Preview AFL Round 22 - Hawthorn v Geelong, MCG, 7:40PM Saturday 23 August

[Partridge]

And I can understand that in a year like 2012, when we were behind the eight ball for pretty much the entire season and were chasing wins to get the best ladder position possible, right up to the final round, but in three of his four years at the helm, Geelong has bolted out of the blocks and was in a perfect position to rotate players. He's chosen to do it once and in that year, Geelong won the flag.

Not only that, but in that year, we didn't have a finals win under 31 points. And in the 12 quarters we played in that finals series, we won 9 of them (3 out of 4 in each game, and 2 of those 3 were very marginal). Which indicates pretty strongly they were as physically primed as possible, and had plenty in reserve when it was needed. The complete opposite to last year's finals, when in the final quarter of the Prelim, the players were sucking wind so hard the first 3 rows passed out from oxygen deprivation.

 

[MC Extra Dollop]

Lots of hype around Thurlow…3 possessions … a goal from a Caddy handball and, dare I say it, Varcoe drawing an opponent away from his run to goal, then a miss from running into an open goal and then a clanger. Not sure thats "earning his stripes".

I like the kid, and I think he could be something, but I am yet to be convinced he is what we need in the finals.

His first involvement in the game was winning a crucial one on one against Yarran (from memory) and then getting a clean possession to start an attack. Given the nature of the game in the second half, I don't think any goal that was kicked by Geelong can be dismissed and that one was a ripper. Could have (and definitely should have) had another to seal the game - though in that situation, a point was nearly as good: we just needed something out of the game to stay more than a game ahead of the Dockers. He made things happen and definitely deserves his spot this week. I wouldn't be banking on him playing in finals though.

 

[MC Extra Dollop]

Very happy that Thurlow stayed in and I just hope he doesn't start as the sub.

A little upset that Jed Bews was dropped as I think he is the "type" of player we lack in our back line. If we play Freo in a final he would have to play on either of Ballantyne or Walters. Would have thought Bruest or Puopolo would have been a good match up for him this week.

I just don't understand what he does wrong. He's the sort of player that coaches generally love and supporters don't notice. With Bews, it seems like those roles are reversed, for some reason.

 

[Footy Smarts]

Not only that, but in that year, we didn't have a finals win under 31 points. And in the 12 quarters we played in that finals series, we won 9 of them (3 out of 4 in each game, and 2 of those 3 were very marginal). Which indicates pretty strongly they were as physically primed as possible, and had plenty in reserve when it was needed. The complete opposite to last year's finals, when in the final quarter of the Prelim, the players were sucking wind so hard the first 3 rows passed out from oxygen deprivation.

You undersell just how good that 2011 team was compared to our teams since then. Also we had virtually no injuries in the lead up to finals in 2011. In 2012 we had injuries and suspensions hurt as well as losing too many games early meaning we couldn't really rest players. Then last year we copped heaps of injuries and suspensions in the lead up to finals. I think it was a remarkable effort to get a struggling, unfit team within a kick of a rampaging Hawks side in last year's prelim.

The facts are last year Chapman and Enright combined for a total of 23 possessions in our 2 finals losses last year. We also had no ruck division and Hawkins was completely shot. We had too much go against us and none of that was due to not resting players during the year.

 

[Partridge]

The facts are last year Chapman and Enright combined for a total of 23 possessions in our 2 finals losses last year. We also had no ruck division and Hawkins was completely shot. We had too much go against us and none of that was due to not resting players during the year.

You'd be hard pressed to find a more selective statement than that. For one thing, Chapman only played in one of those losses - against Fremantle - and he was the sub. That was the club's doing, no one else's. For another thing, Enright also only played against Fremantle. So it wasn't 23 possessions in 2 finals losses at all. It was 23 possessions in 1 final - the same final. With one player being the sub.

 

[you pick one]

His first involvement in the game was winning a crucial one on one against Yarran (from memory) and then getting a clean possession to start an attack. Given the nature of the game in the second half, I don't think any goal that was kicked by Geelong can be dismissed and that one was a ripper. Could have (and definitely should have) had another to seal the game - though in that situation, a point was nearly as good: we just needed something out of the game to stay more than a game ahead of the Dockers. He made things happen and definitely deserves his spot this week. I wouldn't be banking on him playing in finals though.

