Preview Semi Final v Bulldogs @ The Gabba, Saturday 4th September 2021, 7.20pm.

[mpal6]

That's if they're as good . Are they?

Rayner and especially Hipwood still have to come back to near what we hoped. If we don't win it in the next year or two we're looking at 5 or 6 guys who've been linchpins for us gone out of the side.

It can change quickly .

If we play the right mix of players, we can push any club this season and that includes Demons. Even without Rayner and Hipwood, I believe we have a good enough system to push them all.
When our pressure was up, we were able to match or beat most of them. It clearly shows our current team / personnel can get it done when they are in the zone.

 

[martinson]

I don't know anything Bangy . Just putting up an opinion. Apart from the three you mention Lyons , Neale, Gardiner, probably won't be as good. Is Oscar going to become a gun or struggle ? Charlie ,McCarthy ,probably at their peak right now . Is Daniher going to get better ? Maybe.

You can't count on anything or think because you've got a good side you'll just keep replicating it.

I'm aware of that Martinson, your posts just have a negative tinge to them that's all. And I get it, we've been pretty crap for a long time, and there must be some fear in all of us stems from that, but not many sides have been turned around as quickly as we have. My preference is to think that it hasn't been a fluke, that we've built a good team (not the playing team) that will also be able to continue to improve us over the next five plus years.
[/QUOTE]
Well in actual fact I'm overwhelmingly positive in real life and generally in relation to my footy side. But if you want LT success you've got to keep moving forward. I haven't got any fear at all. I went to every Fitzroy game as a small kid where we won two ( games) in 3 years . I loved it and I loved the team.

If you get through that and keep supporting them you're fairly optimistic I would think.

 

[martinson]

If we play the right mix of players, we can push any club this season and that includes Demons. Even without Rayner and Hipwood, I believe we have a good enough system to push them all.
When our pressure was up, we were able to match or beat most of them. It clearly shows our current team / personnel can get it done when they are in the zone.

I think that goes for a lot of the teams Mpal.

You know you're a really good side when you play well and get it done against another good side when things haven't gone your way and your system isn't quite working. All of the dominant teams over any era can do that.

Because you're not going to be in the zone , your system is going to have flaws and your pressure levels won't be sustained at their optimum most weeks.

So that's the test we've faced in finals to date.

 

[Gadzorks]

I want to go to this game, yell and cheer and generally carry on like a right idiot. Try to make my family and friends laugh, and laugh at their stupidity as well.

I want to watch elite athletes do their thing, and try to egg them on to bigger and better performance than they've delivered before. Ride the waves of momentum and forget about all the crappy stuff in life for a few hours.

Saturday night is going to be awesome. Win or lose.

 

[Mighty Lions]

I want to go to this game, yell and cheer and generally carry on like a right idiot. Try to make my family and friends laugh, and laugh at their stupidity as well.

I want to watch elite athletes do their thing, and try to egg them on to bigger and better performance than they've delivered before. Ride the waves of momentum and forget about all the crappy stuff in life for a few hours.

Saturday night is going to be awesome. Win or lose.

I love this.....you go do exactly that Gadzorks because that what we as supporters of a footy club should do more often than not. Sure be disappointed if they lose or dont live up to expectations, but more importantly enjoy the game & all the things surrounding the game as a spectator.

 

[fugitive]

Do you really think we're as talented as Melbourne ?

I can't see it .

I’d only give them a slight advantage in ruck and leg speed but everywhere else we are just as good, don’t forget it was only a few weeks ago, they were struggling to score more than 8 goals in a game and dropping games to bottom teams so they have had fair share of their issues especially the forward line. They played well last week and got us with some of our key players below par/injured but by no means a better team than us.

 

[Dalions]

We just wanted to avoid the extra week off, that’s all!

 

[Mighty Lions]

I’d only give them a slight advantage in ruck and leg speed but everywhere else we are just as good, don’t forget it was only a few weeks ago, they were struggling to score more than 8 goals in a game and dropping games to bottom teams so they have had fair share of their issues especially the forward line. They played well last week and got us with some of our key players below par/injured but by no means a better team than us.

As good as Charlie was as an attacking forward last week, his defensive efforts in every quarter was a disgrace & was acknowledged. Joey wasn't far behind him as well. I expect to see a significantly better effort against the Bulldogs.
Last weeks summary for me was that we had too many passengers in the 22 and we will lose every time against quality sides if we dont get an even contribution.

 

[On the quiet]

cant wait for Saturday, feel reasonably confident. Also cant wait for the release of the team later today, think there might be the odd melt

 

[martinson]

As good as Charlie was as an attacking forward last week, his defensive efforts in every quarter was a disgrace & was acknowledged. Joey wasn't far behind him as well. I expect to see a significantly better effort against the Bulldogs.
Last weeks summary for me was that we had too many passengers in the 22 and we will lose every time against quality sides if we dont get an even contribution.

Plus we had a couple of guys banged up and one carted off. I do think the manner in which McStay went down with blood everywhere got into some of our heads and they chased a fair bit after that. We couldn't keep up with the tempo when they upped the ante. We were ok when we went defensive but not enough energy to score well. In short we were done.

