Preview AFL GF 2025: Geelong V Brisbane Sat 27th Sept MCG 2:30 pm

[cats_09]

Resource Post - I'll endeavour to update this post with info and links relevant to what's happening over the coming week

- Meet Up, Live Sites & Viewing Party discussion

Meet Up - 2025 Meet Up Thread - Grand Final Edition... including Live Sites info

https://gardenstatehotel.com.au/ 101 Flinders Lane. It opens at noon on Sunday.

www.bigfooty.com

- Grand Final Ticket discussion (please don't start separate threads for ticket sales)

Resource - 2025 Finals Ticket Discussion - Grand Final ticket discussion

Where can I find my Cats Membership Barcodes? OR When do we get Cats Membership Barcodes? Checked online : geelongcats.com.au website and Cats Mobile App

www.bigfooty.com

 

[joe444]

Another note on the odd, almost robotic, consistency of the Lions - their Prelim and round 22 games against Collingwood were almost exactly the same. You can check the scores for yourself (Lions jump out, Pies surge back, final scores almost identical).

Perhaps not surprising, because I tend to regard both McRae and Fagan as "cuddle coaches", the kind of guys who say "love" a lot in press conferences and are there to put an arm around "the boys".

Shrug ... I just think Fages is a cuddle coach. He believes in the boys he loves ever so much.

 

[Geelong_Sicko]

Another note on the odd, almost robotic, consistency of the Lions - their Prelim and round 22 games against Collingwood were almost exactly the same. You can check the scores for yourself (Lions jump out, Pies surge back, final scores almost identical).

Perhaps not surprising, because I tend to regard both McRae and Fagan as "cuddle coaches", the kind of guys who say "love" a lot in press conferences and are there to put an arm around "the boys".

Shrug ... I just think Fages is a cuddle coach. He believes in the boys he loves ever so much.

Interestingly Fagan coaches the Lions while McCrae and Chris Scott are former Lions players

 

[MattTbone]

Sensational Matt!

I’m even more excited now.

Love the music too!

Thankyou, I appricieate it. I was actually surprised how many close games we have had over the years, whilst putting this together. GO CATS!!

 

[MattTbone]

I'm getting more nervous the closer it gets. Does anyone believe Brisbane can reverse the Qualifiying Final result, or are we just too good of a team to slip up?

It really seems like the GF is ours to lose. Also thinking them playing Lachie Neale

9

Lachie Neale

Age

32

Ht

177cm

Wt

84kg

Pos.

Mid

Career

Season

Last 5

D

27.0

5star

K

11.5

4star

HB

15.5

5star

M

4.0

4star

T

3.7

5star

CL

5.9

5star

D

28.3

5star

K

13.9

5star

HB

14.4

5star

M

4.6

4star

T

4.0

5star

CL

5.9

5star

D

12.0

3star

K

4.6

2star

HB

7.4

5star

M

2.0

3star

T

1.0

3star

CL

0.4

3star

will help us out.

 

[dangerwood]

I'm getting more nervous the closer it gets. Does anyone believe Brisbane can reverse the Qualifiying Final result, or are we just too good of a team to slip up?

It really seems like the GF is ours to lose. Also thinking them playing Lachie Neale will help us out.

I'm more confident now than prior to the qualifying final. Blicavs in the ruck has actually been massive. I was worried about him not being available as a forward in the QF.

If Stewart and Henry hadn't been injured last week, I'd be quite confident. I think we can cover one but not both. I hope Henry is okay but I worry.

No injuries last week, then even with Stanley fit, I would've gone in with the same team. Now it's a question mark, do you play Stanley so Blitz can cover Stewart or go forward? I'd be really tempted to stick with Blitz.

Very interested to see what we do. I'm not sure Stanley comes straight back in as our ruck now. If they are confident with Henry then I don't think Stanley plays.

 

[fpm84]

I'm more confident now than prior to the qualifying final. Blicavs in the ruck has actually been massive. I was worried about him not being available as a forward in the QF.

If Stewart and Henry hadn't been injured last week, I'd be quite confident. I think we can cover one but not both. I hope Henry is okay but I worry.

No injuries last week, then even with Stanley fit, I would've gone in with the same team. Now it's a question mark, do you play Stanley so Blitz can cover Stewart or go forward? I'd be really tempted to stick with Blitz.

Very interested to see what we do. I'm not sure Stanley comes straight back in as our ruck now. If they are confident with Henry then I don't think Stanley plays.

