Preview Qualifying Final v Port Adelaide at AO, Thursday 1st Oct at 7:40pm AEST

[frggr]

I stumbled across the equivalent thread to this one for Port Adelaide fans. The posters here are so much more interesting. Over at PA every second post has the F word and is mostly denigrating Geelong players. Plus very little humility. I like the mix of positive and negative, fear and angst of Geelong supporters and the humour.

That's something I've noticed too actually. The Geelong team board is fairly balanced and has a good vibe. I think we tend to "scare off" the loose unit types you see on other team boards.

Not to be a brown-noser, but I think a lot of that has to do with how the Geelong board is moderated too. Very even handed, can take a joke etc but doesn't suffer fools.

It's a pleasant place to be, that's for sure.

 

[Finknottle]

Let's just admit that up forward Danger can get the ball, have an impact, but we all get nervous when he lines up for a shot at goal.

I get more nervous when he gets the ball between the defensive 50 or around the midfield. It could end up anywhere.

 

[My Tilly]

Do you ever tip Geelong? We were never really good enough this year , right?

That person you mention would have to be most well-balanced or neutral poster on this entire board.
Tips us all the time when we are looking the goods. In fact, surprised he's nervous right now.

 

[Cats_R_Cool_4_Ever]

Glad we are the first final. Don’t have to wait around all weekend for us to play and takes the pressure off them being the first to play imo, the players will perform better without that added pressure on them.

 

[Play it Sam]

I like the idea of devine intervention.

John Devine? Champion player, will be watching from Colac.
Alas, aged 80, probably praying for his own share of divine intervention.

 

[My Tilly]

John Devine? Champion player, will be watching from Colac.
Alas, aged 80, probably praying for his own share of divine intervention.

A few of him in the team and all forwards would have one eye looking over their shoulder.

 

[Farmer2Goggin]

I get more nervous when he gets the ball between the defensive 50 or around the midfield. It could end up anywhere.

Beg to differ - Dangers field kicking has been awesome over the last few games.
Heck - he even nailed set shots on Sunday

 

[Play it Sam]

Let's just admit that up forward Danger can get the ball, have an impact, but we all get nervous when he lines up for a shot at goal.

Haha. Now is not the time to discuss the elephant in the room.
Positive: he knows AO pretty well.

 

[Play it Sam]

That's something I've noticed too actually. The Geelong team board is fairly balanced and has a good vibe. I think we tend to "scare off" the loose unit types you see on other team boards.

Not to be a brown-noser, but I think a lot of that has to do with how the Geelong board is moderated too. Very even handed, can take a joke etc but doesn't suffer fools.

It's a pleasant place to be, that's for sure.

To be fair, I'm surprised at the Ports board patience with our little stirrer friend Finknottle.
Would have been immolated by Dawks mods before he could take a second breath.

 

[Finknottle]

To be fair, I'm surprised at the Ports board patience with our little stirrer friend Finknottle.
Would have been immolated by Dawks mods before he could take a second breath.

Guilty as charged. A little hit and run. I couldn't resist a cheeky reply to a cocky poster who suggested it was a forgone conclusion that Geelong would crack under pressure.

 

[Finknottle]

What I'd like not what I expect we will get.

Backs:Bews Blitz Henry

HB:Tuohy Taylor/Henderson Stewart

C: Duncan Selwood Menengola

HF:Ablett Hawkins Parfitt

FF:Miers Jenkins Rohan

Ruck: Stanley Dangerfield Guthrie

IC:O'Connor Clark Kolo Dahlhaus.

Rotate Jenkins and Dangerfield as the deepest forward when one or the other is having a run on the ball
Tuff call splitting one of Taylor or Henderson to mis not so much the other two Sav and Steven.

I thought it was strange the way Jenkins came in for 1 game, looked ok, but was out the following week. 1 week is not much to go on. The selectors kind of burned that bridge.

 

[Play it Sam]

It will be an entirely different game than last time. As Chris’s Scott would even say if we just roll up with the same game plan as last time an expect it to happen then we’ll be in for a rude awakening.
It’s @ AO , our form has dipped, they will plan better for Hawkins and Dixon, their intent and pressure will be greater and our finals flops are in our heads.
But port won’t win the premiership so we have a good shot.
No excuses!

Notwithstanding finals pressure and lowering expectations from 10 goal win to 5 goal win, can they plan for Hawkins/Danger/Ablett?
Learn and plan from the defensive smashing they were given? What can they change-kick straighter, win more stoppages?

Winning form is good form-we've been winning, as have they. Personnel? Same side for them, add Ablett for us (minus Fogarty, Simpson).

Is the last result against us (or 119) more psychologically challenging to them than ours?
The best laid plans of mice and men- sure to go astray Kenny boy (unless the skills are there to act on them)
Which makes my only concern our slow starts. Let them get the jump and the narrative falters.

 

[Seeds]

Atkins needs to force his way back in and we need pace. I'm not even sure what Atkins inury was either. Was it ribs again?

Also, out of any ground in the AFL this is the one that suits our system and structures the best other than KP.

