Preview Prelim Final Geelong v Brisbane Fri 16 Sept, 7:50pm @ MCG

[dazbroncos]

Still the top seed in the game after Wk1 of Finals after getting a QF win.

Dodged a bitor a bullet by getting over the line at the end.

LOTS of work to do and we really need to dig deep and get the players that had poor games out of their funk.... there's a N there people.... and get back to no double grabbing, no slipping over and dealing better with pressure or the at least the perceptions of its existence.

We know Kolo will be an out and probably Parfitt in. Will MOC stay sub again?

Still the week off wont hurt the guys being a bit sore and will help them freshen up - although CS post game forewarned no cotton wool this week.

So we will see what happens next.

Regardless.... lets have the D's and Liosn beat the snot out of each other this week.

I know its early for this thread but anything should be posted here related to the game rather than other threads.

GO Catters

 

[allrighty]

Still the top seed in the game after Wk1 of Finals after getting a QF win.

Dodged a bitor a bullet by getting over the line at the end.

LOTS of work to do and we really need to dig deep and get the players that had poor games out of their funk.... there's a N there people.... and get back to no double grabbing, no slipping over and dealing better with pressure or the at least the perceptions of its existence.

We know Kolo will be an out and probably Parfitt in. Will MOC stay sub again?

Still the week off wont hurt the guys being a bit sore and will help them freshen up - although CS post game forewarned no cotton wool this week.

So we will see what happens next.

Regardless.... lets have the D's and Liosn beat the snot out of each other this week.

I know its early for this thread but anything should be posted here related to the game rather than other threads.

GO Catters

Need to work on touch. The boys were rusty and it showed, plus the pressure was ramped up bigtime as compared to the last few weeks which were not that much of a challenge.

But once we got the systems going after a crap start it started to click. Perhaps we could also bring our own ball cos there were so many inexplicable bounces that did not go our way it was crazy.

But for me the main ones who need to get more involved and cleaner are Stanley (duh), Blitz, Tououhyhy, Henry, Hawk and Miers. To be fair all bar Stanley had their moments really, but if we get a bit more out of these guys and we are well on the way.

 

[catsfootyfan89]

We're perfectly placed to make the GF at this point. Melbourne and Brisbane are already battered as hell and now they'll have to face off in another grueling match just to get a chance to play us in Melbourne off the break. That's a perfect outcome. And this is why it's just so important to win Qualifying Finals, why it's important not to have injuries at this stage of the year, and why it's important to have a bit of luck. We have a pretty healthy list compared to others, we won the match and we got a little bit lucky too.

 

[GeelongFTW]

We're perfectly placed to make the GF at this point. Melbourne and Brisbane are already battered as hell and now they'll have to face off in another grueling match just to get a chance to play us in Melbourne off the break. That's a perfect outcome. And this is why it's just so important to win Qualifying Finals, why it's important not to have injuries at this stage of the year, and why it's important to have a bit of luck. We have a pretty healthy list compared to others, we won the match and we got a little bit lucky too.

How much better is this side of the draw looking compared to the other one?

 

[iameviljez]

How much better is this side of the draw looking compared to the other one?

Melbourne is still the 800-pound gorilla. Collingwood is a good side, but Adams out and de Goey hurt are huge blows.

 

[Wojcinski]

Out: Kolo (inj), MOC (sub)
In: Parfitt
Sub: Menegola

Henry full time in defence

 

[BotsMaster]

Last time:

AFL Tables - Geelong v Melbourne - Thu, 7-Jul-2022 7:20 PM - Match Stats

AFL Tables - Geelong v Brisbane Lions - Fri, 8-Apr-2022 7:50 PM - Match Stats

 

[standupand]

Need to work on touch. The boys were rusty and it showed, plus the pressure was ramped up bigtime as compared to the last few weeks which were not that much of a challenge.

But once we got the systems going after a crap start it started to click. Perhaps we could also bring our own ball cos there were so many inexplicable bounces that did not go our way it was crazy.

But for me the main ones who need to get more involved and cleaner are Stanley (duh), Blitz, Tououhyhy, Henry, Hawk and Miers. To be fair all bar Stanley had their moments really, but if we get a bit more out of these guys and we are well on the way.

I'd add Danger to that list.

 

[iameviljez]

I'd add Danger to that list.

Danger was excellent on limited game time IMO. Turned the game out of the centre a number of times. Efforts in the last minute were great too.

 

[standupand]

Danger was excellent on limited game time IMO. Turned the game out of the centre a number of times. Efforts in the last minute were great too.

Can't ever doubt his effort.

