Pure_Ownage
TheBrownDog
AFL Premiership Round 10
Geelong V GWS Giants
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Saturday June 2Skilled Stadium 1:45 PM (Local Time)
Geelong Forecast Geelong Radar
Geelong V GWS Giants
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Saturday June 2Skilled Stadium 1:45 PM (Local Time)
Geelong Forecast Geelong Radar
CATS TO MAKE GIANT STRIDES.
The GWS Giants head to the Cats fortress to take on a seemingly under strength Cats side hell bent on making a giant statement and regaining some much wanted credibility. It is always a challenge for any side heading to the Cattery but moreso with a team of youngsters unaccustomed to conditions seen thus far in their short tenure. The match will be a welcome return home for two young GWS stars Taylor Adams and Devon Smith who will be back among familiar surroundings after playing their underage football at the ground via the Geelong Falcons. While the Giants will be looking to continue their apprenticeship and continue to make giant strides regarding individual and team development, the Cats will enter the match not only looking to notch up win number six, but to consolidate their position on the table and further improve their chances of seeing september action while pushing for that much vaunted double chance.
While many see this fixture as nothing more than a walk in the park for the reigning champs, internally the club will be viewing it as quite the opposite and any underestimating of the giants from within could spell disaster. The Giants have been competitive thus far in season 12 while the Cats have struggled at times and failed to recapture the form that won them the premiership last season.
The Cats have failed to win the contested possession count in all nine games this season and were well beat in the clearances 45-29 against the Dogs. Without the grunt of possibly Kelly and Christensen the Cats need to find their spark in the middle of the ground to reverse this trend. GWS on the other hand are fairly adept at the stoppages and pride themselves on being a hard a physical side, so the midfield battles will bear some relevance in accordance to the results of this match.
Much has been made of Geelong's drop in contested possession dominance but the Cats inability to counter the quick transition has become a problem that needs to be remedied. Without Varcoe and Wojcinski's pace and pressuring off the quick transition, The young Giants will try and play on at all costs from the back half and use Geelong's apparent lack of leg speed to their advantage.
PROBABLE TEAMS
GEELONG
B: J.Hunt Lonergan Scarlett
HB:Enright Taylor Mackie
C: Bartel Corey Duncan
HF:Johnson Brown Chapman
F: Motlop Podsiadly Stokes
R: Stephenson Selwood T.Hunt
INT:Stringer West Guthrie
SUB:Smedts
IN: Smedts Brown
OUT:Hawkins Simpkin
GWS
B: Darley Mohr Cornes
HB
C: Adams Scully Greene
HF:Smith Hampton Coniglio
F: Treloar Cameron Reid
R: Giles Ward Palmer
INT:Shiel McDonald Phillips
SUB:Tyson
IN: Greene Palmer
OUT:Kennedy Townsend
I can't see the Cats flirting with form and resting players unless they're truly injured. Hawkins will miss with injury while the unlucky rookie is likely to be Simkin, with Stringer doing more than enough to keep his spot. Smedts will likely return while Brown should replace Hawkins in the side.
The side GWS will run out with is anybodies guess, although Greene will return from suspension and Palmer should slot straight back in the side.
KEY PLAYERS
GEELONG
Stephenson- With the Cats currently sitting 9th in the hitout department the mature age recruit becomes an important factor in giving the midfielders first use of the ball from his ruck work. The former VFL star is improving with every game and his work around the ground, particularly his marking capabilities and second efforts, can give the Cats a viable asset in countering the Giants ruckmen. His matchup with Giles will pave the way towards a positive result for the Cats and give the hierarchy some confidence moving forward.
Selwood- The inspirational leader continues to be the clubs dominant midfielder in and around the stoppages. His fierce attack on the ball and no holds barred approach can impose a little fear in the younger giants and give the Cats the ascendancy through the middle of the ground. His pressure is first class and coupled with an innate ability to continually find plenty of the football and drive the team inside the forward 50, he's also willing to get his hands dirty and apply plenty of pressure through tackling and harassment.