I agree but it wont happen. Atkins has not been dropped in two years. When he was injured for a month earlier in the year they brought him back into the side. Even dalhaus came back through the vfl after 3 weeks out. Not atkins.

 

[Seeds]

I thought it was strange the way Jenkins came in for 1 game, looked ok, but was out the following week. 1 week is not much to go on. The selectors kind of burned that bridge.

He didnt look ok. He looked utterly terrible. Like a player who should of retired 3 years ago. Could not jump. Could not run.

 

[Gavin Excell]

Glad we are the first final. Don’t have to wait around all weekend for us to play and takes the pressure off them being the first to play imo, the players will perform better without that added pressure on them.

Yes that’s true.
Can’t afford to get blown off park early otherwise it’s over

 

[Gavin Excell]

Winning is non-negotiable.

No left field selections, no too-smart-by-half late changes, no playing no ruckman.

K.I.S.S.

If we make one assumption, that Richmond continue to beat Brisbane easily then we must win. Win this and we are a good shout at a GF, we’d then be on the same side of the draw as BL, Dogs and Saints. Lose and we end up on the Eagles, Pies and Tigers side.

Just win.

Ah sh!t had completely forgotten the left field, look-how-smart-I-am team and positional selections that Scott can’t help himself with.
Hawkins to CHB?
Parfitt one out goal square?

 

[FredLeDeux]

Ah sh!t had completely forgotten the left field, look-how-smart-I-am team and positional selections that Scott can’t help himself with.
Hawkins to CHB?
Parfitt one out goal square?

Actually, that Parfitt idea might be worth trying.









Don't worry, I'll give you the writer's credits when I float it to Scotty.

 

[Turbocat]

Ah sh!t had completely forgotten the left field, look-how-smart-I-am team and positional selections that Scott can’t help himself with.
Hawkins to CHB?
Parfitt one out goal square?

we would probably get more from Jack Steven being one out in the square.. or at least a small running around creating forwardline pressure havoc.

 

[Gavin Excell]

we would probably get more from Jack Steven being one out in the square.. or at least a small running around creating forwardline pressure havoc.

I was sort of joking....

 

[Turbocat]

I was sort of joking....

Parfitt offers something thru the middle ..so I can see that you would be joking..

 

[PzBlinky]

I really liked him, tbh. Burbury was more than a dour forward- he had some zip and tenacity, played like there was no tomorrow, but after he got his jaw smashed by Nick Maxwell in a preseason game, he did not come back the same. The massive weight loss with those injuries did not help his cause.

Incredibly painful jaw break for Australian rules football player | Daily Mail Online

Geelong player George Burbury breaks his jaw during an Aussie rules football game after a bad tackle in a match against Collingwood.

www.dailymail.co.uk

https://www.perthnow.com.au/sport/geelong-cats/geelong-coach-chris-scott-backs-george-burbury-to-play-senior-footy-in-2014-despite-broken-jaw-ng-85d008471ed161ee7123a83

https://media.balls.ie/uploads/2014/02/Bg6S9y1CcAAj4xA.jpg

The coaches clearly saw something in him, and he certainly didn't lack courage. I thought he was a bit of a long shot, since most of those coming in without playing much of the game growing up struggle (I think he'd come from rowing?) - Blics being the obvious exception.

 

[Landgraft]

That person you mention would have to be most well-balanced or neutral poster on this entire board.
Tips us all the time when we are looking the goods. In fact, surprised he's nervous right now.

Why are we putting this much thought into how people on the board tip?

Some do through gut feel, others numbers, influenced by recent results, some have superstitions... none of which is reflective of whether or not you actually want the team to win. I don't think Vdubs tips Geelong much at all (maybe more likely to in longer term threads, such as the month ahead) but what does that have to do with him supporting the club or not? Nobody would stay on here year after year, win lose or draw, if they didn't care.

 

[Munich]

Glad we are the first final. Don’t have to wait around all weekend for us to play and takes the pressure off them being the first to play imo, the players will perform better without that added pressure on them.

That's a worry if it's coming down to which day they play. I remember a Sunday final once where we ripped North apart and didn't break a sweat. Do you think that team cared which day they played?

 

[Chinacats]

Notwithstanding finals pressure and lowering expectations from 10 goal win to 5 goal win, can they plan for Hawkins/Danger/Ablett?
Learn and plan from the defensive smashing they were given? What can they change-kick straighter, win more stoppages?

Winning form is good form-we've been winning, as have they. Personnel? Same side for them, add Ablett for us (minus Fogarty, Simpson).

Is the last result against us (or 119) more psychologically challenging to them than ours?
The best laid plans of mice and men- sure to go astray Kenny boy (unless the skills are there to act on them)
Which makes my only concern our slow starts. Let them get the jump and the narrative falters.

Yes expectations should be for a win. Anything else is a finals flop.
I forgot to mention the bye. Add that to the equation too.
Another first finals loss and loss after a bye would be almost hilarious if I wasn’t a cats lover.

 

[Chinacats]

Ah sh!t had completely forgotten the left field, look-how-smart-I-am team and positional selections that Scott can’t help himself with.
Hawkins to CHB?
Parfitt one out goal square?

Sav probably plays then. If everyone thinks Sav should be out. Scott will play him.