Changes vs Geelong

[Wild Bill]

Can't see us winning this one.

Top teams like Geelong bounce back and they have more than enough ingredients to get the job done.

Geelong by 28pts

Daw will be next to useless. Petrie to kick 3.

Yeah I agree. A lot of optimism in this thread but we are playing a team that has won 42 of the last 44 at the Cattery. No Johnson and coming back from WA gives us a chance but it is only a small one.

 

[Mullett]

I emptied out my sports bet account for us this week...

Stupid or smart it doesn't matter, I picked us to win against Freo and people laughed at me.. Have the same feeling today. People are still laughing... We will see

GO YOU. MIGHTY KANGA'S!!!!!

 

[tales129]

Had a dream we had a couple of late changes, mckenzie came in, and a debutant wearing the no. 33 kicked 3 in the first quarter.

That's close enough to wood surely!

Anyway when I woke up we had kicked 5-1 in the first q

 

[Daz]

I think McDonald and Atley should be enough to cover an underdone Motlop and Varcoe who's been poor of late I hear. That is if Scott doesn't make Luke sub again.

Don't forget Murdoch. He'll be the fastest player out there tonight.

 

[Roos29]

I hardly ever tip the favorite on a Friday night. Always feels like the underdog gets up, hope I'm right tonight!

 

[King Corey]

I really hope our players haven't been thinking about Geelong's trip back from WA, SJ missing or the cats losing the last couple.

This game has "North complacency game" stamped all over it. And I know, complacent against Geelong in Geelong. But I've never seen a group that's ahead of itself quicker.

 

[Wild Bill]

I really hope our players haven't been thinking about Geelong's trip back from WA, SJ missing or the cats losing the last couple.

This game has "North complacency game" stamped all over it. And I know, complacent against Geelong in Geelong. But I've never seen a group that's ahead of itself quicker.

I would be amazed if any club would travel to Geelong complacent. 42 out of 44 is enough to know you need to be on to be any chance.

 

[King Corey]

I would be amazed if any club would travel to Geelong complacent. 42 out of 44 is enough to know you need to be on to be any chance.

That's the bizarre part. This side gets a win or wins a quarter (or face a seemingly out of form opponent) and you see the self-satisfied inertia set in.

Hopefully we ditch that this round.

 

[Hearts to hearts]

Finally got around to the reply of the Lions game - Sam Wright was very good, better than I realised at the ground, defended well and was really important in giving run and movement off the back line and through the middle of the ground.

 

[Lavy_Panther]

What's the go with Fishy Mullett? Did he train at all this week? Did scans show that there was nothing structural but he'll be out of action until July 2019?

 

[Jack Reacher]

Yeah I agree. A lot of optimism in this thread but we are playing a team that has won 42 of the last 44 at the Cattery. No Johnson and coming back from WA gives us a chance but it is only a small one.

 

[Tas]

Can't see us winning this one.

Top teams like Geelong bounce back and they have more than enough ingredients to get the job done.

Geelong by 28pts

Daw will be next to useless. Petrie to kick 3.

And Top teams eventually stumble and slide and others take their place for their time in the sun for a while.

Question is will we be the the side that sees that old master starting to bleed and looking a bit vulnerable and go for the kill or will we sit on the sidelines and wait while someone else takes the opportunity.

You should have more faith in the side that you support. Sure, we may not rise to the challenge, but we have the tools to get the job done. I think we can and should do it, will be disappointed if we do not make the most of this opportunity.

Going to be wet-ish conditions and have Cunnington, Ziebell, Swallow and Greenhead in the guts and they have... Selwood.

 

[Jack Reacher]

On paper we're a definate chance, this just needs to translate into reality

 

[TooUglyForFugly]

And Top teams eventually stumble and slide and others take their place for their time in the sun for a while.

Question is will we be the the side that sees that old master starting to bleed and looking a bit vulnerable and go for the kill or will we sit on the sidelines and wait while someone else takes the opportunity.

You should have more faith in the side that you support. Sure, we may not rise to the challenge, but we have the tools to get the job done. I think we can and should do it, will be disappointed if we do not make the most of this opportunity.

Going to be wet-ish conditions and have Cunnington, Ziebell, Swallow and Greenhead in the guts and they have... Selwood.

I probably need to be told this more than anyone.

 

[Wild Bill]

Is that you after seeing Scott smiling after the Freo, Swans and Port game?

