Round 22 - Geelong vs Hawthorn

[SeinDude]

This weeks game at Colonial Stadium against Hawthorn is without a doubt our most important match for 2 years. Geelong are clinging to 8th spot by a game and could secure a spot in the finals with a victory against the Hawks, whereas Hawthorn need to win by 9 goals or more to overtake us on the ladder and have a chance of playing in the finals, so both teams will be desperate to get the win.

For Geelong, we're in the great position of controlling our own destiny. If we win, we play in the finals... it's simple as that, and we would have the weekend to relax!! If we lose and the margin is under 53 points, we must hope the Kangaroos beat West Coast on Sunday to see if we can make it.

With Joel Corey out for the rest of the season after doing his AC joint last week against Brisbane, our midfield are going to need to lift to cover his loss. I would expect Brenton Sanderson to return after making his comeback in the VFL last week after being out for the previous 6 weeks.

Ben Graham needs to continue on his good form in our defence. He has been in pretty good form over the past few weeks, and with Nick Holland playing well for Hawthorn, Ben Graham could be given the job on the Hawks forward.

Kent Kingsley returned to form last week with 4 goals and 25 possessions against Brisbane. Last time we played Hawthorn Kingsley kicked 5 goals in a loan hand on our forward line, and will need more support from the likes of Mooney, Burns, Steve Johnson and Riccardi this week.

This game will be like a mini-final for Geelong, and I'm confident that we can come away with the victory. Hawthorn will be out to win by 54+ points, and if we can frustrate them by keeping the game tight, I think Hawthorn will become frustrated and be their own downfall.

My prediction: Geelong by 29 points



Go Cats!! :cool:
SeinDude

[catattack]

Well, well, well. Hawthorn again. We MUST break this hoodoo. Although we had a 3 point win last year, the Hawks do have the wood on us.

The Hawks are a team that is up and down more times than the giant drop in Queensland. On their day they can rip us apart, but any other day it will be a walk in the park for us.

We must play 4 good quarters of footy. Forget about the big losses in the last weeks to Brisbane, Freo and the Roos, coz this is a whole game.

We haven't lost at the Colonial/Telstra Stadium/Dome this year and I hope that continues.

Corey out is a harsh blow, but hopefully O'brien can come in for him. O'brien has been in good form in the VFL.

If Geelong want to be a force in the finals this year, then this is the game to turn it on!! UNLEASH THE CAT ATTACK!!!

Go Cats!!:)
catattack

[Jim Boy]

Just to clarify, Geelong must keep any loss to Hawthorn to 53 points or lower to stay ahead of the Hawks. This holds true regardless of whether it is a high or low scoring match.

[catattack]

Originally posted by Jim Boy
Just to clarify, Geelong must keep any loss to Hawthorn to 53 points or lower to stay ahead of the Hawks. This holds true regardless of whether it is a high or low scoring match.


That's in our favour because, apart from loss earlier in the year, when was the last time the Hawks bet us by over 50 points?? AGES!! Our games are always very close battles, and although this is a whole new ball game, I still reckon that we're not going to let this chance slip.

Go Cats!!:)
catattack

[Jim Boy]

I don't think the 53 points thing will be an issue though. I fully expect West Coast to beat North, at least that is if Hawthorn beat Geelong. Why?

Well North doesn't have much to play for. They can't miss the finals and they cant realistically get 4th. They are also carrying a few injuries at the moment. I fully expect that Pagan will give some of the older players who could benefit from a bit of a rest, long spells on the bench or just let them hang out in the pockets. Nobody at North will be wanting to risk injury either. What's more, if West Coast make the finals, you would expect they would be going in as underdogs in any finals match, as the West Coast's final match, if they make it, will be in Victoria. Not to mention the fact that West Coast will obviously put in a huge effort should the opportuinty exist for advancement into the finals.

So to put it bluntly, Geelong must beat Hawthorn, forget the points business.

If Geelong were to lose, I think that I would prefer the Hawks to get the 54 points and then get knocked out by West Coast.

[Jim Boy]

Originally posted by catattack



That's in our favour because, apart from loss earlier in the year, when was the last time the Hawks bet us by over 50 points?? AGES!! The last substantial losses were in 1990 when we lost the first match of the year by 118 points (ouch!) and followed that up with a relatively 'close' 68 point belting in round 14

[catattack]

Originally posted by Jim Boy
The last substantial losses were in 1990 when we lost the first match of the year by 118 points (ouch!) and followed that up with a relatively 'close' 68 point belting in round 14


Thanks Jim Boy. Yeah, it has been a long time since a big thrashing. Our matches are always a good contest, and hopefully this game is too. I'm pretty sure we will win, but even if we lose, it won't be over the 53 points needed for the Hawks to pass us.

