Preview Geelong v Melbourne Sat 30 March at GMHBA

[Max Milburn]

The idea that Melbourne were beaten because Gawn was "bashed up" is bs.
They were beaten because PA came to play, and Melbourne basically left their hearts in the changerooms after quarter time.
My hope is that Melbourne actually believe the hype and come out targeting players.
If we stick to the game plan from last week, it won't work, and in fact it will play into our hands.
It's very easy to mistake posturing for toughness.

 

[Ratcat]

Would rather us play two rucks and spread the load, also keep the pressure up around the ball.
Beats me how Stanley should be expected to run the ground all day and apply max ruck pressure, rove the ball and take the hits for 4 quarters.
He has to come off the ground to recover otherwise he's not going to be much good at CHF totally stuffed.
As a result Hawkins is double teamed again because our CHFhas to relieve an exhausted Stanley. With a ready made Stanley clone in Abbott you'd think the benefits far outweigh any deficiency.
He also plays with a bit of mongrel.

 

[Max Milburn]

Would rather us play two rucks and spread the load, also keep the pressure up around the ball.
Beats me how Stanley should be expected to run the ground all day and apply max ruck pressure, rove the ball and take the hits for 4 quarters.
He has to come off the ground to recover otherwise he's not going to be much good at CHF totally stuffed.
As a result Hawkins is double teamed again because our CHFhas to relieve an exhausted Stanley. With a ready made Stanley clone in Abbott you'd think the benefits far outweigh any deficiency.
He also plays with a bit of mongrel.

Stanley powered past Grundy in the 4th.
I like Abbott too, but I doubt they will change it up this week.

 

[you pick one]

I have a feeling Scott's talking it up in the media. We'll still come out hard on them. Even if Scott says we won't, I have a feeling the players will band together and hatch a plan like Port did to rough up both Gawn and the whole team.

I don't mind the idea of starting Ratugolea in the ruck, his body size can knock Gawn over early and shake them up. First contest, give him a fair knock in the ruck, just like Ottens did to Jolly at the start of the 2011 GF. And they won't be expecting Sav in the middle early either, they'll be tipping Stanley to start, which throws their pre-game plans

Why not just go with the bigger more experience bloke in Stanley first up.Deserves first crack in my book.

 

[Sparkle]

Why not just go with the bigger more experience bloke in Stanley first up.Deserves first crack in my book.

Stanley would normally get the first go in the ruck, and he has the added bonus of height. But in terms of body size and weight and being able to bump Gawn off the ball, Stanley would bounce straight off him. Ratugolea's the go if that's the path we choose to take

 

[Down at K Park]

Stanley would normally get the first go in the ruck, and he has the added bonus of height. But in terms of body size and weight and being able to bump Gawn off the ball, Stanley would bounce straight off him. Ratugolea's the go if that's the path we choose to take

Gawn isn't that big anymore, he has lost about 10kg in the last year or so trying to get fitter. Someone even suggested he has gone too far with it, and it has affected his game cause he has lost strength.

 

[Max Milburn]

Gawn isn't that big anymore, he has lost about 10kg in the last year or so trying to get fitter. Someone even suggested he has gone too far with it, and it has affected his game cause he has lost strength.

He looked scrawny.

 

[you pick one]

He looked scrawny.

You mean gawny

 

[Ratcat]

Stanley powered past Grundy in the 4th.
I like Abbott too, but I doubt they will change it up this week.

I suspect you are right, but l just don't get peoples expectations of Stanley.

This way you get your 3 or 4 top games followed by a month or more of tied ordinary then out come the whingers calling for him to be dropped when we start losing a few.
What's the cost, a small,.. who's around the cusp..won't upset a thing, but at the moment we stand to risk Stanley through fatigue or injury and forward functionality for a 22nd player.
Doesn't make sense to me.

 

[Shadow89]

Errr...no. His 'don't argue' in the forward line, shimmy in the midfield and brutal attack on the ball, was much more Rook-like then Ruggles-like.

 

[Tackle_happy]

Stanley would normally get the first go in the ruck, and he has the added bonus of height. But in terms of body size and weight and being able to bump Gawn off the ball, Stanley would bounce straight off him. Ratugolea's the go if that's the path we choose to take

Stanley beat him at home last year ... Stanley will get the nod again this game. He more than deserves the opportunity. Esava will get rag dolled. He is not yet strong enough to take on the likes of Gawn from a strength (and experience) perspective.

 

[Partridge]

The idea that Melbourne were beaten because Gawn was "bashed up" is bs.
They were beaten because PA came to play, and Melbourne basically left their hearts in the changerooms after quarter time.
My hope is that Melbourne actually believe the hype and come out targeting players.
If we stick to the game plan from last week, it won't work, and in fact it will play into our hands.
It's very easy to mistake posturing for toughness.

Spot on. No one gets "bashed up" anymore. A side playing a physical style of football (which you kind of hope you would all the time) is not bashing anyone up.

 

[Partridge]

Selwood has been targeted his whole career.

He gets tagged. Same as any star midfielder.

 

[Tackle_happy]

Gawn isn't that big anymore, he has lost about 10kg in the last year or so trying to get fitter. Someone even suggested he has gone too far with it, and it has affected his game cause he has lost strength.

He still has power etc. That he lost weight doesn't necessarily mean he lost strength.

Last year showed that.

This year ... he looks underdone and/or injured. That's going to have a bigger impact.

 

[Jhye Clark 13]

He gets tagged. Same as any star midfielder.

Oh I know, but Melbourne used the same amount of aggression and force on Selwood to what Port applied to Gawn last weekend which was my point. Like many taggers have. Greenwood being another.

Now they're sulking.

