Adjusting to Geelong's position in the AFL in 2014

[Partridge]

The point that we arent without excuses if we lose tonight due to about a 3rd of our possible best 22. I will still back us to finish top 4. And on the point you made, if we were good enough to beat Hawthorn then how could you possibly think we are might be going to be shit and going nowhere? Could it be that we have just hit a lull in our season since then? We arent shit all of a sudden.

But the stocks in reserve aren't deep, and there seems to be a lot of faith placed in the hands of players who haven't necessarily deserved it yet, or have injury concerns, or both. The point is if anything goes wrong with them, plus the fact we're going to continue to lose veterans, maintaining a position in the top 4 or even finals is not going to be so smooth and automatic.

 

[Baudolino]

The point that we arent without excuses if we lose tonight due to about a 3rd of our possible best 22. I will still back us to finish top 4.

I struggle to see Port Adelaide, Hawthorn or Sydney missing out on top four, so that's three out of the four places tied up unless you expect one of them to unexpectedly collapse. Collingwood and Fremantle have easier run-ins than us, and if North Melbourne beat us tonight then you can throw their name in to the mix as a wildcard.

We will need to win one of our next two games if we want to make top four, I'm almost certain of that.

 

[hbk_aus]

But the stocks in reserve aren't deep, and there seems to be a lot of faith placed in the hands of players who haven't necessarily deserved it yet, or have injury concerns, or both. The point is if anything goes wrong with them, plus the fact we're going to continue to lose veterans, maintaining a position in the top 4 or even finals is not going to be so smooth and automatic.

Of course, and it never was going to be smooth and automatic. In fact I (and I assume a fair number of supporters) expected a lot more pain in the transition than we have experienced to date. Its been very well handled when you look at the change in personnel since 07, yet once again we are up there. As some stage there should be a crash year given the AFL environment - it seems inevitable. But we havent seen it yet.

 

[hbk_aus]

I struggle to see Port Adelaide, Hawthorn or Sydney missing out on top four, so that's three out of the four places tied up unless you expect one of them to unexpectedly collapse. Collingwood and Fremantle have easier run-ins than us, and if North Melbourne beat us tonight then you can throw their name in to the mix as a wildcard.

We will need to win one of our next two games if we want to make top four, I'm almost certain of that.

Oh i know it will be tight, and I might be wrong but I think we will be substantially better in the second half of the year. That is basing my opinion on us not receiving more of the long-term injuries that we have received so far this year.

 

[_Me_]

I struggle to see Port Adelaide, Hawthorn or Sydney missing out on top four, so that's three out of the four places tied up unless you expect one of them to unexpectedly collapse. Collingwood and Fremantle have easier run-ins than us, and if North Melbourne beat us tonight then you can throw their name in to the mix as a wildcard.

We will need to win one of our next two games if we want to make top four, I'm almost certain of that.

disagree
I think the hawks have a tough run minus lake, gibbo and rioli for extended periods
is a roughnut or gunston fall over, they will be find it really tuff

port and freo are the two locks for mine
Sydney is beatable on its day, and goodes is too busy being Australian of the century

 

[Partridge]

disagree
I think the hawks have a tough run minus lake, gibbo and rioli for extended periods
is a roughnut or gunston fall over, they will be find it really tuff

port and freo are the two locks for mine
Sydney is beatable on its day, and goodes is too busy being Australian of the century

Must take up a lot of space in his calendar though:

09:00-11:00 - Being outraged
11:30-12:30 - Being offended
12:30-14:00 - Lunch break
14:00-15:00 - Demand apologies

 

[_Me_]

Must take up a lot of space in his calendar though:

09:00-11:00 - Being outraged
11:30-12:30 - Being offended
12:30-14:00 - Lunch break
14:00-15:00 - Demand apologies

16:00 point at a 6 year old
18:00 find a reason to hate someone else
19:00 ask for more money
21:00 have a drink
22:00 call his buddy for a chat

 

[meto]

Oh dont be so unnecessarily dramatic. We are 6-2 having lost to 2 very good teams interstate. Hardly heading towards "shit and going nowhere".

It's all about selecting the types coming through which were obvious and Wells let go through to the keeper. Soon it might be 2-6.
You don't gamble with early picks.

 

[Jimmy Yamazaki]

Our midfield is weak, not even a top 6 midfield imo. After SJ And Selwood, we fall away... This is not a knock on our drafting just yet, we have a couple players on the rise though, so hopefully won't be this way for long.

 

[cats_09]

Our midfield is weak, not even a top 6 midfield imo. After SJ And Selwood, we fall away... This is not a knock on our drafting just yet, we have a couple players on the rise though, so hopefully won't be this way for long.

No Stokes?

 

[Hoffy95]

Hopefully the players haven't given it up just yet like you have Reg.

 

[Jimmy Yamazaki]

No Stokes?

Yes Stokes is good too, always forget the poor bugger.

 

[meto]

Our midfield is weak, not even a top 6 midfield imo. After SJ And Selwood, we fall away... This is not a knock on our drafting just yet, we have a couple players on the rise though, so hopefully won't be this way for long.

