Preview Finals 2014 Discussion: Hawthorn v Geelong, 7.50pm Fri Sept 5th, MCG

[illavitar]

What I can't stand is the concept the Hawks have somewhat of a chance for once.

 

[Leather Poisoning]

What I can't stand is the concept the Hawks have somewhat of a chance for once.

A year ago the difference was less than a goal.

We've had an interesting chat on our board as to whether we are a better side this year or not. Losing Franklin, Rioli out, Mitchell still finding his form, but hodge and Lewis in much better form, depth players performing.

Would you say Geelong is a better or worse team this year?

 

[Off The Couch]

For those interested and Telstra customers

http://www.telstra.com.au/latest_offers/loyalty/sport-afl.html

 

[MinerBoy]

We have the Burgoyne.

 

[Pessimistic]

Perhaps you could wait until the game actually starts before ruining the site with umpiring complaints.

Its a trolling complaint

 

[Freomaniac]

Strangely I dont care about the result.... I just want Freo to have another shot against the cats.

 

[Mitchell Madness]

Strangely I dont care about the result.... I just want Freo to have another shot against the cats.

So you want either Geelong to win, freo to lose
Or hawthorn to win, sydney to lose

 

[Off The Couch]

So you want either Geelong to win, freo to lose
Or hawthorn to win, sydney to lose

In a nutshell - he does care

 

[Freomaniac]

So you want either Geelong to win, freo to lose
Or hawthorn to win, sydney to lose

I dont care either way. If Cats win and freo lost and both teams face each other to make the Prelim, So be it.

If somehow freo beat the swans and we face the cats in the grand final, so be it.

 

[Bobby_]

as confident of a win as I have ever been for quite some time.
Cats should probably win by about 2 goals but would not be surprised to see us pull out to another 4-5 goals lead and will hold on to beat one of most over-hyped teams of the modern era.

Geelong this year, will enter the finals fully fit and healthy (unlike last year) . . . Hawkins, Rivers, Thurlow, McIntosh, Enright, Blicavs and Caddy are primed and raring to go

 

[Jane Doe]

as confident of a win as I have ever been for quite some time.
Cats should probably win by about 2 goals but would not be surprised to see us pull out to another 4-5 goals lead and will hold on to beat one of most over-hyped teams of the modern era.

Geelong this year, will enter the finals fully fit and healthy (unlike last year) . . . Hawkins, Rivers, Thurlow, McIntosh, Enright, Blicavs and Caddy are primed and raring to go

Yeah over hyped 4 years in a row being in the top 4 and 2 flags in 10 years which is just behind your mob. 2008 must really still hurt you.

 

[Yidaki]

Love this rivalry.

Geelong will challenge, but I expect the reigning premiers to win it. They are just a class above the Cats.

 

[TBoyleSuperstar]

as confident of a win as I have ever been for quite some time.
Cats should probably win by about 2 goals but would not be surprised to see us pull out to another 4-5 goals lead and will hold on to beat one of most over-hyped teams of the modern era.

Geelong this year, will enter the finals fully fit and healthy (unlike last year) . . . Hawkins, Rivers, Thurlow, McIntosh, Enright, Blicavs and Caddy are primed and raring to go

Like the confidance, though not sure the form lines suggest it's warranted.

Then again, you've somehow won a lot of games this year, many only just but wins are wins.

Reckon it will be another cracking game. Love watching these games, especially as the results seemed to have evened out of late. They are pure games of footy, two teams that go hard at each other for 4 qtrs and no lead is every truly safe.

Obviously I reckon the Hawks will win it, but unfortunately I'm going to be chewing hard on the nails come the end I reckon.

 

[coylez]

as confident of a win as I have ever been for quite some time.
Cats should probably win by about 2 goals but would not be surprised to see us pull out to another 4-5 goals lead and will hold on to beat one of most over-hyped teams of the modern era.

Geelong this year, will enter the finals fully fit and healthy (unlike last year) . . . Hawkins, Rivers, Thurlow, McIntosh, Enright, Blicavs and Caddy are primed and raring to go

They are not over-hyped. They are a very well drilled team who trust their gameplan. And they will equal/improve on Geelongs 3 in 5 years if they go B2B.

 

[romeoh]

A year ago the difference was less than a goal.

We've had an interesting chat on our board as to whether we are a better side this year or not. Losing Franklin, Rioli out, Mitchell still finding his form, but hodge and Lewis in much better form, depth players performing.

Would you say Geelong is a better or worse team this year?

Haha better of course!

 

[Jimmy Yamazaki]

A year ago the difference was less than a goal.

We've had an interesting chat on our board as to whether we are a better side this year or not. Losing Franklin, Rioli out, Mitchell still finding his form, but hodge and Lewis in much better form, depth players performing.

Would you say Geelong is a better or worse team this year?

Think we're worse. No CHF is a killer, like last year we had no decent ruck option.

We will need to play 4 qtrs to win, not this 2nd half fade outs we've been having most of the year.

 

[romeoh]

Like the confidance, though not sure the form lines suggest it's warranted.

