View Full Version : Round 14 - Geelong vs West Coast
SeinDude
1 Jul 2002, 19:06
Well, after a solid 42 point victory last week against Richmond at the MCG, Geelong is 8th with a 7-6 record and a great opportunity this week against West Coast at Skilled Stadium to cement their place in the top half of the ladder.
The eagles last weekend accounted for Adelaide by 18 points at home and are in pretty good form, but Geelong has won 4 in a row and with Steven King controlling play around the packs, our midfielders Corey, Ling, Chapman, Enright, Clarke and Kelly have been able to get some good possessions around the ground, making it easier for Kingsley, Riccardi and Graham (last week) up forward to kick goals.
I think there are a number of things that could tip the balance of the game in Geelong's favour this week. The first is the great form of our defence of late. Last week, they didn't conceed more than 2 goals in a quarter against the hapless Richmond and with Scarlett, Harley, Wojcinski, Rooke, Milburn and now Sanderson back in the side, West Coast will find it very difficult to kick a winning score.
The form of Ben Graham last week in the forward line was very pleasing. He led out and presented himself as a target to kick to, and lets hope he can continue that this week along with Kent Kingsley, who was quiet against Richmond but still leads the AFL goalkicking.
I have mentioned the good form of Steven King already, and add to that Glenn Kilpatrick who is due to return after missing last week through injury, probably for Charlie Gardiner who suffered a groin strain and is out for 1-2 weeks.
The danger player is Ben Cousins for West Coast. Cameron Ling will no doubt be given the job to run with the eagles captain, and if he can keep Cousins under 20 touches, Geelong will go a long way to winning the match.
My Prediction: Geelong by 33 points
Go Cats!! :cool:
SeinDude
Mattster
1 Jul 2002, 19:39
Geelong should win...we are playing at home, and wc don't travel that well.
People who say this is a game Geelong usually lose should think again. I think that Geelong team is in the past. We won't lose the easy games much more in the coming years
SeinDude
1 Jul 2002, 20:37
Originally posted by Mattster
People who say this is a game Geelong usually lose should think again. I think that Geelong team is in the past. We won't lose the easy games much more in the coming years
Mattster,
I totally agree with you!! The culture at Geelong appears to be different now with a greater resolve and team spirit amoungst the group of players. I am very confident Geelong will win this week against the Eagles... I can't wait for the match on Saturday!! :):)
Go Cats!! :cool:
SeinDude
Just an opposing supporter's thoughts...
I'm actually looking forward to this game a lot, as two of the better young lists of the competition go head to head. Geelong are in form with 4 straight, we've won 3 straight and have just got back several of our key players from injury, so it should be a pretty good game.
Of course, our biggest worry has been poor away form. We're hopeful that the win against carlton a few weeks ago (what is it with them and one point losses? :)) will have broken the hoodoo somewhat.
In terms of how the teams match up, if Geelong are going to win it, you're going to have to win it in the midfield. With the return of Troy Wilson, and the recent excellent form of Quentin Lynch and Phil Matera, if any amount of decent ball gets to our forward line, we'll kick a big score. We kicked 20.15 against Adelaide, without our leading goal scorer and focal point up forward Wilson.
Up the other end, the Macintosh/Kingsley duel should be a good one, but what could be the single deciding factor is the preparedness of the geelong midfielders to run forward and kick goals- our away record has been pretty horrific in this regard, and a lack of defensive running by our midfielders and half forward players has tended to blight our game. For that reason, I don't know that Ling should be used as a tag on Cousins- our captain is probably going to get 30odd possies no matter who plays on him, so it might be a better idea to focus on limiting our other midfielders, and playing attacking football- this is just my perception, but i would have thought someone like Ling is to productive to be wasted in a tagging role. The ruck duel is also going to be intriguing, with Gardiner going up against King. If i felt like being a parochial one eyed supporter (and i do!), i'd suggest that we might have more depth in the ruck, with the very able Cox and Lynch backing up for Gardiner.
The X Factors for us- a scary looking bloke by the name of Quentin Lynch, who kicked 5 goals last week in his second ever AFL game, and 2 the week before. Strong mark, leads very very hard and fast, and can comfortably kick 60m off a standing mark- looks like he could be the real deal.
With Troy Wilson and this guy running around, I hope your backmen have their health insurance paid up :cool:
Also, watch out for the veterans. Macintosh and Jakovich have been markedly improved this year, and Peter Matera, well, we all know how he feels about playing geelong :p
SeinDude
2 Jul 2002, 15:04
Originally posted by Mead
a lack of defensive running by our midfielders and half forward players has tended to blight our game. For that reason, I don't know that Ling should be used as a tag on Cousins- our captain is probably going to get 30odd possies no matter who plays on him, so it might be a better idea to focus on limiting our other midfielders, and playing attacking football- this is just my perception, but i would have thought someone like Ling is to productive to be wasted in a tagging role.
