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

[dazbroncos]

For the 11th time in 14 years, the Geelong Football Club are headed to the Finals series.

We dont know times yet, but we will be playing Port at the AO.

Our last performance was less than encouraging, but we also have a team that should be mirco focused on the task at hand and only be facing one or 2 changes at most - and none that are injury based AFAIK.

Land your thoughts here.

GO Catters

 

[catstorm]

Not ideal that Collingwood couldn’t get up against Port as I would have preferred to play Brisbane, and spent the entire finals series in one location but not much we can do about that now.

I feel we match up well against port, though Lycett could be a huge problem if Stanley isn’t fit.

obviously we beat them comfortably on a neutral cite but playing in Adelaide is a different story, and they did beat us last time we played them there.

I guess it will be interesting to see how we play off our first legitimate bye of the year, our form has been poor so maybe having that week off is a chance to get the heads on straight.

Anyway I feel our best is significantly better than Ports, whether we get our best is very much to be determined.

Geelong 10-20 points.

 

[frggr]

Fogarty and Simpson out for Close (or Steven) and Ablett will be the likely changes from the round 12 game, I'd have thought.

Adelaide Oval is a bit shorter and a fair bit narrower than the Gabba so that might actually help us a little. We've always played AO fairly well.

I usually hate the bye, but if it gets Stanley up and running, then I think we can all be grateful.

Tom Morris was suggesting Brisbane/Tigers on Saturday night, with Saints/Dogs Saturday afternoon, so this will likely be Friday night I guess.

Collingwood looked well off the pace and Port didn't really manage to dominate them - should be closer than the last game but I think we'll squeak through still. Just.

 

[bulletproof]

If we can somehow manage to avoid completely blowing the start and finding ourselves 4 goals down in 10 minutes we should be fine.

You just can’t rule it out though - a youngish, fired up team at home. The ingredients are there.

At this point, our mental scar tissue is more damaging than what our vast final experience helps.

This is in all other respects a very good match up for us.

 

[Two Planks]

Gary Rohan looked to be injured in the dying minutes of the Sydney game out on the far wing but nothing has been mentioned.

Fingers crossed.

 

[Down at K Park]

Did Sav play last time vs Port?

Really need to be switched on from the opening bounce. None of this lazy start, and only bother turning up in the second quarter, 5 goals down bullshit that has been a common theme in our recent finals history.

 

[Cataholic]

[/QUOTE]

The thing is, we've done just that in our last two starts, and only just managed to scrape through the last game.

Even more troubling is the consistency with which we have blown our starts / finals campaigns over the years with a lazy attitude and effort.

Port were really up and about after their win over the Pies...... They're coming at us with some real belief. I just pray we're ready.

 

[Hamingja]

Did Sav play last time vs Port?

No, it was the Hawkins show that consolidated our flawed structure. They left Hawkins one out while we were able to double and triple team Dixon. Something tells me we won't get a repeat of either in a final.

 

[bulletproof]

Gary Rohan looked to be injured in the dying minutes of the Sydney game out on the far wing but nothing has been mentioned.

Fingers crossed.

I think that was just exhaustion. He looked fairly up beat in rooms after game.

 

[BotsMaster]

Last time:

AFL Tables - Port Adelaide v Geelong - Sun, 5-Sep-2004 2:00 PM (2:30 PM) - Match Stats

afltables.com

 

[Spazz Cat]

Should do it comfortably. Last time was such a complete domination can't possibly see how they could have any answers.
I do not buy they lost on purpose.
Also Port don't play a finals brand and even on the off chance Dixon does clunk a couple he won't kick straight
Us by 28 after taking the foot off the gas in the 3rd qr.

 

[Sttew]

We won’t do it comfortably...we won’t do it at all if we play like we did against Richmond and Swans.

Minimal changes. If Stanley is fit he comes in. If not I’d be tempted to give Jenkins another shot. After all it was on AO that he kicked so many of his goals.