Scarlett- The heart and soul of the backline and it's no coincidence the defence has struggled to contain sides when Scarlo has been out injured. The general controls and organises the defence like a man in charge of an orchestra and Taylor and co seem to grow another leg with him back in the side. The much vaunted Cats stingy defence has conceded the 7th most points this season and the return of Scarlett controlling the backline should improve this statistic in the near future.
GWS
Giles- The big ruckman has been a revelation this season after failing to consolidate a spot on the Powers list. His work not only in the centre of the ground, but up forward has been of excellent quality. His duel with the Cats ruckmen will go a long way in ensuring the GWS remain competitive and put up a good fight. He is more than capable when going forward and has shown he can add to the scoreboard. Certainly one player to watch.
Cameron- A player of the future and a shining light up forward for the newest franchise. Has innate ability to take a contested mark and knows where the goals are. He is also dangerous at ground level and his dual with Lonergan will determine whether GWS can kick a big enough score to compete.
Scully- The big name signing from the Melbourne Football Club originally took a while to find his feet in the side but seems to be thriving at the new franchise. He has shown ability to continually drive the ball forward and has enough pace to worry the Cats on ball brigade. He can expect to see Hunt run with him for the majority of the day as he strives to give his side an advantage through the middle of the ground.
DEFENCE
GEELONG- Geelong remain one of the best defensive units in the competition despite this seasons statistics suggesting otherwise. With Scarlett back in the lineup controlling precedings the Giants will have their work cut out for them kicking a big enough score to threaten the defending champs. The Cats ball movement through the back half with Enright and Mackie running through half back should give the forwards enough opportunities to put a decent score on the board. Taylor and Lonergan remain two of the best key position players in the competition and thus GWS will find it hard to penetrate the defence.
GWS- The recruitment of Cornes was seen by many to reek of desperation, but he's found a new lease of life in the Giants defence. Paired with the reliable Mohr, the Giants have a couple of wily heads acting on behalf of their defence and they've nurtured some of the youngsters to greater heights. Teams were expected to kick cricket type scores against the Giants this season but the defence can hold there head up high with the competitiveness they've shown thus far.
FORWARDS
GEELONG- Geelong's forward line has relied too heavily on Hawkins and Podsiadly thus far this season and with Hawkins out injured and Pods struggling for form, somebody else needs to step up and help kick a winning score. I think it might be time for Johnson and Chapman to play a predominantly forward role to enable the Cats to kick a winning score. Stokes and Motlop have been serviceable but lack consistency at present which will be of some concern to Scott. They may need to rob Peter to pay Paul in that regard.
GWS- This is the one area on the ground in which the Giants have really struggled, kicking a decent score. Cameron has kicked 13 goals for the season with the ruckman Giles on 11. After those 2 it drops away. They need to find more avenues to goal if they are to seriously threaten the Cats.
MIDFIELD
GEELONG- The area on the ground in which Geelong could use the biggest improvement. Selwood leads the way through this area of the ground averaging 27 disposals but without possibly Kelly and Christensen, too much is being left to too few. Geelong are a bit light for rotations with injury to key players playing an important part in statistical outcomes, so the need for some younger players to step up has never been of more importance.
GWS- The area on the ground where the Giants are most adept. Ward, McDonald, Scully, Palmer and Power are their big name recruits that have added a hardened edge and guided the younger players in taking the next step. The Giants recruited well in this department and with young guns in Greene, Shiel and Treloar well on their way to stardom, the Giants have an exciting midfield group that may enable them to achieve success in the future.
EXPECT TO SEE
What we can expect to see from this match is a much improved Geelong performance across the board, as they gear up for an assault on the finals.
This match gives a few underperforming players a chance to regain some touch and take some confidence into next week. No disrespect to GWS but i can't see them truly threatening to remain a realistic chance of causing an upset. The match will probably remain competitive until the second half before the Giants tire and drop off with their work rate, ala the majority of the season. In no way shape or form should the Cats treat them with disdain, otherwise they may find themselves in trouble. Although i'd like to see 100 plus victory which increases our percentage, i'm looking for continued improvement across the board, a harder edge(pressure wise) in their play and a solid four quarter performance.
The main thing i will take from the match is the prospect of the Cats taking giant strides forward in the continuation of their season.
VERDICT
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