Preview North V Geelong at Blundstone, Sat Jul 31 @ 1.15 pm - Rd 20

[Sttew]

Miers creativity around goal and even further up the ground is something a lot of our players lack. Even though some of his kicks and tricks don’t come off it opens the game up. He’d be a big loss if he’s out.

His kicking was bizarre on Sunday (it is most days but he was shanking simple kicks). Makes you wonder if he went into the game with a problem

 

[kittypurry]

A Danger Game for sure. North are now putting together some good footy. I caught a Jaidyn Stephenson

2

Jaidyn Stephenson

Age

25

Ht

189cm

Wt

79kg

Pos.

Fwd

Career

Season

Last 5

D

13.2

3star

K

8.8

3star

HB

4.4

3star

M

4.7

4star

T

2.6

4star

G

1.5

5star

D

11.0

3star

K

6.7

3star

HB

4.3

3star

M

3.5

3star

T

2.7

4star

G

1.2

5star

D

12.6

4star

K

8.0

3star

HB

4.6

4star

M

3.4

4star

T

3.4

5star

G

1.4

5star

interview a couple of days ago and North seem like a happy club with a good culture who are very excited about their future.

That being said we look elite across the board. We only lose this if we switch off, which we have been known to do in the past to be fair. If we do that North will punish us. Thankfully our system is good at mitigating an opposition with the ability to pile on goals, like North. We also have the ability to pile on goals quickly. It's truly a treat to support such a dynamic club.

I'm hoping for a clean, sophisticated performance like we put together against Freo. We are the best wet weather team in the competition. It'll be a good test against good opposition.

 

[cats_09]

Let's go with the worst outcome, Miers season is over (it shouldn't but let's just run with it for a second), I don't think that's a bad thing to be fair.
Higgins probably spends more time forward, allowing Narkle to be in the 22 consistently and play in the middle where he shows genuine promise.
I really like Miers, so it's no slight at all, if anything it point towards our quality depth at the moment (outside the big key posts).

Not sure how Miers out opens up a spot for Narkle, especially if the likes of Dangerfield, Selwood, Guthrie & Parfitt are still playing. If we look at the starting 22 from Sunday, with no other injury concerns it would likely be a straight swap of Miers out & Higgins in - would still need someone else out for Narkle

Also, since returning from the bye, Higgins hasn't really been playing in the guts especially with the return of Dangerfield & even O'Connor to the midfield. Instead he's been playing more of a high half forward/linking role, and looking pretty settled in that role

If Miers season is over, it more than likely means that Dahlhaus, Close and Higgins are more settled in the 22 & playing similar to what we've seen since the bye - it doesn't open up a spot in our midfield

A spot for Narkle will open up if we lose a midfielder, especially an inside mid

 

[catempire]

Let's go with the worst outcome, Miers season is over (it shouldn't but let's just run with it for a second), I don't think that's a bad thing to be fair.
Higgins probably spends more time forward, allowing Narkle to be in the 22 consistently and play in the middle where he shows genuine promise.
I really like Miers, so it's no slight at all, if anything it point towards our quality depth at the moment (outside the big key posts).

Miers kicks and creates goals. Must replace that somehow.

 

[Drunkcat]

Selwood Smith Miers Close OUT..Holmes Evans Higgins Narkle Sub Clark

 

[cats_09]

Selwood Smith Miers Close OUT..Holmes Evans Higgins Narkle Sub Clark

Why Smith?

 

[Jhye Clark 13]

Why Smith?

Some suggest an elite runner needs a rest.

 

[Drunkcat]

Why Smith?

Don't risk him in Tassie that's why a rest will do him good....is that ok with you?

 

[Cataholic]

Good luck on the weekend. If the wind comes howling out of Antarctica it will be a lot closer than people think. It is one of the few grounds where you can have a five goal advantage due to the conditions.

I suspect we will be on your tail (ha ha) until three quarter time, and then run out of legs. We have literally travelled from one end of the country and side to side in the last three weeks.

I see a lot of similarity in North's methodology and Geelong's. Controlling the ball, marking and moving it around until an opening occurs; then bang.

Looking forward to seeing how the lads go against one of the benchmark teams.

Cheers

The wind there almost literally has razors blades in it sometimes, and there's been snow around Mt Wellington this last week or so I believe.

 

[B4Bear]

The wind there almost literally has razors blades in it sometimes, and there's been snow around Mt Wellington this last week or so I believe.

 

[cats_09]

Don't risk him in Tassie that's why a rest will do him good....is that ok with you?

