Where will the game be won and lost??

[Rafa Benitez]

The ruck is most important this week.
I think Brogan should smash into Ottens at every opportunity, starting with the opening bounce. If Brogan can soften up Ottens, Lade can then come in and do his thing.

Both teams are missing a defender from last time, which means a re-shuffle of both defences.
Egan out: He stood Tredrea last time, but Harley may now have to do the job.
Motlop:Harley was used on Motlop last time, but if Harley goes to Tredrea a new match-up is required. Not sure they have one.
They could always put Scarlett to Tredrea, but this leaves Westhoff to exploit their other backs.

Chapman is the danger for us. Wilson would have stood him, but that is not an option now.
Wakelin-Mooney
Chaplin-Johnson
Surjan-Stokes
Thurstans-N.Ablett
Pettigrew-Chapman
P.Burgoyne- Kelly/Byrnes/Varcoe

If Lower comes in as people have suggested I guarantee that whoever he picks up will take him straight to the goalsquare and be given the entire 50 to work in. I think its too much to ask a kid playing his 1st game of the season, his 1st final and his 1st game at the MCG to do a job like that.

Personally i think Robbie Gray could get under their guard and cause them another difficult match-up. Hunt picked up Ebert last time and will probably do so again, but if Gray is in the side they will have to re-jig that.

The midfield is even and the tags could go like this.

K.Cornes-Bartel
Cassisi-Ablett
Ling-C.Cornes
Rooke-S.Burgoyne

We have an advantage in Ruck, pace and the coaches box imo.

 

[Portia]

Cutting off their midfield supply to the forward line, which means clogging the defensive side of the centre square. Their forward line is OK, but not great.

 

[understudy]

Cutting off their midfield supply to the forward line, which means clogging the defensive side of the centre square. Their forward line is OK, but not great.

Geelong are very good at doing this to the opposition, organising and structuring up perfectly in this way.

This would result in both teams spending a fair bit of the game waiting and attempting to force the other to turn the ball over and capitalising on it.

Whoever holds their nerve best and executes through the mindfield of players on the defensive side of the centre will take home the flag.

 

[*PAF]

Will Egan play?

Assuming he doesn't there are two negatives that will worry Thompson.
1. Lack of rebound from their defence due to Harley and Scarlett being forced to man up, plus
2. Our ruck pair >>>> Geelong's ruck pair. Both our ruckmen are fit and firing and we have not lost a single game this year when that has been the case.

We have one negative to counter and that is Geelong's small men, not just their famed trio in the midfield but also Chapman and Stokes.

Their lack of rebound from defence, when they are not used to it, means we will win. No rain please.

 

[QPower]

The game will be won where all AFL games are won these days - in the guts. That said, our defence needs to stand up when they have the run of play.

 

[understudy]

1. Lack of rebound from their defence due to Harley and Scarlett being forced to man up, plus
2. Our ruck pair >>>> Geelong's ruck pair. Both our ruckmen are fit and firing and we have not lost a single game this year when that has been the case.

They will attempt to get rebound by structuring up a 15 man sort of zone, lure you into turn the pill over and continually peeling off their men to go to the contest as the third man up.

Blokes like Milburn, Mackie and Hunt can provide great rebound.

Ottens is a quality ruckman and Blake can certainly hold his own.

You appear to be a bit disrespectulf of the cats in your assesments.

 

[Andre]

The ruck is most important this week.
I think Brogan should smash into Ottens at every opportunity, starting with the opening bounce. If Brogan can soften up Ottens, Lade can then come in and do his thing.

Ruck is definitely the key. If Lade/Brogan are even or beating Ottens then we'll win IMO. If I was coach I'd be rotating them against Ottens multiple times a quarter to wear him down. And throw Thurstans into the ruck against Blake/King. If we can have the situation that Ottens is stuffed by late in the match we should be able to overrun them.

I'd put Cassisi on G. Ablett, he did a good job last time.
Kane onto Bartel.
Ling will most likely line up on SB. If he does either send SB to the goal square or have him go to Enright along with someone like Logan and ensure there's no free space. Basically cut out SB for the price of Enright and Ling.

The cats like to use Scarlett to launch attacks so either play through his man so he has to play tight and cut off his drive. Or if he gets Westhoff drag him up the ground, he's no Chad who can play midfield.

