Preview Rd 11 Geelong V GWS Sat 25th May 2024 434 pm @ KP

[numbwombat]

Keen to see Neale against their 2nd/3rd best KPD, should kick a few with half decent delivery. Some ruck time too, while we test Conway in consecutive games.

O’Sullivan, O’Connor and Mannagh as emergencies (and not Parfitt) is interesting.

Will Atkins and/or Holmes be back in the main centre group with Mullin in the backline? Or King on the money with Miers at bounces.

Clark needs a full game - Tuohy’s turn for the sub, I think.

 

[bombersboy]

Sullivan, Mannagh and O’Connor the emergency’s

Glad Rohan isn’t playing, I know they play completely different football but Henry and Rohan cannot play in the same forward line

Parfitt stiff to be our first omission in a while, there’s a few other heads I’d be looking at first if it were me.

Neale essentially replacing Rohan?

No

 

[Just do something]

Really not sure about missing C Guthrie, Parfitt and MOC who all play through the midfield, and not bringing in Hardie or another mid.

Yep I share the same concerns

 

[And_ROOS]

Absolutely staggered to see O'Connor dropped, there was a time where no matter what he did he never got dropped.

Happy with keeping Neale in, the Bulldogs have been worse than us but they have had success with Naughton, Ugle-Hagan and Darcy up forward and wondered when we would try something similar since we have players who are superior but have similar profiles.

Its funny they have had that midfield 3, with Neale to likely play a similar role to Darcy as a forward who pinch hits in the ruck, and when JUH the other week was struggling they were suggesting he should do a Cameron and roam up the field a bit.

But having Neale and Hawkins forward while Cameron does what he does means that Taylor and Himmelberg can't double team Hawkins.

I am actually looking forward to this and hoping it works because Neale is a great shot at goal and athletic enough to cause headaches, and it means that when Cameron goes up field Hawkins doesn't get targeted.

 

[CatToTheFuture]

Keen to see Neale against their 2nd/3rd best KPD, should kick a few with half decent delivery. Some ruck time too, while we test Conway in consecutive games.

Might get that if he pulls on an orange jumper

 

[Just do something]

Said it a long time ago.
Hardie will never play a senior game.
If he was any good he would be playing.
Our midfield stocks are beyond low and he’s still not getting a look in.
It’s not rocket science to see that

So why did they keep
Him on the list then. It doesn’t makes sense. I’ve never seen the guy play and I know sometimes you get the feel with the player he may not be up to it but we could be developing another young mid.

 

[Heckler]

I'm neither an advocate for Hardie or a wet blanket on what he can bring. Just pointing out what I see as the rationale for why he's not seemingly all that close to getting a game in the seniors. There's certainly no harm in giving him a shot. But it's apparent that the M.C. still believes that there are preferable alternatives to try to resolve our midfield woes at this point.

The only part of the Hardie narrative that has really confounded me is the idea that the club hasn't treated him well. We gave him an opportunity to be on an AFL list, at a time when he probably thought the chance had passed him by. We've exposed him to the highest level of training and preparation for football that anyone could hope to experience. And we kept him on the list for this year, when other players in his situation have been cut by their clubs after only a few months.

So if he earns a game (or six) in the eyes of those in the know at the club, I'm fine with that. I just don't have any time for the idea that the club owes it to him to give him senior games, simply by virtue of him being on the list. The club might owe it to themselves to see what he can produce in the firsts, I admit. But as for being near enough to morally bound to play him (having already afforded him an incredible opportunity by bringing him into the AFL system in the first place), I can't see that at all.

Long way to go for Mitch, of course. But even if he gets no games with us and is delisted at the end of the season, he'll be front of mind for many list managers across the comp now if they're looking to take their chances on a mature-aged mid recruit for next year. That doesn't happen half as easily for him if he's not firstly on the list at Geelong. So the way I see it, he is much more in the debt of the GFC than vice versa.

And I genuinely wish him all the best in his quest to make it in the AFL.

Sadly Hardie may have fallen between the cracks
Haven't seen him play ... solely on conjecture
There are currently 9 players in the developing category playing
1: Hardie is unluckily one too many to develop atm.
2: Younger Mullin has better longer term value.
3: Hardie may gather possessions but may lack a needed attribute
Speed, Marking, Decisions, Kicking, Strength ... etc

Would love to see Hardie given a chance at AFL level.
Some guys play better along side other good players.
One game would give hope to so many late bloomers.

 

[Just do something]

We need a spark through the middle of the ground. We just do.

 

[catempire]

What are you reading into that?

The proverbial broken clock being correct once of two times in a season.

 

[Pure_Ownage]

Yep I share the same concerns

I assume holmes will play there this week as will clark (ie he wont be sub). Still i would have picked mannagh

 

[catempire]

At least there's fewer wrong positions for him to run to

 

[you pick one]

I reckon ACL for Naughton tonight in their game.

 

[James1970]

That's Parf done...for romance, was given the game at home, but even with such a depleted mf, he's failed too many times.