 

[catsfootyfan89]

What will teams learn from our QF in regards to tactics to beat us? Is there anything definitive that Mel/Bris will be able to bring to do to us what Collingwood almost did?

 

[allrighty]

I'd add Danger to that list.

Yeah I nearly did, but he was strong at the contest just a bit sloppy with disposal.

 

[CatsDoItBetter]

I think if O’Connor is going to play then he needs to be given a specific role. Both teams have some small forwards that he could go to to try and shut down.

Both Menegola and Parfitt need to come into the team even if one is sub. We need the extra midfield players to provide options. And although he can make some rushed decisions under pressure we’ve missed Menegola’s a bailout to cover the ground. He helps out in defence and provides options up forward only Smith or Blicavs match him in that.

I’m going to try my luck later today to get a ticket to get a look at our potential opponent.

 

[year of the cat]

Out: Kolo (inj), MOC (sub)
In: Parfitt
Sub: Menegola

Henry full time in defence

Parfitt in for Kolo but I'd keep O'Connor as the sub.

 

[bulletproof]

Get Parfitt into the midfield. Smarts around contest crucial v Melbourne. Move Blicavs back onto the wing to man Langdon.

In: Parfitt
Out: Kolo

Sub: O’Connor

O’Connor probably starts in place of Parfitt if we play Lions as will need one more defender v them.

 

[Mr Meow]

I think if O’Connor is going to play then he needs to be given a specific role. Both teams have some small forwards that he could go to to try and shut down.

Both Menegola and Parfitt need to come into the team even if one is sub. We need the extra midfield players to provide options. And although he can make some rushed decisions under pressure we’ve missed Menegola’s a bailout to cover the ground. He helps out in defence and provides options up forward only Smith or Blicavs match him in that.

I’m going to try my luck later today to get a ticket to get a look at our potential opponent.

Prefacing this by saying I rate Parfitt and was surprised he got dropped, but...:

What was wrong with our midfield, besides Stanley and Blicavs having shockers?

Selwood, Guthrie, Duncan, Atkins, Danger, Smith, Holmes were a fine unit after the shaky start subsided. Danger and Smith had blunders but the rest were match winners. Which of them need less minutes on ground than they did?

 

[Seeds]

Prefacing this by saying I rate Parfitt and was surprised he got dropped, but...:

What was wrong with our midfield, besides Stanley and Blicavs having shockers?

Selwood, Guthrie, Duncan, Atkins, Danger, Smith, Holmes were a fine unit after the shaky start subsided. Danger and Smith had blunders but the rest were match winners. Which of them need less minutes on ground than they did?

We were playing against a fairly weak midifield. Not going to be the case in the prelim. The mids was where we got destroyed in the prelim last year. Parfits arguably our most in form midfielder heading into finals. Desperately need his help to win the ball in the centre.

 

[GeelongFTW]

Kolo done for the year now surely? If he still was Stewart you'd risk him but he's fringe at best.

 

[patience]

What's wrong with De Goey? *besides the obvious

 

[Mr Meow]

We were playing against a fairly weak midifield. Not going to be the case in the prelim. The mids was where we got destroyed in the prelim last year. Parfits arguably our most in form midfielder heading into finals. Desperately need his help to win the ball in the centre.

See I actually rate Pies midfield, at least when De Goey is on like that and Pendles turns back the clock. They aren't super high for clearances or contested possessions but they generate plenty of run/chances.

I can see Parfitt coming in but I guess a few I mentioned need 10-15% less time at stoppages. Blicavs, Atkins, Danger, Selwood, Guthrie are the 5 regulars for the 3 stoppage spots, do many teams have 6?

 

[fpm84]

Would love to play the Lions but expect Melbourne will have the game won by HT similar to the last few times they’ve met.

We know Petracca and Fritsch are already banged up and hopefully they get a few more sore bodies from the game.

Beating Melbourne is simple in theory but not so much in reality - match them in the midfield. Their forward line IMO is the worst in the league but when Petracca, Oliver and Viney get on top the likes of Brown and Melksham can occasionally resemble decent footballers.

Our midfield will need to be at its best to match them and give us enough opportunities at our end. Parfitt in is non negotiable. He was out inj when we beat them at KP and will be desperate after missing selection v Pies. We need Selwood, Atkins and Danger to produce what they did v Pies again (I thought Danger was decent but he has most scope for improvement of the three).

Hawk and Jez only scored one between them at KP which fills me with confidence that they will surely hit the scoreboard more next time. Stengle kicked 1.3 and Danger kicked 0.4 that night too.

