Preview Semi Final vs GWS Giants, Sat 14 Sep, 7:25PM

[davemc_lions]

if your a star or from the AFL pet club you get off during finals.
If it was Robbo he be rubbed out for life.

 

[lioninthesand]

I'm not going to be popular here.. but I didn't think he would get a week.

They didn't pursue him for eye gauging, there was no evidence of that, so erase that from the equation.

So he roughed him up badly, he dropped his forearm into his face, pulled his hair... but.. there's ZERO grounds for a week.

It was a 'bad look' and it was rough conduct, and worth a decent fine, same as other wrestling and unsavoury incidents.

If we don't like it, that's fine, but within the current structure - there's no grounds for a week unfortunantly.

 

[FLVanLandingham]

Where did eye gouging come from anyway. Was it a player/coach? Or conjecture from media

I didn't think of it during the game but I guess that over-aggression to Bont was in retaliation to the botched tribunal for the larynx incident. So we should be expecting DeBoer to tag.. probably Neale? But not the sustained aggression to a single player....Will be a shame anyway if it happens. The respect shown between the players in the Richmond game was quite good to see.

 

[CarterS]

Thankfully Grimes doesn't play for GWS.

 

[fugitive]

I'm not going to be popular here.. but I didn't think he would get a week.

They didn't pursue him for eye gauging, there was no evidence of that, so erase that from the equation.

So he roughed him up badly, he dropped his forearm into his face, pulled his hair... but.. there's ZERO grounds for a week.

It was a 'bad look' and it was rough conduct, and worth a decent fine, same as other wrestling and unsavoury incidents.

If we don't like it, that's fine, but within the current structure - there's no grounds for a week unfortunantly.

Exactly, let’s stop obsessing with Toby Greene and focus on winning the semi final!

 

[martinson]

Exactly, let’s stop obsessing with Toby Greene and focus on winning the semi final!

I'm certainly not obsessed by it at all but there isn't anyone I know involved in the game ,some at reasonably high levels ,who can't tell you plenty of stories about the controlling and bullying nature of the AFL . The culture flourished under Demetriou and hasn't been eased by Gil who is universally regarded as a weak character.

But that's done he's playing ,it's just plain annoying . If guilty SERIOUS misconduct constitutes a fine only what on earth do you have to do under misconduct to cop a week or two .Malicious and career ending ?? . Remember 'the head is sacrosanct ' mantra , that has a short shelf life when it comes to certain clubs.

Whatever. We need to cover Mitch which isn't easy. I'll go with whoever they decide.

 

[Gadzorks]

Greens a grub - we know what to expect from him so can plan for it.

But if we focus too much on green we cold drop the ball on maintaining an entire team focused game. Let’s go out play our game and literally run Steph or hodge right over the top of him a few times in the first quarter. Legally of course.

 

[martinson]

A big issue I see for us this week is that GWS have won 12 of 14 games when Mumford's played. He gives a lot of the other would be heroes bravado and you could see it spilling over last week as they got more and more emboldened by their tactics.

Big job for Stef to serve it up to Mumford from the start. And we know Stef will give it a red hot go.

 

[CarterS]

GWS beat Dogs by 45 in contested possessions, there is no way we will let that happen. THey will come at us hard but we have had a few physical games this year and given our own back.

 

[bungalow_bill]

GWS beat Dogs by 45 in contested possessions, there is no way we will let that happen. THey will come at us hard but we have had a few physical games this year and given our own back.

Recall a few of our guys roughing them up last time. Zorko at one point rag dolling a Giant to the ground.

 

[fugitive]

I'm certainly not obsessed by it at all but there isn't anyone I know involved in the game ,some at reasonably high levels ,who can't tell you plenty of stories about the controlling and bullying nature of the AFL . The culture flourished under Demetriou and hasn't been eased by Gil who is universally regarded as a weak character.

But that's done he's playing ,it's just plain annoying . If guilty SERIOUS misconduct constitutes a fine only what on earth do you have to do under misconduct to cop a week or two .Malicious and career ending ?? . Remember 'the head is sacrosanct ' mantra , that has a short shelf life when it comes to certain clubs.

Whatever. We need to cover Mitch which isn't easy. I'll go with whoever they decide.

Any eye gouging evidence would have got him but GWS were furious about Bontempelli getting off with a $2000 fine after fracturing Hayne’s Larynx and ending his season so which one do you consider more serious?

 

[BuntonRules]

If ever you needed proof that AFL justice is collusion...................

 

[martinson]

Any eye gouging evidence would have got him but GWS were furious about Bontempelli getting off with a $2000 fine after fracturing Hayne’s Larynx and ending his season so which one do you consider more serious?

I honestly didn't see Bontempelli's so can't comment , nor is it relevant to serious misconduct . In any other court your record counts for a lot . He's been given the all clear here to go for the jugular as far as I can tell. As they say two wongs don't make a wight .

 

[lioninthesand]

If ever you needed proof that AFL justice is collusion...................

Why.. what would the suspension be for? for wrestling? for hair pulling? for just looking aggressive while grabbing near the head?

 

[martinson]

I must admit I'm not as confident as some others re this game . GWS have come good at the right time ,they have some elite players back in form and have nothing to lose really . The pressure is on us.

It's imperative that we convert from opportunities . Last week it wasn't the misses that did my head in ,it was how far we were missing by . It's primarily a mental and random issue , fingers crossed for this week.

 

[lioninthesand]

I must admit I'm not as confident as some others re this game . GWS have come good at the right time ,they have some elite players back in form and have nothing to lose really . The pressure is on us.

