Preview Round 4, 2023: Geelong v Hawthorn, MCG 3:20pm Easter Monday 10th April

[TylerDurden]

Here’s the thing Meek is 24. He should be in the prime of his career and ready to go after his time under Darcy at Freo.

He’s not 18 or 19.

Nankervis was even younger when he came to the Tigers and he made a massive difference to them from the first game.

Fair enough it’s still early days but I reckon most on here would have expected more from Lloyd than what we’ve seen so far. Meeks been given a rolled gold opportunity to cement himself as a primary AFL ruck and I haven’t seen the desperation in him to make it his.

Let’s revisit this at the halfway mark of the season.

He laid 8 tackles in an 80 pt thumping v Sydney. That shows you a ruckman who's keen to make an impact.

 

[threesixpio]

Cats will still play finals this year

Need to bring back Lloydy to play for the bulldogs in round 24 against the Cats and snipe Danger

 

[HODGEYROAD]

I tell you what watching Meek and Reeves this year has given me a new found appreciation for Big Boys work.

He was undersized for a ruck, slow, turning circle of a Mack truck and couldn’t jump over a jam jar but by god was he hard at it and never, ever dropped his head in a marking contest (as the numerous bandages he had to wear testified to). Plus he was a beautiful kick for goal and could run all day.

Out of all of our retirees/trades I reckon we are missing Big Boy the most funnily enough.

Yeah Big Boy had such an impressive tank and would give such great support to the back 6 with those marks he'd take. Pretty underrated player.

 

[Judd2Sewell]

He laid 8 tackles in an 80 pt thumping v Sydney. That shows you a ruckman who's keen to make an impact.

Too bad he followed it up with a bad game that included some soft efforts. He needs to really throw his weight around.

 

[Davo-27]

The media pumping up Geelong to play at their best, going to be real tough to win, as long as we're competitive and not get blown away.....

 

[Simon Crawshay]

Too bad he followed it up with a bad game that included some soft efforts. He needs to really throw his weight around.

Reeves and Meek were spanked on the weekend by Goldy who is in his dotage as an AFL player.

Just imagine what our young midfield could do with a decent ruck, would be a game changer.

Really need one of Reeves or Meeks (preferably both) to take that step.

 

[TheFourPillars]

The media pumping up Geelong to play at their best, going to be real tough to win, as long as we're competitive and not get blown away.....

I dont think this matters. We will come with a plan to win. Its all about how we execute it. If we lose we were not good enough for whatever reason. Lick our wounds learn from it and live to fight another day.

 

[Hodginator]

The whole idea of media pumping up teams is overblown.

Harden up.

Hawks by 17 points.

 

[Strapping Young Lad]

Here’s the thing Meek is 24. He should be in the prime of his career and ready to go after his time under Darcy at Freo.

He’s not 18 or 19.

Nankervis was even younger when he came to the Tigers and he made a massive difference to them from the first game.

Fair enough it’s still early days but I reckon most on here would have expected more from Lloyd than what we’ve seen so far. Meeks been given a rolled gold opportunity to cement himself as a primary AFL ruck and I haven’t seen the desperation in him to make it his.

Let’s revisit this at the halfway mark of the season.

24 is not the prime of a ruck man’s career.

 

[Strapping Young Lad]

The whole idea of media pumping up teams is overblown.

Harden up.

Hawks by 17 points.

We literally came out and beat the eventual premier last year after a week of getting smashed by the media, and putting the mouth guards in at training. It happens.

 

[FB19]

Here’s the thing Meek is 24. He should be in the prime of his career and ready to go after his time under Darcy at Freo.

He’s not 18 or 19.

Nankervis was even younger when he came to the Tigers and he made a massive difference to them from the first game.

Fair enough it’s still early days but I reckon most on here would have expected more from Lloyd than what we’ve seen so far. Meeks been given a rolled gold opportunity to cement himself as a primary AFL ruck and I haven’t seen the desperation in him to make it his.

Let’s revisit this at the halfway mark of the season.

I think we just need to let the rucks develop and not expect too much this year apart from effort and contest. If we can rotate them and get 15 games into the top 3 and some games into ramsden I think that’s a tick. When we are ready to compete we will know what we need to know about all of them that’s to me the focus.

 

[Simon Crawshay]

24 is not the prime of a ruck man’s career.

He got smashed by a a late 30s ruck on the weekend.

I can’t believe that a 35 year old ruck should be in a position to do that to a massive unit in his athletic prime.

Like I said let’s revisit this at the halfway mark of the season but fair to say Lloyd has a lot of work to do.

 

[Sixpence]

He got smashed by a a late 30s ruck on the weekend.

I can’t believe that a 35 year old ruck should be in a position to do that to a massive unit in his athletic prime.

Like I said let’s revisit this at the halfway mark of the season but fair to say Lloyd has a lot of work to do.

So a ruck with nearly 300 games experience beat a ruck with less than 20? I'm shocked.

 

[Rowie6]

Media absolutely roasting Geelong and individual players - nothing surer than the Cats come out guns blazing.

Funny things can happen in football?


