Game Day Geelong vs St Kilda, Mon Aug 10 @ GABBA, 6.10 pm

[cats_09]

Sorry to intrude but not sure where to ask on your board.

Fog and Simpson out as managed is interesting as I thought both would be best 22 now.

Is it because of the short turnaround and both be back next game?

Or are they just fringe best 25, will they both be back or just one?

Thanks in advance and good luck for tonight's game.

6 of one and half a dozen of the other

Simpson is maybe more on the fringe, but has been going ok with slotting in where required over recent weeks, and not totally surprising to see him managed for a match. Quite sure we'll see more of him as the season goes on

With Fog we need to remember that he's played 5 AFL matches in the past 2 years (between 11 Aug 18 & today), and 3 of those matches have been over the past fortnight - wouldn't be surprised if he's rest is more a pre-planned thing to manage his return to this level and not overdo things

 

[James1970]

Should be a cracker - possibly the biggest Monday night game of footy we've seen.

 

[Tony Barber]

I think we are feeling too confident on the back of a win against a team who are playing for draft picks so there is nothing to take away from that North Melbourne game at all.
The week previously, we jumped right out of the blocks against a team who will play in the grand final before they found their A game and ran all over the top of us just as they did to Carlton last night.

St Kilda have beaten Richmond and Port Adelaide already and they should do just enough to get by us tonight.

Ah, a pessimist. Nice.

So you think the players and coaching staff are feeling too confident about playing a side that is flying?
I don't think so mate.
And the club approach is all that matters.

I'd suggest that both saints and cats should just hope for a fun attacking game.
We as supporters can't control anything other than the chicken wings and beverages that we consume watching.

I still say this is the perfect model. 17 games, and every one matters

 

[Firenze]

Ah, a pessimist. Nice.

So you think the players and coaching staff are feeling too confident about playing a side that is flying?
I don't think so mate.
And the club approach is all that matters.

I'd suggest that both saints and cats should just hope for a fun attacking game.
We as supporters can't control anything other than the chicken wings and beverages that we consume watching.

I still say this is the perfect model. 17 games, and every one matters

I am all for 17 game seasons too. But it's television and its money that determines fixturing.

 

[Biggy_Boy]

It's the short turnaround I expect them back on Friday. 4 day break is requiring us to rotate.

We just happened to drop a group of fringe young players because of a quick turnaround. Seems like a more typical drop the young players to bring experience back in type move to me, particularly against fairly strong opposition. I doubt they see those three omitted in our best side.

 

[catscratchfever]

Perennial upstarts, longtime losers. Crush them, Caaaaats!

 

[Drunkcat]

I feel we are going all out in this game no debuts no kids bringing in, 33 players used this year we are 17th for players used no kids keep going back to same side so we better win tonight

 

[Biggy_Boy]

I think we are feeling too confident on the back of a win against a team who are playing for draft picks so there is nothing to take away from that North Melbourne game at all.
The week previously, we jumped right out of the blocks against a team who will play in the grand final before they found their A game and ran all over the top of us just as they did to Carlton last night.

St Kilda have beaten Richmond and Port Adelaide already and they should do just enough to get by us tonight.

Thus far this season we've appeared middle-of-the-road, probably deserving of bottom half of the eight. Clearly a class above the weaker sides we've played. I mean, we looked like globetrotters against North Melbourne. The umpiring was just piss-poor in the first quarter and then our goal kicking was even worse in the next, which is how NM stayed in the game so long. Only decent side we've beaten in recent times is Brisbane, and while that was a quality performance, it seemed we capitalised on inexperienced players dropping their heads a bit, whereas we have struggled to stick with more experienced top sides like WCE and Collingwood for full games.

These are important games for us coming up because it really establishes where we are in the pecking order. We stayed with Collingwood and WCE for much of the game, but outclassed in the end. A side lacking in their experience in Brisbane fell to us. St. Kilda and Port you'd place in the latter category as being good this year but not having that experience of being a top team over the last few years. Going into the Pies and WCE games, we could see where they would get us because it had happened before, and it pretty much played out like that. But with St. Kilda there's a lot of unknown. This particular incarnation of St. Kilda isn't one we've really experienced, so it's hard to predict how we'll deal with them. Geelong in the past haven't been too bad at working over the younger sides building momentum during the H&A (they leave themselves to get rolled in the finals). St. Kilda have been awfully impressive in recent games, however. Port as well of course.

