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

[CHAWKTS]

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.

I agree that this week is not an “identical side”…but that is due to injury not selection?

Assume we get Blitz and Hawkins and Guthrie all ready for the “real” Elimination final, I suspect all three come back into the team. And lets say for argument that we assume Holmes was in last years 23 as he was selected (so I am not counting that as a change year over year)

I would think those three come in for Sav, Bowes And whoever gets sub this weekend(Not direct ins and outs)

So to me the differences in the 23 from last year will end up being

In: O Henry, Bruhn (unless he gets squeezed out)
Out: Selwood, Bews (unless he replaces bruhn or maybe someone else)

So our “best 23” if we had people available now would indeed be almost identical to 2022 wouldn’t it?

 

[Mr Meow]

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.

Missing Duncan, Hawkins and Rohan in a prelim didn't help. Our KPD's were too old and our forward line was still missing a few important pieces.

I actually think 2022 was when we had our best list since any time 2014 onwards.

 

[CHAWKTS]

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.

I agree (not with the selection but with your comment)…and that is why the club has stuck with the “tried and tested”. It is what it is and whilst I have a different view, I understand why the club is sticking to the more experienced players. Equally I do believe that they will look back with hindsight and say it was the wrong decision. That whilst I expect us to win this week (and therefore reinforce the view that we need to keep hoping this team will click as is) we will ultimately crash out in a bad way (our best is just not good enough or certainly not consistent enough).

Now I agree that playing 3 young ones would not at all help whether we do well this year, we will look back saying those 4 games at end of 2023 could have really boosted 2024 for those players. In the end, it will only happen if we lose the next two games (which I don’t think we will)…so we will wait until 2024 to see change

 

[iameviljez]

Missing Duncan, Hawkins and Rohan in a prelim didn't help. Our KPD's were too old and our forward line was still missing a few important pieces.

Nor did persisting with Kolodjashnij on Lynch and Blicavs on a wing.

And look, Stanley deserved to get dropped in the leadup to that QF against Collingwood, but obviously in retrospect it was a mistake.

 

[Sttew]

I am surprised that after our midfield got smashed last week, the midfield remains the same this week. Parfitt, who is no doubt finished at Geelong, had 40 possessions in the VFL, and Menegola close to 30. Both are named as emergencies. Maybe, there will be a few late changes?

 

[iameviljez]

Parfitt, who is no doubt finished at Geelong, had 40 possessions in the VFL, and Menegola close to 30

They'll promote Dempsey and Knevitt first, simply on the basis of the future over the present.

I'm not sure exactly which player would fall out of the first 22, though - Isaac Smith perhaps? Maybe Bowes, though he's not really playing in the middle.

 

[Cataholic]

They'll promote Dempsey and Knevitt first, simply on the basis of the future over the present.

I'm not sure exactly which player would fall out of the first 22, though - Isaac Smith perhaps? Maybe Bowes, though he's not really playing in the middle.

I would've replaced Smith for tomorrow's game. His 'effort' last week was very soft.

 

[iameviljez]

I would've replaced Smith for tomorrow's game. His 'effort' last week was very soft.

I probably would have found one "general soreness" to rotate out.

 

[Mr Meow]

I agree that this week is not an “identical side”…but that is due to injury not selection?

Assume we get Blitz and Hawkins and Guthrie all ready for the “real” Elimination final, I suspect all three come back into the team. And lets say for argument that we assume Holmes was in last years 23 as he was selected (so I am not counting that as a change year over year)

I would think those three come in for Sav, Bowes And whoever gets sub this weekend(Not direct ins and outs)

So to me the differences in the 23 from last year will end up being

In: O Henry, Bruhn (unless he gets squeezed out)
Out: Selwood, Bews (unless he replaces bruhn or maybe someone else)

So our “best 23” if we had people available now would indeed be almost identical to 2022 wouldn’t it?

I'm more into the "what team are we looking at right now" rather than the "well maybe when this and this happens". Whether forced by injury or not, this year we've had a younger side.

E.g our median age for players this week will be 25.5 years old (up-and-coming Port are 24.5) compared to 29 years old from the 2022 grand final. 13 players 28 y.o or over in that game, 8 this week. So I'm guessing they saw that balance and went for two mid 20s to replace the mid 30s, instead of 2 kids. I would've been happy with either option but I can see why they went the way they did for this week.

 

[cats_09]

I would've replaced Smith for tomorrow's game. His 'effort' last week was very soft.

O'Connor has his good games, but he's been a little flat over recent times - would have been happy to see a youngster promoted over him

 

[JackFlash]

Geelong's selection for this game is bewildering. They have a 203CM young player ready to replace either Hawkins or Blicavs and he's pickled as an emergency? My tip is he will play as the Cats make their customary late change.