I think Rhys has to play for a few reasons:

• Has been our best 22 for months, had a very good season and there would be no consideration of him missing out if he hadn't been injured pre-finals
• Brisbane only played one ruck in the QF but are playing two now (with McInerney back in). Can't expect Blitz to handle that all on his own, and moving SDK from the backline which will already be undermanned minus Stewart to play ruck seems like it could unsettle us
• Blitz has been brilliant in our two finals but he's even more brilliant when we can play him anywhere where we want. Maybe he does a close checking role on one of their mids for a bit, plays forward to stretch Harris Andrews for a bit, plays back to cover Stewart a bit. Blitz's greatest asset is his flexibility and Stanley in the team means we can utilise Blitz in so many different ways.

 

[Del216647]

Listening to SEN this morning, reading social media, the fawning over the Lions is something else. I get it, it's their third GF in a row, they're a fantastic side.

Lots of talk about them having to do it the hard way etc. Well, they lost the QF to us which seems a distant memory, last year they didn't make the top 4 and had do go the long road which involved four finals. So they have brought in on themselves. But I do understand non-Victoria teams do have to travel a lot more than VIC teams; I understand that.

Fagan is a likeable guy and his team are the media darlings. But I sense they could become the new Geelong soon enough. Everyone will get sick of seeing them up the top.

In any case, I reflected on it and I think the media attention on them isn't a bad thing. We're just doing our thing and going about our business quietly. That is a great thing.

 

[GlenMiddlemissed]

I think Rhys has to play for a few reasons:

• Has been our best 22 for months, had a very good season and there would be no consideration of him missing out if he hadn't been injured pre-finals
• Brisbane only played one ruck in the QF but are playing two now (with McInerney back in). Can't expect Blitz to handle that all on his own, and moving SDK from the backline which will already be undermanned minus Stewart to play ruck seems like it could unsettle us
• Blitz has been brilliant in our two finals but he's even more brilliant when we can play him anywhere where we want. Maybe he does a close checking role on one of their mids for a bit, plays forward to stretch Harris Andrews for a bit, plays back to cover Stewart a bit. Blitz's greatest asset is his flexibility and Stanley in the team means we can utilise Blitz in so many different ways.

I agree, but Chris Scott did not sound like he wanted to move away from the set-up that has worked so well since Stanley was injured, and the centre square clearance stats are amazing and back this up. But as you say, with Stewart out, JHenry a query and 2 big awkward rucks to contend with, not selecting him leaves us very exposed with only SDK and COS down back, Blitz in the ruck and Shannon up forward.

If they don’t want to select Stanley, what about making him sub? I know this goes against conventional wisdom of having a flexible sub, but in this case we have a multitude of mids/smalls to cover an injury, but no cover if one of the talls above are injured, or if Andrews runs amok.

 

[cats_09]

dazbroncos - are you part of this group



Plus,

“(Hawkins) messaged me (on Sunday) and obviously said congratulations and a lot like that. And I just said I didn’t want to let him down, so I just want to make him proud, and that’s what I will continue to do,” Neale said.

“This isn’t bagging Nige at all, but Nige almost wouldn’t coach, it’d be Hawk naturally. And that was something that he was so good at, and he’d be out on the track helping.

“If you went and asked him, ‘Hey, I want to do some of this’, he’d be there for half an hour helping you out. And he’s someone I really relied on. I felt very comfortable asking him for advice, for help, for some extra help in my craft, because his strength was something I really needed to work on – and I’m still working on it now.

“He always had a smile on his face, he always made the place a fun place to be, and I’ve got a smile on my face just talking about him, so I do miss him a lot,

“I just want to, not necessarily dedicate this weekend to him, as we’ve got a lot to play for. But I certainly want to put a smile on his face for sure.”

No Cookies | CODE Sports

No Cookies | CODE Sports

www.codesports.com.au

 

[lettheboysplay]

Hey everyone. I have made a Geelong v Brisbane Promo for the GF this weekend. I hope you all enjoy and Go Cats!!

superb - well done, Matty.

 

[cats_09]

3 years on, this still gives me chills

 

[Tony Barber]

Gee, just read the last 6 pages. Some here are going loopy and it's only Wednesday.

 

[Kitcat]

3 years on, this still gives me chills

Shame they cut out Close's tap to Selwood.

 

[cats_09]

 

[bulletproof]

I think Stanley is will play because it gives them more flexibility if something is going wrong or an injury elsewhere. It does weaken us at centre bounce though. But it is a more conservative selection.

 

[00VicWard001]

My norm smokey is Shaun Mannagh. He blazes away and gets underestimated by his opponents. If it comes off for him he can rip this gf apart

I think he had his blaze away moment in the last game. He then dramatically improved his output after that first quarter.

 

[00VicWard001]

Watching On The Couch and Matthews said he'd be astounded to see Danger play another game like that this week, mainly due to the rarefied level he was at in the PF and his age making it hard to find the energy to do that two weeks in a row.

As Bucks said, even 2/3rd of that level would be handy.

As much as I don't like it, I probably agree. But I'd like to think a few others will step up and take the slack rather than having our captain putting the team on his shoulders again.