You didn't give a reason, so wasn't sure if you were speculating about an injury... Is that ok with you?

And a couple of other things - pretty sure he's played more than a few times in Tassie, and watch how how you refer to Tasmania, you may not think much of the place but there's no need to refer to it as you are

 

[xtatik222k]

I'm not even going to entertain the idea of losing this game. It seems the Geelong of old who'd go to sleep against bottom-feeder clubs is a thing of the past. Interesting development, and much less stressful to watch. We should pummel them.

 

[Sire of Claude]

Mieirs would be a serious loss as he gets the ball and bobs up with sausages. Higgins now represents important depth, together with Holmes and Clark.

Narkle is probably not a small forward but he can replace Selwood and other mids.

Sav did very well indeed but it would be unrealistic to expect him to do it every week.

 

[dazbroncos]

Mieirs would be a serious loss as he gets the ball and bobs up with sausages. Higgins now represents important depth, together with Holmes and Clark.

Narkle is probably not a small forward but he can replace Selwood and other mids.

Sav did very well indeed but it would be unrealistic to expect him to do it every week.

Evans for Miers? ( pending medical report)
Higgins for close?
Go Catters

 

[Sticksman]

The start time for this game is 1.15PM. Would someone please change the name of the thread.

 

[BIGANT]

Would the MC be looking over their shoulder of where PA and Brisbane are circling and taking it 1 game at a time. Just seems like with the last few games with the challenges of the games put in front of us, they've responded accordingly and got the job done and keeping that 2 game break at best relevant. Knowing that, keeping t2 is pretty important and not letting PA or BL get a sniff at it. Another challenge awaits us this week in NM down in a comfortable environment for them. Go Cats

 

[Pollywaffle]

His kicking was bizarre on Sunday (it is most days but he was shanking simple kicks). Makes you wonder if he went into the game with a problem

Quite a few shocking kicks Sunday from players of both teams. wet weather? Sanitiser on the pills?? Some generally shocking kicks across the comp in last month or so..

 

[Psicosis]

Really interested to see how we go against you compared to last time.

There isn't a better side in the competition at strangling the opposition and denying the corridor then Geelong, so I'm keen to see how we approach our game plan (corridor, overlap run, slingshot from defense) against the best.

Tarryn despite being 21 is a pretty significant out with where we are at. His ball use is critical to how we want to play.

 

[BlakeyNoFlakey]

We didn't beat North easily in our first game against them this year. And given how the Kangaroos are playing at the moment, it won't be an easy rematch this time either. On paper, our side is better. Statistically, our side is better. But the Kangaroos will be wanting to get a big scalp and history shows that bottom teams can often pull off an upset at this time of the year against a top team. So they can't take North lightly this weekend.

 

[Down at K Park]

Will norf park the bus in our defensive half like last time?

 

[cats_09]

Will norf park the bus in our defensive half like last time?

That's the question - if they do it will be another poor game to watch but one we should be comfortable in winning

If they open things up more then it'll become a better game to watch, and may give them a better chance of actually keeping things tight

 

[Wojcinski]

While I guess on paper it was a relatively close game last time we played North, the final score of 10.17 77 to 7.5 47 indicates we had 27 scoring shots to 12 so a lot of our struggles were our poor kicking. To put it in perspective, we had +15 scoring shots vs North and the following week +17 against WCE, which we won by 97 points. North is an improved team from then but I think that we are also going a lot better and this should hopefully be a business as usual win and move on type game.

 

[standupand]

Would the MC be looking over their shoulder of where PA and Brisbane are circling and taking it 1 game at a time. Just seems like with the last few games with the challenges of the games put in front of us, they've responded accordingly and got the job done and keeping that 2 game break at best relevant. Knowing that, keeping t2 is pretty important and not letting PA or BL get a sniff at it. Another challenge awaits us this week in NM down in a comfortable environment for them. Go Cats

I think CS and the team will be well aware that realistically we can drop one game from here and still have T2 in our own hands. Out of all the games left, I can see this one being the one we drop. It's the last interstate game before our run of home games. And I always think that teams tend to struggle playing at grounds that are unfamiliar to them. Have we ever won a game down in Tassie? Hopefully we get the job done. But a loss won't be the end of the world. It could even send the hawks to the bottom!

 

[catstragic]

146 pt win incoming. Am getting on the piss already.

 

[And_ROOS]

Miers creativity around goal and even further up the ground is something a lot of our players lack. Even though some of his kicks and tricks don’t come off it opens the game up. He’d be a big loss if he’s out.

Confirmed out.