Preview Geelong. Grand Final. You know when. You know where.

[Kernel Kurtz]

do yus recognise these streets
Made it to the Rose
Got there just after midday
Place was a ghost town
But 30 minutes later people came in for lunch
Fire was on
If you get the chance kangaroo sirloin or the special rump steak
That cook and his charcoal grill , as Bruce would say special

 

[GoLions2023]

Via Mitch Cleary:

An 80-minute session for Brisbane at Princes Park. No sign of Jarrod Berry. Lachie Neale completed the entire session and hit top speed. Josh Dunkley (ankle) away from main group at stages but is in no doubt. Lighter sessions for Rayner/Fletcher

No Berry at all? Fagan said he would give him Thursday's session. That would have to rule a line through him?

Gee i really hope Dunks is not hindered. Arguably our most important player.

Neale in... Yes please.. and thankyou!

 

[Perrip]

 

[knaf]

do yus recognise these streets
Made it to the Rose
Got there just after midday
Place was a ghost town
But 30 minutes later people came in for lunch
Fire was on
If you get the chance kangaroo sirloin or the special rump steak
That cook and his charcoal grill , as Bruce would say special

Just another charm of the Rose. You’re 2 klms from the city but often it feels like a country pub during the week.

 

[SizeMatters]

Much prefer this to Blicavs in the ruck:

I reckon they will shift Blicavs down back on Andrews. Neale been dominated by Harris every game. I also think it allows them
More flexibility given Blicavs ability to play anywhere if say Stanley and their midfield is getting toweled by the Lions they can shift players around easily.

 

[twhowler]

I reckon they will shift Blicavs down back on Andrews. Neale been dominated by Harris every game. I also think it allows them
More flexibility given Blicavs ability to play anywhere if say Stanley and their midfield is getting toweled by the Lions they can shift players around easily.

Hmm interesting thought. Not sure how that plays out if Andrews goes to Neale anyway?

Sounds like Bez is out. Right decision but got to feel for him. HEART and SOUL.

WEATHER UPDATE

my app has the hour by hour for the first time

19 degrees at the start down to 17 by the end

wind 17kmh at the start down to 10kmh by the end

no rain

bit of sun and cloud

Pretty good conditions really.

 

[braddsey]

Agree. And it means we are a better chance to win it out of the middle

But i think the cats are taking this option to make sure they can still intercept in the backline. Henry to Morris. SDK to Gallop. Blicavs to play on Oscar and just zone off him at will - they are not exactly like for like in agility!

The flipside on Oscar being in the side - it means Gallop doesn’t have to ruck, which is massive considering our forward line this season.
I’d love to see Oscar take a mark and kick a goal, but I love more Ty will have the energy to harass, and provide a forward line threat.
Our GF forward line has replaced 1 with 2, but Joe was an footballing freak.

 

[Thomasno]

I reckon they will shift Blicavs down back on Andrews. Neale been dominated by Harris every game. I also think it allows them
More flexibility given Blicavs ability to play anywhere if say Stanley and their midfield is getting toweled by the Lions they can shift players around easily.

I’m not really sure about this, because if they’re bringing Stanley in he can only play ruck, and if they shift Blicavs forward for Harris it a) takes Blicavs out of the game essentially and b) leaves them with a massive Stewart shaped hole down back. Blicavs can at least provide some of the intercept zoning and run that Stewart provides, vs just not having that at all if he’s forward.

Plus I think Harris has learned from the 2023 GF, I feel that a tag has been tried a few times and instead of worrying about it he’s just ignored them and played off them completely.

 

[Cockliff38]

Blicavs will still be able to run off Oscar and hurt us on rebound, but Stanley back in is what we want.

 

[Kernel Kurtz]

Just another charm of the Rose. You’re 2 klms from the city but often it feels like a country pub during the week.

I was looking for the horse and cart
If this pub was around the corner at manly I’d be in trouble
But let’s face it Fitzroy has that 18 th century charm
So glad we got to go there
Will try and get back this weekend and visit the Napier and the royal derby which were closed
Opening at 3 today
Maybe I should of checked
Great to chat to a few lions fans

 

[martinson]

If we're going to play Oscar instead of just using him as a decoy or taking up space at a few throw ins and ballups we need to work out away where he could inflict some damage on Geelong. Which is the last thing they would expect.

Whoever's on him in the forward line is going to try to set up plays running off him. That'll be their plan. They'll be licking their chops over it. What are we going to do about it that might surprise them ?

 

[Son of Superboot]

If we're going to play Oscar instead of just using him as a decoy or taking up space at a few throw ins and ballups we need to work out away where he could inflict some damage on Geelong. Which is the last thing they would expect.

Whoever's on him in the forward line is going to try to set up plays running off him. That'll be their plan. They'll be licking their chops over it. What are we going to do about it that might surprise them ?