Then again, you've somehow won a lot of games this year, many only just but wins are wins.

Reckon it will be another cracking game. Love watching these games, especially as the results seemed to have evened out of late. They are pure games of footy, two teams that go hard at each other for 4 qtrs and no lead is every truly safe.

Obviously I reckon the Hawks will win it, but unfortunately I'm going to be chewing hard on the nails come the end I reckon.

Yep fair enough but our form line is better than people think.
We have only lost 5 games for the year- to you -reigning premiers. To Sydney, Freo, Port -all a fair while ago, all interstate. ( and Gold Coast-we don't travel anymore.) We also have beaten-Hawks, Freo, North, Bombers, Tiges.
We were playing good footy early this year for 5 weeks., then went a bit off for most of the year. But playing well again, and getting better each week.

 

[TBoyleSuperstar]

Yep fair enough but our form line is better than people think.
We have only lost 5 games for the year- to you -reigning premiers. To Sydney, Freo, Port -all a fair while ago, all interstate. ( and Gold Coast-we don't travel anymore.) We also have beaten-Hawks, Freo, North, Bombers, Tiges.
We were playing good footy early this year for 5 weeks., then went a bit off for most of the year. But playing well again, and getting better each week.

Thing is, you have done what you needed to do to get to 4th. My argument re: form is your percentage doesn't lie. It's the worse of the top 6,, and by a long way from the other top 5 sides. Yes, you got flogged by Sydney, but I think it's more that you have snuck over the line a lot. 6 games under 10, another 2 under 3 goals.

That being said, it's forgotten as of 7:50 on Friday night as the real season starts then.

Pumped.

 

[Pessimistic]

as confident of a win as I have ever been for quite some time.
Cats should probably win by about 2 goals but would not be surprised to see us pull out to another 4-5 goals lead and will hold on to beat one of most over-hyped teams of the modern era.

Geelong this year, will enter the finals fully fit and healthy (unlike last year) . . . Hawkins, Rivers, Thurlow, McIntosh, Enright, Blicavs and Caddy are primed and raring to go

Its impossible to beat yourselves

 

[romeoh]

Thing is, you have done what you needed to do to get to 4th. My argument re: form is your percentage doesn't lie. It's the worse of the top 6,, and by a long way from the other top 5 sides. Yes, you got flogged by Sydney, but I think it's more that you have snuck over the line a lot. 6 games under 10, another 2 under 3 goals.

That being said, it's forgotten as of 7:50 on Friday night as the real season starts then.

Pumped.

Yep all reasonable points to make. But we won those close games this year, and we have lost a few of those ones in the last couple of years. Maybe that form line will prove correct and we will get flogged. Or maybe we are playing good footy now when it matters.
Anyway, as you say, its a new ballgame now. Excited. Good luck. Go Geelong.

 

[romeoh]

Its impossible to beat yourselves

We won 3 flags in 5 years so not actually overhyped. We were seriously good.

 

[Roo Lives Again]

as confident of a win as I have ever been for quite some time.
Cats should probably win by about 2 goals but would not be surprised to see us pull out to another 4-5 goals lead and will hold on to beat one of most over-hyped teams of the modern era.

Geelong this year, will enter the finals fully fit and healthy (unlike last year) . . . Hawkins, Rivers, Thurlow, McIntosh, Enright, Blicavs and Caddy are primed and raring to go

Oh lordy....borderline delusional comment. Hawks in a canter...Mission Accomplished.

 

[Bobby_]

Yeah over hyped 4 years in a row being in the top 4 and 2 flags in 10 years which is just behind your mob. 2008 must really still hurt you.

there is a difference between overrated and over hyped though.
Your no better than a 50/50 chance in this one but most of BigFooty, the media, bookies and god knows who else believes this one will be a formality.
Won't be the case and I particularly like our defence versus Hawthorn's. Your smalls are going to be a worry for us this time around but on the flip side, we will have a few handy smalls at the other end of the ground ourselves.

 

[fpm84]

Would you say Geelong is a better or worse team this year?

Interesting question and I really don't know the answer. Despite one more loss, a worse percentage and a worse record against top 4 teams (we were 5-0 against the top four going into last year's finals), I could argue we are better this season.

Hawkins fit and in AA form.
A genuine ruckman in McIntosh fit for the finals
Rivers fit and a huge inclusion (statistically in the three best one on one defenders in the comp this season)
Younger players in Duncan, Guthrie, Caddy, Blicavs all better than last year

The downside is that we don't have a second key forward half as reliable as Podsiadly was (albeit Pods didn't get the world on fire at Adelaide this year, Motlop has been great at times but not as consistent as last year after missing pre-season, forward line can be one dimensional if Hawkins isn't firing.

 

[Jtree]

The fact that everyone rates us as favourites is a massive troll IMO. Geelong match up very well against Hawthorn (as evidence in their fantastic recent record against us). This is a 50/50 at best for Hawthorn and a massive achievement if we get over the line. I hope for a fair game (no diving!) and a fair result.

Oh and ...... Go the Mighty Hawks!