Win 1 and be competitive in the other would be necessary benchmarks to indicate we are of a higher than bottom of the 8 chance this season.

 

[BlakeyNoFlakey]

This is going to be a match that will give us a clear indication of where the club sits currently. While I'm not sold on the Saints being a top 4 team at this point, they will finish in the eight and we could potentially face them in elimination finals. The Saints are playing corridor/fast play on style game and I do think the Cat's defense can mostly clamp that down a lot. So it will be interesting to see what the Saints do to counter it. This seems like a 50/50 game to me, but I do think the Cat's can win it. Let's just hope we get a decent shake from the umpies this game, cos overall the umpiring is the worst I've ever seen this season. Oh, and it would be nice to see Joel win the toss, can't remember the last time that happened.

 

[Tony Barber]

I am all for 17 game seasons too. But it's television and its money that determines fixturing.

You are completely correct.
But if we are to ever reset the bar then the time is now.

Negotiate with the players. I.e. Work 20% less, and your income will drop in increments over 5 years.
Accept 20% less media cash.
Cut down football departments.

They can do it if they really want. Someone like Selwood (for example) won't care that his income is cut 20% in five years time.
And neither will any recent draftees.


The issue is probably around stadium use to be honest.
Let's do this another day.

 

[cats_09]

 

[Turbocat]

Ah, a pessimist. Nice.

So you think the players and coaching staff are feeling too confident about playing a side that is flying?
I don't think so mate.
And the club approach is all that matters.

I'd suggest that both saints and cats should just hope for a fun attacking game.
We as supporters can't control anything other than the chicken wings and beverages that we consume watching.

I still say this is the perfect model. 17 games, and every one matters

Thats fine but who pays for it. This year is a unsustainable business model... no crowds to satisfy.... I dont think 8 or 9 home games would be greeted with agreement from the players for less in their pocket. 2 less games would probably be 3M dollars for GFC. I know I will not be paying the same for 3 less games a year thats for sure

 

[Turbocat]

Sounds like the type of buildup that means both sides concentrate on D... I wonder what the odds are on Geelong scoring 10 goals tonight ?

 

[Jhye Clark 13]

First goal: Hawkins
second goal: Hawkins
Most disposals: Duncan

Odds: $151

Gamble responsibly.

 

[Tony Barber]

Thats fine but who pays for it. This year is a unsustainable business model... no crowds to satisfy.... I dont think 8 or 9 home games would be greeted with agreement from the players for less in their pocket. 2 less games would probably be 3M dollars for GFC. I know I will not be paying the same for 3 less games a year thats for sure

That's the whole idea.
Economists can take care of that.

Don't increase memberships for 5 years and tier them if need be.
Get the aflpa to agree to no increases.
Have clubs accept a smaller dividend.
Have the broadcasters pay less but give them greater exposure. This year has now proven we can have a 6:10 game and run a double header if wanted.

There's tons of options.

Let's face facts. If you were starting the Comp today, it wouldn't be 34 games or 22.

Do you agree that for the first time in 30 years it feels like every game counts?
If yes, then that will lead to better broadcast revenue, and better ground attendance. Because no one wants to miss thier side playing.


We need an economic professor and a behavioural scientist.

 

[frggr]

I am very excited for this game

 

[cats_09]

Wonder if his new teammates have reminded him of the last time the Saints beat Geelong:

Then, with just under four minutes left on the clock, Jack Steven threw his boot on the spills of a ball-up on the point of the goalsquare to put the Saints back in front.

 

[Turbocat]

That's the whole idea.
Economists can take care of that.

Don't increase memberships for 5 years and tier them if need be.
Get the aflpa to agree to no increases.
Have clubs accept a smaller dividend.
Have the broadcasters pay less but give them greater exposure. This year has now proven we can have a 6:10 game and run a double header if wanted.

There's tons of options.

Let's face facts. If you were starting the Comp today, it wouldn't be 34 games or 22.

Do you agree that for the first time in 30 years it feels like every game counts?
If yes, then that will lead to better broadcast revenue, and better ground attendance. Because no one wants to miss thier side playing.


We need an economic professor and a behavioural scientist.

Dont increase? If Im getting less games..and paying the same..in real term I'm paying more. ..and that is not acceptable. I would insist that my membership cost was reduced in line with the games number ..basically 80% of what I'm paying now.

