Preview Round 12: Bulldogs vs Cats, Sat 3 June @ 7:25pm - Superhero Stadium

[Vdubs]

Maybe I'm alone on this but personally I found Bowes' performances earlier this year underwhelming.

Agreed.
Have not seen yet what the IT is that he has.
I used to think that about Josh Caddy

 

[you pick one]

We play zone defence again this week we will be ****ed game over by quarter time.

 

[CatsDoItBetter]

I’m not saying tank to improve our draft pick... I’m saying once it gets to the stage that it’s pretty unlikely we will be winning the flag that we move to do things that’ll help us next year more than this year.

If a better draft pick comes with doing so then that’s a bonus.

I also think that most people (even you) were pretty happy with the player we used pick 8 on last year.

I’m not really sure what else we could be doing to get that improvement regardless of finals hopes. We’ve been forced to play a lot of young players all year due to injury. So the players are getting that chance already.

To continue to attract players to the club they’ll push to finish as high as they can even with finals out of reach.
Bottoming out doesn’t work, the club will continue to try and win a flag while we have this group of players.
The younger end of that group they’ll keep competing with includes Stewart and Cameron.

 

[D BRIDGE]

I’m not really sure what else we could be doing to get that improvement regardless of finals hopes. We’ve been forced to play a lot of young players all year due to injury. So the players are getting that chance already.

To continue to attract players to the club they’ll push to finish as high as they can even with finals out of reach.
Bottoming out doesn’t work, the club will continue to try and win a flag while we have this group of players.
The younger end of that group they’ll keep competing with includes Stewart and Cameron.

I'm not saying to bottom out... and as some people have mentioned we are probs a few more loses away from really thinking about next year, but I'm just mentioning it now.

I'm saying when the time comes, I won't be disappointed if we subtly put the cue in the rack and make some moves that could be slightly helpful to what I'd think would be a final tilt next year with guys like Hawkins, Duncan, Smith, Rohan etc.

Just things like not flogging the guts out of Blitz every week... Giving him a game off here and there (it may help next year). Giving Dempsey some full games on the wing so maybe he is fast tracked to play that role like he did in the VFL last week in the AFL next season. We are obviously playing kids now, but that's because of injuries. Maybe try some different tactics out. Just anything that would help out for next season.

We haven't really been in this position for a long time... I'm just saying I'm happy to do a few of these things that will likely have us lose an extra game or two later in the season to possibly give us a little improvement next season.

Losing isn't the norm for us but I'm ok with it if I understand why it's happening and continuing to get games into kids with our aging list isn't a bad thing IMO... and yes it'll likely have us miss the 8, not go B2B and get a decent draft pick... I'm can handle that.

You gotta know when to hold them and know when to fold them.

It's just an opinion... We may get some guys back after the bye and just go all in for every game of the year or the old "until it's mathematically impossible to make finals" line.

Time will tell... Maybe if we get smoked really badly tomorrow night and to Port after the bye some others will start to think "what can we do to propel us into next year" like I am a bit more.... But yes it's still earlyish for sure.

 

[CatToTheFuture]

We play zone defence again this week we will be ****ed game over by quarter time.

We play man on man defence it'll be over by quarter time.

 

[Kitcat]

I'm not saying to bottom out... and as some people have mentioned we are probs a few more loses away from really thinking about next year, but I'm just mentioning it now.

I'm saying when the time comes, I won't be disappointed if we subtly put the cue in the rack and make some moves that could be slightly helpful to what I'd think would be a final tilt next year with guys like Hawkins, Duncan, Smith, Rohan etc.

Just things like not flogging the guts out of Blitz every week... Giving him a game off here and there (it may help next year). Giving Dempsey some full games on the wing so maybe he is fast tracked to play that role like he did in the VFL last week in the AFL next season. We are obviously playing kids now, but that's because of injuries. Maybe try some different tactics out. Just anything that would help out for next season.

We haven't really been in this position for a long time... I'm just saying I'm happy to do a few of these things that will likely have us lose an extra game or two later in the season to possibly give us a little improvement next season.

Losing isn't the norm for us but I'm ok with it if I understand why it's happening and continuing to get games into kids with our aging list isn't a bad thing IMO... and yes it'll likely have us miss the 8, not go B2B and get a decent draft pick... I'm can handle that.

You gotta know when to hold them and know when to fold them.

It's just an opinion... We may get some guys back after the bye and just go all in for every game of the year or the old "until it's mathematically impossible to make finals" line.

Time will tell... Maybe if we get smoked really badly tomorrow night and to Port after the bye some others will start to think "what can we do to propel us into next year" like I am a bit more.... But yes it's still earlyish for sure.

It would be more attractive to drop down if we had our second, third, and fourth round picks in the draft.

 

[D BRIDGE]

It would be more attractive to drop down if we had our second, third, and fourth round picks in the draft.

100% but as I have said a couple of times... my thought's are more to fast-track players for next year whilst not thrashing our senior guys all year so we are in better shape for 2024 and one final tilt... Not just purely because of draft picks.

 

[DangerHere]

This will be over by Qtr time

 

[Jhye Clark 13]

This will be over by Qtr time

Yes it will.

 

[catempire]

We play zone defence again this week we will be ****ed game over by quarter time.

We play man on man defence it'll be over by quarter time.

Agree with you both but it’s a hallmark of Bad Geelong Football when we are standing flat footed and stagnant in an ineffective zone.

