Preview Rd 4 Geelong V Hawks Mon Apr 6 2026@ MCG 315 pm

[catempire]

Looks like Bradley was deemed to have had enough of a run last week to show his conditioning is up to standard...

 

[catempire]

Close was extremely ordinary in the VFL. In no way justifies selection so soon after being dropped.

And while Wiltshire didn’t star, he showed glimpses and we are making it very hard for him to succeed if he gets this treatment.

 

[cats_09]

View attachment 2571355

Well, I feel it would be harder to argue that he's been selected based on form showed last week

 

[Cataholic]

Well, I feel it would be harder to argue that he's been selected based on form showed last week

So.....he's shown no form at either level but we're being asked to believe it's just a conditioning issue that's been resolved within a week?

Right.

 

[cats_09]

So.....he's shown no form at either level but we're being asked to believe it's just a conditioning issue that's been resolved within a week?

Right.

Maybe it was disciplinary action

Close last week just didn't excite me when watching him - to me it was like the minimum you'd want to see from an AFL player dropped to the VFL but nothing really screamed out "pick me" for the seniors

He kicked a goal, after being marched to the goal square due to a 50m penalty for something - while I was happy to see him kick the goal, I was in two minds regarding his actions after he took the mark leading to his shot

He took an uncontested mark 40m from goal and kept his back to the goals as he walked off the mark - thing is he had an open teammate 15/20m from goal who he didn't see. So while I'm glad to see him back himself in to have the shot, I don't like players turning their back to goal and not knowing what's closer

Especially when within 5 minutes of that, I potted Ballantyne for ignoring 2 open teammates who were closer to goal when he had a shot on the run from just within 50m which failed to score


That small passage from Close just seemed like he felt he needed to kick a goal to show his value as a forward, when in the seniors I don't think it's just about goals but also how you're working with your teammates

 

[Cataholic]

Maybe it was disciplinary action

Close last week just didn't excite me when watching him - to me it was like the minimum you'd want to see from an AFL player dropped to the VFL but nothing really screamed out "pick me" for the seniors

He kicked a goal, after being marched to the goal square due to a 50m penalty for something - while I was happy to see him kick the goal, I was in two minds regarding his actions after he took the mark leading to his shot

He took an uncontested mark 40m from goal and kept his back to the goals as he walked off the mark - thing is he had an open teammate 15/20m from goal who he didn't see. So while I'm glad to see him back himself in to have the shot, I don't like players turning their back to goal and not knowing what's closer

Especially when within 5 minutes of that, I potted Ballantyne for ignoring 2 open teammates who were closer to goal when he had a shot on the run from just within 50m which failed to score


That small passage from Close just seemed like he felt he needed to kick a goal to show his value as a forward, when in the seniors I don't think it's just about goals but also how you're working with your teammates

The club and coach have sugar coated it with speak of 'conditioning' but it takes no Einstein to figure it's about more than that.

 

[Pure_Ownage]

I am genuinely sad close is back in. It does not reward form at all.
Im also a little surprised kolo is back in-i do think hes best 22 but I think this is a challenging game to bring him back in and the Hawks small forwards dont suit him. Maybe Edwards isnt ready to back up and sdk is going to have to ruck?

I would assume it will be Wiltshire and Clark (both are stiff) for bowes and close and kolo for Edwards.
Id like to see oconnor dropped but im realistic that it wont happen this week.

 

[Mr Meow]

I am genuinely sad close is back in. It does not reward form at all.
Im also a little surprised kolo is back in-i do think hes best 22 but I think this is a challenging game to bring him back in and the Hawks small forwards dont suit him. Maybe Edwards isnt ready to back up and sdk is going to have to ruck?

I would assume it will be Wiltshire and Clark (both are stiff) for bowes and close and kolo for Edwards.
Id like to see oconnor dropped but im realistic that it wont happen this week.

I thought the teams weren't released yet?

 

[Art Vandelay_]

Basically 'I wish Dangerfield would just retire'

He said with tongue firmly in his cheek and not something to get offended by IMO.

 

[Art Vandelay_]

so soon after being dropped.

He wasn't dropped on form. Scott said it last week and appears to be following through by bringing him straight back in.
A run in the 2s purely for fitness is different to making a statement on an established player.

 

[year of the cat]

He wasn't dropped on form. Scott said it last week and appears to be following through by bringing him straight back in.
A run in the 2s purely for fitness is different to making a statement on an established player.

Sure….

 

[cats_09]

I thought the teams weren't released yet?

No and yes

We play VFL tomorrow, and that team has been released which allows for some better guessing around Mondays game:

Werribee v Geelong Cats
Melbourne Avalon Airport Oval, Werribee
12.05pm AEDT, Saturday April 4
In: Jhye Clark, Kobe George, Will Sheahan, Jack Costello, Tom Peirce
Out: Brad Close, Jack Bowes, Jake Kolodjashnij (AFL), Kye Annand, Jesse Hart (injured)

 

[Art Vandelay_]

Sure….

If you don't want to listen to Scott that's your choice but I wouldn't be surprised, shocked or dismayed when he does precisely as he says he would.

"He's actually in a similar situation to Patrick (Dangerfield) in that we don't think he’s had an optimal sort of preparation to this point, and we'd like to make the most of these long breaks between games to get some more training," the coach said of the small forward.

