Preview Round 22: Collingwood vs Geelong, Friday 11 August 7:50pm @ MCG

[Kobe Gryant]

Anyone got their finger on the pulse about some of the VFL lads?
I think we need to bring in someone who can win a bloody clearance. We're not about to lead the league in that area overnight, but we do need to at least half the contest. How does McRae go? Does Carmichael attend many centre bounces, and if so, how does he fair?

I don't agree with people who have strung up Darcy Cameron. Grundy used to dominate the hit outs and we still never won the clearances. Good clearance sides read the opposition ruck just as well as their own.

I read someone suggesting that McCreery attend centre bounces. I hadn't considered this, and I like it. They thought his speed would be an asset. And it would. But watching the way he stands up in a tackle and then throws people to the ground... I'd love to see him burrow in there like a badger. He's certainly got the build for it.

Frampton is the obvious choice for Murphy. He was average in the first few rounds for us; mainly because of his disposal. But his confidence grew, and he turned into a decent backman there for a while. Can't remember what changed, but they started throwing him around a bit. Not the best thing for someone's confidence. Especially when they're on their 3rd club. Anyway, I can see him slotting in as a straight up and down, no fuss, nothing fancy Nathan Brown type.

If you have the dish on the VFL players, I want to hear about it!

You lost mate?

 

[cats_09]

I made an observation previously that all else aside, I just don't see the same enjoyment of the game, the same exuberance or the sense of fun within the group as I saw last year.

Not sure why, or if I'm just imagining it, but none of that has really seemed present this year, whereas last year it was plain to see.

That's something I've alluded to recently and that one of the important things we want to see is the players enjoying themselves as that's when they play their best football

It's also why I thought bringing in a couple of youngsters, especially someone like Neale, could be a good option as they bring a different level of excitement & enjoyment that could hopefully be infectious across the playing group

 

[cats_09]

Anyone got their finger on the pulse about some of the VFL lads?
I think we need to bring in someone who can win a bloody clearance. We're not about to lead the league in that area overnight, but we do need to at least half the contest. How does McRae go? Does Carmichael attend many centre bounces, and if so, how does he fair?

I don't agree with people who have strung up Darcy Cameron. Grundy used to dominate the hit outs and we still never won the clearances. Good clearance sides read the opposition ruck just as well as their own.

I read someone suggesting that McCreery attend centre bounces. I hadn't considered this, and I like it. They thought his speed would be an asset. And it would. But watching the way he stands up in a tackle and then throws people to the ground... I'd love to see him burrow in there like a badger. He's certainly got the build for it.

Frampton is the obvious choice for Murphy. He was average in the first few rounds for us; mainly because of his disposal. But his confidence grew, and he turned into a decent backman there for a while. Can't remember what changed, but they started throwing him around a bit. Not the best thing for someone's confidence. Especially when they're on their 3rd club. Anyway, I can see him slotting in as a straight up and down, no fuss, nothing fancy Nathan Brown type.

If you have the dish on the VFL players, I want to hear about it!

Guessing this is the wrong thread and that you likely didn't mean to post in the thread you were seemingly lurking in

Thinking back on thy Collingwood board would give you the answers your after

 

[Turbocat]

I made an observation previously that all else aside, I just don't see the same enjoyment of the game, the same exuberance or the sense of fun within the group as I saw last year.

Not sure why, or if I'm just imagining it, but none of that has really seemed present this year, whereas last year it was plain to see.

There is something ethereal about a time when you feel like sport or work or whatever just seems easy and good. When I used to play golf, I was rubbish most of time but every now and then ..it was just so easy ..it made you wonder why you could not do it like this all the time. Its probably hard to define enjoyment but when you are in the zone, enjoyment is something you cant buy. Annoyances fade , problems seem small , people you don't like even seem less anoying. The weather is more pleasant, the food taste better , you rock up to work early and are willing to say back if required. Gee I remember one day at golf i hit the ball straight and long off the tee for 14 holes ... and on the other 4 holes hooked into the trees ...and it hit the trees and bounced onto the fairway. Its like luck was sitting on your shoulder and he was going nowhere. Even the beer after the game tasted better.

So whats off at Catland. I can only imagine.

Its all just a bit harder this year ... and things just not rolling as easily. The easy observation is to say their are some cats with full tummies but Id say its a combination of a lot of things, a lot of little things that add up to making each day less enjoyable.

Last year it was blue sky but this year its seems more dark.. and maybe the occasion dark sky thoughts

Body feeling more sore. The game seems quicker. The shots at goal are harder and bounce of the ball seems to being going against us. The grass is more slippery than it was and the winter has been colder. The stupid ball will not bounce up and the fumbles just keep happening. That pain in the A , that kicks the ball to me never puts it to where I need it, so why should care if my kick just misses perfection and that coach will not shut up about KPI's. The game seems too long and really more often than not, I'm just glad when its done.,It will be great when the season is over so I can get away from it all. Tiredness. Just need a freshen up and a fresh start next year. Next year. Next year it will be better. How many weeks are left? Gees who do we play this week?