 

[Goggin Our Best]

Yep, Hardie has a nerve thinking that if he played really well in the VFL, led the coaches votes, he could be rewarded by a game in the AFL. What was he thinking? What were we thinking?

That is the best post on this forum in the past week

 

[catempire]

We need a spark through the middle of the ground. We just do.

That would be Mannagh from heaven.

 

[feelinfeline]

Parfitt and O’Connor lost their place due to too many quiet quarters or halves.

I hope this carries through to other players. You can’t turn up at half time (or not at all).

The O’Connor decision may be a turning point. Dropping Stanley or Parfitt - the fall guys or whipping boys - is par for the course. But it’s been a long time since O’Connor played VFL.

Surely Clark won’t be sub again. I’d say either Atkins or Bowes, or if Cameron doesn’t play, it could be Mannagh.

 

[Footy_Fan2007]

Neale-Cameron-Hawkins is actually going to be tried?

I am genuinely shocked

Cameron surely a late out.

 

[Turbocat]

Happy to see the word (omitted) next to Parf and MOC's name.

People talking about how good Parf has been, but not even holding his spot in this very poor and undermanned midfield is telling.

Surprised MOC copped the omitted and not managed tag... but I'm not complaining, he isn't B22 IMO.

Seems we want to fast-track Clark for next year. I was expecting him to get a rest after playing plenty of games and playing 6 quarters last week... He isn't flying, but you'd think it'll hold him in good sted for next year.

Hardie not even an emergency... I gotta feel for him a little bit... Not sure why we drafted him.

Hoping Mullin can get some more time in the middle and also fast-track himself to make a decent impact next year.


I'll take a win by 1 point here.

Congrats to Hawkins... The guy is a Geelong legend.

Thats the question… we have not been hitting out of the park with MSD.

 

[CatsDoItBetter]

Obviously some good ins, had to know if Rohan and Guthrie are actually injured or dropped. Guthrie’s career really in the balance and in danger of this being his last season. Great to see Conway keep his spot.
I’d love Hardie to be the answer in the middle as a bit of an accumulator but nothing I’ve seen in the vfl has showed he would offer much at afl level. Maybe he would impress playing at a higher level and I’d like to have a look but I’m not pinning my hopes on it.
Mannagh on the other hand I’d love to see play as a mid at afl level, he could really offer a point of difference in there.

 

[feelinfeline]

Cameron surely a late out.

I don’t think it’s worked only giving Stewart only a week out for concussion, so it’s possible they’ll be more cautious with Cameron.

 

[CatToTheFuture]

Cameron surely a late out.

Or he's playing wing all night maybe

 

[Kobe Gryant]

Obviously some good ins, had to know if Rohan and Guthrie are actually injured or dropped. Guthrie’s career really in the balance and in danger of this being his last season. Great to see Conway keep his spot.
I’d love Hardie to be the answer in the middle as a bit of an accumulator but nothing I’ve seen in the vfl has showed he would offer much at afl level. Maybe he would impress playing at a higher level and I’d like to have a look but I’m not pinning my hopes on it.
Mannagh on the other hand I’d love to see play as a mid at afl level, he could really offer a point of difference in there.

If Cam is genuinely hampered, then get him out of the seniors for a month and just get him right IMO.

Similar to Danger in '22, playing him when he's clearly not right doesn't help anybody, and it's only going to get worse as the wear & tear goes on.

Bite the bullet, and get him right properly, if this is just an injury rather than signs of the end.

 

[MisterMarcus]

The truth is that plenty of guys kill it at reserves level (sometimes for years) without ever really inspiring clubs to see their worth as senior AFL players. So if that fate befalls Hardie as well, he won't have been the first and he certainly won't be the last.

How do you know unless you try, though?

Give him a couple of games, if he's clearly outclassed then we can accept he's a "level above VFL, not quite good enough for AFL" type. But seems stupid not to at least give him a shot.

 

[Mr Meow]

I'm sort of amazed how much criticism Bruhn has copped for one poor game coming back from injury compared to Bowes who was much much worse in my opinion.

Neither are at the forefront of our problems and have had 25 odd games as Cats, with Bruhn's career as a midfielder starting at Geelong rather than GWS.

Both at their best this season have been decent and would work well with Holmes/Dangerfield. We just need another more accountable midfielder stepping up, i.e the 2023 version of Atkins.

 

[Mr Meow]

On paper, we have picked a team to play in the AFL this week that has to be about as slow and tall as we could possibly pick. If it's true that Hardie lacks speed and size, which i dont think it really is, then it wouldnt count against him anyway.

Maybe being thrashed lately in marks/contested marks, and on the narrower field, has made us size up a bit. Then O'Connor out for Duncan is a skill/decision making upgrade to help our counter attacks.

Blicavs and Cameron will be used as outlets on the wings while still maintaiing two big targets up forward. We looked hopeless with only 2 KPDs last week as well.

Parfitt and Guthrie are two slow omissions, while O'Connor and Rohan are the quicker ones to be left out.

I don't mind it, but Tuohy left in is a head scratcher for me. He surely only survived by the fact they had 4 changes lined up already.