Unofficial Preview Rd 22 Geelong v Fremantle at KP.. does it even matter ?

[Mr Blicavs]

I haven't seen much of Freo this year I have to be honest, it seems to me that they have a pretty decent list of players, does anyone have any idea why they have been such failures this season? Have injuries hurt them much?

Regardless of where they are on the ladder, or why they are where they are, we should be treating them like they’re the best team in the competition.
That’s been our downfall this year.....being complacent against the so called ‘lesser’ clubs.
Our attitude stinks at times.

 

[Macpotata]

60+

 

[Grimoz]

Regardless of where they are on the ladder, or why they are where they are, we should be treating them like they’re the best team in the competition.
That’s been our downfall this year.....being complacent against the so called ‘lesser’ clubs.
Our attitude stinks at times.

We should treat every team like that, unfortunately we are renowned for losing games that we should win and win easily, whether that is a mental thing or just plain laziness I dont know but we need to get that out of our system the next 2 weeks if we want to have any chance. I dont think Freo are as bad as ladder position suggests so im slightly concerned about complacency.

 

[Mr Blicavs]

Fyfe and Walters wont play, why would they risk them. But either way im pretty sure we will be switched on, I just hope we dont crumble under the pressure of having to win.

No Hill, a doubtful Ryan and two dodgy ruckman as well. It’s a trap!

 

[Baby Duck]

Sooooo anyway, apparently theres a footy match featuring Geelong this weekend.

On [device_name] using BigFooty.com mobile app

 

[00VicWard001]

Sooooo anyway, apparently theres a footy match featuring Geelong this weekend.

On [device_name] using BigFooty.com mobile app

The great thing about this situation is that over the last weekend and over the next two weekends, I'll end up watching a lot of games knowing that all the teams are actually going to put some effort into it. The season is finally interesting.

 

[Grimoz]

Sooooo anyway, apparently theres a footy match featuring Geelong this weekend.

On [device_name] using BigFooty.com mobile app

What? Your joking aren't you....don't spout that rubbish around here

 

[Grimoz]

Whenever I try and insult people, I get my stuff deleted. Must be my lowbrow humour.

You're just a naughty boy 00VicWard001

 

[Grimoz]

The great thing about this situation is that over the last weekend and over the next two weekends, I'll end up watching a lot of games knowing that all the teams are actually going to put some effort into it. The season is finally interesting.

The even better thing is that if Port lose and we win on Saturday i will happily be able to watch the rest of the games over the weekend, i lose all interest in other games when we lose.

 

[SydneyMalakellis]

@uestion re Menzel

If StKilda are courting him with a multi year deal, How is he feeling re the Cats at present
The reports say he wants to stay, but if as stated he is on $180 thousand on yearly deals and is offered $300 a year on a three year deal, we are compromised.
Personally I hope we sign him on a yearly deal, but think he is dreadfully underpaid.
What to do?
We lose his goal sense, I think we are in more dire straits than currently.
So many forwards missing, but he manages to get up for 15 games a year after 4 recos.
Please Cats, we must keep this man on Geelong's list

I bought $100 of merch from his MTMF brand. That's my Chris Grant 50 cent effort to keep him at the joint.

 

[frggr]

Does Essendon have anything to play for though? They might tank the last game in Adelaide which will cost us if Port beat the pies.

Depends on if the Dons beat the Tigers. They can still make the 8 if they do. If they don't beat the Tigers then their ladder position won't change much on the outcome of the Port game, so they might do it for pride.

 

[frggr]

I really hope the team is focussed on this week and this week only. Freo with Fyfe and maybe Walters back will not be a walkover. KP is an easier ground to defend on and Ross' constipated game plan is suited to it (QF '13 anyone?). Geelong has a bad habit of arrogance against perceived 'lesser' teams where they expect to win (Melbourne for Boris' 300th springs to mind). Geelong need to play this like their season depends on it - because it does!

Is Sandilands playing? If not, then at least we can't try the QF13 plan of 'Bomb it long to Sandi'

 

[Grimoz]

Is Sandilands playing? If not, then at least we can't try the QF13 plan of 'Bomb it long to Sandi'

His body would break down before he even got into our forward line!!!

