Preview Geelong V Essendon Sun Apr 30 1:10pm MCG - prob a country game

[CatToTheFuture]

Not real confident about Geelong winning - so i will take any win - and move onto the next game

Its interesting how certain opposition players are talked up by posters - 1stly Darcy of Frem who is just an ordinary ruckman - and certainly not a good ordinary ruckman - but according to some hes a blooody star

Now we have got Draper - well i will concede hes better than Darcy - but that is no glowing endorsement

Sure hes a big tall bloke so hes got a height advantage on most - i dont think he has done alot in his career so far - yet you read post after post that Draper is going to get hold of us and do this and that

In that last qtr Coll blitz - Draper was badly outmarked - deep in Coll forward - just eased out of the contest by a much smaller opponent - and i dont think he is that flash a kick - he missed a vital goal set shot up the other end

So im not to worried about the ruck battle - im much more concerned about Essendons overall run - and i think back to our game against Carlton and our 2nd half against Coll both at the MCG - and the ease which the opposition got control of the ball for large periods

Its so hard to evaluate - they were 5 goals in front of Coll at 3 qtr time - but how much of that was due to the 95k crowd so they were hyped right up- did they play above their normal standard ?

I will be fully convinced about Geel this year - when they put in a performance like round 1 last year ( which was against Ess but they are alot better this year ) where it is a clininical demolition right from the opening bounce - when the Cats put a performance like that at the MCG ( away from KP ) then i will be totally confident that they are right back to their Premiership best

Last week was similar to our rd 1 win last year.

 

[CHAWKTS]

This is Rohan from last match against Sydney:

View attachment 1672530


And this is Rohan against Hawthorn on the MCG
View attachment 1672531



Rohan has definitely stayed more forward his last couple of matches, but both are also prepared to work further to the ground

Rohan is so fast he catches them before they get to far!!

 

[Mr Meow]

Last week was similar to our rd 1 win last year.

Goggin prepared for this... astutely placing "at the MCG (away from KP)". Unfortunately you just activated his trap card.

 

[CatToTheFuture]

Goggin prepared for this... astutely placing "at the MCG (away from KP)". Unfortunately you just activated his trap card.

Oh God, what have I done

 

[patience]

Jed in. Cuthrie out.

 

[Cataholic]

And???? I just saw a ladyboy… I mean what’s your point?

Bloody hell mate...... there's some genuine excitement amongst Cat supporters about the encouraging progress being shown by an injured player who's so important to our backline and 2023 chances, and you mock it, and the poster by extension??

NOT the way to go here.

 

[Cataholic]

Ollie unhindered??? Can you tell him to run out more than 30m from goal??? He is a VFL player ATM yet brotherhood gets him a game!

You're not watching very closely, are you?

 

[Turbocat]

As an FYI for those going up on Sunday and wondering about GA seating:

GENERAL ADMISSION SEATING​

Please note, general admission seating areas are subject to change. Continue to check regularly for updates and check the general admission screens at your gate upon arrival to the MCG.

Shane Warne Stand

• Q1-4
• Q5-Q15 1/2 (rows S-DD)

Ponsford Stand

• Q31-Q36 (rows S-MM)

Olympic Stand

• Q49-Q55 (rows U-MM)

AFL Reserve
Please note, seating in the AFL Reserve is available to AFL members only.

• Q15-Q24 (rows K-DD)
• Q25-Q28

CHEER SQUAD AREAS​

Essendon: M3 (rows A-Z)
Geelong Cats: M33 (rows A-S)

Just looking on the Ticketek website.. There seems a lot of sold out tickets for seats.. Has anyone said what the predicted crowds is?

 

[Goggin Our Best]

Oh God, what have I done

Yeah i know about last week - but Geel have flogged alot of teams their

Our loss to Carlton at the MCG - and what have the Blues done since - someone flogged them by 10 goals then they kicked 1 goal in the 2nd half against StK - and looked utterly terrible

Sidebottom who is slowish and old had an absolute picnic in the 2nd half against the Cats

How Dangerfield played last week - ok he has got a heap of talent and pace that alot of others havent got - but he played with a real sense of urgency - and thats what id love to see with the whole Geel side

 

[And_ROOS]

Did I miss something? When did CGuth do a toe?