Go Cats!!:)
catattack

[goal_umpire]

Good luck guys.

I have strong doubts that the cats will beat Hawthorn because of a couple of injuries to some great players. If they had them in I guess the cats would be really unbeatable.

[SeinDude]

Originally posted by suzi_olsen
Good luck guys.

I have strong doubts that the cats will beat Hawthorn because of a couple of injuries to some great players. If they had them in I guess the cats would be really unbeatable.

Suzi,

The thing Hawthorn will realise on Friday night is that Geelong are a very even side with no real stand outs in the team. Sure, we've lost a couple of talented players in Joel Corey and Darren Milburn to injury, but with Brenton Sanderson likely to return this week, you can expect a tight encounter with Geelong giving their absolute all which is not what Hawthorn need to make the finals. ;)

Go Cats!! :cool:
SeinDude

[JUBJUB]

Good luck to SeinDude,who will be attending his last match on friday night.Well it will be his last if Purring gets a hold of him. :D :D

[SeinDude]

Originally posted by JUBJUB
Good luck to SeinDude,who will be attending his last match on friday night.Well it will be his last if Purring gets a hold of him. :D :D

JUBJUB,

For Purring Cats to get a hold of me, he will have to venture into a world we normal folk call "reality" so I am not too worried!! :D:D:D

Go Cats!! :cool:
SeinDude

[nolsey77]

Good Luck too Ronnie Burns and Mitchell White who are having fantastic seasons and shall play some marvellous football.

Again they will have to venture into a world we normal folk call "reality" so I am worried!!

[you_idiot]

Plain and simple, this is gut-check time.

Win, and you're in-- otherwise, lose, and the offseason starts early.

And I'm not going to buy into the "lose by fewer than 53 points and hope North beats West Coast" angle. To me, that's also known as backing into the eight, and that's no way to qualify for it, even if the finals are indeed determined over the course of 22 total rounds.

Just win the game, dammit... nothing else will do.

And for as much as the young Cats players have been praised this season, it's time for the team's veterans to step up and provide the leadership.

King, Kingsley, Riccardi, Graham, Scarlett, Burns, White... just to name a few, will have to turn in their best efforts of the season for Geelong to gain the all-important win that will clinch a berth into select company for September footy.

But likewise, I think a huge key to the match is on whoever is shadowing Shane Crawford. The folks over on the Hawthorn boards like to point out that both the Cats and the Hawks have each won only one of their last five games-- and Crawford played well in their one win (inspirationally so, over Collingwood) and he's been an inconsistent player in those four losses.

If that marker is able to disrupt Crawford's game, then we stand a very good chance of winning, IMHO.

PICK: Geelong by 22 points (between three and four goals, for sure).

I'll post the teams here tomorrow evening, when they're unveiled.

Cheers,
William

[catattack]

Geeze I can't wait until Friday night. I'm pumped!!:D So looking forward to the game...I get the feeling it's gonna be BIG!!:D

Go Cats!!:)
catattack

[SeinDude]

Originally posted by you_idiot
But likewise, I think a huge key to the match is on whoever is shadowing Shane Crawford. The folks over on the Hawthorn boards like to point out that both the Cats and the Hawks have each won only one of their last five games-- and Crawford played well in their one win (inspirationally so, over Collingwood) and he's been an inconsistent player in those four losses.

If that marker is able to disrupt Crawford's game, then we stand a very good chance of winning, IMHO.


I would expect Cameron Ling to get the job on the Hawthorn captain and a very important job it will be in determining the outcome of this match!!

The other important player in my opinion that we need to keep quiet is Nick Holland. This bloke always and I mean bloody always plays well against Geelong and it's about time we did something about it!! Whether it's Ben Graham, Tom Harley or Matthew Scarlett, the time has come to shut down the key Hawks forward and take him out of the game.

Go Cats!! :cool:
SeinDude

[catattack]

Originally posted by SeinDude

The other important player in my opinion that we need to keep quiet is Nick Holland. This bloke always and I mean bloody always plays well against Geelong and it's about time we did something about it!! Whether it's Ben Graham, Tom Harley or Matthew Scarlett, the time has come to shut down the key Hawks forward and take him out of the game.