Its all probably less extreme than that but ist a game of small margins, and maybe all it takes is a slightly less exuberant environment and you are off the pace.. becuause there are probably 8 to 10 other sides willing to sell their souls to win a flag.

 

[CHAWKTS]

Carlton
Bulldogs

Makes me cry

 

[CatToTheFuture]

'07, '09, '11, '20, '22

5 finals victories against Collingwood in 16 years.

By Richmond rules, we well and truly own that football club.

Unfortunately I think you'll find the only place Richmond rules apply is in Richmond fans heads

 

[TheCatStevensExperience]

I made an observation previously that all else aside, I just don't see the same enjoyment of the game, the same exuberance or the sense of fun within the group as I saw last year.

Not sure why, or if I'm just imagining it, but none of that has really seemed present this year, whereas last year it was plain to see.

I have a feeling they expected to go further last year. This year the enthusiasm of the young blokes has wavered a bit, the brigade got a bit older etc, the coach is out of the honeymoon period (and seems a bit grumpy tbh).

We've been missing it too and I wonder if it's 'the secret ingredient' to some extent.

 

[TheCatStevensExperience]

Unfortunately I think you'll find the only place Richmond rules apply is in Richmond fans heads

There's a great thread over on their board comparing their over 30s to ours. The OP seems pretty reasonable but the rabid fans quickly turn the thread into Geelong AFL Conspiracy Hour!

Did you know there was NO investigation into Dank at Geelong? That Uncle Steve SINGLE-HANDEDLY stopped Richmond winning flags and tweaked the rules so Geelong could win? Did you know that playing at KP is more of an advantage than playing at the MCG and getting unearned home finals?!

It's all true!*


*If you're a Tigers fan

 

[CatToTheFuture]

A few weeks ago I chalked this up as a 10 goal loss

Since then, Daicos out, Murphy out, Collingwood losing the plot against hawthorn.

Now I think it's a 10 goal loss but I'm less emotionally prepared for it

 

[CatToTheFuture]

There's a great thread over on their board comparing their over 30s to ours. The OP seems pretty reasonable but the rabid fans quickly turn the thread into Geelong AFL Conspiracy Hour!

Did you know there was NO investigation into Dank at Geelong? That Uncle Steve SINGLE-HANDEDLY stopped Richmond winning flags and tweaked the rules so Geelong could win? Did you know that playing at KP is more of an advantage than playing at the MCG and getting unearned home finals?!

It's all true!*


*If you're a Tigers fan

I can only hope we get Dangerfield into a position of power by Friday so he can buy us a win against Collingwood, you know, the way Steve Hocking did. Just ask a tigers fan

 

[CatToTheFuture]

There's a great thread over on their board comparing their over 30s to ours. The OP seems pretty reasonable but the rabid fans quickly turn the thread into Geelong AFL Conspiracy Hour!

Did you know there was NO investigation into Dank at Geelong? That Uncle Steve SINGLE-HANDEDLY stopped Richmond winning flags and tweaked the rules so Geelong could win? Did you know that playing at KP is more of an advantage than playing at the MCG and getting unearned home finals?!

It's all true!*


*If you're a Tigers fan

You also weren't wrong. There is one guy who started a thread with a genuine question for which there are genuine answers and just hoardes of idiots responding

 

[Torquay Snow Party]

Guessing this is the wrong thread and that you likely didn't mean to post in the thread you were seemingly lurking in

Thinking back on thy Collingwood board would give you the answers your after

Thanks. It's my first day.

 

[TheCatStevensExperience]

You also weren't wrong. There is one guy who started a thread with a genuine question for which there are genuine answers and just hoardes of idiots responding

Yep. Makes me glad the Geelong board isn't like that. I mean, seemingly Geelong supporters as a whole aren't like that

 

[Chinacats]

The hawks beat the woods… .. and now no Daicos…. There is no excuse…. Win or nothing!

 

[Mr Meow]

The hawks beat the woods… .. and now no Daicos…. There is no excuse…. Win or nothing!

What does the nothing mean? What if it's a draw?

 

[Jhye Clark 13]

The hawks beat the woods… .. and now no Daicos…. There is no excuse…. Win or nothing!

You post the same crap in every preview thread.