 

[Rafa Benitez]

They will attempt to get rebound by structuring up a 15 man sort of zone, lure you into turn the pill over and continually peeling off their men to go to the contest as the third man up.

Blokes like Milburn, Mackie and Hunt can provide great rebound.

Ottens is a quality ruckman and Blake can certainly hold his own.

You appear to be a bit disrespectulf of the cats in your assesments.

We are arrogant like our players.

 

[*PAF]

They will attempt to get rebound by structuring up a 15 man sort of zone, lure you into turn the pill over and continually peeling off their men to go to the contest as the third man up.

Blokes like Milburn, Mackie and Hunt can provide great rebound.

...

That they will, but they have been best when Harley and Scarlett can run off their man. I think some are underestimating Egan's importance to their structure. Will he play? Last I heard is that he is a chance as they will do all they can to try and get him up.

... Ottens is a quality ruckman and Blake can certainly hold his own.
...

Ottens has had a great season not so much because he is a great ruckman but because he can ruck and play forward equally well.
wrt Blake did you see the "score stats" Vs Collingwood when he was in the ruck? Perhaps not. Will probably be good in time, not disputing that, but not yet. Blake's spot in the team is not certain IMO.
Lade + Brogan >> Ottens + Blake.

... You appear to be a bit disrespectulf of the cats in your assesments.

Am I disrespectful of KaneC, ChadC, Shaun Burgoyne etc as well when I have said we too have a negative to counter?
Whacha talking bout Willis? Have you come here just to troll?

 

[a.f.k.a.y.o.p.]

We are arrogant like our players.

lets hope so. please be disrepectful..............
i think the brogan lade vs ottens blake/king battle will def decide the game.
ottens has to be able to ruck the game out, and have the energy to go 70% plus of the last quarter. hopefully king comes in and uses himself as battering ram to do exaclty the same thing to Lade as the suggestion is brogan do to ottens, as lade is the better ruck IMO.
either way, last game we played no Bartel ( Brownlow medallist and AA) no Ling (AA) no Selwood (Rising Star). and a measly five point 3 seocnds on the clock win.
going to be a totally different game this week - and looks like rain.......all week from tomorrow to sunday. bartel to dominate in the wet.

 

[understudy]

I think some are underestimating Egan's importance to their structure. Will he play? Last I heard is that he is a chance as they will do all they can to try and get him up.


Their lack of rebound from defence, when they are not used to it, means we will win.

I dont think he will play but then again he hasnt played the last two weeks so they have had time to adjust.

You seem to be implying port will definitely win, which is quite disrespectful to Geelong for mine.

 

[*PAF]

...

You seem to be implying port will definitely win, which is quite disrespectful to Geelong for mine.

Do I think we will win? Yes.
Why? If it's dry our forward line pressure plus our rucks will get us over the line. If Egan plays or it rains, then it will be harder again.

Do I not respect Geelong? They have been the best team this year and are the deserving favourites. To have a chance to win we will need to be at our very very best.

Confidence and respect, the two things are not mutually exclusive.
Teams that do think they are probably get to make Grand Finals only to lose hey?

 

[understudy]

Do I think we will win? Yes.
Why? If it's dry our forward line pressure plus our rucks will get us over the line. If Egan plays or it rains, then it will be harder again.

Do I not respect Geelong? They have been the best team this year and are the deserving favourites. To have a chance to win we will need to be at our very very best.

Confidence and respect, the two things are not mutually exclusive.
Teams that do think they are probably get to make Grand Finals only to lose hey?

Lets see how cocky you are come Saturday night, its a 50/50 game at best for you guys. How you can say you will definitely win a 50/50 game has me beat. Time will tell how it pans out.

 

[Rafa Benitez]

Lets see how cocky you are come Saturday night, its a 50/50 game at best for you guys. How you can say you will definitely win a 50/50 game has me beat. Time will tell how it pans out.

Where has he said 'we will definitely win'?

 

[understudy]

Their lack of rebound from defence, when they are not used to it, means we will win.

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

 

[*PAF]

Lets see how cocky you are come Saturday night, its a 50/50 game at best for you guys. ...

50/50 hey?
You are more confident than most on here then as most of us are realistic enough to know the starting point is probably worse than that.
However we have faith in our players and club.

 

[*PAF]

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

Out of context or what? Trolling again are we?

Why did Collingwood get so close without a ruckman to speak of then?
If Egan had played you lot would not have been anywhere near them.

