Preview Pre Finals 2025.. any good recipes...anyone for tennis?!?! Uno perhaps?

[Cataholic]

Friday night is my Pickleball night this year, 4 hours at Eltham. It's been a great stress release and nobody checks the footy scores.

But, I'm tempted to go this game with family and friends.- home game, I love the opposition team we are playing- they are not a G tenant like Pies, Hawks, Tigers or Demons- and if we were to lose, there's not a better team to lose to.
No way on earth should we be favourites, and I suspect those odds will reverse, but even if they don't, that depth in terms of Neale, Dunkley, Ashcrofts x2, Fletcher, McCluggage, Rayner, Berry, Ah Chee and Lohman is scarily good, and the reason Brisbane is so highly respected. They have been inconsistent, but after a week off, I suspect they will be absolutely on.

I find us hard to gauge after seeing them live against Brisbane and GWS, but also have great faith in CS. We must come out and hunt them and play to our strengths- MOC, Mullin, Atkins, Holmes, Miers, Blicavs, Dempsey, Danger, Mannagh and Stengle will need to ALL play their absolute best.

We know what we get from Stewart, Humphries, ZGuthrie, and COS every week.

Strangely, I think we are a chance to beat them despite my assessment (which may be incorrect) that the Lions list is definitely superior.

Oh, we're a chance alright, but our margin for error isn't quite as big as theirs.

We simply have to win the midfield. We don't and our forwards will starve.

And it'll be handy if we don't butcher our opportunities on goal. We're going to need every single one I suspect.

 

[patience]

Friday night is my Pickleball night this year, 4 hours at Eltham. It's been a great stress release and nobody checks the footy scores.

But, I'm tempted to go this game with family and friends.- home game, I love the opposition team we are playing- they are not a G tenant like Pies, Hawks, Tigers or Demons- and if we were to lose, there's not a better team to lose to.
No way on earth should we be favourites, and I suspect those odds will reverse, but even if they don't, that depth in terms of Neale, Dunkley, Ashcrofts x2, Fletcher, McCluggage, Rayner, Berry, Ah Chee and Lohman is scarily good, and the reason Brisbane is so highly respected. They have been inconsistent, but after a week off, I suspect they will be absolutely on.

I find us hard to gauge after seeing them live against Brisbane and GWS, but also have great faith in CS. We must come out and hunt them and play to our strengths- MOC, Mullin, Atkins, Holmes, Miers, Blicavs, Dempsey, Danger, Mannagh and Stengle will need to ALL play their absolute best.

We know what we get from Stewart, Humphries, ZGuthrie, and COS every week.

Strangely, I think we are a chance to beat them despite my assessment (which may be incorrect) that the Lions list is definitely superior.

You should go.

 

[cats_09]

 

[Jimmy Yamazaki]

So champion data was talking about Brisbane and when Cam Rayner is rated as a top 5 player on the ground, they don't lose. Even if in the Hawks game he didn't touch it for the 1st quarter or vs us in the Prelim unti the 2nd half, once he gets going so does Brisbane.

But when he isn't in the top 5 rankings, Lions have a 60% win rate. And Daniel Hoyne mentioned that we should consider sending MOC to him like we did Heeney as Rayner doesn't get tagged so will come as a shock to him and we should do it as well as tag McCluggage with Mullin.

 

[Mr Meow]

Oh, we're a chance alright, but our margin for error isn't quite as big as theirs.

We simply have to win the midfield. We don't and our forwards will starve.

And it'll be handy if we don't butcher our opportunities on goal. We're going to need every single one I suspect.

I actually disagree on this. A lot of finals in recent years are won through team's defensive and forward groups being superior on the day.

Teams like Bulldogs and GC have been exposed this year despite dominant midfields.

You can't have a bad midfield, you can't get obliterated. But you can win a lot of games without winning clearances and contested possessions. Surprisingly Champion Data have shown that is especially true for finals footy in recent years. The recent premiers have been unremarkable in those categories during their finals campaigns.

 

[Vdubs]

You should go.

See you there?

 

[Jumping Jack]

Had a quick look at the last time we played Brisbane (at GMHBA)
Geelong were without Sam DeKoning. Brisbane looked to be full strength apart from Ah Chee (Hipwood was playing then also).

We look stronger with SDK back - primarily it stiffens our defence but also releases Blicavs from needing to play back. As others have flagged already, I think he's a good chance to spend time forward and lock onto Andrews. Neale is back but also a different proposition in our forward line than he was back then. He allowed Andrews to lead him to the contest all night.

Now for the nerd numbers
Geelong 6.15.51 to Brisbane 14.8.92. a 41 point loss yet 22 scoring shots to 21.........not sure we'll see that anomaly again.
To highlight the point above - inside 50's were 58 - 51 in Lions favour. Hitouts / Clearances / Centre Clearances / Stoppage clearances..........all effectively breakeven across the night.

The glaring anomaly was uncontested possessions at 234 - 168 / marks 110 - 81. I think it's clear what Brisbane were aiming to do that night. Chip it around and keep Geelong from getting their hands on the ball.

I think the Geelong coaching team will have gone to work on what Brisbane did that night. I can't see it happening again.

 

[patience]

See you there?

I will be in WA. Also, I have changed from a person who went to all home games and some finals to someone who has health issues restricting my attendance. This happened quite suddenly. So in my biased opinion, if you think you would like to go, take the opportunity.

 

[cats_09]

Our social media team have a real love affair with KPs light towers

 

[patience]

Who is that in the third frame?

 

[Romeoh1]

Friday night is my Pickleball night this year, 4 hours at Eltham. It's been a great stress release and nobody checks the footy scores.

