Preview Round 1 2019, Collingwood vs Geelong, Friday March 22nd 7:50pm

[Max Milburn]

Smith was playing. Think he did ok.

Or maybe not. 23 hitouts to 50.

 

[FredLeDeux]

Zac Smith played. Lost the hit outs 43-20 and Grundy was in Pies’ best.

But we did stop him getting clearances once the ball hit the ground, an important part of his game.

 

[Gavin Excell]

But we did stop him getting clearances once the ball hit the ground, an important part of his game.

A run with role for Blicavs?

 

[Max Milburn]

A run with role for Blicavs?

No.

 

[Gavin Excell]

No.

I appreciate the certainty of your view

 

[Footy Smarts]

I am going to back O'Connor to do alright tonight I hope he does just to shut some people up

Was one of the few who could hold his head high in the EF last year. Can remember many comments saying he'd be a liability out there that night.

Yep. Picking him is an absolute no brainer. We're missing a stack of first choice defenders and people are melting over us selecting a guy who did a really solid job at the end of last year as a shutdown defender, earned his spot in the 22 and had a good final (voted our 4th best by this board). What does a 7-gamer need to do to get some basic support around here?

 

[FredLeDeux]

A run with role for Blicavs?

Blicavs was talking yesterday about the defence's plans for Cox.
It seems unlikely to me that they'll change his role from KPD.
They'll have to rely on Stanley, who is generally pretty good once the ball hits the ground in the centre square.

 

[Gavin Excell]

Yep. Picking him is an absolute no brainer. We're missing a stack of first choice defenders and people are melting over us selecting a guy who did a really solid job at the end of last year as a shutdown defender, earned his spot in the 22 and had a good final (voted our 4th best by this board). What does a 7-gamer need to do to get some basic support around here?

And has some wheels

 

[Jhye Clark 13]

My 2018 card has Cockatoo on it.

Well he's taken 12 months to recover from a PCL injury ... or was it a PCL?

 

[darrenmorgan]

Could get ugly tonight :/


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[Jhye Clark 13]

Could get ugly tonight :/


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Let's hope so. A big win would be nice.

 

[Max Milburn]

Well he's taken 12 months to recover from a PCL injury ... or was it a PCL?

Not sure, just hope he's back into it soon.

 

[Turbocat]

Guthrie's got an injury

The original post by ypo was highlighting , i think , that the selection was not really that brave because there is not that much missing out .. ie look at who is playing VFL etc.

So Guthrie not on the list playing ... ie injured was my point... one could also say Cockatoo as well.

I doubt anyone would say the side selected this week will be our strongest side all year and I certainly feel when all are fit and available that Guthrie will be selected... but Henderson not be selected is significant. Is it the first time he has been not selected and then asked to play VFL while at Geelong?

I get a feel this side tips its hat at 2 or 3 years time. 4 debutants.. is probably too many. It would have been easy to select Narkle rather than Meirs for example. Taylor and Ablett would notice that imo. They would notice that the side has tilted towards the younger..neither would want to pull up sore.. as i think it will now be easier to say not fit not play. Meirs and Dahl cover Gary. Perhaps Kolo covers Taylor or Henderson etc it depends on the forwardline.(It will be interesting who plays KPD in the VFL this year) Will Henderson play there or forward I wonder.

Blitz and Kolo as KPD surrounded by Bews and Clark and 2e & Stewart would be our best balanced backline for age for a fair while. Shame Kolo is not a couple of cm taller but he does give us the small and tall thing.

Over all the team seems to have rewarded PreSeason form while also picking as much for the future as this game. IF we manage to win with such a new group id be surprised but delighted. To start this way.. when we are looking at a season determining first 8 weeks seems the bravest Scott has been for sometime. If we match that with our game style I will be very happy no matter the result.

 

[Jhye Clark 13]

The original post by ypo was highlighting , i think , that the selection was not really that brave because there is not that much missing out .. ie look at who is playing VFL etc.

So Guthrie not on the list playing ... ie injured was my point... one could also say Cockatoo as well.

I doubt anyone would say the side selected this week will be our strongest side all year and I certainly feel when all are fit and available that Guthrie will be selected... but Henderson not be selected is significant. Is it the first time he has been not selected and then asked to play VFL while at Geelong?

I get a feel this side tips its hat at 2 or 3 years time. 4 debutants.. is probably too many. It would have been easy to select Narkle rather than Meirs for example. Taylor and Ablett would notice that imo. They would notice that the side has tilted towards the younger..neither would want to pull up sore.. as i think it will now be easier to say not fit not play. Meirs and Dahl cover Gary. Perhaps Kolo covers Taylor or Henderson etc it depends on the forwardline.(It will be interesting who plays KPD in the VFL this year) Will Henderson play there or forward I wonder.

Blitz and Kolo as KPD surrounded by Bews and Clark and 2e & Stewart would be our best balanced backline for age for a fair while. Shame Kolo is not a couple of cm taller but he does give us the small and tall thing.

Over all the team seems to have rewarded PreSeason form while also picking as much for the future as this game. IF we manage to win with such a new group id be surprised but delighted. To start this way.. when we are looking at a season determining first 8 weeks seems the bravest Scott has been for sometime. If we match that with our game style I will be very happy no matter the result.

Would you say Miers' JLT form has been better than Narkles? I do, so really what does it matter whether we're selecting a player who has played 2 games over a debutante?

 

[Ray Donovan]

The original post by ypo was highlighting , i think , that the selection was not really that brave because there is not that much missing out .. ie look at who is playing VFL etc.

So Guthrie not on the list playing ... ie injured was my point... one could also say Cockatoo as well.