Perhaps you just do not have enough respect for Geelong to think you are nearly as good as them without a good reason.

 

[understudy]

50/50 hey?
You are more confident than most on here then as most of us are realistic enough to know the starting point is probably worse than that.
However we have faith in our players and club.

I considered Collingwood v Geelong pretty much a 50/50 and it really worked out that way.

I also think Geelong v Port is a 50/50.

You said you think you will win and put the case forward why suggesting you dont really respect Geelong and certainly think your chances are better than 50/50.

 

[*PAF]

I considered Collingwood v Geelong pretty much a 50/50 and it really worked out that way.

I also think Geelong v Port is a 50/50.

You said you think you will win and put the case forward why suggesting you dont really respect Collingwood and certainly think your chances are better than 50/50.

You still around?
I noticed you go around various threads on this board and every time someone says something positive you bring out the disrespect word.
Don't you have a losing Grand Final to train for, or something similar, rather than hang around here and disrespect our board and posters?

 

[therook]

I think half you Port people are forgetting when you beat us by 5 seconds we had no Ling, Bartel, Selwood or Rooke in the side.

Your side is basically unchanged and you played to the best of your ability and Geelong played a good last quarter and nearly beat you.

But i do take my hat of to you as you are a very good balanced side.

Rook

 

[roger explosion]

it won't be won or lost anywhere in particular. if we turn up and play like we have in the past month, we will win.

 

[Steve Dore]

I think half you Port people are forgetting when you beat us by 5 seconds we had no Ling, Bartel, Selwood or Rooke in the side.

Your side is basically unchanged and you played to the best of your ability and Geelong played a good last quarter and nearly beat you.

But i do take my hat of to you as you are a very good balanced side.

Rook

I don't believe any Port supporter is forgetting the fact that you were down some good players that day. On the other hand it was at Kardinia Park where we don't have a good record (2 out of 7, our only other win there being in 2001).

Certainly our players will have to be on their game for us to have a chance to beat you but then your players will want to perform better than they did on Friday night against the wobbles.

 

[MmkMrMackie]

I don't believe any Port supporter is forgetting the fact that you were down some good players that day. On the other hand it was at Kardinia Park where we don't have a good record (2 out of 7, our only other win there being in 2001).

Certainly our players will have to be on their game for us to have a chance to beat you but then your players will want to perform better than they did on Friday night against the wobbles.

Geelong played a poor game, and were without Bartel, Selwood, Ling and Rooke. After we lost, I was not too disappointed... In fact, I said that I would rather lose it in the manner we did, than win in the manner that Port did. To be 27 points up in the middle of the last quarter and end up throwing it all away was quite poor. In fact, if the umpires hadn't called Ottens to play on after 3 seconds both times he took a mark, we would have one, but that is water under the bridge. If you want to see a big win, have a look at our win over at AAMI earlier in the year where we have a worse record than you guys in Geelong. Do you remember the first half? I do!

Despite what the AFL has said with regards to suspensions and its iron fist, I can see some fireworks this game. Geelong (especially big moons) have held back all year, realising that it's all about the premiership. Well the premiership is here. If they get rubbed out, so be it, they can't get sent off the ground. The team that wins is going to be the team that can keep their mind on the game. Brogan, Tredders, Wakes and the Burgoyne boys will all be targetted. It is no secret that you have the better ruck combination... Brogan is a good ruckman, but he's a hothead also, and some niggling by our boys could see him lose his head.

Really, I'm just rambling shit now. The grand final is this Saturday, and the two best teams from sesason 2007 have made it. Both teams have brilliant backlines, midfields and forward lines. Both teams want this one, but dare I say it, Geelong want it more. All the analysis/talk will mean nothing come Saturday afternoon. The colluseum that is the MCG will erupt, and two battle hardened units will face off. I am freaking excited.

 

[timeless]

I don't believe any Port supporter is forgetting the fact that you were down some good players that day. On the other hand it was at Kardinia Park where we don't have a good record (2 out of 7, our only other win there being in 2001).
.

i think most cats fans are forgetting that the only reason they even hit the front was a brainfade by port in the last quarter. they controlled the game and had a respectable 3 goal lead going into the last change, but dropped the ball a bit and the cats took advantage

can't blame a few players being out for putting in an average performance across the field

 

[Portia]

We hadn't beaten Brisbane at all in 2004...until the grand final.

Past games are quite irrelevant at this point.