"He'll get a little bit of VFL game time as well, unlikely to be full game time, but we think we can put a program together for him to get him back to his best pretty quickly, physically, and have him available for the Hawthorn game (on April 6). So it's quite a proactive move, in our opinion."

Emphatic in his description that it is a fitness and conditioning break.
Now, the knock on effects that a lack of fitness has on form is not separate but doesn't appear to be in their thoughts as a consideration but more a symptom of the root cause they've tried to address in the last fortnight.

 

[Mr Meow]

No and yes

We play VFL tomorrow, and that team has been released which allows for some better guessing around Mondays game:

Werribee v Geelong Cats
Melbourne Avalon Airport Oval, Werribee
12.05pm AEDT, Saturday April 4
In: Jhye Clark, Kobe George, Will Sheahan, Jack Costello, Tom Peirce
Out: Brad Close, Jack Bowes, Jake Kolodjashnij (AFL), Kye Annand, Jesse Hart (injured)

Clark for Bowes is easy to surmise.

Emergencies sometimes don't play VFL as hold overs though, right? So there is at least a little uncertainty on Close and/or Kolo until the final teams are released.

Wiltshire isn't playing VFL. 50/50 between him and Close.

Edwards did seem a candidate for a rest, so Kolo in allows other talls to cover some ruck work maybe.

 

[Art Vandelay_]

Clark for Bowes is easy to surmise.

Emergencies sometimes don't play VFL as hold overs though, right? So there is at least a little uncertainty on Close and/or Kolo until the final teams are released.

Wiltshire isn't playing VFL. 50/50 between him and Close.

Edwards did seem a candidate for a rest, so Kolo in allows other talls to cover some ruck work maybe.

Sat to Mon would be difficult to plan emergencies.
You could hold players over or you could play them on limited minutes, say a half max, and then have them on Monday if need be - likely as the lowest TOG player.

 

[iameviljez]

Anyone else think we could look at trialing mollier as a wingman??

Why?

 

[Kobe Gryant]

Hope:
In - Bowes, Kolo
Out - Clark, Edwards

Reality:
In: Bowes, Kolo, Close
Out: Clark, Edwards, Wiltshire

I don't have anything against Closey playing FWIW. I think he's clearly in our best side when up and going.

That said, would've liked to have seen a hell of a lot more from him in the VFL before getting an immediate reprieve.

Even if Scott is being legit and it's a conditioning thing, rather than form....nobody builds conditioning in a week - professional or otherwise.

Would've thought a 3-4 week stint at a minimum would've made more sense if that's the true story, but who knows.

 

[year of the cat]

If you don't want to listen to Scott that's your choice but I wouldn't be surprised, shocked or dismayed when he does precisely as he says he would.

"He's actually in a similar situation to Patrick (Dangerfield) in that we don't think he’s had an optimal sort of preparation to this point, and we'd like to make the most of these long breaks between games to get some more training," the coach said of the small forward.

"He'll get a little bit of VFL game time as well, unlikely to be full game time, but we think we can put a program together for him to get him back to his best pretty quickly, physically, and have him available for the Hawthorn game (on April 6). So it's quite a proactive move, in our opinion."

Emphatic in his description that it is a fitness and conditioning break.
Now, the knock on effects that a lack of fitness has on form is not separate but doesn't appear to be in their thoughts as a consideration but more a symptom of the root cause they've tried to address in the last fortnight.

He was dropped because he was playing like shit. Pure and simple. So no I don't believe Scott's explanation, even if he does return on Monday which looks likely.

 

[CatsDoItBetter]

I really hope Kolo isn’t playing on Monday, I’d have given close more vfl time but I’m ok with him coming in.
It’s hard for him to show his game at vfl level but they could find ways to get him involved in the game to help him when he’s back at afl.

 

[year of the cat]

I really hope Kolo isn’t playing on Monday, I’d have given close more vfl time but I’m ok with him coming in.
It’s hard for him to show his game at vfl level but they could find ways to get him involved in the game to help him when he’s back at afl.

You realise that you have contradicted yourself in that first sentence alone?

 

[Art Vandelay_]

He was dropped because he was playing like shit. Pure and simple. So no I don't believe Scott's explanation, even if he does return on Monday which looks likely.

Your prerogative to be naive I guess.

 

[CatsDoItBetter]

You realise that you have contradicted yourself in that first sentence alone?

No I haven’t I said what I would’ve liked but understood the decision to bring him in. I think some players/positions are more difficult at vfl level. Which can make it hard to rediscover from at the level, but close is a senior player and maybe that’s all he needed.

 

[gogeelongcats]

Rest Danger and let him do his thing in the finals.

 

[Hinkley29]

Yes, that will be the threat.

What tends to happen in our games is that they shit the bed under pressure and have uncharacteristic mistakes that we punish with fast breaks. However you'd expect a prelim loss gives them a steelier edge this time. Trends get bucked eventually. They are due and are favourites. Pretty funny if we still end up winning.

There are 2 games this weekend that represent great value for punters:

• west coast paying $4.75 at home against sydney
• Geelong paying $2.41 against hawthorn

I don’t bet often but they are great odds

 

[year of the cat]

Your prerogative to be naive I guess.