Put Ben Graham on Holland. Matty Scarlett always does a great job, and he'll have to take another key forward. Harley I reckon should take a small forward.

Go Cats!!:)
catattack

[you_idiot]

Here are the teams, and selected previews from the afl.com.au site...

GEELONG
B: Sanderson, Scarlett, Rooke
HB: Graham, Harley, Rahilly
C: Clarke, Riccardi, Kelly
HF: Chapman, Kingsley, Burns
F: S.Johnson, Mooney, White
Foll: King, Ling, Enright
Inter: Lord, Slade, Street, Wojcinski
Emerg: Bartel, Sholl, Kilpatrick
In: White, Lord, Sanderson
Out: Corey (shoulder), Bartel, Woolnough

HAWTHORN
B: McCabe, Hay, Tallis
HB: Graham, Rawlings, Lonie
C: S.Cox, Crawford, Ries
HF: Chick, Holland, Hodge
F: Brown, Thompson, Barlow
Foll: Rehn, Lekkas, Vandenberg
Inter: Bateman, Mitchell, Greene, Loats
Emerg: Johnson, Dixon, Ball
In: Barlow, Greene
Out: Dixon, Johnson

Mark Thompson has told his Geelong side, in the spirit of the Oakland Raiders' Al Davis, "just win, baby"...

http://gfc.com.au/default.asp?pg=news&spg=display&articleid=56684

Greene and Barlow recalled for the Hawks...

http://hawthornfc.com.au/default.asp?pg=news&spg=display&articleid=56833

...while Shaun Rehn will call it quits on a career after this game, or the finals, whenever Hawthorn's season is finished...

http://hawthornfc.com.au/default.asp?pg=news&spg=display&articleid=56698

And a general match preview from the afl.com.au site...

http://afl.com.au/default.asp?pg=news&spg=display&articleid=56163

Enjoy!! :D:D:D

Cheers,
William

[catattack]

Originally posted by you_idiot

In: White, Lord, Sanderson
Out: Corey (shoulder), Bartel, Woolnough



Good to see Sando back in after his ancle injury:D:D. If Lord can turn play some good footy this week I could be the game breaker. White will surprise. You never know what he's gonna do!!:D

Corey out...well that's expected, and Bartel well that's kinda harsh. But not soon enough for Woolnough!!

Very good team to line up against the Hawks tomorrow night!!:D

Go Cats!!:)
catattack

[Catman]

Originally posted by catattack
Very good team to line up against the Hawks tomorrow night!!:D

I'd have to agree catattack. I think that is the best available side we can put out on the field. Allowing for injuries it is still a good side. Let's hope they can do the job.

[catattack]

Originally posted by Catman


I'd have to agree catattack. I think that is the best available side we can put out on the field. Allowing for injuries it is still a good side. Let's hope they can do the job.


We have a very good team now, even with our injuries. It will be an even a mightier force next year when our stars return, bigger and better than ever, and fully fit.

If we can make the eight this year, with all our injury problems and a young team, just imagine next year with our full list, and a more experienced line up...Gee I can't wait!!:D...But this year is FAR, FAR from OVER!!!

Go Cats!!:)
catattack

[SeinDude]

Originally posted by you_idiot
GEELONG
B: Sanderson, Scarlett, Rooke
HB: Graham, Harley, Rahilly
C: Clarke, Riccardi, Kelly
HF: Chapman, Kingsley, Burns
F: S.Johnson, Mooney, White
Foll: King, Ling, Enright
Inter: Lord, Slade, Street, Wojcinski
Emerg: Bartel, Sholl, Kilpatrick
In: White, Lord, Sanderson
Out: Corey (shoulder), Bartel, Woolnough


I'm pleased that Peter Street has been left in the side this week. I think we need to look at starting him in the centre bounce with King at CHF so that when we get a centre break, we have someone to kick to who can take a mark across half forward. King can then ruck around the ground with Street pushing either forward or back depending on the flow of the game.

Great to see Sando back!! :)

Go Cats!! :cool:
SeinDude

[catattack]

Originally posted by SeinDude


I'm pleased that Peter Street has been left in the side this week. I think we need to look at starting him in the centre bounce with King at CHF so that when we get a centre break, we have someone to kick to who can take a mark across half forward. King can then ruck around the ground with Street pushing either forward or back depending on the flow of the game.




