Preview Round 6 - Flag unfurling in GF rematch: Geelong vs Sydney, 22 April, 7:25pm @ HOME (KP)

[Jhye Clark 13]

Rohan for Stengle I guess… wouldn’t mind seeing an in your face , speedy defensive pressure type small forward that is dangerous on the attack coming in…. But we don’t have that replacement. Bews on Paps… or O’Connor…?

You've just described Rohan.

 

[Jhye Clark 13]

Hi folks, I come in peace.
Keeper league question, how is Sam Simpson progressing? Do you see him getting games soon?
Cheers.

He's close this week.

 

[Footy Smarts]

Interesting if true.

It's amazing that the media were talking up the Tigers injuries when they played a Sydney team with 10 players under 23 compared to their 7.

SDK, Henry and Holmes were the only 3 under 23 for us.

Sydney have some serious talent but realistically we should be too strong and experienced for them especially given the talls they're missing this week.

 

[goyoucatters]

It's amazing that the media were talking up the Tigers injuries when they played a Sydney team with 10 players under 23 compared to their 7.

SDK, Henry and Holmes were the only 3 under 23 for us.

Sydney have some serious talent but realistically we should be too strong and experienced for them especially given the talls they're missing this week.

It's a classic case of the game you win 'on paper'. Just hoping the boys actually fire up and don't turn it into an accident waiting to happen...'ThE uPSet Of tHE sEaSoN!'

Because, as sure as night follows day, if we ease into this game believing there is little prospect of them winning due to their selected line-up, we will get taken down easily.

Respect the game, respect the opposition, and the result will most likely look after itself.

And if Kolo kicks a goal in the first quarter, the more easily riled amongst us might be better to just switch off then.

 

[Mr Meow]

It's amazing that the media were talking up the Tigers injuries when they played a Sydney team with 10 players under 23 compared to their 7.

SDK, Henry and Holmes were the only 3 under 23 for us.

Sydney have some serious talent but realistically we should be too strong and experienced for them especially given the talls they're missing this week.

It's still possible they can beat us but their midfield has to pulverise us and for most of the game. Sadly that is not inconceivable but I think if we go even close to breaking even in there we will win, and our strength at either end to them may still get it done anyway.

This is all on the notion of Geelong turning up. I took the second half against West Coast with a grain of salt, but I'll be slightly cautious until I see evidence of the opposite first bounce (and that is what I'm expecting).

 

[ctravm]

He's close this week.

Only if Brereton and Ruccito are commentating, then everyone is "Close".

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[Jumping Jack]

Only if Brereton and Ruccito are commentating, then everyone is "Close".

On CPH1831 using BigFooty.com mobile app

Haha yeah I thought the same thing myself during the match commentary. Neither have a fully functioning brain between them.

Both very complex human beings.

 

[Jhye Clark 13]

Only if Brereton and Ruccito are commentating, then everyone is "Close".

On CPH1831 using BigFooty.com mobile app

Is that some kind of Italian dish I'm unaware of?

 

[Pure_Ownage]

Is Bews free to play again yet?

Sounds like he will be

 

[BlakeyNoFlakey]

Obviously, Chuckie comes in for Stengle which means Ollie Henry stays in too.

Parfitt should be dropped after the shit performance of last week.

Sounds like Bews is good to go again.

In: Rohan, Bews, Ceglar
Out: Stengle, Stanley, Parfitt


How is Jhye Clark going in the 2's? Has anyone been watching?

 

[allrighty]

John Longmire ruled out the Mccartin brothers for this weekend. Rampe & Franklin are only 50/50. If we can match them in the middle, we will win this match.


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And ... Ceglar is a good tap ruckman

 

[cats_09]

Obviously, Chuckie comes in for Stengle which means Ollie Henry stays in too.

Parfitt should be dropped after the s**t performance of last week.

Sounds like Bews is good to go again.

In: Rohan, Bews, Ceglar
Out: Stengle, Stanley, Parfitt


How is Jhye Clark going in the 2's? Has anyone been watching?

Is one of those 3 inclusions the sub, otherwise need a third out from the 22 to have 3 inclusions

 

[allrighty]

My preview for the Cats v Swans

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Last time they met/history

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Geelong vs Sydney a grand final rematch for the first time in AFL history, surprising only in that these two teams have been participants in 11 of the last 18 grand finals and never faced each other. But that doesn’t mean we didn’t have some history against the Bloods. In 2016 when they blocked the inevitable crowning of a new Geelong dynasty by stopping Dangerwood in its tracks in a devastating and unexpected Prelim final thrashing. Then a year later Geelong returned the favor by jumping the swans in a Semi when everyone saw the red-hot Swans as an unstoppable force. Who could forget a wet night in Sydney in 2005 when Nick Davis singlehandedly dragged his team over the line and left Mooney in tears.

However, in our most recent matchup a dominant and unstoppable Geelong obliterated Sydney in the game that matters most running away 81-point victors and lifting the Premiership cup for the first time in 11 years. A famous full stop to the career of Geelong’s greatest ever captain and leader. On that day Geelong could do no wrong and Sydney could do no right, as Sydney offered no fight or challenge before meekly slinking into the offseason. The joy and jubilation that was had at our expense for Buddy’s 1000th was cast side as Sydney and the great man himself proved to be irrelevant in the wake of Geelong’s dominance.

