Preview Preliminary Final: Geelong Cats v Brisbane Lions - 7:50 PM Friday the 16th of September

[Thomasno]

Cal Twomey and Riley Beveridge have both completely written off the Lions as any chance of winning the flag

"Not as good as the other 3", I quote.

I am biased but in my honest opinion I think this is very lazy journalism. At the very least, please back up why you think we're not a shot and why we are not as good as the other 3 teams. Bring the evidence if you want your opinion to be respected, because as it stands your opinion means SFA without any reasoning to back it up.

I guarantee that they think we’re not as good as the other three because the two big losses to Melbourne stick in their minds. Well guess what Cal you dickhead, how’s that looking now?

The three teams left, that are supposedly better than us - Sydney (comfortably beat them), Collingwood (oh we comfortably beat them too), and Geelong (lost by 10 points at their home ground but we played like garbage).

 

[Thomasno]

Geelong is more disciplined than Melbourne an have next to zero injury worries.

Unlike others I think it's a bigger test. Don't care how we match up with them or whatever else ,they're experienced, well coached and hardened.

Jeremy Cameron hasn’t trained properly in 2 weeks. Their midfield would rival this board’s members as “oldest group of guys interested in football”, and Danger has looked a shadow of himself all year.

I get why Geelong are the short odds, I’m not disputing that at all because they deserve to be. But they’re just as “unbeatable” as Melbourne and Richmond were before them. I think it’s a bit ridiculous to completely write us off like everyone has already.

 

[martinson]

I guarantee that they think we’re not as good as the other three because the two big losses to Melbourne stick in their minds. Well guess what Cal you dickhead, how’s that looking now?

The three teams left, that are supposedly better than us - Sydney (comfortably beat them), Collingwood (oh we comfortably beat them too), and Geelong (lost by 10 points at their home ground but we played like garbage).

This finals series has shown that H/A history means zero.

This week is a massive test for us . Of course we can win ,but we need to go up another level imo . Melbourne were wounded and cooked last week. Geelong are not as far as I can tell.

We need to bring our best . We had a peak performance last week . It's possible we can roll them if we can find similar intensity of our last half for a whole game.

 

[Elixuh]

We may still lose, but I feel less worried about our prospects going into a game against Geelong than I did against Richmond and Melbourne.

 

[Thomasno]

Thought the exact same thing, is there another team left in it that has our momentum and form going forward? I’d think not. Also outside of Geelong we’ve had the best form over the previous few years, even this season outside of a couple games at the end (mainly to teams we’ve already knocked off) we were sitting top 2. I saw Melbourne as our main challenge this finals series and I’m sure the players probably did as well, not to say we’re thinking the grand final is won but I’d imagine the self belief in the group would be at an all time high and they know what it takes to play their best footy and get the job done.

Not too mention our forward line is most dangerous left in it, our midfield is performing a lot better since the introduction of more running and defensive mindset which is allowing our backs to win their contests and stop oppo scores, our transition footy is back and when we’ve been able to control the footy we’ve been able to cut up both Richmond and Melbourne quite consistently.

Having said that I like going in as underdogs and think we’re as good a chance as any at going the whole way this season.

You mentioned the forwards and midfield, so I’ll chuck in that the last couple of weeks Harris is back to AA form and Dizzy remembered how to play. Huge out in Adams for this game because he monsters Hawkins, but I’m sure we’ll figure something out.

 

[Lazza16]

Few of us have Kayo. Tell me to turn on Foxtel at a time and I've no idea what you're on about.

They said He was on the next show at 730....I didn't know the name of the show.....sorry for sharing.

 

[Thomasno]

One of the teams left hasn't won a game against the other 3 teams, and it isn't us.

No but you don’t understand, we’re clearly not as good as the others. Cal and his merry band of bullshitters said so.

 

[Quested]

So Cameron has been carrying a hamstring injury and had some sort of sickness the past week. The whole team not played in 2 weeks, I still can't work out if that's a benefit or hindrance. If any other player had a niggle it would help there, but otherwise that's a long time for doubt and second guessing to set in.

 

[Saucery]

Friday 16 September​

Summary
Min 10 Max 17

Showers possible rainfall: 3 to 6 mm

Chance of any rain: 90%

Melbourne area​

Cloudy. Very high (90%) chance of showers, most likely in the afternoon and evening. Winds northerly 15 to 25 km/h increasing to 25 to 35 km/h during the morning, turning northwesterly 20 to 30 km/h during the day and easing to 15 to 25 km/h during the evening.

 

[Kernel Kurtz]

This finals series has shown that H/A history means zero.

This week is a massive test for us . Of course we can win ,but we need to go up another level imo . Melbourne were wounded and cooked last week. Geelong are not as far as I can tell.

We need to bring our best . We had a peak performance last week . It's possible we can roll them if we can find similar intensity of our last half for a whole game.