Yeh this one looks the goods, took it up to Yarran easily pushed him off the ball and sprinted away,pleased to see him in this week and expect he will train with the AFL side now for as long as we are in it this year.Game time will depend on his out put the next two games,no idea what sort of tank the kid has developed one thing for sure he will be around a while.

 

[you pick one]

You'd be hard pressed to find a more selective statement than that. For one thing, Chapman only played in one of those losses - against Fremantle - and he was the sub. That was the club's doing, no one else's. For another thing, Enright also only played against Fremantle. So it wasn't 23 possessions in 2 finals losses at all. It was 23 possessions in 1 final - the same final. With one player being the sub.

Smack ooouch.

 

[MC Extra Dollop]

You undersell just how good that 2011 team was compared to our teams since then. Also we had virtually no injuries in the lead up to finals in 2011. In 2012 we had injuries and suspensions hurt as well as losing too many games early meaning we couldn't really rest players. Then last year we copped heaps of injuries and suspensions in the lead up to finals. I think it was a remarkable effort to get a struggling, unfit team within a kick of a rampaging Hawks side in last year's prelim.

The facts are last year Chapman and Enright combined for a total of 23 possessions in our 2 finals losses last year. We also had no ruck division and Hawkins was completely shot. We had too much go against us and none of that was due to not resting players during the year.

1. Joel Corey (runner-up in the B&F) missed 2-3 games between the end of the H&A season and the PF in 2011. That didn't stop us rotating players constantly.
2. Did the lack of injuries have something to do with consistently rotating players in 2011? Was Hawkins completely shot because the management of his injury had been completely botched? It's at least possible, right?
3. Chapman and Enright's combined production doesn't seem too bad, since it constituted one full game (Chapman subbed on for Enright in the QF and neither played against Hawthorn)
4. The PF against Hawthorn was a gutsy performance, no doubt. The issue was what happened two weeks earlier. Geelong chose to go into the QF with 'no ruck division': there was a premiership ruckman, who was physically fine and who had carried the position several times over the previous two years, playing in the VFL. Walker out, West in, Vardy to CHF. That would have given the Cats a much better chance of winning the Qualifying Final than the lineup that it ultimately went with.

 

[MC Extra Dollop]

You'd be hard pressed to find a more selective statement than that. For one thing, Chapman only played in one of those losses - against Fremantle - and he was the sub. That was the club's doing, no one else's. For another thing, Enright also only played against Fremantle. So it wasn't 23 possessions in 2 finals losses at all. It was 23 possessions in 1 final - the same final. With one player being the sub.

They actually subbed for each other. Seems a very strange thing to bring up.

 

[Partridge]

They actually subbed for each other. Seems a very strange thing to bring up.

This Chap-right fella seems a useful player too. 23 touches, 4 marks, 7 tackles and 3 inside 50s. More possessions than anyone for us that day except for Bartel, Stokes or Mackie.

Hope Dr.Frankenstein's laboratory is operational.

 

[GAsnr]

Would love a win just to rub KB's face in it.

How a side can be sitting 2nd (only by %) and "lucky to be in the top 8" is beyond me.

Absolute twat.

 

[MC Extra Dollop]

Would love a win just to rub KB's face in it.

How a side can be sitting 2nd (only by %) and "lucky to be in the top 8" is beyond me.

Absolute twat.

He's a shock jock. Don't take it personally.

 

[vinum coupe]

Would love a win just to rub KB's face in it.

How a side can be sitting 2nd (only by %) and "lucky to be in the top 8" is beyond me.

Absolute twat.

Some people don't get his humour. You're obviously one of them.

 

[candiehappy]

I just don't understand what he does wrong. He's the sort of player that coaches generally love and supporters don't notice. With Bews, it seems like those roles are reversed, for some reason.

it's his first season, he'll get more games next year and will be a lock senior player shortly. Early days yet.

who would you have out of the backline for him approaching finals. If the name starts with "V" please ignore that question ............

 

[MinerBoy]

Make a deal with you. You guys let us win this one and we'll promise not to humiliate you in the finals.

Good luck.

 

[vinum coupe]

ha ha ha.

As we predicted. The dawks board are whinging about the umpires before the game has even started.

