Preview AFL Round 3 - Geelong v Carlton, Etihad Stadium, 7:40PM Saturday 13 April

[SleazySimon]

Massive danger game. Carlton of late have a pretty decent record against us, and I truly dont think they are as bad as their winless season suggests. Whatever happens, we cant have a slow start again, which is stating the obvious really.

people keep saying this. Havnt we won the last two games against them?

 

[CharacterFirst]

Firstly - Holy crap, 45,000 posts - thats epic!! Lol

Over 12 a day, on average, for 10 years!!!

 

[Turbocat]

How far away is Murda? What about Stringer , to me he would present a similar type of SUB capabilities as Stokes. Alternatively Caddy or Smedts could be due for a rest , sub could be an option as well

Browns probably the easy out. A list of players are banking up George , Stringer , Rivers , SJ when fit so I cant see how he holds a spot.

Do hope Pods cuts lose soon , so far he looks likely , but not quite doing. Bit hard being a forward in Q1 and Q2 the last two weeks , we will need him to this week as Jamison is a tough matchup for Hawkins

 

[FredLeDeux]

How far away is Murda? What about Stringer , to me he would present a similar type of SUB capabilities as Stokes. Alternatively Caddy or Smedts could be due for a rest , sub could be an option as well

Browns probably the easy out. A list of players are banking up George , Stringer , Rivers , SJ when fit so I cant see how he holds a spot.

Do hope Pods cuts lose soon , so far he looks likely , but not quite doing. Bit hard being a forward in Q1 and Q2 the last two weeks , we will need him to this week as Jamison is a tough matchup for Hawkins

Smedts might be saved this week by the need for more intense defensive pressure in our F50.
Brown out for Rivers, if fit, is fairly obvious.
The problem is who goes out for SJ, if fit.
Murdoch definitely, if fit, needs a run in the twos.
Stringer as sub would be hard on him, seeing as he didn't play Rds 1 (held out as emergency) or 2.

 

[vinum coupe]

Do hope Pods cuts lose soon , so far he looks likely , but not quite doing. Bit hard being a forward in Q1 and Q2 the last two weeks , we will need him to this week as Jamison is a tough matchup for Hawkins

The guy is a freak.
32 in September and I have no doubt he'd smash someone like Cloke in an endurance test.

He's not like the usual 32 year old KPF who relies on out muscling as they get older.
He runs and jumps.

Another master signing.

 

[FredLeDeux]

The guy is a freak.
32 in September and I have no doubt he'd smash someone like Cloke in an endurance test.

He's not like the usual 32 year old KPF who relies on out muscling as they get older.
He runs and jumps.

Another master signing.

Smarter than anyone else at the club too, did you see him on Stokesy's show this week?

 

[vinum coupe]

No.
Dont tell me it works on a mac

 

[Duskfire]

people keep saying this. Havnt we won the last two games against them?

Yeah by 12 points and 2 points. Hardly defining victories Also beat us in 2009 and 2010. Considering the outstanding record we have against teams in recent years, Carlton would be one of the better off ones.

 

[FredLeDeux]

No.
Dont tell me it works on a mac

Sometimes it does, and sometimes it don't.

 

[Partridge]

Blicavs should play a defensive ruck role on Kruezer. West is really struggling so I would use Blicavs predominantly.

No we need them both. West still isn't match fit, he can't do it alone. He finished the second half much better though so hopefully he isn't too far away. As raw as Blicavs is, he at least has a brain in his head and he is constantly running. Gives them something however small to contemplate as well.

 

[Partridge]

perhaps better explanation.... the younger player is in the 21 and earns his spot there.... while a TV, Stokes, Smithy, Chappy even (dont shoot me just examples people calm down) gets the vest but then has to come on hammer down for a full 35 minutes....

Instead of the GHS cycle as example, GHS plays the full game with Chappy coming on with 35 mins left. GHS gets the full run, Chappy is managed and still gets to run it out hard. Reckon seeing Chappy drop the vest on the bench and burst on with 12 mins to go until 3/4 time wold make any mids and defenders pretty tense if he went to them....

Go Catters

A fit Chapman coming into the forward line as the pace goes out of a game would be a nightmare for the opposition. So much smarts and experience.

 

[Partridge]

Massive danger game. Carlton of late have a pretty decent record against us, and I truly dont think they are as bad as their winless season suggests. Whatever happens, we cant have a slow start again, which is stating the obvious really.

Absolutely it's a danger game. Yes our best football this season has been exhilarating but our worst has been abysmal. There's no guarantee we're going to calmly stroll past Carlton. Have to treat them with the utmost respect.

Really hope Guthrie is right for this one too.

