Game Day 2017 SF v Sydney

[Chinacats]

For me it's all about Geelong. We know what Sydney will bring. As Duck Carey said in his column in the age "are the cats tough enough?" It's time the cats demand the ball and stand up. Sydney are not world beaters as we saw in the 2014 and 2016 grand finals. If ever their was a time the swans were vulnerable this year i'll say its now. They're feeling good about themselves and are expected to win against their bunny in Geelong. This can help the cats surprise the swans with their aggression and tactics. Chris Scott get in the face of these swans. Lets rough them up. Go cats!

 

[Pollywaffle]

Didn't Lang get thrown to the wolves against Swans last year ? Must be having nightmares.
I hope he does well, but remember he was seriously off the pace in that final.

 

[Topper]

The wide open spaces of the MCG and our zoning game plan are not friends, in fact they hate each other.

We get cut open by quick ball movement and leg speed.

Our only chance is rain, and a lot of it to slow ball movement and leg speed.

Rain is like the mediator of the MCG and our game plan.

Everybody go to YouTube and google how to do a rain dance and get f$&king started!!

 

[Daniel McL]

Didn't Lang get thrown to the wolves against Swans last year ? Must be having nightmares.
I hope he does well, but remember he was seriously off the pace in that final.

He wouldn't be having nightmares because he didn't play that Prelim against Sydney. I'm not sure if he's actually played a Final yet?

Edit: Lang has not played a final in his career so far. Good luck to him!

 

[Whit3y]

i just hope at some stage during the game i think that we are a chance to win or we are actually in the lead

no one wants a repeat of swans last year or norf in 2014 or freo in 2012 when we were always behind

 

[Maydok]

First 'F*ck Yes' Fist Pump from coaches box: Chris Scott
First loss in 300th game: McVeigh
First Tears after game: Papley
Most owned by Domsy: Franklin
Most Shots taken at goal from outside 50: Hawkins
Least Tackles: Menz
Most Goals: Menz
Most bones broken in tackles: Scooter
Most shit scared at 1/4 time when scores are level: Sydney

Tip: Geelong by 17

 

[ryzza11]

Have avoided footy all week and have hardly thought about the game. Sydney have been bullying us for too long. Tonight is a character and pride game.
Don't leave it up to our defenders to exhaust themselves trying to keep us in the game again. Midfield need to run, shepherd and block for each other and deliver some quality inside 50s.

 

[xtatik222k]

70% chance of precipitation in the Melbourne area for most of the day, then 75-80% during the game. This mans that 75% of the Melbourne area will be getting rained on before and during the game. Safe to say the game will be wet. Even if there's no rain during the game (very unlikely based on the forecast) the oval will be very wet to play on. This might actually bring both teams closer together. It's one thing to derive a small bit of confidence out of. We play in the wet more often than the Swans. It will make things tougher for their winners in Franklin and their slick midfield. Likewise, it'll make things easier for our backline. Come on Cats...

 

[Landgraft]

First Goal - Parfitt
Last Goal - Domsy
Most Touches - Danger
Most Goals - Danger
Most Marks - Harry
Most Tackles - Scoot
Most Composure - Zuthrie

Cats by 20 odd.

 

[JohnZ]

Not sure if the rain helps or hinders us, we were very fumbly last week in the dew, and I'm not sure if more slippery conditions helps us (ie Swans are also fumbly) or whether it will make us pick the ball up easier.

At the start of the week I was pessimistic, we'd been humiliated in 1Q of footy by Richmond, something we would normally do to them. But I got to figuring, we underachieved last year, and if we lose this week, that will be a massive underachievement, and so I came to realise that, and now I've moved on. We've got one last shot for redemption. Sure it would've been easier to make the GF through GWS or West Coast, but I take solace in the fact that off the bye, we're not that good, and us playing consistent and constant footy v Adelaide who played their last game 15 days ago, and who have flied to the GC, gives us more of a chance than I thought.

Obviously, it all starts tonight. Sydney. The one team who has dismantled us time and time again. The game at KP was closer than the final score reflected. We lost J. Selwood at half time, at 3QT we were 16 points down. Sydney kicked a lot of early goals from tight spaces across the body, not through their talls, and they kicked accurately. Not saying that it was a once off, but if you were to say Geelong played their worst game of the year last week, then you'd have to say that the replicability of those shots on goal would be less accurate.

I guess what I hope my ramble says, is that we're not out of this, it might be ugly to watch, it may be a nail bitter, Sydney might just run out of steam. Give the cats your attention for the first quarter. If they're within 2 goals, I give them a real chance, (as long as it's not 2 goals to none, then I'd be a little worried). I'm tipping the "upset", because I have nothing to lose if we do. Geelong by 7 points.

