Game Day QF2: Geelong vs Brisbane, Friday 5th Sept 7:40pm at MCG

[you pick one]

after all these years I'm still trying to work out if it's a good or bad sign when I want to throw up this early before the match

Always thought it was a bad sign when the girlfriend was throwing up in the mornings.

 

[you pick one]

Hopefully we don't allow them so many uncontested marks all over the ground.

Simple must cut the short 45deg kick off and force the kick down the line.

 

[catempire]

Teams that beat Geelong get a lot of uncontested ball and take a lot of marks. Brisbane is the epitome of this. Must take away the space, apply enough pressure and own possession.

 

[catsfootyfan89]

My gut instinct is that Brisbane have developed a game style suited to the MCG and suited to Geelong. They've proven that in recent encounters.

Posted this elsewhere, but I really do feel like bad conversion on our behalf has been one of the most decisive factors in our recent encounters against the Lions. Just need early conversion on them and need a cohesive team-effort. I don't think Brisbane has the wood over us as much as a team like GWS does.

Pull out all the stops today, Catters.

 

[you pick one]

The other funny thing ... I'm pretty sure that no matter what happens tonight, we're quite likely to go through it all again on GF day. The karma gods are probably gonna give us this win and then say, "so, do youse reckon youse can do it again??"

Anyway, I'm off to begin the journey inwards ... good luck to us all, and may the Spirit of Steven Handley guide our ruck fortunes.

Be harder next time with the 3 big blokes back for the lions Mac and Ernie plus Hipwood

 

[you pick one]

Teams that beat Geelong get a lot of uncontested ball and take a lot of marks. Brisbane is the epitome of this. Must take away the space, apply enough pressure and own possession.

It's a simple game.

 

[Kitcat]

They are, and have been, two fairly equal teams. They have won the last three, which in my experience of sport in general, usually means we will win this one.

 

[Tony Barber]

Completely off topic.
That day when you open your car windows, open the sunroof, and the battery completely dies.
Anyone got a tarp?

I am screwed.

 

[Mr Meow]

Teams that beat Geelong get a lot of uncontested ball and take a lot of marks. Brisbane is the epitome of this. Must take away the space, apply enough pressure and own possession.

4 of the 6 games Brisbane have lost this season they've had very high uncontested mark numbers (96+). The main differentiator for beating the Lions this year seems to be efficiency inside 50 differential. If they nullify your forward half weapons and make clean inside 50s difficult for you, it's basically game over. If you get them on their most precise field + goalkicking day it's much the same. Our pressure can help with the latter to some degree, but we need our midfield-forward connection and rebound from intercepts to be efficient. Attack is the best form of defence when trying to keep them on the back foot.

 

[dazbroncos]

Yeah sorry had to run from jimmy Kimmel after work to get fitted for my tux for Emmys on Sunday.

Thats done now - so lets kick straight.... be first to the ball.

No double touches and take the first option please.

And NO SLIPPING OVER..

Just ****ing win this...

GO Catters

 

[catempire]

4 of the 6 games Brisbane have lost this season they've had very high uncontested mark numbers (96+). The main differentiator for beating the Lions this year seems to be efficiency inside 50 differential. If they nullify your forward half weapons and make clean inside 50s difficult for you, it's basically game over. If you get them on their most precise field + goalkicking day it's much the same. Our pressure can help with the latter to some degree, but we need our midfield-forward connection and rebound from intercepts to be efficient. Attack is the best form of defence when trying to keep them on the back foot.

I haven't examined Brisbane's data but I'd be surprised if their uncontested and marking game isn't stronger in their wins.

For Geelong's part my point stands:

Losses: -44 UPs and -18 Marks
Wins: +8 UPs and + 20 Marks

 

[Tony Barber]

Yeah sorry had to run from jimmy Kimmel after work to get fitted for my tux for Emmys on Sunday.

Thats done now - so lets kick straight.... be first to the ball.

No double touches and take the first option please.

And NO SLIPPING OVER..

Just ****ing win this...

GO Catters

You're working on Kimmel? I love watching that guy.

 

[dazbroncos]

And no disrespect to Miers - but we need big bodies in the guts - today we put heads over it.

Cant shirk anything - today is 13 days from the PF with the week off.

Get in there.

GO Catters

 

[geelong_crazy26]

Yeah sorry had to run from jimmy Kimmel after work to get fitted for my tux for Emmys on Sunday.

Thats done now - so lets kick straight.... be first to the ball.

