Any big names returning for semi

[Jack-Packenham]

Ottens
King
Mackie
Riccardi

Any chance these guys will come in for the clash with freo ???

 

[jim boy]

Bomber hinted that King or Ottens may get a run considering the injury to Kingsley. But even if one were to take the field, I suspect it would be limited to 30 minutes. Riccardi I suspect would be no chance.

And your attempt at humour by including mackie leaves alot to be desired.

 

[Footypunter]

How about Chapman?

 

[Sammy D]

And your attempt at humour by including mackie leaves alot to be desired.

Well, he wasn't going to include H on that list was he?

 

[Rosso]

How about Chapman?

I would imagine that King, Ottens and maybe Chappy (still not sure why he pulled out on Saturday night) would come in with Kingsley & Rooke out injured while Spencer, Batch (although he looked OK in his first outing) & one or two others might be heading back to the VFL.

If both King & Ottens come back then Blake may be forced out (with Kingy & Otto sharing the ruck duties with Moons). I think that they will persist with Charlie, Nath & Tommi up forward unless Hank is declared fit coz our game plan on Sat night seemed to revolve around bombing the ball to our pack marking CHF. Unfortunatly we forgot to take one up on the plane with us so unless H is there the other 3 will remain.

Prismall looked better for the run and Stokesy showed enough to warrant a semi final birth (and also why he was AA as a 16 year old).

 

[carn_the_cattas]

King won't play if Ottens plays.
Ottens won't play if King plays.
I think we'll just have one in at a time, whoever is more ready.

 

[Strong hands Magee]

I dont want to see King or Ottens step footy on the ground on a match day until Round 1. If they did play, just so we could possibly win the NAB Cup - i would be really ********ed off!

Hopefully either H or McCarthy can fill the NAB Cup forward line void.

 

[JUBJUB]

Ottens
King
Mackie
Riccardi

Any chance these guys will come in for the clash with freo ???

Maybe H will make a comeback just to pi$$ you off for not mentioning him in the "big names".

 

[GeeCat]

If both King & Ottens come back then Blake may be forced out (with Kingy & Otto sharing the ruck duties with Moons).

Some perspective please: NAB Cup.

Forcing Blake out would be both cruel and idiotic at the same time by the selectors. Apparently King is ready to come back in. If so, the Gazelle must be jumping for joy (or leaping, more adequately). Would likely have been slaughtered by Sandilands, all in the name of learning.

And if Mackie is ready, bring him in.

 

[JUBJUB]

And if Mackie is ready, bring him in.

Mackie played a half in the VFL 2 weeks ago and played in the VFL last weekend,so he should be right to play.

 

[Jack-Packenham]

In: Ottens or King, Chapman, Mackie

Out : Kingsley, Rooke, Slade, Batchelor, Spencer

 

[Seb]

Some perspective please: NAB Cup.

Forcing Blake out would be both cruel and idiotic at the same time by the selectors. Apparently King is ready to come back in. If so, the Gazelle must be jumping for joy (or leaping, more adequately). Would likely have been slaughtered by Sandilands, all in the name of learning.

And if Mackie is ready, bring him in.

Word i heard is that King is not ready, but the big Otto is.

 

[GeeCat]

Word i heard is that King is not ready, but the big Otto is.

I'd heard Ottens was back training, not sure where he stands match-wise though.

 

[Rosso]

Bomber has said all along that he wanted King and Ottens to play one or two praccy matches before round 1. By my understanding there is two practice matches left so it's either NAB Cup or VFL for one, both or either. I wouldn't expect them to play in the VFL so NAB Cup it is. I know we don't want to have them injured playing in the preseason but on the other hand you don't want them underdone when round 1 comes along.

Lets face it, if we were bundled out in round 1 of the NAB Cup and Ottens and King were selected to play the last two regional challenge games in Dubbo & Timbuktoo there wouldn't be much concern. But because it's the NAB Cup, people (on this board anyway) seem like they want to avoid victory at all costs. These blokes need to get some match fitness into them before the season proper starts. Even the bombers and maggies are playing Hird & Buckley this week because they need some game time before round 1 so expect the big blokes to play this week.

 

[kriso182]

Ottens, Playfair, Wojcinski and Sam Hunt playing VFL this week.

http://www.heraldsun.news.com.au/footy/common/story_page/0,8033,18386280%255E20322,00.html

 

[catempire]

Ottens, Playfair, Wojcinski and Sam Hunt playing VFL this week.

http://www.heraldsun.news.com.au/footy/common/story_page/0,8033,18386280%255E20322,00.html

I reckon that means King will play in the NAB.

 

[GeeCat]

Bomber has said all along that he wanted King and Ottens to play one or two praccy matches before round 1. By my understanding there is two practice matches left so it's either NAB Cup or VFL for one, both or either. I wouldn't expect them to play in the VFL so NAB Cup it is. I know we don't want to have them injured playing in the preseason but on the other hand you don't want them underdone when round 1 comes along.

