

But we've gone back to the same well......

Unless he leaves the backline as it is, puts Sav forward, and plays Rohan in the centre?

Not my cup of tea, but maybe that's their version of 'something different'?

 

[Sire of Claude]

I'm not sure that the club, and quite a few here, realise that it was kind of a miracle to win the flag with reportedly the oldest team ever fielded. Events this season have only served to underline that truth.

Accordingly it is baffling - and certainly disappointing - that the MC couldn't find its way clear to include at least Knevitt, who was dropped after being named in the best and has starred in the VFL ever since. And Neale would have been a like for like.

 

[cats_09]

Consider also that Neale will likely have 20cm on his direct opponent.

I also wouldn't be adverse to losing Hawkins for an extra mid. Knevitt could start forward at the bounce and then chase stoppages. The mids will get flattened so an extra number is a substantial benefit, substantial one that can swing forward as a decent contested mark and is actually a height outmatch for all their defenders as well.

Sav in its self defeating and uncreative

The other option an extra mid would allow for is to also play Dangerfield forward at times, and maybe I'm on my own on this but I think he's a more dangerous option up forward than either Jack or Ratugolea

 

[cats_09]

I haven't read any of this thread... but was anyone else just completely underwhelmed with selection?

Pretty sure it's like 6/8 pages of majority expressing frustration & disappointment with the selection, versus a few who suggesting it was either the only option or the obvious option

Even if this seemed the obvious choices, doesn't change how disappointing it is as those who've have been in good form get ignored to instead play "shift the magnets" rather than seemingly logical direct swaps

 

[iameviljez]

I'm not sure that the club, and quite a few here, realise that it was kind of a miracle to win the flag with reportedly the oldest team ever fielded. Events this season have only served to underline that truth.

I agree with this too. Most flag-winning sides have a core of genuinely excellent A-grade players in that 24 to 29 age bracket. We really should have won it in 2019; we managed to take it home last year with only one genuine, top-10-of-the-comp star (Cameron).

The other thing that stands out to me is that we had a lot of limited-but-disciplined role players - i.e. guys who aren't match winners and are a bit limited in what they do, but play a certain role. I'd suggest Close, Rohan, Bews, Miers, Henry, Kolo, O'Connor and Atkins all qualify.

 

[Mr Meow]

I thought I read some commentary very recently about the club and Scott trying something new and different in the mf etc??

But we've gone back to the same well......

Unless he leaves the backline as it is, puts Sav forward, and plays Rohan in the centre?

Not my cup of tea, but maybe that's their version of 'something different'?

Stengle, Rohan and Close will push up the ground at times and Holmes will likely have more time on ball. Bruhn will probably have another 70% plus time on ground instead of in the early 60s. Atkins and Dangerfield remain our best contested possession winners so it would be absurd to remove them.

 

[cats_09]

A few have said we're sticking to the same team because we can still - theoretically - make finals.

But this is the same team that's seen us in danger of missing finals.

As for comment above that we get too excited about young players .. well i shakes me head.

Particularly crazy considering that last year it was all about the excitement of the kids and what someone like a raw SDK could bring

Not sure why we shouldn't be looking to that same sort of thing at this stage but seeing what a raw Neale could offer or the slightly more experienced Dempsey & Knevitt - what's the worse that can happen? We lose the match while blooding the next gen instead of losing the match clinging to hope that those nearing walking frame age may turn it around?