Preview AFL Round 2 - Geelong v Hawthorn, MCG, 3:10PM Monday 9 April

[Vdubs]

Re: who's going to the game?

what pub do you folks usually meet up at before heading over to the G

This game has all the feelings of an early final and I just know the boys are going to put in one hell of an effort, win lose or draw..people are going to get their moneys worth in this one

agree about the finals feeling, but there's less worry about the result tomorrow.

We never go near a pub pre or post game, but will be there around 230 gate 3, but unlike PO, I don't have an identifiable VEEDUBS jumper. Yourself?

 

[powerofthepussie]

carn the mighty pussies......

 

[manboob]

And another thing, we will not win tomorrow by playing merely one quarter of great footy/killing off the Hawks with a 20 minute burst of brilliance....

It's interesting that you mention this. It was one of the big features of Geelong in 2007 and 08 they generally played an amazing 20 minutes of football and that was enough to win the game... didn't really notice it last year under scott but it crept back in last week. I like it and I don't - it's great to be able to kill teams off in a short burt, which is fine if the intensity for the rest of the match is high also which it wasn't last week. I am not really sure what my point is - All I know is that tomorrow will make for great viewing.

 

[HappyChappy35]

It's interesting that you mention this. It was one of the big features of Geelong in 2007 and 08 they generally played an amazing 20 minutes of football and that was enough to win the game... didn't really notice it last year under scott but it crept back in last week. I like it and I don't - it's great to be able to kill teams off in a short burt, which is fine if the intensity for the rest of the match is high also which it wasn't last week. I am not really sure what my point is - All I know is that tomorrow will make for great viewing.

You're spot on, can be a fantastic aspect of our game but at times very costly. I just think we are no longer in a position where we are able to get away with not playing four quarters of high intensity football against the better sides (as we have in the past). Against dud teams, fine, but not against fellow premiership contenders.
Last week we didn't sustain the tempo for four quarters, and tomorrow we must. 20-minute bursts of dominance will not be enough to get the points against quality opponents that have the capacity to deliver high intensity football for an entire match (such as Hawthorn).

 

[Vdubs]

Re: who's going to the game?

haha fair enough....I'm gonna be wearing my Cats away jumper with no number (can't decide if I should go with no.5 or 10), going with a mate who's probably a little easier to spot as he's 6ft'2 and bald and will be with his mrs.
Not a bad idea having the username stamped on the back of the jumper.

Same....will be lurking around gate 3 prior to the match as we absorb the atmosphere but should be a cracker and I know result doesn't mean our season but it is pretty bloody important they pick up the win as going 0-2 is going to cost us a chance to rest veterans later in the year.

Looks like the weather won't be as bad as predicted earlier in the week as most of the showers are going to be south/east which isn't what I was hoping for to be honest.
I reckon Bartel, Chapman, Corey love the wet track as those strong upper bodies get the better of the Hawks and their skills wouldn't have been as spot on with the slippery ball.

Scarlett, Wojo , J Hunt wll have had their rests already, just gotta worry about the Coreys and Chappy, Selwood will lose a couple via MRP, and Bartel will get the obligatory concussion. No seriously, I totally agree with you, that early kick start we had was the springboard to be able to rest our players strategically. Ratten said Blues never were comfortable enough last year to do it, or he didn't have the confidence to do so.

 

[manboob]

But I'm quietly confident we win the game as Orren will have a match to really put doubters to the back of his mind and like mentioned above, Westy is going to massive with his 2nd efforts across the ground and having him push forward will be crucial during certain stages of the game.

Hope so would have been a rubbish first game for a bloke to come up against the human tree.

 

[manboob]

Re: who's going to the game?

I will watch with interest to see how we play the weaker teams this year. I think Cats, Hawks, Pies, Blues and West Coast may just go to town on these teams knowing that the percentage will be vital come the end of the year when you are looking for a home final. I guess this is the risk you have to weigh up when playing sides who are a bit tougher. I know this for sure, I would hate to play WC or FREO in WA because we finished lower on the ladder than them due to %.

 

[muttweed]

It's interesting that you mention this. It was one of the big features of Geelong in 2007 and 08 they generally played an amazing 20 minutes of football and that was enough to win the game... didn't really notice it last year under scott but it crept back in last week. I like it and I don't - it's great to be able to kill teams off in a short burt, which is fine if the intensity for the rest of the match is high also which it wasn't last week. I am not really sure what my point is - All I know is that tomorrow will make for great viewing.

Seriously?

How could you not notice it!

Round 1, St Kilda's pwning us, Joel's down, and we came back late in the game. It was a goal kicked with 19 seconds left that won us the game.

Round 2, Freo, we were covered for a lot of the game before a quick 3rd quarter burst put us in front, and we maintained the lead for the rest of the match.

Round 4, a second quarter burst put us in front of Sydney and we retained the lead.

Round 5, a third quarter burst of 7 goals and 3 behinds put us in front of Hawthorn by one odd goal and we retained the lead for the rest of the match.