Mead,
The last time Geelong played West Coast, (round 16 last year at Subiacco) Ling played on Ben Cousins, had more touches than the Eagles captain and kicked 3 goals in Geelong's 70 point win.
Go Cats!! :cool:
SeinDude
Originally posted by SeinDude
Mead,
The last time Geelong played West Coast, (round 16 last year at Subiacco) Ling played on Ben Cousins, had more touches than the Eagles captain and kicked 3 goals in Geelong's 70 point win.
Go Cats!! :cool:
SeinDude
Seindude.
The last time Geelong played West Coast, we were a rabble coached by an idiot. We aren't now.
And as a matter of fact, Ling had 12 disposals in round 16 last year and kicked 3 goals.
Cousins had 27 disposals, and booted 2 goals. How is that more touches?
Where are you getting your stats from?
Originally posted by Mead
Seindude.
The last time Geelong played West Coast, we were a rabble coached by an idiot. We aren't now.
And as a matter of fact, Ling had 12 disposals in round 16 last year and kicked 3 goals.
Cousins had 27 disposals, and booted 2 goals. How is that more touches?
Where are you getting your stats from?
He must have meant that Ling "touched" the ball more often but didnt actually pick it up and give off a handball or kick. Therefore his disposals werent up but he certainly touched the ball alot! :D
On a serious note...
Should be a good game which will be as always decided in the midfield. IMO our midfield is superior but we always tend to play below our best away. If we play to our potential i believe we will have no problems in beating the Cats. But i dont think we will play to our potential, we never do away from home.
Gardiner v King in the ruck will be interesting and Ling will have to tag Cousins, not that it will probably make much difference as he is in his Brownlow form :D I noticed Seindude in his first post mention that Geelongs backline should be able to keep our scoring down??
With Wilson back, our leading goal scorer i might add, and the good form of youngster Lynch and goalsneak Phillip Matera i dont think we will have any problems kicking a winning score. Its whether or not our defence can do the job.
Geelong have won 4 straight, WC, 3 straight so both teams are in good form and i give the edge to the Cats going in as they are the home team. But i think we can win and im predicting a 15 point win for the Eagles!
GO EAGLES!!!
SeinDude
3 Jul 2002, 10:30
Jod23,
With Matthew Scarlett, Tom Harley and possibly Ben Graham to play in our defence, I can't see the West Coast forwards posing too many problems for us on Saturday. The only danger is Phil Matera, but I think someone like David Wojcinski or perhaps Jarrod Rooke would be a good match up on the pacey Eagles forward.
Ronnie Burns is also due for a big game. He has been very quiet so far this season and it would be great to see Ronnie in full flight on Saturday at Skilled Stadium.
Go Cats!! :cool:
SeinDude
Seindude, I actually think that Sando will get Matera, he always does a brilliant job on the smaller fowards. If he doesn't then I am thinking maybe Rookie :)
SeinDude
3 Jul 2002, 12:51
Originally posted by Baldy#9
Seindude, I actually think that Sando will get Matera, he always does a brilliant job on the smaller fowards. If he doesn't then I am thinking maybe Rookie :)
Baldy#9,
Yeah, Brenton Sanderson could be the man to get Phil Matera as long as he doesn't get injured again. Brenton only just came back last week against Richmond and will be better for the game.
Go Cats!! :cool:
SeinDude
Originally posted by jod23
He must have meant that Ling "touched" the ball more often but didnt actually pick it up and give off a handball or kick. Therefore his disposals werent up but he certainly touched the ball alot! :D
Be nice :)
Seriously, what I meant was that even if Ling were to play on Cousins, he's too good a player to be wasted in a tagging role, which may not have any success. Maybe I don't know the cats of 2002 all that well, but from what I've seen, I rate Ling very highly as an attacking, creating player, and it seems a waste to use him in a tagging role. For arguments sake, when Geelong beat us last year by 70pts (i've already pleaded guilty by way of Judge- Ken, that is), Cousins was his usual self, but the rest of the midfield was woeful. Even players as good as the Energizer Bunny can't carry the team for entire games, so if I were Bomber Thompson, i'd be more worried about trying to overrun our second tier midfield players, eg Braun, Kerr, Fletcher, Wirrpunda, Matera etc. If its even stevens between the two midfields, Cousins will be the gamebreaker, but if the rest of the midfield is pulled out from underneath him, there's not a heck of a lot he can do.