 

[Spazz Cat]

I bought $100 of merch from his MTMF brand. That's my Chris Grant 50 cent effort to keep him at the joint.

Bet ya he hates that tight arse kid now.

 

[yeah_nah_yeah]

Had this in another thread but it got lost. I've noticed the below points throughout the year, especially in the second half of this year.

1. Zone setup around the ground. I know it is used to spread our presence around the ground and build up pressure, but it does allow the opposition to relieve the pressure by finding an open player with a pinpoint pass. Our zone may work against less skilled sides, but it doesn't fly against good kicking teams like Hawthorn. At least manning up within the forward 50 causes the opposition to kick long to a 50/50 contest?

2. Our tendency to throw out the game plan in the last quarter. We have seen it numerous times this year (against Hawthorn, Demons, Richmond) that in the last quarter, we throw caution to the wind, seemingly throw out the game plan used in the first three quarters and put on multiple goals. This probably cannot be used throughout the match due to fitness, but, It would be great to see this being used throughout the game, not just when we are 5 goals down in the last.

3. Skills & decision making. Kicking skills have been shocking at stages throughout the year so far, e.g. Thurlow's shocker against the Tigers, Guthrie's numerous blunders against Port and poor kicks against the Hawks (not just isolated to those two players). What emphasis is put on these skills at training? Obviously it's hard to replicate the pressure of a big game at the G, but it would be nice to know that these bad kicking incidents are being reviewed and plans put in place to improve.

Just as an aside, i have noticed that we are playing Duncan in a role, not too dissimilar to how we used Bartel in his later years, in the backline. He definitely has the right kicking skills for this role, but it looks to me like he doesn't enjoy playing there and his form is suffering as a result.

 

[Fyre]

Nobody is getting rested.
There’s a bye before week 1 of the finals. They can rest then.
Imagine the outrage if we dropped one of the last 2 games and missed the finals because we were ‘resting’ stars with the season on the line!!!!
Not going to happen.....it’s full steam ahead.

Normally would agree but just watching Joel the last few weeks suggests to me that he is tired. Don't think he's ever been so fumbley his whole career than what he is now.

Also, if they can't get over the top of Freo and GC at home missing 1 star, they don't deserve to be playing finals.

 

[frggr]

AFL.com.au posting a 'Classic Video' of the Miracle on Grass today.

Boy oh boy

 

[Johanpetro]

Anyone else worried Zuthrie is gonna be in this week?

 

[Daniel McL]

Anyone else worried Zuthrie is gonna be in this week?

Doesn’t matter to me this week actually. He won’t be the difference between winning & losing against Freo. If we can’t beat Freo at home we don’t deserve to be in the finals anyway. I think O’Connor should keep his spot but if they bring Zuthrie in for him I won’t be too fussed this week.

 

[BUSTER29]

Anyone else worried Zuthrie is gonna be in this week?

Im willing too let it slide as long as he is replacing his brother.

 

[catpremier 07]

Regardless of where they are on the ladder, or why they are where they are, we should be treating them like they’re the best team in the competition.
That’s been our downfall this year.....being complacent against the so called ‘lesser’ clubs.
Our attitude stinks at times.

Been our downfall for alot longer then this year.
We're not good enough to be as arrogant as we are against lesser teams.

 

[frggr]

When you look at it this way, this season has been pretty good

 

[OddYears]

Anyone else worried Zuthrie is gonna be in this week?

Don't even mention the name. One is more than enough.

 

[PatrickBateman]

When you look at it this way, this season has been pretty good

The problem though - the fringe just keeps getting rotated, again and again. There's little continuity. Can we say that any of the youngsters have improved significantly in 2018, Parfit maybe? We play poor 'team' footy, bottom line. This hurts the developing players.

It's a team of individuals, there's a group of exceptional players who are very competent, then the rest. Look at Hawthorn last week, a team of no-names got over us, yet we had probably the best 2-3 players on the ground. Richmond won a flag with the worst list (arguably) since the Pies in '90. Why? They're all invested in what each other are doing, and coached well. It raises the bar for all.

 

[Daniel McL]

PatrickBateman that avi