Great to have the flexability in the ruck area. King, easily the best ruckman in the league, and Street is so bloody tall he will beat anyone he faces in ruck, so having King around the ground or in the forward line is a great idea!!:D

Go Cats!!:)
catattack

[catattack]

Originally posted by gocats2002
I cant wait till cats vs hawks either it will be a good game to be fired up for the prematch entaiment to see catattact kick for goal before the game should be good also
hope we can get over the line.
c'mon guys get there, be there for the boys
Go Cats


Welcome to BigFooty gocats2002. Yes, it will be the best pre-game entertainment ever with the one and only catattack kicking for goal in the greatest goal comp. Watch the master show his stuff!!!...LOL:D

The Cats will be so fired up after todays burst from Bomber, so it looks like we're in for a great show!!

Go Cats!!:)
catattack

[SeinDude]

Just over 2 hours until the biggest game in Geelong's 2002 season and I am pumped!! We have control over our own destiny tonight, so lets go out there and kick some Hawk butt!! :D:D

Go Cats!! :cool:
SeinDude

[you_idiot]

Originally posted by SeinDude
Just over 2 hours until the biggest game in Geelong's 2002 season and I am pumped!! We have control over our own destiny tonight, so lets go out there and kick some Hawk butt!! :D:D

Hear, hear!!! :D :D :D

Wish I was there at Colonial, with many of you who are going. But think of me as there in spirit. :)

Jen and I are going to have a "tailgate" style cookout here tonight, and then I'm going to get delightfully drunk to celebrate when we win (note I didn't say "if")!!! :p

Cheers,
William

[SeinDude]

I have been going to live Geelong games since the start of the 1985 season and in 17 years Geelong still lose close matches against Hawthorn in exactly the same manner which is really disappointing.

Tonight Geelong as a football club had the opportunity to take a huge step forward and not only secure a spot in the finals but put the final nail in Hawthorn's 2002 season, a side who has had the wood on us for 17 years, and although the latter happened by default, we came up short in the thing that mattered most!!

I have mixed feelings about Sunday's game now. Part of me wants to see Geelong's kids get a taste of finals football and therefore will be hoping the Kangaroos do well, but a big part of me is over AFL football for 2002 and I couldn't really give a crap what happens from now on!!

To take the next step in this elite AFL competition, Geelong needs to win these types of matches, and until we do we will never be a Premiership side.

SeinDude

[Jim Boy]

We can still make the eight even if WCE win. Only prob is that sainters have to beat the Dees by 85+ points :-(

[hawkfan5]

Bad luck tonight Cats fans.

Your guys battled very hard, but just didn't use their opportunities in the second and third quarters to get back into the match.

I'm happy that the Hawks players stood up so well in the last 10 minutes and got home, but we were lucky to win after some of the dismal play after quarter time.

I wish you guys luck in the finals, but I have to say.. I absolutely hate David Clarke, constantly fighting, yet always gets the free kicks when a player retalliates. Just my opinion.

Cheers and good luck.

[Keldar]

Hawkfan, you summed it up pretty well.

I agree with Clarkey, he has taken on Plugger Lockett, Martin Pyke and now Nick Holland.

That motivator dude, the American guy who made the cameo in 'Shallow Hal' must have convinced him that he is 6 foot 6 and 100 kilos or something, someone needs to tell him that he is 184cm and 82kgs.
The Hawks closed the game out well, after having ordinary 2nd & 3rd quarters.

I was disappointed again with Colonial's surface, it is a joke. It is the most expensive ground to go to see a game, and is a really good place to visit facility & confort wise. But the quality of football that you see is absolutely schisenhousen.

I think Collo and Co. know that this is the last game or two that will be played there, no finals, and why waste $250,000 on turf replacement.

[you_idiot]

Originally posted by SeinDude
Tonight Geelong as a football club had the opportunity to take a huge step forward and not only secure a spot in the finals but put the final nail in Hawthorn's 2002 season, a side who has had the wood on us for 17 years, and although the latter happened by default, we came up short in the thing that mattered most!!

I have mixed feelings about Sunday's game now. Part of me wants to see Geelong's kids get a taste of finals football and therefore will be hoping the Kangaroos do well, but a big part of me is over AFL football for 2002 and I couldn't really give a crap what happens from now on!!

To take the next step in this elite AFL competition, Geelong needs to win these types of matches, and until we do we will never be a Premiership side.


I could've quoted anybody's here, but...