Number one priority will be finding a way to come out fresh and not rusty. I’m haunted by Port’s start in their prelim v Dogs last year which was eerily similar to us in 2016 prelim v Swans - the last time we won the QF and had the week off.

I don’t know what our sports science guys and coaches have planned for the next week and half but our premiership hopes almost rest in their hands.

Most of this post is redundant in the event that Brisbane win which has to be a slim possibility in a two horse race. They’d have to be respected if they break their MCG and Demons hoodoos in the same game, but I firmly believe we have them covered right across the ground and the result would be similar to 2011 prelim v WCE.

 

[CatsDoItBetter]

Prefacing this by saying I rate Parfitt and was surprised he got dropped, but...:

What was wrong with our midfield, besides Stanley and Blicavs having shockers?

Selwood, Guthrie, Duncan, Atkins, Danger, Smith, Holmes were a fine unit after the shaky start subsided. Danger and Smith had blunders but the rest were match winners. Which of them need less minutes on ground than they did?

One of our strengths this year has been the different midfield mix we can run through the middle.
Duncan played half the game in defence, Selwood spent a lot of time off the ground and Smith and Holmes rarely start in the middle.

It’s less about those players doing anything wrong and more about giving us more options to work with. The Lions/Demons midfields are better and deeper than the pies. When things weren’t going right on Saturday there wasn’t as many obvious changes that could be made. I just don’t want us to leave anything on the table.

 

[Mr Meow]

Would love to play the Lions but expect Melbourne will have the game won by HT similar to the last few times they’ve met.

We know Petracca and Fritsch are already banged up and hopefully they get a few more sore bodies from the game.

Beating Melbourne is simple in theory but not so much in reality - match them in the midfield. Their forward line IMO is the worst in the league but when Petracca, Oliver and Viney get on top the likes of Brown and Melksham can occasionally resemble decent footballers.

Our midfield will need to be at its best to match them and give us enough opportunities at our end. Parfitt in is non negotiable. He was out inj when we beat them at KP and will be desperate after missing selection v Pies. We need Selwood, Atkins and Danger to produce what they did v Pies again (I thought Danger was decent but he has most scope for improvement of the three).

Hawk and Jez only scored one between them at KP which fills me with confidence that they will surely hit the scoreboard more next time. Stengle kicked 1.3 and Danger kicked 0.4 that night too.

Number one priority will be finding a way to come out fresh and not rusty. I’m haunted by Port’s start in their prelim v Dogs last year which was eerily similar to us in 2016 prelim v Swans - the last time we won the QF and had the week off.

I don’t know what our sports science guys and coaches have planned for the next week and half but our premiership hopes almost rest in their hands.

Most of this post is redundant in the event that Brisbane win which has to be a slim possibility in a two horse race. They’d have to be respected if they break their MCG and Demons hoodoos in the same game, but I firmly believe we have them covered right across the ground and the result would be similar to 2011 prelim v WCE.

Great post but one pet peeve I have is "we have to match them in the midfield". Why? If your forwards are much better and your defenders can dominate their weak forward line, you don't have to equalise their midfield output. Sure it's not helpful to be smashed but that's as obvious as them saying they can't afford to let our forwards have a much greater impact than theirs.

 

[Mr Meow]

One of our strengths this year has been the different midfield mix we can run through the middle.
Duncan played half the game in defence, Selwood spent a lot of time off the ground and Smith and Holmes rarely start in the middle.

It’s less about those players doing anything wrong and more about giving us more options to work with. The Lions/Demons midfields are better and deeper than the pies. When things weren’t going right on Saturday there wasn’t as many obvious changes that could be made. I just don’t want us to leave anything on the table.

Yeah I get that but it's a numbers game for me. Parfitt gets about 70% time on ground so are we trimming 14% off the other 5 regulars I mentioned, or 30% off some and 0% off others? I really liked the time on ground numbers we had and our blokes absolutely looked fresher in the last term. It was Collingwood who were flagging. It's just an interesting dilemma to have because Kolo for Parfitt isn't like for like. MOC at least plays in the same part of the field.

 

[Mr Meow]

Also Lions midfield better and deeper than Pies? Seriously?

Pies have De Goey, Pendles, Crisp, Adams with a sprinkle of Lipinski or Sidebottom.

Lions: Neale is sensational but they dry up after that - Zorko, McLuggage, Lyons (injured). Bailey or Berry occasionally?

Demons at stoppages are Trac (injury cloud), Oliver, Viney and Brayshaw. High level but it's all them 4 really. Harmes will pinch hit but only at a Duncan or Holmes level.