Now that I've worked out how to beat us, could everyone be a dear and not tell the Geelong coaching staff? Ta :)
thehardaway
3 Jul 2002, 23:09
Jod, please predict a West Coast victory ;)
Originally posted by SeinDude
Jod23,
With Matthew Scarlett, Tom Harley and possibly Ben Graham to play in our defence, I can't see the West Coast forwards posing too many problems for us on Saturday. The only danger is Phil Matera, but I think someone like David Wojcinski or perhaps Jarrod Rooke would be a good match up on the pacey Eagles forward.
Ronnie Burns is also due for a big game. He has been very quiet so far this season and it would be great to see Ronnie in full flight on Saturday at Skilled Stadium.
Go Cats!! :cool:
SeinDude
We have played against better defences than Geelongs and still scored match winning totals. We have the third best offence in the league and that has being without Gardiner who usually rests at CHF, and also without Wilson for the past 3 games, our top goal scorer.
I think your in for a surprise.
SeinDude
4 Jul 2002, 10:21
Originally posted by jod23
I think your in for a surprise.
jod23,
We'll just have to see about that. West Coast will be coming off only a 6 day break and travelling all that way to Geelong will take a lot of the edge off West Coast's game and hopefully, Geelong fans will see the Eagles play like they did against St Kilda a few weeks ago!! :D:D
Go Cats!! :cool:
SeinDude
chrisjudd3
4 Jul 2002, 18:28
Traveling routine of the eagles for saturday's game.
They will fly out tomorrow and drive to geelong, stay there overnight and acclimatise there.
I wonder why Victorian eagles players play cruddy away???
ANyway.
Watch for the Junior freight train aka Quinten Lynch.
Lynch vs Graham. pound for pound titanic tussle.
Scarlett on Wilson. Rugged players
Smokey: Mark Merenda, after a a quiet game against the crows watch out for the silky smooth forward to burst.
Chris Judd. 25 possessions 3 goals. he was close last week with 21 possessions and a 1 goal.
you_idiot
4 Jul 2002, 19:51
From the afl.com.au site...
GEELONG
B: Corey, Scarlett, Sanderson
HB: Wojcinski, Harley, Milburn
C: Clarke, Riccardi, Kelly
HF: Chapman, Graham, Lord
F: Ling, Kingsley, Burns
Foll: King, Rahilly, Enright
Inter: S.Johnson, Rooke, Hunt, Mooney
Emerg: Bartel, Foster, Ablett
In: Hunt
Out: Gardiner (hip)
WEST COAST
B: Collica, McIntosh, Banfield
HB: Glass, Jakovich, Wirrpunda
C: Kerr, Cousins, Judd
HF: Peter Matera, Gardiner, Merenda
F: Hunter, Embley, Phil Matera
Foll: Cox, Wooden, Fletcher
Inter: Braun, Green, Lynch, Chambers
Emg: Sierakowski, Sampi, Williams
In: Green, Braun
Out: Jones (knee), Williams
And here's the match preview article, from the same site...
http://afl.com.au/default.asp?pg=news&spg=display&articleid=44379
Cheers,
William
SeinDude
4 Jul 2002, 20:53
Originally posted by you_idiot
GEELONG
B: Corey, Scarlett, Sanderson
HB: Wojcinski, Harley, Milburn
C: Clarke, Riccardi, Kelly
HF: Chapman, Graham, Lord
F: Ling, Kingsley, Burns
Foll: King, Rahilly, Enright
Inter: S.Johnson, Rooke, Hunt, Mooney
Emerg: Bartel, Foster, Ablett
In: Hunt
Out: Gardiner (hip)
Josh Hunt has been playing very well in the VFL and deserves his chance in the seniors this week.
I'm really looking forward to the game on Saturday. We have a great chance to go 8-6 and dish out another hiding to the West Coast on our home ground.
Go Cats!! :cool:
SeinDude
Originally posted by SeinDude
... to the West Coast on our home ground.
Go Cats!! :cool:
SeinDude
Ahah, caught in the bleeding act! Since you're guilty of this heinous offence yourself, just out of curousity, what is it that makes 99% eastern states commentators refer to the Eagles as.. 'The West Coast'?
It makes no sense. I mean, you don't say, "they've done pretty good, the Essendon," or "I support the Geelong, I think we're a finals chance this year?' I'm not trying to be rude, I'm just genuinely confused, and this has been bugging me for a long time (so i have a boring life). Is this some victoria-wide conspiracy which noone else is in on or something??
bunsen burner
5 Jul 2002, 12:53
These people may need "the therapy" to overcome their problem.
Repeat after me; there is no 'the' in West Coast.
Vaughan Pitt
5 Jul 2002, 14:55
My brother made me some soup and told me there was p in it. Well duh said I. Then I tasted it... euugh....