The signs are there, I don't discount what you say. SJ isn't getting younger and we don't have an heir apparent as yet, then there was Ling and Corey that weren't replaced with equivalents.

 

[cats_09]

Yes Stokes is good too, always forget the poor bugger.

It's because his form this past 18 months seems to have come from nowhere, at least in terms of what he is now contributing in the midfield. If 2 years ago you said keys to our midfield would be Johnson & Stokes, 2 key small/medium forwards then most would have laughed, but to see the players they have become when thrown into the middle has been great.

 

[RegHickeyStand]

Hopefully the players haven't given it up just yet like you have Reg.

I haven't given it up. I'm philosophical about the cycles in any team's fortunes. Giving up to me is bleating on about players and wanting them traded or gushing over opposition players like they will save the day for us if only we spend have our salary cap to get them. I don't give up, I regroup.

 

[The rabbi]

I haven't given it up. I'm philosophical about the cycles in any team's fortunes. Giving up to me is bleating on about players and wanting them traded or gushing over opposition players like they will save the day for us if only we spend have our salary cap to get them. I don't give up, I regroup.

Reg Hickey Stand.
"A man in whom there is no guile".

 

[krisholio14]

It's all about selecting the types coming through which were obvious and Wells let go through to the keeper. Soon it might be 2-6.
You don't gamble with early picks.

Which ones were obvious? As I said earlier, I'd be willing to put Grundy in that category, but then several other teams passed on him before us, including South Australian teams.

I really can't think of any other players that were selected after our first choices that could in any way be called no brainers, especially without the benefit of hindsight.

But then consider the flip side in a draft like 2009, where we snared two guys who were widely considered first round talents with picks in the 40's.

 

[newcs]

I don't understand all this pesimism. We're 7/2 and second on the ladder with half our good players missing, and the 2 games we've lost have been interstate. I don't get it.

 

[Vdubs]

I don't understand all this pesimism. We're 7/2 and second on the ladder with half our good players missing, and the 2 games we've lost have been interstate. I don't get it.

But do you see Geelong as a top 4 team come finals?
Most here do, some don't- that's not pessimism, just assessing our team as a 5-8 team, behind Haw, Port, Sydney, Freo, and about level with Coll, and not accounting for GC. Yet here we are, # 2, and Haw lose consecutive games.

 

[year of the cat]

I don't understand all this pesimism. We're 7/2 and second on the ladder with half our good players missing, and the 2 games we've lost have been interstate. I don't get it.

Actually we really only had 3 players at most missing last night. Johnson, Christensen and Caddy which is probably about par in an average season. Personally, I think we can go all the way this year IF pretty much everything goes our way with regard to injuries from here on in. Our best 22 I think is as capable as anyone's if we are fit and in form. I think though that the other contenders (Hawks, Dockers and Swans) have a bit more room for error than we do. Port also need a bit going their way to win the flag this year I think.

 

[fpm84]

A game clear of Hawthorn and Sydney.

Arguably the toughest draw of any team to date (Port away/Freo away/Hawks pre-injuries/NM/Pies/about to play Sydney away).

A whole stack of winnable games coming up.

Motlop just warming up and Bundy and Caddy to return soon.

All good from where I'm sitting.

 

[year of the cat]

This week game is huge. Win this and we are a massive top 2 chance.

 

[fpm84]

Also worth pointing out how our depth has been smashed this season.

Smedts may be borderline best 22 but the club had high hopes for him pre-season and he'd certainly have been given senior games before McCarthy or Burbury this season.

Likewise, Kersten would h a likely played ahead of Brown or Walker.

Christensen and Caddy are 10-20 ranked players on our list IMO but take them both out and you're playing Sheringham and Stringer instead.

If you look at all things considered, we are in a fantastic postion. Our destiny really is in our own hands.

 

[Vdubs]

Also worth pointing out how our depth has been smashed this season.

Smedts may be borderline best 22 but the club had high hopes for him pre-season and he'd certainly have been given senior games before McCarthy or Burbury this season.

Likewise, Kersten would h a likely played ahead of Brown or Walker.

Christensen and Caddy are 10-20 ranked players on our list IMO but take them both out and you're playing Sheringham and Stringer instead.

If you look at all things considered, we are in a fantastic postion. Our destiny really is in our own hands.

As it was last year.
Games against GC, and any team this year are droppable if we don't go into the game with the same preparation as v NM last pm.
Of course, we could make top 4 again, but we are just as capable of dropping seemingly inexplicable games too.

 

[catstorm]

Yes Stokes is good too, always forget the poor bugger.

Though not at the elite level yet Mitch Duncan is a fantastic young player, he has improved noticeably every year and can at points now really influence and impact a game and though not a walk on i confident he would get a game in any midfield in the AFL at the moment.
Doesn't have the consistency just yet and can go missing for times but i think he is very underrated on this board, posters talk about our young talent and mention Guthrie, Horlin-Smith, Christensen, and Vardy but always seem to forget Duncan or chuck him on as an afterthought.