Preview AFL NAB Challenge 1 - Gold Coast v Geelong, Tony Ireland Stadium, 3:40PM (local) Sunday 1 March

[Hello Kitty]

Thanks for the advice TC, don't want to break to rules.

Come into the Off Topic thread 4QC, I've tagged you, we've been discussing these issues a lot

 

[Hello Kitty]

Some nasty injuries in NABC Rd1 - two players, who were best + fairest Club winners were injured! Tom Liberatore may have torn an anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee, a season ending injury; West Coast's B+F Eric McKenzie blew his ACL in a marking contest!

Huge relief that Selwood isn't playing today, can we wrap him up in cotton wool until Rd1!

 

[Daniel McL]

GAME DAY WOO WOO HURRY UP 3:40

 

[TheJimmyCartel]

Looking forward to Kolo showing us that missing out on Frawley will be a blessing in disguise.

 

[Daniel McL]

Players I will be especially keeping an eye on are Billie Smedts, Mitch Clark, Nakia Cockatoo, Dean Gore, Darcy Lang, Jarrad Jansen, Jake Kolodjashnij, Sam Blease, Michael Luxford, Shane Kersten & Jed Bews.

^ That's if all of those guys are playing ^

Very happy Stevie J & Selwood aren't playing after the 2 ACL's the past 2 days to star players...
Please Taylor, Hawkins, Caddy, Motlop, Bartel, etc just don't get hurt

 

[Willo_]

I think I read somewhere that we have to travel all around the country during the NAB Challenge? We are one of the only VIC clubs to do so. That may have a lot to do with the need to rotate the squad around during the first couple of weeks.
We do get a handy run to start the season though, quite a few home games in succession.

I'm not sure about that mate... play this game up north, then 1 in Geelong and 1 at Etihad..
probably best time to go up North as well as we have 12 days till our next NAB game and a month till the real stuff.

Still would expect half a dozen of the senior players in today to miss the next game with the last NAB game to be a round 1 preview really

 

[Willo_]

Really really looking forward to the game today. I have this feeling that Blease is going to be an absolute steal for us, I'm hoping that it's not just wishful thinking but really looking forwaed to seeing how he and all of the kids go. And the big inked fellow of course

 

[ButterMill]

Really really looking forward to the game today. I have this feeling that Blease is going to be an absolute steal for us, I'm hoping that it's not just wishful thinking but really looking forwaed to seeing how he and all of the kids go. And the big inked fellow of course

The numbers (draft order, possessions in some VFL game last year) all suggest he could be. I just can't find any Melbourne fan that didn't think he was a bust. And that club has had some busts. I'll go with hoping you are right rather than my gut feel he is purely depth.

 

[Hello Kitty]

GAME DAY WOO WOO HURRY UP 3:40

^^^ THIS!!! I swear I'm about to burst!

"Chris Scott has set talented 22-year-old Billie Smedts the challenge of cementing a spot in the Cats' best 22 in 2015 after his indifferent season last year."
http://www.geelongcats.com.au/news/2015-02-25/scott-wants-smedts-in-best-22

 

[Hello Kitty]

Yes it was, Turbo- specific to AFL with mention of soccer played in warmer European countries vs cooler countries.
Apparently there is a slightly higher incidence of ACL injury in northern AFL teams vs southern teams
http://www.aflcommunityclub.com.au/..._AFL/Multicultural/2013_AFL_Injury_Report.pdf

Info is down toward the end of this report. Page 19
My memory is poor- I thought it was warmer "months" not warmer "states".

Geelong playing in Townsville = AFL's equalisation strategy!
We won't conform by crashing to bottom four so AFL implements 'dirty tricks' strategy, hoping our players injure themselves!
#conspiracytheory

 

[Hello Kitty]

Cats - pre-Season training



If the bubbles were extended to protect the legs, this is what our players should wear for NAB Cup games

 

[Matthew Jelley]

Very excited for today. Most excited ive been in a pre-season for a few years at least. Maybe its with all the uncertainty surrounding geelongs chances this year. Most looking forward to see what clark and hawkins do together, what the draftees from last 2 years can do and form from smedts

 

[Teriyakicat]

GAME DAY WOO WOO HURRY UP 3:40

Yay! Being on the west coast has its advantages- I have 2 hours less of my day to wait.

 

[mac_cat]

GAME DAY WOO WOO HURRY UP 3:40

Or 4:40 for those of us in Victoria/NSW.

At least I assume so, as it's advertised as 3:40 local time, and remember Queensland doesn't have daylight savings, because it fades the curtains and curdles the cows milk.

 

[Willo_]

Or 4:40 for those of us in Victoria/NSW.

At least I assume so, as it's advertised as 3:40 local time, and remember Queensland doesn't have daylight savings, because it fades the curtains and curdles the cows milk.

Correct its 4.40 here.... which is going to throw out a lot of people who go looking for and then complaining they can't find the game at 3.40

 

[catempire]

Just a clean injury sheet today will make me happy.

Actually, that and having some footy to talk about post-game rather than the usual five year old Varcoe debates, theoretical best 22s, etc...

 

[Rainfall]

Mainly interested in Smedts, Cowan, Lucey & Clark here.

 

[Rainfall]

Just a clean injury sheet today will make me happy.

Actually, that and having some footy to talk about post-game rather than the usual five year old Varcoe debates, theoretical best 22s, etc...

sorry catempire, varcoe just isn't best 22

 

[TheJimmyCartel]

Or 4:40 for those of us in Victoria/NSW.

At least I assume so, as it's advertised as 3:40 local time, and remember Queensland doesn't have daylight savings, because it fades the curtains and curdles the cows milk.

The farmers really piss me off. Stop me from surfing til 8.30pm so it can get light at 4am!

 

[catempire]

sorry catempire, varcoe just isn't best 22

 

[Turbocat]

I'm hoping they all perform well, especially Dean Gore.

JC, Hammer and THunt for the Tiges went alright, positives for them.

Very interested in Gore obviously. I have a sweet spot for tacklers ...and will be watching for defensive mindset.Is he a possible tagger. Is he a possible BP. A heap of mids come thru and look good with ball in hands , and few can translate that but I like the aggressive , hard edged mindset that I saw in Guthrie and that I get sense from Gore.
Of course , we need more that that so there will plenty to observe

 

[Rainfall]

 

[Willo_]

Mainly interested in Smedts, Cowan, Lucey & Clark here.

Hold your hopes for Cowan then... he's not playing today

 

[Rainfall]

Hold your hopes for Cowan then... he's not playing today

Haven't even seen the teams because the layout of the other NAB Cup matches selections is in a silly vertical order instead of an actual layout like you would get on TV.

 

[Willo_]

Haven't even seen the teams because the layout of the other NAB Cup matches selections is in a silly vertical order instead of an actual layout like you would get on TV.

Yeah it's just a list of the squads... to be honest I wouldn't have picked up that Cowan wasn't playing if I hadn't read it on here