Say what you will about "backing into the finals", as much as Mark Thompson wants to deny THAT... but I still have a very empty feeling after last night's game, even almost 24 hours after the fact.

We ended Hawthorn's season, certainly, and ours continues. Or does it....?

We won't know for another 24 hours, in itself.

On Nine's pregame show last night, Dermott Brereton asked Sam Newman the prophetic and mind-blowing question, "Do either of these teams deserve to be playing finals footy?" My reaction to that, after rubbing my chin in admiration, was that, no, they do not.

(Which means that Geelong and Hawthorn fans on these boards, for as much effort as they put into analyzing the game and the matchups and abusing each other, that pretty much amounted to much ado about nothing, when you think about it.) :rolleyes:

But as I was saying before, I have an empty feeling after last night's game. We didn't win, yet we're still within a shout of playing finals footy (Go North Melbourne, and the only whinging I wanna hear from your supporters is the fear of possibly playing us!)... :D

However, a spot in my sporting heart feels sorry for Hawthorn and its supporters. You beat us, but not by enough to keep hopes alive for September action. But the Hawks battled as hard as they could to keep the big-picture dream alive-- and for that, it was a commendable performance.

Cheers,
William

[SeinDude]

Originally posted by you_idiot
Say what you will about "backing into the finals", as much as Mark Thompson wants to deny THAT... but I still have a very empty feeling after last night's game, even almost 24 hours after the fact.


you_idiot

I know exactly how you feel mate!! I was very disappointed with the result of last night's game, but I was even more disappointed that we lost in the same way that we always lose to Hawthorn and I for one think it's time for the Geelong Football Club to step up to the plate in these types of matches.

I hope that we do get another opportunity in the finals next week against the Kangaroos, but if the Eagles win tomorrow and we miss out, we would only have ourselves to blame and this should be drilled into the whole football club as unacceptable!!

SeinDude

[you_idiot]

Originally posted by SeinDude
I was very disappointed with the result of last night's game, but I was even more disappointed that we lost in the same way that we always lose to Hawthorn and I for one think it's time for the Geelong Football Club to step up to the plate in these types of matches.

I hope that we do get another opportunity in the finals next week against the Kangaroos, but if the Eagles win tomorrow and we miss out, we would only have ourselves to blame and this should be drilled into the whole football club as unacceptable!!

Amen to that-- but the Cats were in a fantastic position to win the match after three-quarter time.

Trailing by just ten points and with momentum on our team's side, I had a very optimistic feeling that it could be done. But we could not get the ball inside the opposition's 50-- let alone inside the goal square-- to save our lives!!

I'm not sure that Thompson failed to make the adjustments necessary to win the game or not (that's debatable, really), but now we have to sit and sweat it out instead of taking care of Job One when we had a gilt-edged opportunity to do so...

Cheers,
William

[catattack]

Originally posted by you_idiot


Amen to that-- but the Cats were in a fantastic position to win the match after three-quarter time.

Trailing by just ten points and with momentum on our team's side, I had a very optimistic feeling that it could be done. But we could not get the ball inside the opposition's 50-- let alone inside the goal square-- to save our lives!!




I had that feeling we were gonna steal the win. The crowd - for once..LOL - were actually getting involved in the game. But we couldn't get that goal to bring the margine to under a kick...:(

Bloody Hawthorn...we have to beat that Hoodoo...!!

Go Cats!!:)
catattack

[catattack]

Originally posted by gocats2002
I cant wait till cats vs hawks either it will be a good game to be fired up for the prematch entaiment to see catattact kick for goal before the game should be good also
hope we can get over the line.
c'mon guys get there, be there for the boys
Go Cats


Yep, I had my kick for goal in the Travelworld Greatest Goal Comp to win the Europe trip. I got it from 20, 30, 40 and missed 50. It took about 3 goes from everyone before someone managed to get one from the 50. Couldn't believe I got so far:D Bad luck to the guy who was so close to getting a goal from the 50, but lost because the ball bounced on end and came back into play, and well done to the winner!:)

Go Cats!!:)
catattack

[Steve Bracks]

Ah yes well I was very upset that my beloved Cats lost to Hawthorn and then missed out on the finals. I was sitting on the couch on Sunday, (fathers day) with my kids getting me food and drinks, going for the Kangaroos but it wasn't meant to be. I did shed a few tears after the Kangaroos lost but then Terri, the good lady wife, made me some delicious chicken soup which cheered me up after the football which was very nice.