 

[Twinkletoes]

What's the go with Fishy Mullett? Did he train at all this week? Did scans show that there was nothing structural but he'll be out of action until July 2019?

Given that he missed with what was described as a "back related hamstring issue" I suspect they're playing it safe by giving him another week to recover, regardless of what they've stated.

 

[Lavy_Panther]

Historically speaking Geelong have been the best wet weather team in the league and North have been one of the worst.

This year with the way our game plan has evolved we've become more suited to wet weather football than the past, but Geelong in the wet are still a scary proposition.

We smashed them in the majority of the first game and the second game against them last year by denying them the ball by hitting up short leads along the wings. But that will be harder to do tonight for two reasons:

1. Greasy conditions;
2. Kardinia Park is narrow, much like Subiaco, so when you go along the boundary you run the risk of kicking it out on the full (happens a lot in Geelong).

Having said that, I draw confidence out of our game against Freo at a similar ground, and hopefully we can get some over the back ball and let our smaller forwards run into some open goals tonight, like against Sydney.

 

[Tas]

Given that he missed with what was described as a "back related hamstring issue" I suspect they're playing it safe by giving him another week to recover, regardless of what they've stated.

He has been running like he has a carrot up his arse all year, he hasn't been 'fine' all season. He needs to be rested and rehabilitated and return via the VFL until he looks 100%.

 

[Saintly31]

Going to be wet-ish conditions and have Cunnington, Ziebell, Swallow and Greenhead in the guts and they have... Selwood.

Just Selwood?

Think you are selling the Cats a little short in the middle there Tas.

 

[nicko74]

I am as nervous as heck already! Go Roos! I am tipping the Cats tho. 1 off the lead in my tipping comp

 

[Heaps of fun]

Just Selwood?

Think you are selling the Cats a little short in the middle there Tas.

It's surprising but the Cats inside mid stocks are very thin at the moment. Even with Johnson they weren't great, a lot resting on the young shoulders of Horlin-Smith and Guthrie. Kelly's playing down back this year, Chapman and Corey are gone. Tonight they'll only go in with one mid averaging more than four clearances while we'll go in with four and Andrew Swallow. But it's about stopping them on the rebound anyway, they'll let us win the ball if we don't use it well.

 

[Lavy_Panther]

Bartel...

 

[Saintly31]

It's surprising but the Cats inside mid stocks are very thin at the moment. Even with Johnson they weren't great, a lot resting on the young shoulders of Horlin-Smith and Guthrie. Kelly's playing down back this year, Chapman and Corey are gone. Tonight they'll only go in with one mid averaging more than four clearances while we'll go in with four and Andrew Swallow. But it's about stopping them on the rebound anyway, they'll let us win the ball if we don't use it well.

Yeah, fair point. I knew what Tas was getting at in terms of inside mids (and your numbers confirm that) and you are right about the way they play.

I still think though that the Cats have to be respected and they still have quality players who can step up and play important roles including inside. Plus as we have seen previously, sometimes we simply don't come to play and if that happens it won't matter how many extra inside mids we have....

 

[mattyk6]

He has been running like he has a carrot up his arse all year, he hasn't been 'fine' all season. He needs to be rested and rehabilitated and return via the VFL until he looks 100%.

I recall seeing after the Sydney win Fishy icing his foot in the rooms when they were doing interviews, so obviously hasn't fully recovered from the foot injury he got last year and had surgery on over the summer. That's why I think he has looked a bit flatter this year in terms of running, but I've also noticed he isn't taking many kick-ins compared to last year, and as he played on a fair bit to himself last year stats and having ball in hand look down. NDS and even Thompson have been taking kick ins. Hopefully the hammy can help rest his foot as well.

 

[Tas]

I recall seeing after the Sydney win Fishy icing his foot in the rooms when they were doing interviews, so obviously hasn't fully recovered from the foot injury he got last year and had surgery on over the summer. That's why I think he has looked a bit flatter this year in terms of running, but I've also noticed he isn't taking many kick-ins compared to last year, and as he played on a fair bit to himself last year stats and having ball in hand look down. NDS and even Thompson have been taking kick ins. Hopefully the hammy can help rest his foot as well.

I think it just hurts us when we have all these not even 80% fit guys in the side when the 100% fit guys struggle you know you are not going to get the 80% fit guys take charge, they are struggling at the best of times. Must play fully fit players.