It's imperative that we convert from opportunities . Last week it wasn't the misses that did my head in ,it was how far we were missing by . It's primarily a mental and random issue , fingers crossed for this week.

The match up is perfect for them. All the pressure is on us, it's a free swing. Huge test of our character, I am fairly nervous too, we are not great under this sort of pressure.

Our best is good enough though and GWS can put in stinkers. The thing that worries me is their finals experience.

 

[Caiphus]

I feel like the pressure is off us this game and on GWS. It may be our home final but we aren't even supposed to be in our window yet.

 

[martinson]

The match up is perfect for them. All the pressure is on us, it's a free swing. Huge test of our character, I am fairly nervous too, we are not great under this sort of pressure.

Our best is good enough though and GWS can put in stinkers. The thing that worries me is their finals experience.

Yes Lionsinthesand. It's a match I was not hoping for . I believe the winner has a good chance of upsetting the Pies in the Prelim.

I've got to be totally honest,yes we played well enough to be a few goals ahead last week but we really didn't handle pressure shots very well and when the dam wall broke we were done very quickly. Not that we ever gave up.

I don't think at this level we can give a start and come back like we did in the H/A season . The finals are a whole new season as Fages pointed out ,what happened during the year is irrelevant , players feel internal pressure they've never felt before . The Dogs had been flying ,totally pantsed GWS a few weeks prior , but once their confidence was sapped they were completely done. We've got enough experienced off field hands to guide the guys but until you've been through it you never know how you'll handle it.

Hodge was a lesson last week in how much your character and hardness can lift your performance in these sorts of games.

 

[Mazza44]

Might be a bit left field here, but I wouldn’t mind seeing Robertson brought in this week. Could show some much needed mongrel with Mitch out and Greene playing. He could run with Whitfield.

 

[lioninthesand]

Yes Lionsinthesand. It's a match I was not hoping for . I believe the winner has a good chance of upsetting the Pies in the Prelim.

I've got to be totally honest,yes we played well enough to be a few goals ahead last week but we really didn't handle pressure shots very well and when the dam wall broke we were done very quickly. Not that we ever gave up.

I don't think at this level we can give a start and come back like we did in the H/A season . The finals are a whole new season as Fages pointed out ,what happened during the year is irrelevant , players feel internal pressure they've never felt before . The Dogs had been flying ,totally pantsed GWS a few weeks prior , but once their confidence was sapped they were completely done. We've got enough experienced off field hands to guide the guys but until you've been through it you never know how you'll handle it.

Hodge was a lesson last week in how much your character and hardness can lift your performance in these sorts of games.

I think we just need to remember what we have done well all year. We can and should win at home, last week might have gotten some nerves out of the way. Eagles, Dogs, GWS.. pick your poison, this second week was never going to be easy. We areat home, fingers crossed, straight sets would be a disaster really.

 

[martinson]

I think we just need to remember what we have done well all year. We can and should win at home, last week might have gotten some nerves out of the way. Eagles, Dogs, GWS.. pick your poison, this second week was never going to be easy. We areat home, fingers crossed, straight sets would be a disaster really.

They're a different team and have stared down the abyss since we beat them.

But yes,our best should win it.

 

[Dylan12]

I must admit I'm not as confident as some others re this game . GWS have come good at the right time ,they have some elite players back in form and have nothing to lose really . The pressure is on us.

It's imperative that we convert from opportunities . Last week it wasn't the misses that did my head in ,it was how far we were missing by . It's primarily a mental and random issue , fingers crossed for this week.

I feel the same.

For those that follow GWS closely; does GWS go in with a second ruck when Mumford is playing? If they don't and given Martin's ability to ruck by himself with small chop outs by say a McStay; is it worth going with an extra runner and dropping McInerney or do we back what has worked for us and play two rucks?

 

[Zacisonfire]

I feel the same.

For those that follow GWS closely; does GWS go in with a second ruck when Mumford is playing? If they don't and given Martin's ability to ruck by himself with small chop outs by say a McStay; is it worth going with an extra runner and dropping McInerney or do we back what has worked for us and play two rucks?

We really missed McInerney last time he didn't play against Carlton. He provides good contested marks and is normally a reliable set shot. I don't wanna see him dropped.

 

[dlanod]

I'm not going to be popular here.. but I didn't think he would get a week.

They didn't pursue him for eye gauging, there was no evidence of that, so erase that from the equation.

So he roughed him up badly, he dropped his forearm into his face, pulled his hair... but.. there's ZERO grounds for a week.

It was a 'bad look' and it was rough conduct, and worth a decent fine, same as other wrestling and unsavoury incidents.

If we don't like it, that's fine, but within the current structure - there's no grounds for a week unfortunantly.

One member of the media made a claim and basically all the fans echoed it. There were a number of other pundits that later pointed out that the video didn't indicate any eye contact, but the narrative was already set.

 

[dlanod]

I feel the same.

For those that follow GWS closely; does GWS go in with a second ruck when Mumford is playing? If they don't and given Martin's ability to ruck by himself with small chop outs by say a McStay; is it worth going with an extra runner and dropping McInerney or do we back what has worked for us and play two rucks?

They don't generally - there was an experiment with Simpson but that's over. The second ruck has been Tomlinson, Keeffe, or (in a first last week) Finlayson.

I think McInerney could give their defence difficulty with his height and reach (they had to bring in Keeffe to nullify Cox who plays similarly), though his recent form has been quiet.