 

[frggr]

He wouldn't be having nightmares because he didn't play that Prelim against Sydney. I'm not sure if he's actually played a Final yet?

Edit: Lang has not played a final in his career so far. Good luck to him!

Huge call to bring him in for his first one off a serious injury.

I hope it's the club's faith, and not the club's desperation, that's the reason for it!

 

[calder_daddy]

Is there anyone on here that can get a message to Tom Hawkins?

Please forward this very simple message.

If you are within range Tom, please back yourself.
You are a beautiful kick, so don't go trying to feed it off to a player running past or hitting another target i50
We need you to take it upon yourself, we believe in you

 

[Daniel McL]

Huge call to bring him in for his first one off a serious injury.

I hope it's the club's faith, and not the club's desperation, that's the reason for it!

Bit of both, desperation because we'd rather Cockatoo or McCarthy playing instead. But with them injured we have faith in Lang to perform his role well

 

[Pollywaffle]

He wouldn't be having nightmares because he didn't play that Prelim against Sydney. I'm not sure if he's actually played a Final yet?

Edit: Lang has not played a final in his career so far. Good luck to him!

My mistake. I remember him coming back after a period out last year and being off the pace. I thought it was the swans final... Nothing against him, but feel sorry that he wont have much of a chance to play himself in before getting into a high pressure game like this.

 

[cat in sydney]

I've been so confused about game plan all week... everyone saying different things.
"Swans like chaos, so we need to play keepings off, uncontested marking like Hawks etc etc." Problem is, I reckon the team tried that when we played them earlier this year. In the first quarter, there were two crucial turnovers that resulted in Swans goals because we were aiming to slow the play down and go uncontested marks, but skills weren't good enough. Perhaps trying to play a game style that works against the Swans but we can't execute could be worse than playing our natural game style and hoping we execute ours better than Swans?

 

[Daniel McL]

My mistake. I remember him coming back after a period out last year and being off the pace. I thought it was the swans final... Nothing against him, but feel sorry that he wont have much of a chance to play himself in before getting into a high pressure game like this.

Lang did play the Round 16 game in 2016 against the Swans though, he was very very quiet. But yeah hopefully he goes well, I prefer him over Murdoch

 

[BlakeyNoFlakey]

Well, the day has arrived. It's been like waiting to see a Doctor knowing you're going to get bad news this week waiting for this game. I hope the guys can pull one out of their asses and win, but I can't see it. We had a few good games this season which I'll enjoy watching again over the summer. I'll keep my fingers crossed. Go Cats.

 

[fpm84]

We'll be up for the fight. But we'll lose to a better team.

 

[patience]

I'm still shell shocked from last Friday but yeah, go Cats.

 

[Daniel McL]

Changes from Round 20 vs Swans:

Out - Thurlow, Murdoch, C. Guthrie, Simpson, Buzza.

In - Lang, Menzel, Dangerfield, Blicavs, Motlop.

Not bad, would still prefer Thurlow playing over a Z. Guthrie/Kolodjashnij.

 

[Cool Cat]

Swans will start well cats be scared to get the ball or man. Cats come back in the second half make the margin soemwhat respectable. "We were really pleased with their effort to come back. Sydney are a good team we'll be better next year." Chris Scott after match press conference.
Chris your team has lost finals in the same way each year.
"Some of the players rare different each time, therefore we can't draw any conclusions from this long timeline of events. We will continue to do the same thing and hope it changes."

I want to like this but I actually hate it. Another miserable, disappointing September. Can't rest on the flags anymore, we are finals easybeats. Hope hope hope I am proved wrong. Feels like we are dead men walking...again.

 

[Maydok]

Changes from Round 20 vs Swans:

Out - Thurlow, Murdoch, C. Guthrie, Simpson, Buzza.

In - Lang, Menzel, Dangerfield, Blicavs, Motlop.

Not bad, would still prefer Thurlow playing over a Z. Guthrie/Kolodjashnij.

I'm a Thurlow fan as well, but he had 5 clangers in that last game against Swans. Not sure that helped his cause.

 

[leorex]

not raining now
hope it al comes down at around 7.40pm

 

[Jhye Clark 13]

We'll be up for the fight. But we'll lose to a better team.

When did this become an intra-club match?

 

[frggr]

Changes from Round 20 vs Swans:

Out - Thurlow, Murdoch, C. Guthrie, Simpson, Buzza.

In - Lang, Menzel, Dangerfield, Blicavs, Motlop.

Not bad, would still prefer Thurlow playing over a Z. Guthrie/Kolodjashnij.

I forgot we played without Menzel. Him in is a big change over Buzza etc