No double touches and take the first option please.

And NO SLIPPING OVER..

Just ****ing win this...

GO Catters

Is this legitimate?

 

[DangerHere]

I have a feeling that the winner of tonight’s game will be the 2025 premiers.

Cmon Cats

 

[cats_09]

Always thought it was a bad sign when the girlfriend was throwing up in the mornings.

No girlfriend, but even if I did - if she was throwing up in the morning, I'd want to know who the guy was as I know it ain't mine

 

[Lana]

Switch switch go did get picked off for about 5 Lions goals last time. They seemed to feast on us chipping at angles after slowing it down.

If you want nothing quick between the arcs you take away our strengths as an elite running team - especially Smith, Holmes, Cameron and Miers. We have used multiple tempos within games all season and that should remain the directive. We are more of a boundary outnumber team than through the corridor focused (this contrasts with Brisbane). Executing it well is the main thing. If you make mistakes Brisbane will feast on them and expose you no matter the pace you go at. They can surge back through congestion just as easily as having an open forward line.

I think Brisbane thinks that they're a better two way running team then us, and we want to avoid stoppages. I think our turnovers issue were caused by our over desire to move the ball through the centre to avoid Andrews. I think we should be looking towards safe switching and fat side ball favoured ball movement which will expoil the hybrid zones teams have favoured in the back half of the season where teams go man on man during the inital play to avoid the scramble that occurs as a zone breaks down.

I think they're good at moving fast enough that the zone isn't set up dense enough to prevent movement, I think the challange is setting up before they get moving. Once the zone is set up they'll have trouble forcing their way through it.
We tried some really high presses during the late point of the H&A season. We just need the territory to employ them.

 

[Kobe Gryant]

A bold strategy, given our clear strength for the year is quality of ball movement, while being the 2nd highest scoring team in the comp.

Reducing the match to trench warfare would not favour us IMO.

Thought exactly the same. Somehow managed to mention the worst case scenario for us as the ideal path to winning the game.

 

[cats_09]

I'm on the 3:10 from South Geelong and can confirm it's filling up with Geelong supporters

Good to see numbers getting up to Melbourne plenty early ahead of tonight

 

[IMCat]

I'm on the 3:10 from South Geelong and can confirm it's filling up with Geelong supporters

Good to see numbers getting up to Melbourne plenty early ahead of tonight

Quite a few on my earlier train too. Have just arrived and enjoying a Guiness at Y&J before looking around Fed Sq.

 

[Pooks]

Go Cats!!

 

[cats_09]

Quite a few on my earlier train too. Have just arrived and enjoying a Guiness at Y&J before looking around Fed Sq.

I had been aiming for the 2:50 train but there was a pretty nasty looking accident on the way in to the station which caused bit of a delay

When you can clearly see the flashing lights of emergency vehicles it was crazy to see how impatient other drivers were in both approaching the area of the accident and then their need to immediately get to 100km they moment they were past it - mind you the speed limit drops to 80km about 200m past the accident


When I realised the situation i took a step back in my mind and said, I've got plenty of other trains I can catch this afternoon - this delay is minor compared with the situation that emergency workers had to deal with

 

[Mr Meow]

I haven't examined Brisbane's data but I'd be surprised if their uncontested and marking game isn't stronger in their wins.

For Geelong's part my point stands:

Losses: -44 UPs and -18 Marks
Wins: +8 UPs and + 20 Marks

It's stronger in their wins for sure, I was just pointing out they've lost 66% of their games this year moreso from the difference in forward half efficiency as opposed to their uncontested game getting shut down. But I accept your point about Geelong's losses having a strong correlation with being dominated in that facet.

My observation from our losses has been poor efficiency inside 50 and failing to take care of the ball. It just sets us on the back foot against teams that know how to go coast to coast off turnovers. Poor goalkicking days also don't help, as we are not the best at defending kick ins.

 

[Lana]

I haven't examined Brisbane's data but I'd be surprised if their uncontested and marking game isn't stronger in their wins.

For Geelong's part my point stands:

Losses: -44 UPs and -18 Marks
Wins: +8 UPs and + 20 Marks

I'd be surprised if there isn't a general overall trend for most teams in changes in stats differentials for wins vs loses

 

[Cats_R_Cool_4_Ever]

Jezza is due for a big game, just at the right time!!!

Baz is there along with a selected amount of players that weren’t this time last year.

Should make the difference. Even though they defeated us at Geelong but we play our best football at the G now!

Look forward to this contest.