Relevance? 0.
Originally posted by chrisjudd3
Scarlett on Wilson. Rugged players
Matty will have to find someone else to play on behind Wilson was not picked in the side.
goal_umpire
5 Jul 2002, 15:15
Cats will win against the eagles
thehardaway
6 Jul 2002, 17:47
Originally posted by jod23
We have played against better defences than Geelongs and still scored match winning totals. . . . I think your in for a surprise.
Didn't do it today Jod, 4 goals 9 not a huge effort. The conditions were terrible granted, but to go scoreless in the last quarter with the wind was terrible. Perhaps our defence wasn't as bad as you'd think. We are a surprise packet no doubt, but I have a bad feeling this roller coaster is due for a dip soon.
Am I the only one who thinks Quentin Lynch looks a lot like Iilya Grgic ?
Originally posted by thehardaway
Didn't do it today Jod, 4 goals 9 not a huge effort. The conditions were terrible granted, but to go scoreless in the last quarter with the wind was terrible. Perhaps our defence wasn't as bad as you'd think. We are a surprise packet no doubt, but I have a bad feeling this roller coaster is due for a dip soon.
I watched the 2nd half on Foxtel. West Coast didn't look like kicking a goal. They had a few surprises down there in the last quarter, from memory I saw Hunter (isn't he a back pocket?) and McIntosh up forward. It seemed as though West coast were getting a bot desperate by then. Why not thow Jakovich down there?
Geelong looked very composed, Enright & Chapman impressed me.
Originally posted by jod23
I think your in for a surprise.
Yeah, it was a surprise to keep West Coast to 4 goals for the match and just 2 points for the entire second half.
Originally posted by JUBJUB
Am I the only one who thinks Quentin Lynch looks a lot like Iilya Grgic ?
Yep. :D
SeinDude
7 Jul 2002, 00:05
What a great win by the Cats today in very difficult conditions at Skilled Stadium!! It was very pleasing to see Geelong completely shut down the opposition and run over the top of the hapless West Coast Eagles in the 2nd half to win by 32 points, nearly dounling the Eagles score. :):)
I thought James Kelly was outstanding in the middle, racking up over 20 quality possessions in just over 3 quarters of action on the ground. Cameron Ling's job on Ben Cousins was fantastic, keeping the Eagles captain to under 20 touches while having more possessions himself and was critical in determining the final result. Also, other good players today for us were Darren Milburn off half back, creating play and taking a couple of courageous marks, Paul Chapman in the midfield who continued on his recent improvement, Aaron Lord who was clearly the best forward of the match, Ben Graham, Steven King & David Clarke.
Geelong are now in a good position to have a real shot at finals football this season. We're 8-6 and with games against Collingwood at the MCG and Essendon at Colonial Stadium in the next 2 weeks, it will be a good challenge for the young Cats to test where we're at with our young team.... I say, bring it on!! :D:D
SCOREBOARD:
Geelong ..... 8.17.65
West Coast .. 4.9.33
Go Cats!! :cool:
SeinDude
Originally posted by thehardaway
Didn't do it today Jod, 4 goals 9 not a huge effort. The conditions were terrible granted, but to go scoreless in the last quarter with the wind was terrible. Perhaps our defence wasn't as bad as you'd think. We are a surprise packet no doubt, but I have a bad feeling this roller coaster is due for a dip soon.
Well given the conditions, a huge score by either side looked unlikely. I actually rate your defence, but i also rate our forward line but with conditions like that a big score was never on the cards. Still it was disappointing to not a kick a goal in the second half. The worst we have played all year....
Still theres always next week, congrats on the win.
you_idiot
7 Jul 2002, 14:06
Originally posted by SeinDude
Geelong are now in a good position to have a real shot at finals football this season. We're 8-6 and with games against Collingwood at the MCG and Essendon at Colonial Stadium in the next 2 weeks, it will be a good challenge for the young Cats to test where we're at with our young team.... I say, bring it on!! :D:D
I'll make a bold prediction here...
If-- and that's a pretty big "if"-- the cats can beat both Collingwood and Essendon in these next two weeks, they stand a good shot at running the table. And given the shot of confidence they've been riding for the last month and change, I wouldn't put it past them.
In all certainty, though, they may now only lost twice, three times tops, the rest of the way.
And speaking of confidence, I would say that it was exactly that which got them over the hump in the final term. Kicking five goals into a strong wind and shutting down the Eagles' attack boils down to the inspiration guided from Thompson's coaching and the veterans' leadership. Everything's coming together quite nicely...
Cheers,
William
Richie Benaud
7 Jul 2002, 22:56
A marvellous win by Geelong on Saturday, really super stuff!