 

[Partridge]

If rivers plays id contemplate playing H. Taylor fwd ( he did vs carlton last year didnt he?)

I think we could exploit their backs.

ff line - H.Taylor-Hawkins-Caddy
Hf line - Motlop-Pods-Chapman

(varcoe on a wing going forward when chapman is in middle)

If Jamieson goes to Pods and Henderson to Hawkins ( or vice versa) im not sure if they have a 3rd defender capable of stopping taylor through the air...maybe laidler?

He's shown he can kick a goal, but seriously he's close to the best centre half back in the league. Why would you move him from where he plays his best? Carlton don't want him in our backline, I can guarantee you that.

 

[romeoh]

Yep am in favour of keeping the backline as settled and unchanged as poss and see no need for Harry to go forward.
Playing at Etihad is better-think it was at the G they kept beating us and their speed and zippy forwards towelled us up, Not sure that those guys are as potent as they were but have certainly troubled us and need to squash them.

 

[HappyChappy35]

Just a reminder to you guys that the game is not fully ticketed but the club is encouraging people to pre-book prior to Saturday to guarantee entry on the night, apparently the club are predicting a crowd of close to 50,000 and with most of level 3 being GA could come close

From an attendance POV it's ridiculous how the AFL have scheduled this for Etihad when Melbourne and West Coast will be playing in front of 15,000 at the MCG on the same day.

 

[HappyChappy35]

If rivers plays id contemplate playing H. Taylor fwd ( he did vs carlton last year didnt he?)

I think we could exploit their backs.

ff line - H.Taylor-Hawkins-Caddy
Hf line - Motlop-Pods-Chapman

(varcoe on a wing going forward when chapman is in middle)

If Jamieson goes to Pods and Henderson to Hawkins ( or vice versa) im not sure if they have a 3rd defender capable of stopping taylor through the air...maybe laidler?

Rivers should and will return. Brown doesn't have the physical attributes and isn't powerful enough to be able to play on one of Carlton's big forwards (Casboult or Walker). And although Taylor can kick goals, playing him in the forward line isn't the greatest idea when he is a premier defender and we already have Hawkins/Pods servicing us adequately in that department.

Relieved that Betts and Waite are out, but it still doesn't make the job that easy. Allow Carlton to move the ball with ease through the middle like we did with North and their small forwards will cause us some big headaches.

 

[Duskfire]

I actually dont think Geelong and Carltons form is much different. Obviously we are on 2 wins and they are on zero, but that could easily have been switched around. Both our victories were narrow, and come from behind wins. Carlton had a similar game against Richmond as we did against North but couldnt quite scrap home, and they werent able to do enough to put Collingwood away whenever they had momentum.

Our current place on the ladder flatters us to a certain extent, imo. While Carltons current place does not to them justice.

 

[AM]

Smarter than anyone else at the club too, did you see him on Stokesy's show this week?

Pretty smart the way he got his AFL opportunity through his own initiative rather any master signing.

 

[CF]

Will Stevie J be back this week?

 

[Thurlow2Mackie]

Team needs more Thurlow.

 

[year of the cat]

Yep am in favour of keeping the backline as settled and unchanged as poss and see no need for Harry to go forward.
Playing at Etihad is better-think it was at the G they kept beating us and their speed and zippy forwards towelled us up, Not sure that those guys are as potent as they were but have certainly troubled us and need to squash them.

Betts not being there helps. He seems to often cause us headaches. It's really only Garlett that we need to concern ourselves with and he's not as good at getting to the fall of the ball as Betts is. With Waite still out we really SHOULD win. Will be very disappointed if we drop this one. Just need to improve our clearances in the first half..

 

[winty]

I'm not worried about their small forwards at all.
The only reason Thomas got off the leash was due to our backs worrying about the Nth talls and losing structure. It wont happen this week.

Also, watch when the ball is in their forward line. 3-4 of Varcoe, Motlop, Caddy, Duncan, Smedts will be harassing and congregating in the corridor waiting for the ball to come free.

And then the afterburners get flicked on as we travel up the guts.
They are going to have a hell of a time stopping it.

I've honestly never seen a quicker Geelong team.

Someone on the Carlton board was saying we were still a slow side despite others trying to convince them otherwise. He or she is in for a rude awakening on Saturday night.

 

[FredLeDeux]

Team needs more Thurlow.

Just hold your horses a little longer, cobber. The coach has twice said he will play this season, and that it's more likely in the first half of the season than in the second.

 

[jim boy]

I expect the rotation policy will kick in this week. I'd be disappointed if Brown was dropped and GHS doesn't come back in. Wouldn't be surprised if a player like Chapman is given the week off.

 

[supahoops]

SJ to play. Nonchalant snaps from just inside 50 good enough for me. Sub.