 

[cats_09]

In our previous encounter ran out comfortable 60 point winners - Hawkins kicking 6 goals, Rohan chipping in with 3, while the dangerous duo of Dixon & Gray were held scoreless - be great to see a repeat of said performance in this coming final, and for a return to the cohesive defensive unit that seems to have gone missing over recent matches

I guess the key question heading into the final will be the fitness of Rhys Stanley - a groin injury late against the Dogs and hasn't played since. Hopefully he'll get up for our finals campaign and help sure up our ruck unit which has been out of sorts in his absence - but if he isn't right to go not sure we can stick with Ratugolea, much rather see Fort given a chance

It was a bit of a lackluster affair against the Swans, can will be see other changes? Atkins was managed (out with general soreness), while Narkle is said to be starting to hit his straps at scratch match level

 

[Seeds]

Lets all watch hawkins get triple teamed for the first half and rohan be completely ineffectual.

then at half time scott changes it up and puts danger full foward. This whole game depends on danger having a night out at full foward.

 

[Seeds]

Should do it comfortably. Last time was such a complete domination can't possibly see how they could have any answers.
I do not buy they lost on purpose.
Also Port don't play a finals brand and even on the off chance Dixon does clunk a couple he won't kick straight
Us by 28 after taking the foot off the gas in the 3rd qr.

This game is in adelaide not brisbane.

port had just played richmond. Look how we just went after playing richmond.

this game is a final. Port had already sown up top 2.

port will have learnt from both their game and the richmond game about how to stop hawkins.

 

[Landgraft]

I'm on the 'hoping for a weekend final because I'm over Friday nights' train, personally.

 

[Art Vandelay_]

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.

 

[cats_09]

Lets all watch hawkins get triple teamed for the first half and rohan be completely ineffectual.

then at half time scott changes it up and puts danger full foward. This whole game depends on danger having a night out at full foward.

If Hawkins is triple teamed then I would assume that the likes Rohan, Ablett or Miers would be open - the midfielders & those distributing the ball inside 50 need to ensure they lower their eyes and hit the open targets, like we did after halftime against the Swans

 

[Seeds]

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.

But you have loved all those moves in the past. Actually you have gloated and mocked everyone on here when they have complained about them in the past. why have you changed your view?

 

[Herne Hill Hammer]

For the 11th time in 14 years, the Geelong Football Club are headed to the Finals series.

We dont know times yet, but we will be playing Port at the AO.

Our last performance was less than encouraging, but we also have a team that should be mirco focused on the task at hand and only be facing one or 2 changes at most - and none that are injury based AFAIK.

Land your thoughts here.

GO Catters

For the 15th time in 17 years, the Geelong Football Club are headed to the finals series.

Or if you only want to go back the 14 years then it's 13 times in 14 years.

Did you mean 11th time we've finished top 4 at the end of the h&a in the past 14 years? Because that's correct.

 

[Seeds]

If Hawkins is triple teamed then I would assume that the likes Rohan, Ablett or Miers would be open - the midfielders & those distributing the ball inside 50 need to ensure they lower their eyes and hit the open targets, like we did after halftime against the Swans

That woukd be true but if we are chipping it around the backline for 2 mins before eventually bombing it into hawkins in a flooded foward line as happened against richmond then it doesnt really matter.

 

[STPer18]

Isn't this the kind of game we usually lose?

 

[you pick one]

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.

 

[God Mode]

Lets all watch hawkins get triple teamed for the first half and rohan be completely ineffectual.

then at half time scott changes it up and puts danger full foward. This whole game depends on danger having a night out at full foward.

Hawkins wasn't getting triple teamed last time because we were either winning it clean out of the centre and kicking it to him before the Port players could flood back.

Or we moved it fast through the middle and had the work rate to get into position and the disposal efficiency to execute. Two things that have dropped off the last 2 games.

Let's hope we get back to the former otherwise the finals are going to look all too familiar.

 

[Seeds]

Hawkins wasn't getting triple teamed last time because we were either winning it clean out of the centre and kicking it to him before the Port players could flood back.

Or we moved it fast through the middle and had the work rate to get into position and the disposal efficiency to execute. Two things that have dropped off the last 2 games.

Let's hope we get back to the former otherwise the finals are going to look all too familiar.

We smashed richmond at the centre clearances. We had first use of the ball.