The first place where we can be better is by not kicking it straight to them with less than 30 meter kicks and possibly marking the ball instead of spoiling 5 meters straight to an opposition player. If we do spoil , to a less dangarous area (Payne)
These things are just nerves , possibly I would say Joey back in the front replacing Fullarton eliminates a couple of those dinking turnovers last week in our attacking half, as Joey goes for goal or gives it at least a bit of height so we can contest or .
On the same line of thought McStay down back instead of Payne or possibly rotating with him also imo, and obviously others, might sure us up a bit.
Although Payne did okay in a couple of great transitions.
I see Forte V Payne being an interesting choice.

 

[DERRINALPHIL]

Geelong has played North and the Eagles twice this year and so have had the easiest draw possible.

I am more confident this week than last week,

Our big forwards stood up so far in this finals' series. If Hippy and Dan can kick six between them. we will win.

Have a look at how Melbourne struggled to score with Brown and Jackson not even getting a shot at goal. They could only scramble shots at goal in the second half with little blokes(and Petracca) having desperate snaps.

I'm already planning for the parade.

 

[snooplions]

I don’t recall the bulldogs being written off each week of the finals in 2016 like this when they were coming from 7th.

 

[M Malice]

I am more confident this week than last week,

I'm already planning for the parade.

 

[Nunez]

I don’t recall the bulldogs being written off each week of the finals in 2016 like this when they were coming from 7th.

Meanwhile we were a covid game off finishing top four and the only team to belt us throughout the year were Melbourne...who we just eliminated.

We beat Sydney and the Pies and while Geelong have made 8 of the last 11 prelims, they have also lost 6/11 prelims. Imagine if that was Fagans record?

Happy to travel as underdogs, it suits us.

 

[Gadzorks]

Friday 16 September​

Summary
Min 10 Max 17

Showers possible rainfall: 3 to 6 mm

Chance of any rain: 90%

Melbourne area​

Cloudy. Very high (90%) chance of showers, most likely in the afternoon and evening. Winds northerly 15 to 25 km/h increasing to 25 to 35 km/h during the morning, turning northwesterly 20 to 30 km/h during the day and easing to 15 to 25 km/h during the evening.

Ugh. Horrible. Introduces a lot more luck than in good weather, and also becomes a more physical, fighting in the trenches game. Both teams will get beaten up.

 

[The Flying Belgian]

Ugh. Horrible. Introduces a lot more luck than in good weather, and also becomes a more physical, fighting in the trenches game. Both teams will get beaten up.

Some forecast models show any rain easing off around first bounce, but yep, looks likely to be a wet deck.

 

[Kevvo]

Ugh. Horrible. Introduces a lot more luck than in good weather, and also becomes a more physical, fighting in the trenches game. Both teams will get beaten up.

Not bad if you have a good set of small forwards though.

 

[nup]

last week the rain held off, hopefully it does again this week

 

[Viceregal]

Ugh. Horrible. Introduces a lot more luck than in good weather, and also becomes a more physical, fighting in the trenches game. Both teams will get beaten up.

Sydney/Pies approve of this message

 

[LionsOrDieTrion]

Wet weather suits us, name a wet weather game we lost in the last 4 years.

 

[irel]

Fellow supporters, please don’t get so emotional with media personalities not picking us to win? WGAF. They can say what they like. The only validation that maters is the final score on Friday night.

 

[Lion_LegacyXL]

Wet weather suits us, name a wet weather game we lost in the last 4 years.

Bulldogs in Ballerat

 

[martinson]

Coming into this finals series many on this board said we wouldn't get past the first week let alone beat Melbourne . The same ones who'd written us off now think we're a better chance against Geelong than we were in those games. Sentiment is driven by winning games.

We were entitled to beat Richmond ,had a super chance against a wounded Melbourne and now face a bigger test imo. We don't really have the same momentum as the Bulldogs in 2016. They won week 1 by 47 points and week 2 against the flag favorites Hawthorn by 23 points.

We've gained a lot of self belief and can win this week but it's harder and we need to play better for the whole game. That means players like Rayner and Bailey improve on last week , Berry gets off of course , Daniher puts in as he can when he's on song, McInerny is completely right , and Andrews ,Payne and Gardiner don't let their gun forwards have a day out.

I'm hopeful without getting carried away.

 

[Thomasno]

Bulldogs in Ballerat

That was more the gale force winds that did it over the rain lol

 

[Thomasno]

Okay boys and girls, I’ve had a change of heart. We’ve done enough this season for me to be happy about the growth/future of the club already. I now want us to win the flag for one reason, and one reason only:

To see Hardwick, the Tiger army, and the Richmond Football Club as a whole implode with unfettered rage.

They’re still going on about it over on their board, it never ends. Apparently the AFL invited Hardwick to tour the ARC, and he did so with the clubs legal counsel in tow. They genuinely think they’re going to sue the AFL and win. Talk of a class action lawsuit, it’s hilarious.

If that isn’t enough motivation for the boys to get it done on Friday (and next Saturday), I don’t know what is.