 

[goyoucatters]

I just don't understand what he does wrong. He's the sort of player that coaches generally love and supporters don't notice. With Bews, it seems like those roles are reversed, for some reason.

I don't see he's doing anything wrong. And I think the coaches probably love him as much as we do.

With the ins this week, he was always likely to be on the edge of staying in the line-up.

#3 will always be picked ahead of him at this stage and Murda comes in to play an entirely different (and required) role.

The only realistic scenario that would have seen Jed stay in the ones this week was the omission of Thurlow.

And he's had precious little senior football this year. I figure Jackson may have got the nod simply to expose him to a bit more senior footy in what's been a tough season for him.

Both are definitely players in our future senior line-up so it must have been a tough decision.

Purely based on match-ups I think the MC may have gone with the inclination that the smalls in the Hawks forward line are less likely to expose our slower backline players than the likes of Ballantyne and Walters.

I think Jed has made great progress this year and has set himself up for a productive senior career at the club.

And I see nothing in how he's been treated at the selection table to suggest that the people that matter down at the club don't see it the same way.

I can already hear the bleating from the disaffected fans at many other clubs when our most recent father-son pick becomes a key player in the back six at the Cats.

 

[FredLeDeux]

ha ha ha.

As we predicted. The dawks board are whinging about the umpires before the game has even started.

I thought Hawthorn promoted McInerney from the 2nds for this match?

 

[vinum coupe]

I thought Hawthorn promoted McInerney from the 2nds for this match?

Wouldn't know who he was if he popped up in my cereal.

 

[FredLeDeux]

Wouldn't know who he was if he popped up in my cereal.

He'll be the one blowing rice bubbles in your face when he lets go on the whistle.

 

[thegerman]

Would love a win just to rub KB's face in it.

How a side can be sitting 2nd (only by %) and "lucky to be in the top 8" is beyond me.

Absolute twat.

Yes, he is a shock jock, just there to say ridiculous things for attention and for dullards to call in.

 

[Partridge]

Purely based on match-ups I think the MC may have gone with the inclination that the smalls in the Hawks forward line are less likely to expose our slower backline players than the likes of Ballantyne and Walters.

Agree with your post, but just on this I hope like hell they don't think this. Puopolo kicked 4 last week and has kicked as many as Murdoch has this year (17). Breust of course has chimed in with a mere 51 goals this season, so you can't get much more threatening than what he is.

I'd have Bews because he is absolutely a stopper first and foremost.

 

[Mr_Bojangles]

Horlin-Smith out. Hartman in.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[MinerBoy]

Hartman a first gamer?

 

[MC Extra Dollop]

I don't see he's doing anything wrong. And I think the coaches probably love him as much as we do.

With the ins this week, he was always likely to be on the edge of staying in the line-up.

#3 will always be picked ahead of him at this stage and Murda comes in to play an entirely different (and required) role.

The only realistic scenario that would have seen Jed stay in the ones this week was the omission of Thurlow.

And he's had precious little senior football this year. I figure Jackson may have got the nod simply to expose him to a bit more senior footy in what's been a tough season for him.

Both are definitely players in our future senior line-up so it must have been a tough decision.

Well, of course, there is the huge elephant in the room, that I think everyone is pretty tired of discussing. But, at gunpoint, I would have had him ahead of Thurlow, as well. I just think it's got to be hard on Bews that he's been harshly dropped - what - three or four times now?

Purely based on match-ups I think the MC may have gone with the inclination that the smalls in the Hawks forward line are less likely to expose our slower backline players than the likes of Ballantyne and Walters.

Probably, but having Bews in there would have likely freed up Enright to do more sweeping. Plus, at this stage, I think that Bews is far more likely to feature in September than Thurlow.

I think Jed has made great progress this year and has set himself up for a productive senior career at the club.

And I see nothing in how he's been treated at the selection table to suggest that the people that matter down at the club don't see it the same way.

I can already hear the bleating from the disaffected fans at many other clubs when our most recent father-son pick becomes a key player in the back six at the Cats.

I would be delighted if that happened. Particularly since they wouldn't have a leg to stand on: Bews was taken via the bidding process and none of the other clubs showed any interest in him. Going to be a bit hard to suggest that he would have been a top 10 pick if we hadn't been able to 'pinch' him.