I doubt anyone would say the side selected this week will be our strongest side all year and I certainly feel when all are fit and available that Guthrie will be selected... but Henderson not be selected is significant. Is it the first time he has been not selected and then asked to play VFL while at Geelong?

I get a feel this side tips its hat at 2 or 3 years time. 4 debutants.. is probably too many. It would have been easy to select Narkle rather than Meirs for example. Taylor and Ablett would notice that imo. They would notice that the side has tilted towards the younger..neither would want to pull up sore.. as i think it will now be easier to say not fit not play. Meirs and Dahl cover Gary. Perhaps Kolo covers Taylor or Henderson etc it depends on the forwardline.(It will be interesting who plays KPD in the VFL this year) Will Henderson play there or forward I wonder.

Blitz and Kolo as KPD surrounded by Bews and Clark and 2e & Stewart would be our best balanced backline for age for a fair while. Shame Kolo is not a couple of cm taller but he does give us the small and tall thing.

Over all the team seems to have rewarded PreSeason form while also picking as much for the future as this game. IF we manage to win with such a new group id be surprised but delighted. To start this way.. when we are looking at a season determining first 8 weeks seems the bravest Scott has been for sometime. If we match that with our game style I will be very happy no matter the result.

Yep first 8 weeks will make or break the cats 4-4 I think you would be relatively pleased. Anything over 4 is a bonus

 

[Turbocat]

Would you say Miers' JLT form has been better than Narkles? I do, so really what does it matter whether we're selecting a player who has played 2 games over a debutante?

Absolutely I would and yes Narkle is hardly an experienced player. Still he at least has played as shown something afl level it would have been easy to slip into go with someone like him.

 

[Jhye Clark 13]

Absolutely I would and yes Narkle is hardly an experienced player. Still he at least has played as shown something afl level it would have been easy to slip into go with someone like him.

I for one am happy Miers has been handed a debut. He performed reasonably well in the JLT and we need to start rewarding form rather than naming players on reputation or potential first.

 

[Max Milburn]

In our "good" years, we have won the early games and given ourselves a good start.
This has allowed us to manage the team better later in year.
Some people have been predicting 0-7 from our first seven games.
Unless we are 7-0, 6-1 or 5-2, it puts pressure on the team at the pointy end.
I'm not game to predict any of those outcomes, but if we don't achieve something like that even making finals might be unlikely.

 

[cats_09]

Match info for those attending tonight:

GENERAL ADMISSION SEATING
Ponsford Stand
Q31 (Rows Q-MM)
Q32-Q34 (Rows U-MM)
Q35 (Rows Q-MM)
Q36 (Rows AA-MM)

Olympic Stand
M56 (Rows A-Z)
M57
Q49-51 (Rows P-MM)
Q52-Q55 (Rows K-MM)

Great Southern Stand
Q1-Q9
Q10-Q15 (Rows K-DD)

CHEER SQUAD LOCATIONS
Collingwood: M33 Rows A-O
Geelong Cats: M3 Rows A-O

 

[romeohwho]

In our "good" years, we have won the early games and given ourselves a good start.
This has allowed us to manage the team better later in year.
Some people have been predicting 0-7 from our first seven games.
Unless we are 7-0, 6-1 or 5-2, it puts pressure on the team at the pointy end.
I'm not game to predict any of those outcomes, but if we don't achieve something like that even making finals might be unlikely.

5-2 is gettable and a darn good outcome if we can get it.

 

[Turbocat]

I for one am happy Miers has been handed a debut. He performed reasonably well in the JLT and we need to start rewarding form rather than naming players on reputation or potential first.

I am too.. Im not convinced he is the most rounded player but we simply must select on form and he has shown it. He was probably drafted on his goal kicking forward play but I suspect his gut running may see him play across the ground.

 

[Mr Blicavs]

In our "good" years, we have won the early games and given ourselves a good start.
This has allowed us to manage the team better later in year.
Some people have been predicting 0-7 from our first seven games.
Unless we are 7-0, 6-1 or 5-2, it puts pressure on the team at the pointy end.
I'm not game to predict any of those outcomes, but if we don't achieve something like that even making finals might be unlikely.

Could not agree more... you bank as many points as possible early in the season. You dont be conservative with game plans, and you dont be conservative with selections, because you dont know whats around the corner regarding injuries etc.
I like the new of 6 new faces in the team, and I hope Scott intends to go all out with an aggressive game plan. See ball - win contest!
I do not want to see us zoning off and protecting space... that simply doesnt work, and we wont win if he does.

Cats by 23 points.

 

[Man0gwaR74]

I normally always go for the Cats over any team coz that was the consistency of their form over the past decade, especially against the teams they are expected to lose to but I can't argue with the trajectories of both teams to this point and not sure if the Cats deserve the faith either. I voted for the Pies with a scoreline of 21pts but it could be a much closer game than that. Sometimes, I actually agree with Chris Scott and I think he made a good call about the Pies being a complete team that are going to be difficult to challenge this season.
Rapt to see Cam Guthrie not even make emergency. Happy that Henderson missed out on first team selection(I think that Harry will be a better matchup for Mason Cox). Love the bravery of the selectors for daring to go with youth against a top class team!

 

[RFCGloryJC]

Best wishes tonight.
Hope you give Collingwood an absolute belting.

 

[fpm84]

Some interesting comments from Gerard Whateley, who would have extremely good sources at the club (including the coach each week on AFL360) on SEN yesterday evening.

As they were reading through the team selections and our four debutants, Gerard said something along the lines of "there's big change at Geelong this off-season, and the club has been keeping it all under wraps. From their personnel to the way they want to play, everyone at the club was stung after the EF loss to Melbourne and realised they had to evolve and evolve quickly... It will be a significantly different Geelong team tomorrow night to the one we saw lose that final to Melbourne..."