The debts that all will be in pre virus were based on the higher income, and now the debt will be huge. There is more chance of an extended number from 22 to 26 than less, add a mid year squash in QLD as TV games like we are seeing now. This is not the time to be considering less gross , its the time to be increasing gross.

Run a double header yes..maybe Fri night and less sunday but. that works this year due to the time constraints.. Normally TV will want product from Feb thru to Sept, 3 days across the week end. If we want dHeaders ... we need more games not less .... and then that brings in how do we satisfy crowds. Midweeks game to not match the GFC demographic, in either in Melb or Geelong, the supporter base are inconvenienced.

Do I agree every game counts? I'm not sure what you mean by that. All games count. They all are part of the broadcast agreement.

 

[Pure_Ownage]

We just happened to drop a group of fringe young players because of a quick turnaround. Seems like a more typical drop the young players to bring experience back in type move to me, particularly against fairly strong opposition. I doubt they see those three omitted in our best side.

I think it's more the players with less pre seasons in them are the ones that struggle to back up the most in the shorter breaks. I think you will find they are in our best side come finals.

 

[My Tilly]

Do you agree that for the first time in 30 years it feels like every game counts?

Feels the complete opposite to me.
This season is always going to be looked back upon with an asterisk.
Only those involved in the game will talk it up to keep some form of legitimacy to it all.

Really, like all the others sports around the world, they are only continuing to remain financially stable. It is millions of dollars to the AFL to get through as many games as possible in 2020.

 

[JohnZ]

Let's face facts. If you were starting the Comp today, it wouldn't be 34 games or 22.

NB This is massively off topic so I've hidden most of my post in a quote to try and compress it. Read the quote if you like.

You wouldn't have 18 teams with 9 in only one city either.

The facts are that we inherited a 22 game season from the 1970s when the VFL had 12 teams.

Thus giving every club a home game against every other club. A proper H+A fixture is the only fair fixture, that's why they implemented it in 1970. That's 34 games. If you want to keep the 22 games you either need 12 teams (not going to happen) or 24 teams across 2 divisions (more likely, but only just).

I reckon the 34 game season could work based on a couple of factors:
1. You accept that fact that teams don't get byes, but players do. So you have to balance your list
2. You might need to have a compressed fixture for some of the games to reduce season length.

Assuming 4 games played in 3 weeks, a 34 game season could have 20 games played over 15 weeks, with the other 14 games played over 14 weeks. Sprinkle the compression periods throughout, target school holidays. That's an extra 6 weeks (29 v 23). Get rid of the finals bye and you saved another week (5 weeks extra). That starts to sound doable. Finals would be the same so doesn't add/subtract weeks.

With increased TV rights, comes expanded lists to help it happen.

Period 1: 4 Games in 4 Weeks
Period 2: 8 Games in 6 Weeks
Period 3: 3 Games in 3 Weeks
Period 4: 4 Games in 3 Weeks
Period 5: 3 Games in 3 Weeks
Period 6: 8 Games in 6 Weeks
Period 7: 4 Games in 4 Weeks

Spread the Monday-Wednesday games around to ensure that every clubs gets 2 or 3 each as home games (out of 17).

 

[Jhye Clark 13]

Feels the complete opposite to me.
This season is always going to be looked back upon with an asterisk.
Only those involved in the game will talk it up to keep some form of legitimacy to it all.

Really, like all the others sports around the world, they are only continuing to remain financially stable. It is millions of dollars to the AFL to get through as many games as possible in 2020.

The uneveness of the draw this year is diabolical. It's completely compromised when you have WA teams playing at Optus in front of crowds for the rest of the year and Brisbane not leaving QLD then get a GF on their home ground. It's a complete farce.

 

[Play it Sam]

I am very excited for this game

Me too, and waiting for the laughs at the GDT melts.
The armchair thread has expanded this season, and with it, posters who take others heat of the moment comments a bit too seriously.
Hoping people can be prepared to interpret passion for what it is, and realise we all feel like dickheads the next day (if we win).

PS Not meaning your astute observations old frggr.

 

[cats_09]

 

[dazbroncos]

there was a GFC coach on KROCK just now...

you'll have to listen as I was busy so no summary tonight...

It was good the bits I heard however

Kolo - 100 games and a great teammate - cant kick a goal to save his life LMAO.

Go Catters