Now you'd think a club like Melbourne whose players pride themselves on the tough looking image - with the tattoos, etc - would be able to withstand a bit of heat.

 

[Jhye Clark 13]

Gawn isn't that big anymore, he has lost about 10kg in the last year or so trying to get fitter. Someone even suggested he has gone too far with it, and it has affected his game cause he has lost strength.

I saw footage of him at training this week and he's lost far too much weight for a player of his height. He now looks like a raw, skinny ruckman who no longer has the strength.

And reading the Melbourne preview thread they have a thing or two to learn about Rhys Stanley. Maybe they should start observing a few of his games. They could start with the one last year when he took Gawn to the cleaners.

 

[Frappe]

Selwood has been targeted his whole career.

Might be worth taking advantage of it and sending him forward (on occasion).

 

[Goggin Our Best]

sounds like Narkle is not playing to instruction ...

The year he was drafted - Gary Buckenara ( former champion player ) and ex Hawthorn recruiting officer - he wrote an article giving his opinion about every clubs draft picks that year

And with Narkle he said the knock on him was he was lazy - thats what he said - and he further stated that it will be interesting to see what Narkles work ethic is like at Geel

And i read in the preseason - that at preseason training - some of the senior players were saying to him - stay focussesd - concentrate

You contrast that to someone like Miers on Frid night - what i really liked was his energy - his effort - 1st class

 

[Jhye Clark 13]

The year he was drafted - Gary Buckenara ( former champion player ) and ex Hawthorn recruiting officer - he wrote an article giving his opinion about every clubs draft picks that year

And with Narkle he said the knock on him was he was lazy - thats what he said - and he further stated that it will be interesting to see what Narkles work ethic is like at Geel

And i read in the preseason - that at preseason training - some of the senior players were saying to him - stay focussesd - concentrate

You contrast that to someone like Miers on Frid night - what i really liked was his energy - his effort - 1st class

I said as much in the pre-season about Narkle's work rate and lack of effort to chase. He doesn't lack class or skill.

 

[Turbocat]

The year he was drafted - Gary Buckenara ( former champion player ) and ex Hawthorn recruiting officer - he wrote an article giving his opinion about every clubs draft picks that year

And with Narkle he said the knock on him was he was lazy - thats what he said - and he further stated that it will be interesting to see what Narkles work ethic is like at Geel

And i read in the preseason - that at preseason training - some of the senior players were saying to him - stay focussesd - concentrate

You contrast that to someone like Miers on Frid night - what i really liked was his energy - his effort - 1st class

Do we really need to bracket Buckenara's credentials? .. i guess some on here may never have seen him play. Gun player for the P&W.. anyway..

lazy ? if thats the issue then he will have some issues... I didnt quite here the question to CS presser when he talked about him.

Id have said we have changed to more aggressive tackle minded small forwards..

To me I think its a good sign that he is out and is having to work to get in..too many have got in due more to the ease of entry than being due. Not its harder a lot of players will have to work on a few of the deficiencies

 

[Cataholic]

Do we really need to bracket Buckenara's credentials? .. i guess some on here may never have seen him play. anyway..

lazy ? if thats the issue then he will have some issues... I didnt quite here the question to CS presser when he talked about him.

Id have said we have changed to more aggressive tackle minded small forwards..

To me I think its a good sign that he is out and is having to work to get in..too many have got in due more to the ease of entry than being due. Not its harder a lot of players will have to work on a few of the deficiencies

Exactly whats been lacking the last few years.

Competition for spots, and a requirement that players earn their spot, not just be granted it.

 

[goyoucatters]

The year he was drafted - Gary Buckenara ( former champion player ) and ex Hawthorn recruiting officer - he wrote an article giving his opinion about every clubs draft picks that year

And with Narkle he said the knock on him was he was lazy - thats what he said - and he further stated that it will be interesting to see what Narkles work ethic is like at Geel

And i read in the preseason - that at preseason training - some of the senior players were saying to him - stay focussesd - concentrate

You contrast that to someone like Miers on Frid night - what i really liked was his energy - his effort - 1st class

Fair enough that they might be down on Narkle for his work ethic.

In that case, I am pleased that he racked up good numbers with the Bankers on the weekend. You can't get nearly 30 touches without covering the ground reasonably well.

I still see him as an exciting long-term prospect for lots of senior footy. So I hope he pushes through this period and comes out the other side a more committed and rounded contributor.

 

[Goggin Our Best]

Fair enough that they might be down on Narkle for his work ethic.

In that case, I am pleased that he racked up good numbers with the Bankers on the weekend. You can't get nearly 30 touches without covering the ground reasonably well.

I still see him as an exciting long-term prospect for lots of senior footy. So I hope he pushes through this period and comes out the other side a more committed and rounded contributor.

Im not disputing his skill ( a good example is the Melb game at KP last year in last qtr - a 30 metre drop punt pass ( with the ball spinning perfectly ) on the left foot to Stanley

I hope he becomes a wonderful player . I mean Ablett was called lazy once - Bluey McGrath ( must have been 2nds coach at the time ) was on that Open Mike program - and his description of a young Ablett at the time was quite lazy .

 

[Hamingja]

I'm going Guthrie for Miers for the meat tray.

I could live with that but will be melting all over the place if they pick Henderson and there is no forced change that requires the selection.

 

[Cataholic]

I'm going Guthrie for Miers for the meat tray.

I could live with that but will be melting all over the place if they pick Henderson and there is no forced change that requires the selection.

No thanks.

Miers played a part in bringing the much needed forward pressure last week. He deserves another opportunity.

I don't see Guthrie doing that, and needs to press his case through the VFL. Then there's his injury.......