Game Day Round 10 - Geelong @ Darwin - 16th May 2024 - 7:30pm AEST

[Jirik13]

Opportunity game for us but not a Mini GF and clearly Dimma is treating it that way.

Nonetheless what a valuable game changing 4 points it would be.

IMO, you need to work on your Mini GF algorithm

Clearly a critical game for us if we are thinking about finals. We can't afford to lose home games as we can't win on the road at the moment and better teams await us. You don't want to go to Melbourne playing Carlton while 5W:5L.

6W:4L would be a decent launch pad.

Dimma treats this game super important. You don't play players who can barely walk. Only 5 days break is a killer.

All good.

 

[thewizardmelon]

Throw the kitchen sink at this one, will never get a better chance to beat a top 4 team without their 2 key forwards and captain, in conditions completely foreign to them.

Could be in the 8, or at least put a gap between us and those below us at the end of the rd. Rest/rotate players for carlton in melbourne the week after and then come back at essendon at home with the confidence that we can beat the best sides. It's our time, we need to believe it.

Yet we’re resting Witts. No Witts no Suns as far as I’ve witnessed since he took over as the number 1 ruck.

Don’t see us getting close to winning with Moyle, as good as it is to get games into him/try keep him around - this wasn’t the game for it.

 

[KaySwizzle]

Expected changes, if not inspiring changes.

Gotta manage players off a short turnaround in Darwin. Witts carries a big load all game. Swallow back in the guts, but you’d think Humphrey and/or Davies will get plenty of time in there after last week.

Sexton could be sub, but so too could Davies if he’s a bit sore still.

 

[Jen2310]

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[Jirik13]

Cats went with youth

Age 25 years 8 months, Games 97

Suns
Age 24 years 7 months, Games 80

 

[Cheifkeith95]

Feel like moyle might be able to dominate, he is the vfl’s premier ruckman and he’s up against another backup ruck

 

[sunsofanarchy]

Yet we’re resting Witts. No Witts no Suns as far as I’ve witnessed since he took over as the number 1 ruck.

Don’t see us getting close to winning with Moyle, as good as it is to get games into him/try keep him around - this wasn’t the game for it.

My guess is that this rotation was planned well before we knew of Cameron and Duncans outs, probably could have guessed Geelong would rest Hawkins to let him break the club's games record at home. It is what it is, we're still good enough but the ins doesn't fill you with expectation.

 

[Jirik13]

Feel like moyle might be able to dominate, he is the vfl’s premier ruckman and he’s up against another backup ruck

He actually did a decent job in his only game this year. Pisses me off people don't see it. Also, people completely ignore that Witts was totally cooked.

You show them, Ned.

 

[KaySwizzle]

Moyle has only played against good ruckman at AFL level. He now goes against a less dominant opponent. This is his chance!

Midfield is still good enough. Will need Humphrey and Davies to give good representation though. Maybe Flanders too in bursts.

Backline is still a weakness.

Forward line got a bit weaker too. Hopefully the forward line operates well without Holman, as this could be a stepping stone moving forward without him.

So with Moyle, Mac and Day, we have to win the ruck and ensure that translates to midfield dominance.

 

[Corkie]

Touk just confirmed in an interview we are tagging Tom Stewart, whilst standing next to Tom Stewart.

 

[Young_Guns]

Rucks are going to be completely useless outside of the centre bounce anyway, so I’d rather a fresh Moyle going at it against another inexperienced ruck versus a buggered Witts who was clearly expected to play out both games but has pulled up stiff cos he’s carried the entire load game in game out, no matter what tweedle Dee and tweedle dumbass at SEN say.

Pretty expected changes all round. Fresh legs is key.

 

[SandyToes]

As I said
These are sports science selections with an eye to future fixtures


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[KaySwizzle]

Rucks are going to be completely useless outside of the centre bounce anyway, so I’d rather a fresh Moyle going at it against another inexperienced ruck versus a buggered Witts who was clearly expected to play out both games but has pulled up stiff cos he’s carried the entire load game in game out, no matter what tweedle Dee and tweedle dumbass at SEN say.

Pretty expected changes all round. Fresh legs is key.

Agree ruckman are not crucial in the conditions. But they are essential to get the ball forward and control territory.

We could see lots of throw ins and general stoppages.