Does he have gout? Cam Gouthrie?

 

[cats_09]

Did I miss something? When did CGuth do a toe?

Does he have gout? Cam Gouthrie?

While in Adelaide for Gather Round - he was put through a fitness test before the match, obviously was ok to play on at the time but now decided to rest him

 

[Cataholic]

While in Adelaide for Gather Round - he was put through a fitness test before the match, obviously was ok to play on at the time but now decided to rest him

I'm sure I'm not the only one who believes he's quietly been carrying an injury of some sort, despite the fitness tests.........

 

[D BRIDGE]

I’ll take a punt at Dempsey being sub... if bot him then Knevitt once again.

Bruhn hasn’t played for the last 2 weeks and only getting 20mins of footy in as sub would not ideal.

Maybe they go Knevitt again as he still had plenty of minutes played so far this year even though he was sub last week.

I’ll take a punt and say Dempsey this time around.

Not considering Ceglar as an option.

Obviously things change if there’s a late out.

 

[Drunkcat]

Codswallop.

LOL have no heard that word in a long time

 

[Goggin Our Best]

Rohan is so fast he catches them before they get to far!!

Well to quote a legendary Rugby League coach - Jack Gibson

Look he is that quick - he can turn off the bedroom light - but be under the sheets before the light goes out

 

[CatToTheFuture]

I’ll take a punt at Dempsey being sub... if bot him then Knevitt once again.

Bruhn hasn’t played for the last 2 weeks and only getting 20mins of footy in as sub would not ideal.

Maybe they go Knevitt again as he still had plenty of minutes played so far this year even though he was sub last week.

I’ll take a punt and say Dempsey this time around.

Not considering Ceglar as an option.

Obviously things change if there’s a late out.

I'm going to go with Knevitt sub based on him being the only one of the players on that list to have played any footy in the last week.

Rohan as a potential late out as suggested here by others may bring young Ollie straight in over the top of Mitch however

 

[David the Cat]

Sidebottom who is slowish and old had an absolute picnic in the 2nd half against the Cats

Just pointing out that the "slowish and old Sidebottom" was superb in the Anzac Day game.

 

[Romeoh1]

LOL have no heard that word in a long time

Yep- an oldies word I guess!

 

[CatToTheFuture]

LOL have no heard that word in a long time

I had to google it

 

[small 4wards]

Rewatching our game from last year to try and get some perspective on what's changed.

Outs: Selwood, Dahlhouse, Higgins, Stanley, Stengle, Guthrie and Parfitt
Ins: Miers, O'Conner, Rohan, Duncan, O. Henry, Bowes (potentially Simpson, Bruhn, Ceglar and Knevitt)

Langford was injured early on in the first quarter and he's one of Essendon's best kicks which he's demonstrated so far this season as well but on our end we had Jezza go down in the second after a collision with Laverde. Our best was easily Hawkins and Dangerfield while Martin and Merett for Essendon played well. Martin will probably be scrutinised a fair bit more now given that was his debut game while Merrett back in is big for their midfield. We capitalised a lot off poor decisions the bombers made going out of their d50 which they've changed a fair bit this year and is a lot cleaner than before. That being said, I feel like our forwardline cohesion has gotten better as well since then with Dahlhouse and Higgins compared to Rohan, Miers and Henry being a no-brainer. In terms of Stengle, while he had four goals last time, I wouldn't say we overly rely on him in the same way as Hawk or Cameron structurally so I reckon the rest of our small forwards should be able to mitigate his absence.

I don't think Draper and Phillips will be a massive threat for our defence, even with Stanley out. We have a healthy amount of talls in defence now with Sav, Kolo and DK while they lack talls in their forward line with Weideman and Stringer being the main two targets (unless they swing Langford forward, which leaves them undersized in defence). I feel as though Blicavs as well could match Stringer or Phillips for running.