But, I'm tempted to go this game with family and friends.- home game, I love the opposition team we are playing- they are not a G tenant like Pies, Hawks, Tigers or Demons- and if we were to lose, there's not a better team to lose to.
No way on earth should we be favourites, and I suspect those odds will reverse, but even if they don't, that depth in terms of Neale, Dunkley, Ashcrofts x2, Fletcher, McCluggage, Rayner, Berry, Ah Chee and Lohman is scarily good, and the reason Brisbane is so highly respected. They have been inconsistent, but after a week off, I suspect they will be absolutely on.

I find us hard to gauge after seeing them live against Brisbane and GWS, but also have great faith in CS. We must come out and hunt them and play to our strengths- MOC, Mullin, Atkins, Holmes, Miers, Blicavs, Dempsey, Danger, Mannagh and Stengle will need to ALL play their absolute best.

We know what we get from Stewart, Humphries, ZGuthrie, and COS every week.

Strangely, I think we are a chance to beat them despite my assessment (which may be incorrect) that the Lions list is definitely superior.

Gee-4 hours is a big pickleball session- it’s a good sport to play isn’t it?
Good assessment above. We are defs a chance.

 

[cats_09]

Who is that in the third frame?

Lenny Hoffman

 

[Kitcat]

I actually disagree on this. A lot of finals in recent years are won through team's defensive and forward groups being superior on the day.

Teams like Bulldogs and GC have been exposed this year despite dominant midfields.

You can't have a bad midfield, you can't get obliterated. But you can win a lot of games without winning clearances and contested possessions. Surprisingly Champion Data have shown that is especially true for finals footy in recent years. The recent premiers have been unremarkable in those categories during their finals campaigns.

But isn’t it a major advantage to win a lot more centre bounces and get the ball straight into the forward line?

 

[Strange Cat]

Our social media team have a real love affair with KPs light towers

Might be an internal running joke

But to be fair they are a nice design

 

[Play it Sam]

Our social media team have a real love affair with KPs light towers

Jeez Paddy is a specimen isn't he? A few 35 year olds would like his beef.
Good feeling he's cooking with Scott's right timing mantra.
He's going to get to work for us Friday, might even spend more time out of centre.
About timing- I also feel L Neale coming back from injury is not ideal for them.

 

[Sydney Malakellis]

Just walked past Gary Ablett jnr at the airport while wearing my prized Max Rooke t shirt. WHAT A TIME TO BE ALIVE!

I am sure he will remember this for years to come.

 

[iameviljez]

IMO, Andrews has been one of their most important players in their wins against us. Took equal most marks last time, and 2nd most marks at the Gabba earlier. He wasn't just completely neutralising Neale but setting up a lot of their rebound attacks off the HF line.

However, the Shannon he's had to deal with in the past has been the new, "finding his feet" version. Andrews hasn't faced a Shannon in this kind of form before, and this is perhaps THE match-up I'm looking forward to most.

Andrews played on Henry at the Gabba.

 

[Commando]

Does this guy from the Hahn Beer Golf ad remind anyone else of Jack Bowes

12

Jack Bowes

Age

27

Ht

189cm

Wt

85kg

Pos.

D/M

Career

Season

Last 5

D

16.3

4star

K

9.7

4star

HB

6.6

4star

M

3.9

4star

T

2.5

4star

MG

318.1

4star

D

18.0

4star

K

11.8

5star

HB

6.3

4star

M

5.4

5star

T

1.1

2star

MG

318.1

4star

D

11.6

3star

K

6.4

3star

HB

5.2

4star

M

2.8

3star

T

2.4

4star

Or is it just me?

 

[PzBlinky]

Andrews played on Henry at the Gabba.

Yeah, that could've been true. I remember a number of marking contests where Andrews completely outpointed Neale, though (who admittedly was on one leg that night).

 

[cats_09]

 

[small 4wards]

I love COS, such a good attitude and a great player to boot. Seems like someone who has confidence in their ability without any of the ego that comes with it.

 

[Mr Meow]

But isn’t it a major advantage to win a lot more centre bounces and get the ball straight into the forward line?

Sure, but the overall correlation between centrebounce clearance differential and finals wins is nowhere near as big as you think. Things like scores from turnover and scores per inside 50 matter a lot more.

With clearances, quality is at least important as quantity as well. We had several finals in the past (2016-2021 era) where our raw clearance numbers in finals were fine, but the ones we gave away killed us as they were the clean, damaging variety.

 

[Kitcat]

Sure, but the overall correlation between centrebounce clearance differential and finals wins is nowhere near as big as you think. Things like scores from turnover and scores per inside 50 matter a lot more.

With clearances, quality is at least important as quantity as well. We had several finals in the past (2016-2021 era) where our raw clearance numbers in finals were fine, but the ones we gave away killed us as they were the clean, damaging variety.

I can’t challenge the stats, but when we went ahead in the PF last year, and had the momentum, did we get the ball into our forward line after the next two centre bounces? I watched it live on tv but haven’t been up for watching it again so my memory could be faulty.

 

[Vdubs]

I will be in WA. Also, I have changed from a person who went to all home games and some finals to someone who has health issues restricting my attendance. This happened quite suddenly. So in my biased opinion, if you think you would like to go, take the opportunity.

Sorry to hear that. Hope those issues are reversible.

 

[Play it Sam]

Does this guy from the Hahn Beer Golf ad remind anyone else of Jack Bowes

Or is it just me?

Yes. But I hate that ad if if the one with the smart arse driving off as he gets to it all the time.
Funny until someone falls under the wheel.