So Moyle smacking it forward or just getting first use can help us control the pace of the game, if it comes to that.

 

[sunsofanarchy]

Conway is promising, only 21 and he's got a real opportunity to take the #1 ruck mantle

 

[robo_1]

Conway is promising, only 21 and he's got a real opportunity to take the #1 ruck mantle

Also like moyle only played 4 games

 

[MightyBloods]

Moyle has only played against good ruckman at AFL level. He now goes against a less dominant opponent. This is his chance!

Midfield is still good enough. Will need Humphrey and Davies to give good representation though. Maybe Flanders too in bursts.

Backline is still a weakness.

Forward line got a bit weaker too. Hopefully the forward line operates well without Holman, as this could be a stepping stone moving forward without him.

So with Moyle, Mac and Day, we have to win the ruck and ensure that translates to midfield dominance.

Where is Will Graham?

 

[thewizardmelon]

My guess is that this rotation was planned well before we knew of Cameron and Duncans outs, probably could have guessed Geelong would rest Hawkins to let him break the club's games record at home. It is what it is, we're still good enough but the ins doesn't fill you with expectation.

Maybe it was planned, but when we’re striving for finals and playing a top 2 side, bringing the backup in when he has been beaten handily at AFL level at every opportunity doesn’t make sense. Unless Witts really does need a spell but then you could argue you should have spelled him against the Roos.

Until I see it at top level, I’ve no faith in our ability to win w/out Witts. The evidence is just there when we don’t match it in clearances and midfield contested ball.

 

[CanYouFeelTheSunburn]

Yet we’re resting Witts. No Witts no Suns as far as I’ve witnessed since he took over as the number 1 ruck.

Don’t see us getting close to winning with Moyle, as good as it is to get games into him/try keep him around - this wasn’t the game for it.

Glad you said it, against the dogs earlier this season it cost us the game. We couldn’t win the ball out of the middle. Feel like if Moyle can’t hit out to our mids advantage and we don’t win it out of the middle it’ll cost us the game. Wittsy on the other hand puts the ball straight down our mids throat. Like others have said though Conway is inexperienced at a senior level so this Moyle’s chance to put a stamp on the game. Also not a fan of dropping Walter for Day.

 

[Young_Guns]

Also, Hawkins “managed” to avoid the raging Bull unleashed at CHB.

 

[RowellAnderson12]

Surely people expected these changes, 2 games in Darwin. Full squad to pick from, I understand the changes.

Both teams know whoever brings the pressure for longer wins the game. Names will mean f all in the end.

Bring pressure and we win, Geelong don’t know how to play in Darwin

 

[SandyToes]

Yeah-We had to beat North
After the Lions debacle we just had to so we chose a near full strength side and rested Fiorini and Swallow
I suspect had we beaten (ha ha) Brisbane you would have seen a mirror image of selections between Sunday and tomorrow night

 

[Ben Drever]

 

[Choppers]

Where is Will Graham?

On the Gold Coast. Where would you like him to be?

He played VFL on Sunday.....the AFLPA won't allow players to play off a 4 day break......and nor should they.

 

[lommy]

On the Gold Coast. Where would you like him to be?

He played VFL on Sunday.....the AFLPA won't allow players to play off a 4 day break......and nor should they.

Not sure that is exactly true. A lions player played two games in one day. 1 VFL 1 AFL.

I think he is just taking a planned rest.


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[GC2015]

GAME DAY!

A very rare nationally televised game for our team tonight.

What can our boys produce? Will we handle the bright lights well or will we fold under the pressure?

I think the Geelong players are going to be really shocked when the conditions start to set in and affect the game. IMO it'll really come down to which team can adjust the best throughout the game. Although it was against North, I thought our players adjusted really well after quarter time last week and got the reward for effort in the second half.

Certainly not suggesting this one is in the bag by any means but for those who may be wondering: A 1-30 point win gets us into 8th, a 31-55 point win gets us ahead of Carlton and into 7th, a 56+ point win gets us into 6th and ahead of Port Adelaide and a 100+ point win is required to jump ahead of the 5th placed Giants or 4th placed Dees on the ladder. Obviously that will change later in the week but that's where it stands right now.

Any kind of win and we're in the 8 for the time being. We've only been inside the top 8 beyond round 10 once before in our history and that was a decade ago in 2014.