Unofficial Preview Geelong Cats V Hawthorn Rd 1 -

[Seeds]

Stokes played 14 games last year. Also played most of the second half of the season ahead of younger players who could have gained invaluable exposure at his expense (don't get me started ) so why wasn't he in the team anymore?

Scott Selwood is a while away. I've said this on numerous times already, he'll be a setback story one after another. I honestly do not expect him to be fully match fit until at least the midway mark of the year so we can't really count on him being ahead of Horlin-Smith for round one.
Blicavs is also unknown as a midfielder. Remember, we now have Zac Smith who is a ruckman first and foremost. There should be absolutely no need to experiment with Blicavs or Stanley as the no.1 & no.2 rucks. We should only have two giants in the middle of the ground at any one time. If we have all of Stanley, Blicavs and Smith, we simply won't be able to compete when the ball gets on the outside. I think Blicavs plays a much more defensive orientated role. Kind of like what we saw from him in the first part of the season before he was thrown back into the midfield on a full time basis due to Stanley & Clark's calf/foot injuries.

I was referring to Joel not Scott. Stokes played only a handful of games in the second half of the season and many of them sub. He played most of that 14 in the first half of the season. I agree Blicavs is an unknown (I'm the Blicavs hater if anyone has forgotten) but they will definately play him as a inside mid at the start now we have Stanley and smith for the ruck.

 

[Seeds]

Guthrie and Thurlow are quicker than Mackie, and I'd hazard a guess Boris too.

That's ridiculous. Mackie quicker then Thurlow and Enright easily. This feels so wrong defending Mackie as I think he has been massively overrated for his career but you are going a bit far.

 

[Jhye Clark 13]

That's ridiculous. Mackie quicker then Thurlow and Enright easily. This feels so wrong defending Mackie as I think he has been massively overrated for his career but you are going a bit far.

It's hard to ascertain when Mackie's ever moved out of first gear.

 

[4quarter_cat]

I would too but it ain't ever happening again. Bartels standing in the game has been ruined by the refusal to play him as a mid in the last six years. He should be remembered as one of the greats of the modern era but wont be close to that because he has played out of position for his last six years.

Bartel used to get massive head knocks and the medical staff suggested he needed to be moved from inside mid duties to prolong his career and prevent him getting brain damage like Jonathan Brown.

 

[Big 0]

If both Selwoods are to miss round 1, it might be an opportunity to see if Bartel can really still play midfield for the larger part of a game ..

I would very much like to see this too Cursed_Cat. From what I know he is working on the midfield concerning areas of his game

 

[David the Cat]

I've got Blicavs in the centre square for the first bounce of Round 1...almost certain given he won't be rucking in 2016.

 

[4quarter_cat]

Regarding Mackie, I actually really like the idea of him playing on the wing. He definite has the pace awareness and penetrating kick on him to be very damaging there.

 

[Hood007]

Cos key position players are known for their fast ball movement? Kind of also need running ability and speed for defence these days. How well you move the ball does nothing for you when you don't have the pill.

And there's no point in being quick if you turn the ball over when you get it.

 

[supahoops]

Scooter and Joel are highly likely to miss r1.

Yup, that's why scooters not there and Joel's in a pocket with Murdoch in the wings who goes ok vs Hawks.

Not sure where all the haters were in the last half of the season, thought Mackie was one of our better players, particularly among the vets.

 

[Vdubs]

It's hard to ascertain when Mackie's never moved out of first gear.

Triple premierships
AA
He's never had to!

 

[Vdubs]

Regarding Mackie, I actually really like the idea of him playing on the wing. He definite has the pace awareness and penetrating kick on him to be very damaging there.

Agree- wing or HFF, Could see Mackie and Bartel swapping off Bench/HFF

 

[00VicWard001]

Agree- wing or HFF, Could see Mackie and Bartel swapping off Bench/HFF

That's a very wily swap happening right there. The player on either of those two is going have a very long day and play on two very different, smart attacking players.