Bring some ****** intensity!

 

[Cattery]

I absolutely accept that we're up against it yet again this weekend. But we're not playing the threepeat Lions at the Gabbatoir, either.

This Dogs team are very strong through the midfield, OK up forward, and gettable down back. If we can prevent clean entries to our D50 and convert when we actually get the ball in deep ourselves, we aren't without a chance. Even straighter kicking would have had us close to winning at least two of our last three games. So getting that right is an absolute must if we are to be in with a show.

Time for our experienced players to lift and lead.
Time for our premiership backline to get its mojo back.
Time for our undermanned midfield to just keep turning up and competing at every contest.
Time for our forward talismans to ruthlessly convert their opportunities.

Danger out is big. But even Danger in was no guarantee of anything. Could have been not quite right, could have tweaked it again, and just about scuppered his season. I'm taking the view that our chances for the season might actually be better with him getting more rest, irrespective of the result on Saturday night.

But that's probably informed by the fact that I no longer believe we have all that much chance on the season, anyway. The first two games after the bye could easily finish us off, unless we get something going soon. And Saturday night is the next big opportunity for the boys to do something about that.

So, on the basis of all that, I'll (quite inexplicably) go with Jez to kick six, and Cats by 27...

#itsnotplayedonpaper
#soyouresayingtheresachance

Like your thinking, kinda in line with my own actually.
I'm tipping us tomorrow, if this challenge doesn't bring out the best in us then our season really is pretty much cooked, so I'm expecting us to replicate last weeks fourth quarter for the entire game and win comfortably (well maybe that's a bit optimistic) but I still feel we'll get the job done, mainly because of the points you listed.

"Time for our premiership backline to get its mojo back" hopefully this will happen IF we line it up correctly, which means both De Koning and Henry playing there.

 

[Jhye Clark 13]

Agree with you both but it’s a hallmark of Bad Geelong Football when we are standing flat footed and stagnant in an ineffective zone.

Bring some ****** intensity!

What are we ranked by scores conceded from turnover?

 

[Cattery]

This will be over by Qtr time

Yes it will.

Heck, you guys are even more optimistic then me, I reckon the doggies will hang in there for a half at least.

 

[Jhye Clark 13]

Heck, you guys are even more optimistic then me, I reckon the doggies will hang in there for a half at least.

That's what I was implying.

 

[Jumping Jack]

Why is Bowes not playing .WTF .

And Mitch knevitt was harshly dropped to sub last week.

Jezza and DK were great in this match up last year .

Bowes will play.

There'll be a late out from the selected side.

 

[FredLeDeux]

Bowes will play.

There'll be a late out from the selected side.

I find that hard to believe, we usually only get players injured half-way through the game

 

[Jhye Clark 13]

Bowes will play.

There'll be a late out from the selected side.

Any idea who?

 

[CatToTheFuture]

100% but as I have said a couple of times... my thought's are more to fast-track players for next year whilst not thrashing our senior guys all year so we are in better shape for 2024 and one final tilt... Not just purely because of draft picks.

I'm not sure how effective it is just get games into kids if the games are uncontrolled losses.

If they don't have a structure I don't know if they actually learn that much. See Brisbane before and after the Hodge trade.

The forward and backline are set with 7 players each for the next year or two. Rhys/Blitz ruck combo for next year is a wise move to get Conway and Neale some VFL games under their belt and/or play Neale as a forward post Hawkins.

Means we only have 6 positions on the ground for mids. 2 wings, 2 inside, 2 bench.

Full games into kids mode probably means we still Holmes and Knevitt as wings, still run Dangerfield and Guthrie as mids for structure and shelter. Bruhn and Atkins rotating.

My point is, that's arguably 1 player removed from our best 22.

 

[CatToTheFuture]

Any idea who?

Guessing Bruhn from the mid game shoulder strapping and low TOG last week. Looks like he's carrying something

 

[CHAWKTS]

Bowes will play.

There'll be a late out from the selected side.

We are due for a good old “late change”. was a regular part of our success - but have gone cold over past few months (mostly as we had nobody to change in!!)

I just hope he is either in 22 or plays VFL. Needs at least 3/4 game to prime him rather than risk just getting 1/4 as sub

 

[Jumping Jack]

Any idea who?

Cameron is not 100%. Been carrying something and ideally would have missed a game or two already but has got up the last few weeks. They're nursing him to the break but there's word he might not get up.

 

[Lana]

We play zone defence again this week we will be ****ed game over by quarter time.

That's the equivalent of being at the football next to some old guy yelling "just kick it"

 

[35dangerwood14]

Cameron is not 100%. Been carrying something and ideally would have missed a game or two already but has got up the last few weeks. They're nursing him to the break but there's word he might not get up.

Well we're proper f@#ked then aren't we?

 

[Pure_Ownage]

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That helps but we are not blessed with pace without holmes so we need to generate structure behind the ball tactically rather than through run. Whether we maybe push a forward up to the middle and push a winger back to defence to create a +1 i dont know. But we need to protect our defence and then slingshot from our intercepts because its hard for us to score from stoppage and clearance with depleted mids.

 

[Pure_Ownage]

Cameron is not 100%. Been carrying something and ideally would have missed a game or two already but has got up the last few weeks. They're nursing him to the break but there's word he might not get up.

Cameron has to play so i hope he does get up.

I think tuohy might be the late out doesnt look right.