 

[Mr Meow]

Nor did persisting with Kolodjashnij on Lynch and Blicavs on a wing.

And look, Stanley deserved to get dropped in the leadup to that QF against Collingwood, but obviously in retrospect it was a mistake.

Actually it was Taylor on Lynch. Kolo got a coaches vote for his job on Riewoldt, but got massacred in the 2020 grand final by Martin. But yes errors were made. Still, a lot simply depends on the cattle. Having Cameron and Stengle back then and better depth so that Blicavs could be on ball - forget anything else - would've been enough to land a flag.

 

[iameviljez]

Geelong's selection for this game is bewildering. They have a 203CM young player ready to replace either Hawkins or Blicavs and he's pickled as an emergency? My tip is he will play as the Cats make their customary late change.

If I were Shannon Neale, I'd start looking at another club tbh. If he doesn't get in when Jeremy Cameron gets assaulted at the pub and Hawkins pings a hammy, he's never getting in.

 

[iameviljez]

Actually it was Taylor on Lynch. Kolo got a coaches vote for his job on Riewoldt, but got massacred in the 2020 grand final by Martin. But yes errors were made.

My memory fails me

 

[Cattery]

Absolutely cowardly selections.

Don't hold back, tell us what you really think.

Must say it's rather disappointing, didn't Scott say during the week that we would have to think outside the box, and then they come up with this totally uninspiring (and expected) selection.

 

[Mr Meow]

Don't hold back, tell us what you really think.

Must say it's rather disappointing, didn't Scott say during the week that we would have to think outside the box, and then they come up with this totally uninspiring (and expected) selection.

To be fair I'm fairly sure he meant positional moves within the game rather than blooding as many kids as possible.

 

[BIGANT]

Further news on Dixon, just now.

 

[cats_09]

Actually it was Taylor on Lynch. Kolo got a coaches vote for his job on Riewoldt, but got massacred in the 2020 grand final by Martin. But yes errors were made. Still, a lot simply depends on the cattle. Having Cameron and Stengle back then and better depth so that Blicavs could be on ball - forget anything else - would've been enough to land a flag.

Since when is having 1 goal kicked on you a massacre?

 

[numbwombat]

Will be a boring end to the year if this keeps up but important to maintain selection integrity IMO. Ratugolea over Neale was probably a bad call but hard to see which of the 22 you drop for Knevitt/Dempsey. Maybe Smith? His (equal) season low of 17 touches a fortnight ago is Knevitt’s highest ever disposal count.

I’d spew if Menegola got in over Knevitt but O’Connor is 26yo and deservedly best 22.

 

[cats_09]

Further news on Dixon, just now.View attachment 1764126

If Port are losing their tall forward options then maybe we don't need to go super tall in defence either and can instead afford to blood a young, tall forward...

 

[Mr Meow]

Since when is having 1 goal kicked on you a massacre?

Enlighten me with Martin's direct opponent for each of his 4 goals and 2 assists.

 

[bulletproof]

With Dixon out, I would swap out Esava for Bews. Small forwards will be more likely to trouble us than talls.

Rohan or Henry to back up Stanley.

 

[calder_daddy]

Yawn. Shopping Sav to the power to pump up his price I suppose.

And if Sav shits the bed and gets torn apart we will be lucky to get pick 50 for him.
It’s an audition the club shouldn’t allow to happen.
Obviously if he dominates and takes the piss it’s a fantastic result if he leaves.

 

[cats_09]

Enlighten me with Martin's direct opponent for each of his 4 goals and 2 assists.

Not Kolodjashnij, that's for sure - and this point has been discussed and that claim proven false repeatedly over recent seasons, but some still like to run with the Kolodjadhnij myth for some reason

JK was closest to Martin when he went that snap around the body in front of goals

Martin's goal from the boundary line was when he broke tackles from Blicavs & Dangerfield

When he went the long bomb from outside 50 it was after breaking an attempted tackle by O'Connor

And the easiest of all goals was when Tuohy was closest to him, he allowed Martin to stand on his own out the back of a marking contest, while he decided to jump into the contest but failed to impact anything. Instead, the ball got out the back to where Martin was on his own


But please, keep going with they myth of Kolodjashnij being responsible for all 4 goals... Makes for a good laugh

 

[Bevoman]

If Port are losing their tall forward options then maybe we don't need to go super tall in defence either and can instead afford to blood a young, tall forward...

The good Lord will replace Charlie (grandson of Alistair).
Big body who loves smashing packs but a terrible shot for goal