I'm expecting a far better performance this week and looking forward to a couple of changes as well.

 

[mpal6]

I think that goes for a lot of the teams Mpal.

You know you're a really good side when you play well and get it done against another good side when things haven't gone your way and your system isn't quite working. All of the dominant teams over any era can do that.

Because you're not going to be in the zone , your system is going to have flaws and your pressure levels won't be sustained at their optimum most weeks.

So that's the test we've faced in finals to date.

The third quarter against Dees to me is when we showed how we can change the tempo and sort of claw our way back when things were not going to plan. Had Charlie kicked that goal around the end of third and brought the deficit back to 13 points, who knows what could've happened.

We had a bigger body midfielder pushed forward to second tall, couple of our key defenders well down and across the board players were generally down from the level they were capable of. In spite of all these problems we were less than 20 points away at the beginning of final quarter. I think this team has shown it can take the lemons handed to them and make the best possible lemonade out of it. Win this week and get McStay back, we should be a really good chance against Port.

 

[Gadzorks]

Oh dear.

Qld lockdown fears hinge on family’s test

Health authorities are sweating on the Covid-19 status of a Queensland family who finally gave permission to be tested after sneaking into the state from Melbourne.

www.news.com.au

 

[T Rick]

As good as Charlie was as an attacking forward last week, his defensive efforts in every quarter was a disgrace & was acknowledged. Joey wasn't far behind him as well. I expect to see a significantly better effort against the Bulldogs.
Last weeks summary for me was that we had too many passengers in the 22 and we will lose every time against quality sides if we dont get an even contribution.

Interesting that Fages himself used the term "passengers" in his post game presser - not the sort of language normally used by him, so it was obviously something he was very disappointed about. Hard to believe in a final that any team does not turn up to play. Geelong were the same. I thought our first quarter was good, especially considering that we lost McStay so early and everyone acknowledges how important he is/was to our structure.
Purely hypothetical, but I wonder how the game would have unfolded if Melbourne lost their most important structural player in the first few minutes instead of us losing McStay.

 

[Lion_LegacyXL]

I'm worried that this is going to be a repeat of 2019, we had our greatest victory of the season against the Cats at the Gabba then celebrated like we won a grand final then lost all of our remaining games that year. The West Coast game was similar in that regard. I notice after a season defining win or massive high we seem to completely lose our momentum, Hope this isn't a trend.

 

[jackess]

Oh dear.

Qld lockdown fears hinge on family’s test

Health authorities are sweating on the Covid-19 status of a Queensland family who finally gave permission to be tested after sneaking into the state from Melbourne.

www.news.com.au

I hope the team have been told to avoid going out so they don’t miss the game due to visiting an exposure site

 

[JasRulz63]

Apart from his obvious importance in our structure, losing McStay also takes away our top inside 50 tackling forward. Our forwards are going to have to collectively lift their forward half pressure, especially considering how reliant our game plan is on forward 50 turnovers.

 

[jackess]

Apart from his obvious importance in our structure, losing McStay also takes away our top inside 50 tackling forward. Our forwards are going to have to collectively lift their forward half pressure, especially considering how reliant our game plan is on forward 50 turnovers.

Might be another reason to go small or keep Berry up there. He led our tackles last week and had 5 inside 50 IIRC

 

[Section 5]

I hope the team have been told to avoid going out so they don’t miss the game due to visiting an exposure site

I believe you are in WA
Our guys and support staff should be okay
Archerfield is better known for it's small airport & mixed industrial
The other site Goondiwindi is 360 klm west of Brisbane
However he does live on the Gold Coast so i suppose we will have to wait till exposure sites listed

 

[mebevan]

Adams at half forward as a contested marking machine. Lester and Payne to cover at the back. LFG !!

 

[jackess]

I believe you are in WA
Our guys and support staff should be okay
Archerfield is better known for it's small airport & mixed industrial
The other site Goondiwindi is 360 klm west of Brisbane
However he does live on the Gold Coast so i suppose we will have to wait till exposure sites listed

It just takes one person from Goondiwindi to have coffee at the same place as Dan Rich and then we’re missing our gun half back for an elimination final.

 

[mpal6]

Looks like no Martin or Jamarra for the Dogs.
Reported on Dogs board.

 

[Section 5]

It just takes one person from Goondiwindi to have coffee at the same place as Dan Rich and then we’re missing our gun half back for an elimination final.

So similar odds as winning lotto 2nd division

 

[jackess]

So similar odds as winning lotto 2nd division

With how delta spreads it’s a risk not worth taking IMO

 

[BangyBangy]

With how delta spreads it’s a risk not worth taking IMO

Yep. NZ went into lockdown with one case detected. Still having trouble getting it under control.

I think we're all but resigned to the fact in Melbs that we can't get back to zero now. Only way out is through vaccination targets that lead to increased restriction roll backs within the state.

Not going to help open any borders anytime soon though. But within the state you'll have freedoms. That's something i guess.

 

[harvester]

It's not that I don't think the dogs are good, but I will be more disappointed if we lose this final than the last couple of years.
I know the boys can do it when they all play at their best. Don't drop your heads boys, and go hard till the final siren.