He did it twice in a row in 2022. Not much has changed about his output and size. He's no trying to run away from players, he just plays with a fiercenss that few other males can match. Even at that elite level, It;s not skill, its desperation.

 

[Tony Barber]

I think Stanley is will play because it gives them more flexibility if something is going wrong or an injury elsewhere. It does weaken us at centre bounce though. But it is a more conservative selection.

If Henry is suss (and we've heard nothing about him) then Stanley must play.

I'm also a little worried about Martins form recently.

I can see Bews and Stanley in for Stewart and Martin.
But I do think there will only be one change.

 

[00VicWard001]

I agree, but Chris Scott did not sound like he wanted to move away from the set-up that has worked so well since Stanley was injured, and the centre square clearance stats are amazing and back this up. But as you say, with Stewart out, JHenry a query and 2 big awkward rucks to contend with, not selecting him leaves us very exposed with only SDK and COS down back, Blitz in the ruck and Shannon up forward.

If they don’t want to select Stanley, what about making him sub? I know this goes against conventional wisdom of having a flexible sub, but in this case we have a multitude of mids/smalls to cover an injury, but no cover if one of the talls above are injured, or if Andrews runs amok.

Those two big rucks arent rucking at the same time, so I dont really worry about them in the Centre square or at ballups.

And yes whichever of the two is rucking at any one time will get their hands to the ball first.

The real value of those players isnt at ballups, but around the ground where they can outmark anyone as they are so tall. Or they can take a mark near the goals.

Thats it. The rest of the time, apart from those moment, they are just big bodies running around. And not with any skill either.

 

[Mattlock]

I prefer someone else over Stanley, our ruck and midfield is working far too well to alter in the last match of the year.

 

[Jimmy Yamazaki]

Jezza at his presser "Jack Henry

38

Jack Henry

Age

27

Ht

192cm

Wt

96kg

Pos.

Def

Career

Season

Last 5

D

10.3

3star

K

7.3

3star

HB

2.9

3star

M

4.0

4star

T

2.2

4star

MG

142.6

2star

D

8.6

2star

K

6.7

3star

HB

1.9

1star

M

3.9

4star

T

2.1

3star

MG

142.6

3star

D

9.6

3star

K

7.0

3star

HB

2.6

3star

M

3.6

4star

T

2.0

4star

and Stanley both trained today and trained well".

 

[00VicWard001]

I know people are saying Brisbane could get up against us because this has happened in the past, but a few things that would make this very hard.

They are relying on us not turning up and having a stinker.

They have been beaten by us 3 weeks ago. What can they do differently? They showed us what they like to do, we showed them. Any changes from that game tactically will be minimal.

On tagging - McLuggage tried to win that game at max effort. He doesnt have extra gears he never used. And with that tag, its still man on man. He's not getting stronger. And its not Mullin's first tag. He's been doing it for a while. And he backed up against Watson, who is a deadset gun and firestarter.

Rayner is a jet and will try and take O'Connor to the goal square. He will try and isolate. That will be 50/50, if the ball goes there. To me, Rayner doesnt look fit. He's not been injected into the Centre Bounce. He may kick goals, but it wont matter if there is no supply.

Since then, they have played two games to our one. That's an extra 10-15kms into their legs per player. Extra bruises, extra soreness. THey would be feeling it by halftime.

They are actually coming up against a team on a streak who have kicked over 100 points in all their victories for a fair while now.

The team that Brisbane are playing have a strong core that dont wilt.

Geelong are super fit and love to run. They always back themselves to run away from teams in the second half. ANd we've had a decent rest.

We had our first quarter rustiness out of the way last week. And overcame a very good tactical coach. And we had to find a way to win when they were outplaying us, and we had two of our best defenders go down.

It will be a mountain for them.

 

[Footy Smarts]

I prefer someone else over Stanley, our ruck and midfield is working far too well to alter in the last match of the year.

I agree with this. But no Stewart and a question mark over Henry leaves our tall defence a bit thin if we don't pick Stanley letting Blicavs play back.

I think I'm picking Stanley for Stewart but would pull the trigger at half time subbing Stanley off if it's not really working.

 

[Tony Barber]

I prefer someone else over Stanley, our ruck and midfield is working far too well to alter in the last match of the year.

You're right but we have since lost Stewart and then there's the Henry 'nerve'.
I said this in 07' "we can only lose if Blake gets beaten"
I said this in 08' 'we only lose if Hodge gets norm'.

And this year it's 'we only lose if a tall defender goes down and we can't cover him'

 

[Footy Smarts]

We've come a long way in a few weeks.

Remember when Stanley went down injured it was a catastrophe and we only had ourselves to blame because we hadn't brought in a backup ruck?

Now Blicavs is the preferred ruck over Stanley.