View attachment 1663768​

The season so far

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Much has been made of Geelong’s poor start to the year, is it poor preparation, has the cliff finally found us, or has the team lost its way in the absence of a generational leader. I can make no predictions about the future of this season (My tipping can attest to that), but perhaps Geelong can turn the corner. We have surely seen flashes of the brilliance that led us to 16 wins in a row last year, a 5 minute burst here a 10 goal quarter there but not yet have we seen anything even resembling a full match performance. Geelong has dug itself out of awful start and is now only 1 win out of the 8, but this match certainly could prove to be a challenging test.

On the other side Sydney has been an inconsistent force, A strong start against Gold Coast and Hawthorn was undermined by a heavy defeat at the hands of Melbourne and an unexpected loss to a resurgent Port. While they did respond by heavily beating up on Richmond questions still remain of how Sydney will respond to that demoralizing grand final loss and what scars have been inflicted on this young list.



The pre-match



This match holds special significance for both clubs and both will be desperate for a win. Geelong is unfurling its 10th flag, waiting for this moment as if to rub it in the faces of Sydney. They also hoped to unveil a new state if the art stand however those plans have been extinguished by the constant delays.

You would be hard pressed to say Geelong is entering this match firing on all cylinders. Injury and form have created a slow start to the year but encouraging signs have shown several key players are starting to play their way back into form. Hawkins kicking 4 goals against West Coast is certainly a good sign as he has been almost a non-factor for the first 4 rounds of the season. Close also had an encouraging return to form and will look to continue that in this match. Geelong will be without Tyson Stengle and Rhys Stanley for the forceable future, and it will require several players to step up in their absence. Gary Rohan will be the likely inclusion for Stengle, however this raises concerns as this is not a like for like switch and might leave Geelong to tall in the forward line without adequate ground coverage. Perhaps Chris Scott and Geelong might pull a move from left field and throw in Ollie Dempsey and Rohan while relegating Henry to the Sub bench again? As for Stanley well it’s obviously going to be Ceglar and he just sucks, so yeah there’s that.



The Match



This match will start in a cagey fashion with both teams looking to figure each other out early, look for Sydney to give away some silly early frees in some faux tough guy act to get “revenge” for last year’s grand final.

This will be close run all day with multiple lead changes and runs from either team, one will be kicking clear only to be just kept in touch and then run down when momentum swings.

However, spurred on by a parochial crowd and playing at home for the first time this year Geelong will lift in the last 15 minutes to pull away from Sydney, matching them in wins for the year 3-3.



Geelong Wins by 20

Good summary thanks. I think Sydney and most teams will come out all guns blazing to try to undermine our shaky starts.

 

[catempire]

How many Swans from the 2022 GF likely to play this week?

 

[cats_09]

How many Swans from the 2022 GF likely to play this week?

Surely that's a trick question, as surely one can't be certain that any Swans players actually turned up to the MCG 211 days prior to this weekends clash

Or is we want to be nice - maybe 1, pretty sure Chad Warner knew where the MCG was and what day he had to turn up

 

[BlakeyNoFlakey]

Is one of those 3 inclusions the sub, otherwise need a third out from the 22 to have 3 inclusions

I think the sub should be Bowes or Henry.

 

[cjtho6]

Not sure if this is the right place or I'm allowed to post this but I have two tickets to the game and I won't be able to go. Heads up the tickets are not together, but pretty close. The two seats are
A4 G 24
A4 B 19

Free to the first person. Send me your name and email and I will transfer the tickets

 

[catempire]

Surely that's a trick question, as surely one can't be certain that any Swans players actually turned up to the MCG 211 days prior to this weekends clash

Or is we want to be nice - maybe 1, pretty sure Chad Warner knew where the MCG was and what day he had to turn up

I think I count 16 from the Tigers game.

 

[foxdog50]

It’ll be a disaster if we don’t beat Sydney this week - they are missing Buddy, Reid, Amartey, Hickey, Tom McCartin, Paddy McCartin, Rampe. That’s 6 of their talls plus an A-grade defender

I can still remember that game GWS had stack load of players out and we played them at Geelong, I thought we were going to win by 10 goals... but we lost

 

[Mr Meow]

I can still remember that game GWS had stack load of players out and we played them at Geelong, I thought we were going to win by 10 goals... but we lost

GWS beat us in Geelong? What season was that?

 

[foxdog50]

GWS beat us in Geelong? What season was that?

 

[cats_09]

GWS beat us in Geelong? What season was that?

2021 - Dangerfield out of the match early after an elbow to the throat

 

[Footy_Fan2007]

Anyone concerned that we've only played a single good quarter each game?

We do look fitter now than what we did a month ago.
Hopefully our fitness continues to grow.

 

[The_Todd07]

View attachment 1664943

They also beat us at GMHBA Round 4 2019. Only game we lost before the bye

 

[Mr Meow]

We do look fitter now than what we did a month ago.
Hopefully our fitness continues to grow.

Why did people think the fitness was just never going to come? Arguably it took until round 10 last year before we really saw it. This season we didn't win our "steal it at the death" effort vs Carlton like we did vs Collingwood early in 2022, but it's been fairly similar performance wise besides that. The run coming in bits and spurts. Next month should be a bit better.