 

[Seeds]

And there's no point in being quick if you turn the ball over when you get it.

Yep I agree. what's your point though?

 

[Seeds]

That's a very wily swap happening right there. The player on either of those two is going have a very long day and play on two very different, smart attacking players.

Yep we got rid of Johnson and kept Bartel and Mackie because we needed an older player to play on the forward line?? Both Bartel and Mackie will play primarily defence when they play.

 

[Seeds]

Regarding Mackie, I actually really like the idea of him playing on the wing. He definite has the pace awareness and penetrating kick on him to be very damaging there.

Have you not been reading the last couple of pages. Mackie is super slow. Even old man Enright is speedy in comparison.

 

[Hood007]

Yep I agree. what's your point though?

I'd rather people who use the ball well then quick players who panic.

Besides, Mackie is as slow/quick as he's always been.
Enright too IMO.

 

[Cattery]

This feels so wrong defending Mackie as I think he has been massively overrated for his career but you are going a bit far.

Suggesting Mackie has been "massively overrated" his entire career is going more then a bit far.

 

[eddyah]

Im not quite sure if some people have actually watched geelong play football during the last decade. Mackie slow and over rated?? He has provided vital run out of the backline consistantly . A vital player during the premierships and was still playing well last year after he had a few games back from injury

 

[Seeds]

Suggesting Mackie has been "massively overrated" his entire career is going more then a bit far.

Awesome. I'm now simultaneously overrating and underrating Mackie in the same thread.

 

[Toe Poke]

I find it strange that so many people cannot find a spot in the starting 18 (or even 22) for the player that was best on ground in Geelong's last game of 2015, and earned 3 Brownlow votes. I don't recall many posters (if any) who were calling for him to be dropped prior to that game.

Here are some possible team lineups:

B: Enright Tall Tall
HB: Thurlow Tall Mackie
C: Midfielder Midfielder Guthrie

B: Enright Tall Tall
HB: Guthrie Tall Mackie
C: Midfielder Midfielder Thurlow

B: Enright Tall Tall
HB: Thurlow Tall Guthrie
C: Midfielder Midfielder Mackie

 

[Seeds]

I'd rather people who use the ball well then quick players who panic.

Besides, Mackie is as slow/quick as he's always been.
Enright too IMO.

So you think the likes of Lonergan, Horlin Smith, Clark use the ball better than Murdoch, Cowan and Mackie?? Not sure you are making sense,

 

[Seeds]

I find it strange that so many people cannot find a spot in the starting 18 (or even 22) for the player that was best on ground in Geelong's last game of 2015, and earned 3 Brownlow votes. I don't recall many posters (if any) who were calling for him to be dropped prior to that game.

Here are some possible team lineups:

B: Enright Tall Tall
HB: Thurlow Tall Mackie
C: Midfielder Midfielder Guthrie

B: Enright Tall Tall
HB: Guthrie Tall Mackie
C: Midfielder Midfielder Thurlow

B: Enright Tall Tall
HB: Thurlow Tall Guthrie
C: Midfielder Midfielder Mackie

Still waiting for Nakias response to his great end of season form in 2015. Been very quiet on that front.

 

[4quarter_cat]

Have you not been reading the last couple of pages. Mackie is super slow. Even old man Enright is speedy in comparison.

Sarcassm?

 

[4quarter_cat]

Mackie's not neither slow not especially fast but he is very nimble for a man his size. Its one of the reasons he can be so damaging. He's never lost this people who can't see it aren't looking.

 

[Hood007]

So you think the likes of Lonergan, Horlin Smith, Clark use the ball better than Murdoch, Cowan and Mackie?? Not sure you are making sense,

They're not the right comparisons.
I'd rather Mackie who defends ok and uses the ball great over Bews who defends ok to good and makes average to poor decisions with the footy.
Besides, you're the one who said the backline looked slow with:
Enright, Lonergan, Kolodjashnij, Mackie, Thurlow, Taylor, Guthrie
How would you make it quicker?