On iPhone using BigFooty.com mobile app

 

[PLATTS44]

Gotta say I have been pretty disappointed by Meek's output so far this season. With everything that had been said about him off season (particularly Freo supporters) I was expecting to see an aggressive hard at it tap ruckman who doubled up as another midfielder. In essence a Marc Pittonett 2.0.

As someone who was dead set against trading out Pittonett yet retaining Ceglar, I thought (and still do) that maybe we get a slight upgrade on a Pittonett type ruckman. So far,this is nowhere near the case and underwhelming is the only word I can use to describe Meek ATM.

Hope he starts to show a bit more in the coming week, really needs to bring against Geelong

gotta say meek will be a player, he will get better as he plays more than 10 or 20 afl games mate give him time

 

[Rowie6]

Here’s the thing Meek is 24. He should be in the prime of his career and ready to go after his time under Darcy at Freo.

He’s not 18 or 19.

Nankervis was even younger when he came to the Tigers and he made a massive difference to them from the first game.

Fair enough it’s still early days but I reckon most on here would have expected more from Lloyd than what we’ve seen so far. Meeks been given a rolled gold opportunity to cement himself as a primary AFL ruck and I haven’t seen the desperation in him to make it his.

Let’s revisit this at the halfway mark of the season.

I feel Ruckman take a little longer and hit there peak around 28?


On iPhone using BigFooty.com mobile app

 

[Strapping Young Lad]

So a ruck with nearly 300 games experience beat a ruck with less than 20? I'm shocked.

Amazing eh.

 

[Simon Crawshay]

So a ruck with nearly 300 games experience beat a ruck with less than 20? I'm shocked.

Look that’s one way to look at it but I think everyone will agree that Goldy (as good a player as he was) is a long way from his prime. He only got selected for this match because Xerri was injured.

And I am sure that if you added up all the WAFL games Meek would have played close to 100 games a ruck in top tier competition. It’s not like last year where we were throwing Nash and Kossy in the ruck and they had NFI what to do, Meeks trade is as a ruck.

Like I say let’s revisit this mid season. I had massive hopes for Meek and I hope he comes good as much as anyone. But we need to see at least a glimmer soon.

 

[Strapping Young Lad]

Look that’s one way to look at it but I think everyone will agree that Goldy (as good a player as he was) is a long way from his prime. He only got selected for this match because Xerri was injured.

And I am sure that if you added up all the WAFL games Meek would have played close to 100 games a ruck in top tier competition. It’s not like last year where we were throwing Nash and Kossy in the ruck and they had NFI what to do, Meeks trade is as a ruck.

Like I say let’s revisit this mid season. I had massive hopes for Meek and I hope he comes good as much as anyone. But we need to see at least a glimmer soon.

We already saw a glimmer against the Swans.

It’s almost like when Sam says weekly “our players are still all learning, they will have good days and bad days” that you’ve just ignored him.

 

[smeltitdeltit]

Yes it was pre season, but….
Play like we did vs cats pre season , we lose

Play like we did vs pies pre season we have a good shot.

 

[wahawk]

One thing to remember with our Rucks is that not one of them has played more than 20 games! (Reeves 20, Meek 18, Lynch 7)

Just like our midfield, they need to grow as well.

Ssshhh
That ruins a good story

 

[wahawk]

He got smashed by a a late 30s ruck on the weekend.

I can’t believe that a 35 year old ruck should be in a position to do that to a massive unit in his athletic prime.

Like I said let’s revisit this at the halfway mark of the season but fair to say Lloyd has a lot of work to do.

Is he
late 30’s
mid 30’s

Or
his actual age, 34


& let’s also put into perspective
277 less AFL games.

Don’t try adding in wafl games

Wafl is not even close to afl standard football

 

[Simon Crawshay]

Ssshhh
That ruins a good story

Here is the thing though.

Ward is 19, Mackenzie is 19, Newk is 21.

Meek is 24, Lynch is 24 and Reeves is 23.

Yet those three midfielders in their late teens /early twenties have already shown a lot more ability and promise than those three ruckmen who are almost 25.

I know the big guys take longer to develop but if they don't make that leap to being at least competent ruckmen soon the odds are they never will.

Ceglar for all his faults was already a pretty decent ruck by the time he was 24.

 

[wahawk]

Here is the thing though.

Ward is 19, Mackenzie is 19, Newk is 21.

Meek is 24, Lynch is 24 and Reeves is 23.

Yet those three midfielders in their late teens /early twenties have already shown a lot more ability and promise than those three ruckmen who are almost 25.

I know the big guys take longer to develop but if they don't make that leap to being at least competent ruckmen soon the odds are they never will.

Ceglar for all his faults was already a pretty decent ruck by the time he was 24.

I thought you wanted to revisit mid season, not every 2nd post

 

[Strapping Young Lad]

Here is the thing though.

Ward is 19, Mackenzie is 19, Newk is 21.

Meek is 24, Lynch is 24 and Reeves is 23.

Yet those three midfielders in their late teens /early twenties have already shown a lot more ability and promise than those three ruckmen who are almost 25.

I know the big guys take longer to develop but if they don't make that leap to being at least competent ruckmen soon the odds are they never will.

Ceglar for all his faults was already a pretty decent ruck by the time he was 24.

They're all competent ruckman right now. It's the other parts of their game they need to improve.