However, I do think that blicavs and DK against the two in the midfield could be a struggle particularly if its largely Blicavs getting tired out. If we manage to win clearances despite that, I dont see them stopping our forwardline in defence. The onus for this game to me feels like its largely on the midfield and half-backs/half-forwards to win contested balls and get clean transitions out of defence. Even still, I think we could win regardless but it would be a much grittier affair.

tldr: if we get in the f50 we win, if we can't we probably struggle over the finish line but still get there

 

[CHAWKTS]

I’ll take a punt at Dempsey being sub... if bot him then Knevitt once again.

Bruhn hasn’t played for the last 2 weeks and only getting 20mins of footy in as sub would not ideal.

Maybe they go Knevitt again as he still had plenty of minutes played so far this year even though he was sub last week.

I’ll take a punt and say Dempsey this time around.

Not considering Ceglar as an option.

Obviously things change if there’s a late out.

I agree on Ceglar (maybe out of hope! - although I reckon club is happy with ruck as is)

I would love to agree on Dempsey (want him to get a few chances this year) but I think they still with Knevitt as sub. They see his as more versatile (even a break glass back up to Blitz going down in game).

Dempsey is being pegged as that running forward and they have miers, close, Simpson as well as Henry and Rohan in the team plus the option to rotate Smith, Bowes, 2E etc forward….so I think unfortunately he is just too far behind to pinch an opportunity right now?

Now I think there are two possibilities for late change - 2E and Rohan…. both sore.

Maybe both will still play in which case I think Mitch sub. And Tanner plays full game in VFL. I think Dempsey will be “held back” as true emergency just in case there is a very late change.

But if one is out I think they put in Tanner and leave Mitch sub.

If there are two changes then maybe Mitch gets into 22 Dempsey sub? (Or the other way around

 

[Hamingja]

I'm sure I'm not the only one who believes he's quietly been carrying an injury of some sort, despite the fitness tests.........

I had it down to him cutting his hair.

 

[Cataholic]

I had it down to him cutting his hair.

Well, it all went pear shaped for Samson when he cut his hair, so you might be onto something.......

 

[Turbocat]

Did anyone say that - you just need to stop the hyperbole though

You open line is utter trolling that would have likely been reported multiple times if posted by an opposition as there's just no truth to it. Here's Henry's heat map from last week - 11 disposals with 6 of them outside the forward 50, and another 3 that look likely to be further than 30m from goal

View attachment 1672474




Here's his heat map for our clash against WCE the week before - again more than half his disposals further than 30m from goal, though he did spend more time closer to goal as we were firstly missing Rohan & then Stengle was subbed out

View attachment 1672475


Trolling the guy for the roll he's playing makes no sense - no doubt there's areas of his game he could work on, but he doesn't really have much issue working up & down the ground

Its not like anyone is saying he hasn't got things to work in ..but as it stand Ollie is 3rd on our goal kicking. He is doing his role. Like Rohan , im not expecting Nick Dacios stats.

Id like to see him be less chest mark orientated. Not as fussed on tackling atm but pressure thru work rate etc I was thinking id like to see him working up the ground more, yet your heat map shows its obviously a planned role. For him to not exit the f50 ... seems unusually locked in. Hawkisn and Cameron probably go out more than that. Thats what they must want.

If the mc is happy with his role , its not sensible for those outside to just throw darts.

 

[D BRIDGE]

Its not like anyone is saying he hasn't got things to work in ..but as it stand Ollie is 3rd on our goal kicking. He is doing his role. Like Rohan , im not expecting Nick Dacios stats.

Id like to see him be less chest mark orientated. Not as fussed on tackling atm but pressure thru work rate etc I was thinking id like to see him working up the ground more, yet your heat map shows its obviously a planned role. For him to not exit the f50 ... seems unusually locked in. Hawkisn and Cameron probably go out more than that. Thats what they must want.

If the mc is happy with his role , its not sensible for those outside to just throw darts.

I also noticed that about him.

He leaps so high that he can take high chest marks easier than most... but sometimes it's better to take it dukes out.

He has plenty of talent though and has looked really good on the lead a few times.