Lets face it, if we were bundled out in round 1 of the NAB Cup and Ottens and King were selected to play the last two regional challenge games in Dubbo & Timbuktoo there wouldn't be much concern. But because it's the NAB Cup, people (on this board anyway) seem like they want to avoid victory at all costs. These blokes need to get some match fitness into them before the season proper starts. Even the bombers and maggies are playing Hird & Buckley this week because they need some game time before round 1 so expect the big blokes to play this week.

Interestingly enough though, Bomber may decide to sit both of them out, if his media conference is anything to go by. Not sure when this was taken, but an extract:

Q: Bomber, Brad Ottens and Steven King, where are they off to this week?
A: Kingy won't play, Brad Ottens will play - whether he plays in the VFL or the AFL is yet to be decided. We're happy with both of them, and really it's all been focused on getting them up for Round 1, and it's not far away and they both need to play a couple of games, so everything's to plan really.
Q: What reasons would it be not to bring them straight in?
A: Just the intensity and the speed of the game. It's a very quick game, and in the VFL it doesn't matter how they play, they can run around and do what they want.
Q: Are you leaning towards one or the other at the moment?
A: Only one will play this weekend. (As for Brad playing in the VFL or the AFL) we'll see how he trains basically.

I'm confused. King is, apparently, still a week away, Otto is due to commence via the magoos if the report is anything to go by, and Bomber is still convinced one will play this weekend. Perhaps the old mind games, however odd they are.

Not sure if it's been reported elsewhere, but he also managed to mention that Kingsley has a grade one hamstring injury, which is effectively 21 days off (with 28 or so days till Round 1) and that Mackie, an apparent definite inclusion next week, is only a 50-50 for this week.

 

[tusk]

From what I heard this morning it sounds like Ottens will be replacing KK in the sqaud.

 

[JUBJUB]

Squad to play Freo

IN : Mr Mackie,Callan
OUT : KK,Rooke [inj]

Geelong squad: Jimmy Bartel, Andrew Mackie, Tim Callan, Josh Hunt, James Kelly, Kane Tenace, Joel Corey, Tom Lonergan, Paul Koulouriotis, Charlie Gardiner, Shannon Brynes, Matthew Egan, Cameron Mooney, Nathan Ablett, Mark Blake, Matthew Spencer, Mathew Stokes, David Johnson, Gary Ablett, Matthew Scarlett, Brent Prismall, Paul Chapman, Will Slade, Darren Milburn, Tim Sheringham, Nick Batchelor, Corey Enright, Cameron Ling

 

[Seb]

Glad to see sanity prevail and King/Ottens remain on the sidelines.

 

[ablettallica]

I'm disappointed that Otto is not playing in the Seniors this week. He would have provided a good replacement for Kingsley at Full Forward.

I hope we win the NAB Cup just to get the Premiership hoodoo off our back, even though I know it doesn't mean that much.

With Adelaide's big score against Melbourne in the other Semi tonight we would have to have a big win to get the final at the Fone dome.

Winning it in Adelaide would also make a big statement given our poor travel history.

We should beat Freo here, but they seem fair dinkum as they have a lot to prove coz of their average results last year.

 

[Shell]

With Adelaide's big score against Melbourne in the other Semi tonight we would have to have a big win to get the final at the Fone dome.

Winning it in Adelaide would also make a big statement given our poor travel history.
.

It goes on total goals scored over the NAB games. I believe we would have to pull off 20 of em 2morow night to overtake the Crows, which in this day n age just aint gonna happen!!

I totally and utterly put the blame on Melbourne, they should have put up a better fight. It'd be horrible if we beat Freo tomorrow night and then get beaten in yet another GF over in Adelaide. And it'd also be disappointing should we win it and not many Geelong supporters actually be at the game to see it!

 

[ablettallica]

Totally agree Shell. With our forward structure there is no way we will kick 20 + goals as will be required for home final.

As I said winning over in Adelaide would be huge.

If we win it tommorrow it would be something like 90 odd to 70 odd. Our backline is our strength and restricting the Frockers to 12 goals would be a fair effort.

Who do you reckon will matchup on Pav?

 

[Shell]

Totally agree Shell. With our forward structure there is no way we will kick 20 + goals as will be required for home final.

As I said winning over in Adelaide would be huge.

If we win it tommorrow it would be something like 90 odd to 70 odd. Our backline is our strength and restricting the Frockers to 12 goals would be a fair effort.

Who do you reckon will matchup on Pav?[/QUOTE]

No idea!! Cant say i pay much attention to the Freo side! But yeah, our defence is great and Scarlo never ceases to amaze!

And hopefully Bomber puts Nath in the goal square or something. He looked a little lost last week.

As for winning in Adelaide, yeah it would be huge, but like I said before, I'd hate to see us win our first flag in 43 years on the TV! (btw, who was the braniac that thought up this whole "most goals, home final" big idea huh? Any other year, next week would be in Melbourne no matter what!)