 

[Cataholic]

There is something ethereal about a time when you feel like sport or work or whatever just seems easy and good. When I used to play golf, I was rubbish most of time but every now and then ..it was just so easy ..it made you wonder why you could not do it like this all the time. Its probably hard to define enjoyment but when you are in the zone, enjoyment is something you cant buy. Annoyances fade , problems seem small , people you don't like even seem less anoying. The weather is more pleasant, the food taste better , you rock up to work early and are willing to say back if required. Gee I remember one day at golf i hit the ball straight and long off the tee for 14 holes ... and on the other 4 holes hooked into the trees ...and it hit the trees and bounced onto the fairway. Its like luck was sitting on your shoulder and he was going nowhere. Even the beer after the game tasted better.

So whats off at Catland. I can only imagine.

Its all just a bit harder this year ... and things just not rolling as easily. The easy observation is to say their are some cats with full tummies but Id say its a combination of a lot of things, a lot of little things that add up to making each day less enjoyable.

Last year it was blue sky but this year its seems more dark.. and maybe the occasion dark sky thoughts

Body feeling more sore. The game seems quicker. The shots at goal are harder and bounce of the ball seems to being going against us. The grass is more slippery than it was and the winter has been colder. The stupid ball will not bounce up and the fumbles just keep happening. That pain in the A , that kicks the ball to me never puts it to where I need it, so why should care if my kick just misses perfection and that coach will not shut up about KPI's. The game seems too long and really more often than not, I'm just glad when its done.,It will be great when the season is over so I can get away from it all. Tiredness. Just need a freshen up and a fresh start next year. Next year. Next year it will be better. How many weeks are left? Gees who do we play this week?

Its all probably less extreme than that but ist a game of small margins, and maybe all it takes is a slightly less exuberant environment and you are off the pace.. becuause there are probably 8 to 10 other sides willing to sell their souls to win a flag.

Good post TC.

 

[Turbocat]

The hawks beat the woods… .. and now no Daicos…. There is no excuse…. Win or nothing!

Is there really ever an excuse that holds water for any afl side. I heard Cornes chip last night say ...that the Port side which was hard work to beat was half made up of SANFL players.

Excuse? Factual? Well ..every player who played was listed to an AFL side. None were debuting? It sounded so half baked as an "Excuse" that came off sounding biased.

There are reasons each week..but afl clubs never get excused for their loses. Never . Well very rarely.

Geelong will not be able to play like Haw. Collingwood is coming off multiple losses. Each week is different.

 

[catsfootyfan89]

I love the fact that you just can't write us off, no matter the circumstances. Sure we probably lose this one. But we were probably going to lose last week too. This one should be a fascinating watch. The pies wouldn't have forgotten us derailing their season last year. If anything, they should be wanting to win so we don't come up against them in the finals.

If we somehow find a way to win this, it's on like Donkey Kong.

 

[Mr Meow]

I love the fact that you just can't write us off, no matter the circumstances. Sure we probably lose this one. But we were probably going to lose last week too. This one should be a fascinating watch. The pies wouldn't have forgotten us derailing their season last year. If anything, they should be wanting to win so we don't come up against them in the finals.

If we somehow find a way to win this, it's on like Donkey Kong.

Exactly mate.

It's been a tough year and until last Saturday, we'd found a way to basically lose all of the close ones. Swing a couple of those results and we'd be knocking on the door of top 4, despite our many issues. Give us Guthrie for the year (he was bound to find form) and I'd say we'd have nabbed a couple more games that way.

Bad goal kicking has let us down, in-game injuries have been costly and our injury list has made management of players an impossibility.

As soon as other sides have 6 or more best 22 unavailable, they tend to struggle too. That excuse hasn't flown for every result, but certainly for a handful.

Still, like you say, we've been thereabouts and the finalists this year are not a strong batch. We suspect that if things click we can match a number of those sides.

Giving up on seasons simply isn't what our football club does. We should be very proud of that. There's a sliver of a chance to run into finals full of momentum and I'm glad we have left ourselves that.

 

[00VicWard001]

We will be competitive, but surely Collingwood won’t lose 3 in a row. Even with a few players out.
We all expected to drop this one.
Is hawk any chance?

port were flying - they weren’t expected to lose 4 in a row.

 

[bulletproof]

I reckon Rohan’s availability is more important than Hawkins for this one.

I don’t mind the more mobile forward line at MCG and Moore could really get a hold of Hawkins.

Hopefully some positive news on Henry as he could do a negating role on Moore.

 

[calder_daddy]

Just for Bobby Hill. Otherwise Kolo will get him and he'll kick 10.

Doesn’t matter who’s on him
Just don’t leave the ball go over the top
Of the zone and he won’t get a kick

 

[CatToTheFuture]

Thanks. It's my first day.

All good mate, you may get an odd unfriendly response here or there but for the most part we won't bite. Hope it's a good game on the weekend.

Also, Finlay Macrae is slaughtering it in the vfl for you and can't get a gig.

 

[CatToTheFuture]

port were flying - they weren’t expected to lose 4 in a row.

Port fans expected it