Mega Thread Elimination final opponent discussion

[Selective Retention]

Switch on 7. Vlad announcing after the break.

Would have thought Adelaide and Sydney would be saturday night but I hope Dermie is right...

 

[jaykay72]

I think the finals series package might make our game an MCG game.

Pies and Hawks will sell the place out anyway so the AFL better off making Geelong and Freo the finals series game and playing it at the G.

Great get!

Also helped by Ch 7's 'pull' too - they wanted the Hawks v Pies for Fri night.
Just waiting for the Pies to complain that they've got a 6-day break!

No doubt though that the NM result turned things round (couldn't ask them to travel to WC on FRI)

 

[cats23]

Just announced on Ch 7 we'll be playing Freo on Saturday night at mcg

 

[thecatattack]

Saturday night @ MCG.

 

[fpm84]

Saturday night at the 'G. Couldn't have asked for better.

 

[Selective Retention]

Dermie on the money. I love you Dermie *spews*.

Perfect result. We get the G and it's the only timeslot I can watch the game next weekend

 

[David the Cat]

Oh yessssss.....great result for the Cats!!!

 

[Stig_90]

Perfect! I'll be there.

 

[ekel92]

Best result, so glad its not etihad we play better at the G

 

[manboob]

Probably the best we could have hoped for!

 

[cats23]

Perfect! I'll be there.

Me too, can't wait

 

[muttweed]

The only two times Freo have played at the MCG this year were round 14 and round 11.

Went down to the Pies by 29, won v Richmond by 12.

Hmmm.

 

[free at last]

Luke McPharlin looking like having hamstring issues,1-2 weeks.

 

[Nankervis brothers]

heck Yes! Freo ant the G! Could not have panned out better.

 

[Vdubs]

lol
Freo are the worst performed side in the top 8 so am sure the Cats will be happy as well

Incorrect, over the last 10 weeks they are as well performed as we are, better than Pies, Swans, Crows, NM, WCE.
They come into finals in good form. Losing the likely AA FB does hurt them.

 

[burto]

Saturday at the G, no McPharlin.

The pieces are all falling in place for a Tomahawk Bloodbath.

 

[barmy44]

Incorrect, over the last 10 weeks they are as well performed as we are, better than Pies, Swans, Crows, NM, WCE.
They come into finals in good form. Losing the likely AA FB does hurt them.

i mean this in the nicest way, but i would love to log on here one day and read a post of yours that simply says - 'we will f***ing smash them this week'

for what its worth, im sensing a tough one. but im also really looking forward to it.

makes a refreshing change, entering the finals in this position.

 

[Vdubs]

ok VEEDUBS, take a good look at their draw and then tell me how it compares to our won?

The 2nd half of the year that is and don't give me that "you can only beat who you play crap"

you can only beat who you play.
They have some players who really worry me, mainly 211, but I agree, we should go in as favourites.
Freo should be respected, they have improved a lot this season, and have beaten us a whole season ago.
But they are not the WORST performed team in the 8, it is WIDE open.

 

[Vdubs]

i mean this in the nicest way, but i would love to log on here one day and read a post of yours that simply says - 'we will f***ing smash them this week'

for what its worth, im sensing a tough one. but im also really looking forward to it.

makes a refreshing change, entering the finals in this position.

Hot tip, me saying that will NEVER happen.
But we should be favourites.
And what are you saying that I'm not?

 

[Cattery]

Incorrect, over the last 10 weeks they are as well performed as we are, better than Pies, Swans, Crows, NM, WCE.
They come into finals in good form. Losing the likely AA FB does hurt them.

Here's their last ten matches.

Loss to Pies, Dogs, Demons, GWS, Port, Eagles, loss to Crows, Tigers, North and Demons [ again ] hardly the toughest group of matches you're ever likely to see.

Think you seriously overestimate the opposition at times, like saying a week or two back you were glad St.Kilda were out of the race because you thought they could knock us off, yet they're one and eight against the finalists, including a seven goal loss to us just three weeks ago.

 

[CatsBack2Back]

Freo have been in ok form particularly compared to most of their form this year, they looked very good when we played them round 1.
That being said we should smash them next week, let's hope the tribunal will find some common sense and give Chapman a slap on the hand (shouldn't miss finals for that).

A win will see us play Adelaide or Sydney at their home ground so a tough game either way there.
If we are going to go all the way we'll have to win some tough games but this is finals & that's what they're all about.

I've been starting to get a little bit of a feeling that we might win the flag this year...........

 

[Biggy_Boy]

Incorrect, over the last 10 weeks they are as well performed as we are, better than Pies, Swans, Crows, NM, WCE.
They come into finals in good form. Losing the likely AA FB does hurt them.

Look at the opposition they've beaten compared to who we have. We've beaten 3 of the top 4 sides. They've beaten up on teams flailing down the bottom of the ladder, the best opposition they were able to roll was North Melbourne.

I don't think we can expect them to be a push over, but I think our current form is good and evidently stands up with the very best of the competition, it's at the MCG and they will most likely go into the game without McPharlin to match a red hot Hawkins.

 

[Vdubs]

Here's their last ten matches.

Loss to Pies, Dogs, Demons, GWS, Port, Eagles, loss to Crows, Tigers, North and Demons [ again ] hardly the toughest group of matches you're ever likely to see.

Think you seriously overestimate the opposition at times, like saying a week or two back you were glad St.Kilda were out of the race because you thought they could knock us off, yet they're one and eight against the finalists, including a seven goal loss to us just three weeks ago.

You are totally correct.
I seriously overestimate the opposition at times, well only when they are about to play us, doesn't matter if we're on top playing the bottom team, I have a thing about looking at the strengths of the opposition, and where we COULD be susceptible.
The fickle draw this year makes a lot of teams' results look more impressive than what they are, and it's true, we've had a far tougher draw than just about every other team. And it,s good that we have 4 wins against the top 4 teams, and strangely, no wins against the rest of the top 8.
Again, what you said about my assessments is spot-on. But that's what I do. Don't let it get to you, be glad you have a more realistic and balanced appraisal of the situations.
That display in the 3rd/4 today gives me a hell of a lot of confidence, emphatic power footy against a very tough foe.

 

[Vdubs]

Look at the opposition they've beaten compared to who we have. We've beaten 3 of the top 4 sides. They've beaten up on teams flailing down the bottom of the ladder, the best opposition they were able to roll was North Melbourne.

I don't think we can expect them to be a push over, but I think our current form is good and evidently stands up with the very best of the competition, it's at the MCG and they will most likely go into the game without McPharlin to match a red hot Hawkins.

True.
I happened to be there at the Freo NM game, super impressive, but NM have flattened out a bit.
And they have it over WCE.

 

[Mesc]

Fair enough but I seem them as the weakest team in the 8 and they have probably the worst midfield of all the teams in the 8, Mundy, Hill, Pearce, Fyfe, Crowley and Barlow are nothing special.
They will get exposed when it's physical and Corey, Bartel, Selwood will bash and crash like today which eventually wore down a team that prides themselves on that style of game.

Taylor on a suspect Pavlich is going to be a ripping contest and now we have two very athletic ruckman who will at least do a decent job against Sandilands and Clarke when we were comprehensively beaten in RD1 when Stephenson failed miserably leaving West to contend by himself for the 2nd half.

Dawson is the biggest dud to grace a backline and without McPharlin they now have to move Dawson onto Hawkins which then means Pods becomes the danger man.
Cats easily

I Love Smugness. Beware the underdog.