Round 8, a burst of 3 goals and 5 behinds in the 4th quarter put*us in front of Collingwood by 3pts.

Round 9, a burst of 4 goals and 5 behinds put us in front of Carlton by 7pts and we remained in front for the rest of the game.

Round 10, a third quarter burst of 8 goals and 6 behinds put us in front of GC by 28pts, and a further effort in the fourth quarter put us in front by 66pts.

Round 12, a fourth quarter burst of 3 goals and 5 behinds (and a scoreless Hawthorn quarter) won us the game v Hawthorn by 5pts

Round 13, a second quarter six goal burst put us in front of the Saints by 23 points and we kept in front for the rest of the game.

Round 16, in the second quarter and entering the third quarter, we were over 35 points down (over 40, at one point), until a third quarter burst of 5 goals and 3 behinds put us behind West Coast by only 13.

Round 17, Brisbane were in front by 3pts at three-quarter time, until a 7 goals and 5 behinds burst in the last quarter put us in front by 29pts.

Round 21, scores were level with Adelaide at quarter time until a second quarter burst of 6 goals and 4 behinds put us in front by 20pts and we retained the lead for the rest of the game.

Not to mention the QF and GF, where we got the lead in a short amount of time and maintained it.

It's called heart. It has nothing to do with the coaching. Your coach could be the best in the world, but if the players don't have the attitude or heart to do anything in any amount of time to win a game, they won't win as much as they should.

And I'm glad our boys have lots, and are passing it down to our younguns.

 

[manboob]

Haha the point I was trying to make was that I felt overall last year the cats were more consistent, less peaks and troughs in intensity over the 4 full quarters than in 2007-08-09-10.
P.S. (Be gentle I'm OS so I only get to see the games on TV).

It's called heart... And I'm glad our boys have lots, and are passing it down to our younguns.

Hells yes to this! Just watching GCFC, GWS, Melbourne, Richmond. Shows how important this is to breeding a winning culture (to use the cliche).

 

[Pure_Ownage]

Orren as sub and leave him there.

No, just no.

Apart from the fact that a ruckman as sub is tactically dumb, he needs the minutes to find the speed of afl and we need to give him at least 2 months before we write him off or not.

And playing a triple premiership player in the vfl, what's that going to tell us? For once I agree with vinum, we need to see what he can do.

People need to accept Dawson is a fair way off and running West into the ground asking him to ruck solo for the next 2 months isn't to our advantage.

We can revisit this in 6-8 weeks. Until then people just need to accept Orren is going to play.

 

[Pure_Ownage]

Re: who's going to the game?

Definitely going to the game, can't wait.

 

[The rabbi]

Re: who's going to the game?

Going to the game with my fossil brother.

We are going to the luncheon at the MCG where Jason Snell will be the speaker prior to the game.

May catch up with a few people at our designated bar after the final siren.

 

[vealesy]

Ill be there with bells on, i think this is the first hawks cats game ive ever been to.

 

[romeoh]

I am away and can't go-first one I've missed in 10 years. My brother - I usually go with him, will be there. Expect Geelong to win convincingly. Go Geelong.

 

[Vdubs]

Re: who's going to the game?

Definitely going to the game, can't wait.

31 on back?

 

[Boxhead_31]

Re: who's going to the game?

31 on back?

If there isn't then PO will have to hand in his Pod Squad membership card

 

[ANDYG5]

I usually book seats to this game, but does anyone know if I just scan in with my membership, will that just let me onto level 4? Any tips for getting better seats at the ground?

 

[Cataholic]

Does the forecast rain look like eventuating?

 

[themarkedman72]

Good luck cats!! Not that you need it!!

hope its another classic and both teams do us proud,with no injuries to either side.

 

[Boxhead_31]

I usually book seats to this game, but does anyone know if I just scan in with my membership, will that just let me onto level 4? Any tips for getting better seats at the ground?

From the Club Twitter

@CatsInsider members without reserved seats can access GA areas for #aflcatshawks listed here: http://www.mcg.org.au/Events/Upcomi...aspx?eid=d5a02b5d-3544-42da-ab40-c10b76a16d02

 

[witsend]

Good luck cats!! Not that you need it!!

hope its another classic and both teams do us proud,with no injuries to either side.

Cheers mate...
If this ain't a final, it feels like the next best thing!

 

[Jhye Clark 13]

I'm in a different part of the country but it bloody well feels like a final. The Geelong v Hawthorn rivalry between club and supporters definitely makes any match between these 2 sides finals like.

Why do matches involving these 2 sides(although only rd 2) make one nervous with excitement?

Go Cats.

 

[WWSD]

What will the crowd be today? With the rain i think anything over 60,000 would be a good result, considering the wheather and all. All the best to to guys, its going to be a cracker!

 

[SJ]

Re: Can we talk about the Hawthorn game now?

Please continue discussion in game day thread: http://www.bigfooty.com/forum/showthread.php?t=929424