Just park the Big O in the goal square, with instructions not to leave it. And then have Lohmann/Charlie/Levi/Neale(resting up fwd) hovering nearby to pick-up the crumbs when O taps it to them

 

[dlanod]

I was looking for the horse and cart
If this pub was around the corner at manly I’d be in trouble
But let’s face it Fitzroy has that 18 th century charm
So glad we got to go there
Will try and get back this weekend and visit the Napier and the royal derby which were closed
Opening at 3 today
Maybe I should of checked
Great to chat to a few lions fans

The Rose was where I drowned my sorrows (and hunger) after the 2023 GF. It's a great spot.

 

[Nathan Barley]

Just park the Big O in the goal square, with instructions not to leave it. And then have Lohmann/Charlie/Levi/Neale(resting up fwd) hovering nearby to pick-up the crumbs when O taps it to them

Then we're outnumbered whenever the footy isnt within 50 metres of our goal?

 

[BuntonRules]

True believers, one and all.

 

[Son of Superboot]

Then we're outnumbered whenever the footy isnt within 50 metres of our goal?

And maybe that's why I'm not the the coach.
But maybe just for 5 mins keep O in the goal square, will they man-up or run off him? Play some 1980's football where the full-forward stays at home, with Clugga/Bailey/Will/Rayner streaming out of the centre square, they either kick it to a Big O contest, of over his head between the big sticks

 

[martinson]

And maybe that's why I'm not the the coach.
But maybe just for 5 mins keep O in the goal square, will they man-up or run off him? Play some 1980's football where the full-forward stays at home, with Clugga/Bailey/Will/Rayner streaming out of the centre square, they either kick it to a Big O contest, of over his head between the big sticks

I've seen flags won parking a big guy in the goalsquare, usually someone better than Oscar obviously but not a star ,and lobbing it in quickly. The game's changed now and if that doesn't work you run the risk of easy work for the opposition outside the 50m arc.

I think Oscar's a bit of a problem for us in how we set up but sometimes you can make these things work in your favour. Just not smart enough to figure out how.

 

[martinson]

Stewart out helps in this regard. Albeit they seemed to go better when he went off on Friday.

 

[Nathan Barley]

Stewart out helps in this regard. Albeit they seemed to go better when he went off on Friday.

They didn't have much need for him when the ball hardly left their forward half although they did concede significantly more goals per inside 50. It wasnt a good game for their defence with Henry injured as well

 

[GenericUsername202]

Whatever happens on saturday will happen. Fagan is a trust based coach and if Lachie says I'm ready, he will back him to not only play out the game, but to improve himself from his poor game a few weeks ago. I won't blame Lachie if we lose considering it's important to remember just how good this geelong side are. If they beat us, then they would be more than worthy winners and this one selection wouldn't be the reason for our loss. We beat Collingwood with a player down, so hypothetically if Lachie went down, there's no reason why we can't do the same. Let's just hope for the best and if Lachie comes in, let's hope he plays the game of his life. Now on that note, let's smash those flogs.

 

[SeaOfFire]

I didn't watch the prelim live, I listened to it.

I watched a replay on Monday and I'm just gonna give a nod to Levi's game....hardly called on radio, but he did a fine job I thought.

Levi.....could be an unknown.

The other one is Rayner....

No Stewart is a huge out if Cam gets off the chain - and lets be fair, he's been having 1-2 dominant quarters a game. That's not a knock, there will be loads of reasons why etc.

And we all want him to go bang-bang-bang-bang across 4 terms.

Put him in the goal square from the opening bounce Fages.

Don't GIVE him the license, he already has that - TELL him that's what it's gonna TAKE.

And hand him the baton.

Lions by 5 goals.

LIONS
LIONS
LIONS
LIONS
LIONS
LIONS
LIONS
LIONS

 

[Mr Ripper]

Re Lachie, remember Wayne Carey carrying a calf into the 94 Prelim. Had 24 possies 14 marks and kicked a lazy 6.

 

[GenericUsername202]

Re Lachie, remember Wayne Carey carrying a calf into the 94 Prelim. Had 24 possies 14 marks and kicked a lazy 6.

Only a year ago Lachie came into this exact same game barely being able to walk and having to be jabbed just to get through an entire game. He barely did any training throughout the grand final week as well.

 

[Big Sauce 21]

he looked to be moving very freely

 

[twhowler]

he looked to be moving very freely

Agree

I would love to know how the quad is and if that improved from the QF.

Nothing about his movement and lead-up suggests he will likely just blow a calf 5 minutes in - but if we get the QF version of Lachie then that won't be helpful.

If there is a player i would back to still play a good game it's him. Will be sleeping with a Sherrin this week to maintain his touch.