Preview Round 14 - Essendon Bombers vs Geelong Cats - campaignerry Game - Saturday June 14th - 4:15pm at the MCG!

[silk]

Welcome to the Rosa Era! I said last year I’d only do these silly previews if Dodoro was gone from the club; such is my power that I‘m taking full credit for his departure.

Jokes aside, there is something different about the choices Rosa has made and the team he is trying to put together. Skills and competitiveness seem to be of a much higher priority than in previous drafts. It’s been a more enjoyable season overall, despite the injuries, and probably too many wins again, and some shocking games and quarters, than I’d have thought.

And yet all that will come undone this week, as our season will once again be royally crushed by Geelong once again… for it’s so often been Geelong who have defined our seasons.. Next year though.. Look out… for me to post a near identical preview if I’m stupid enough to do them again.

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The round that was

Essendon Bombers vs **** Carlton

Dogshit first quarter set-up the result; but gave them a scare at least. Lual looked better at AFL level than VFL, surprisingly.

Imagine how many games we’d win if we could hit a target going into our forward 50 instead of bombing it in.

CARLTON 6.4 8.6 9.8 11.12 (78)
ESSENDON 1.1 4.2 8.3 11.4 (70)

GOALS
Carlton: Williams 2, Motlop 2, Curnow 2, Saad, McGovern, Fantasia, De Koning, Acres
Essendon: Wright 3, Gresham 2, Perkins, Martin, Lual, Guelfi, Duursma, Caldwell


Geelong Cats Vs Gold Coast Suns

Ordinarily, the Suns don’t beat Geelong at Alphabeat Soup Stadium, and of course, this week was no different.

GEELONG 2.2 4.4 6.7 9.7 (61)
GOLD COAST 0.2 3.3 4.3 5.7 (37)

GOALS
Geelong: Stengle 4, Atkins, Humphries, Close, Dempsey, Miers
Gold Coast: King, Rowell, Long, Walter, Humphrey

BEST
Geelong: Holmes, Atkins, Stengle, Miers, Henry, O’Connor
Gold Coast: Jeffrey, Rowell, Powell, Humphrey, Fiorini

INJURIES
Geelong: Neale (ankle)
Gold Coast: Anderson (Chest)

LATE CHANGES
Geelong: [PLAYERCARD]Bailey Smith[/PLAYERCARD] (hamstring) replaced by Ted Clohesy
Gold Coast: Ethan Read (tactical) replaced by [PLAYERCARD]Sean Lemmens[/PLAYERCARD]

SUBSTITUTES
Geelong: Mitch Duncan (replaced Neale in the second quarter)
Gold Coast: [PLAYERCARD]Ben Ainsworth[/PLAYERCARD] (replaced Leo Lombard in the third quarter)

Crowd: 29,502 at GMHBA Stadium

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The Last Time We Met

Yeah…

GEELONG 3.2 6.4 11.6 16.9 (105)
ESSENDON 4.2 7.3 8.3 9.6 (60)

GOALS
Geelong: Stengle 3, Dempsey 2, Cameron 2, Rohan 2, Duncan, Neale, Holmes, Bowes, Blicavs, Close, Knevitt
Essendon: Stringer 2, Wright 2, Gresham, Merrett, Hind, Guelfi, Langford

BEST
Geelong: Dempsey, Bowes, Holmes, Tuohy, Rohan, Stewart
Essendon: Caldwell, Durham, Merrett, Martin, Guelfi

INJURIES
Geelong: Nil
Essendon: Nil

SUBSTITUTES
Geelong: [PLAYERCARD]Mark O'Connor[/PLAYERCARD] (replaced Mitch Duncan in the fourth quarter)
Essendon: Nik Cox (replaced Harry Jones in the fourth quarter)

Crowd: 54,698 at the MCG

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The Selection Table

Possible Outs
Durham (Susp.)
Goldy (He will be rested at some point, maybe it’s this week)
Day Wicks (Don’t want him sub twice)
Gresh (Sub maybe)
Perkins (Poor form)

Possible Ins
Visentini - He will be here every week till he is in
Shiel - Suspect he comes in for Duhram
Smartt - We picked him up for a reason, could play the Gresh role
Tsatas - Another who has a chance to replace Duhram

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My Prediction - Can’t take much out of the the preseason game - Geelong are in their groove now.

Cats by 35 plus; a lead they’ll have at half time before cruising the rest.

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Demons Deathriding Update

So the choice is between a worse pick and supporting the bloody Magpies… the ultimate Sophie’s choice.

Current Pick: 5

 

[MiguelM]

Can we just forfeit and have 2 byes?

 

[MiguelM]

Out: Durham (susp), Perkins (omitted)

In: Shiel, May

Edit, forgot about Redman.

Redman for Prior.

 

[Keystone agony]

Aim to give Goldy 3 week rest

In: Vigo, ADW, Redman
Out: Goldy, Durham, Perkins

 

[BomberManU]

Cats by 40 by 1/4 time, then they'll just cruise along for a 65 point win. Kids will have a crack, but will just be overwhelmed.

 

[Vindicater]

Just fully embrace the youth movement.

Out: Durham (susp) Goldstein (manage) Gresham (omit)

In: Tsatas, Vigo and Redman

 

[Doss]

Geelong by a very big margin.

 

[TheUnicorn]

I'd be pretty shocked if we get within 5 goals.

 

[ydc55]

Aim to give Goldy 3 week rest

In: Vigo, ADW, Redman
Out: Goldy, Durham, Perkins

In redman, sheil
Out Durham, Hobbs
Jeremy Cameron is going to be tough to stop.

 

[Skipper_]

In redman, sheil
Out Durham, Hobbs
Jeremy Cameron is going to be tough to stop.

Redman probably has to take Cameron if he’s available.

Laverde to Neale.

 

[andleanback]

Is redman a certainty to come back in?

I wouldn’t mind dropping Perkins and maybe playing may/ McMahon alongside caddy and wright. Free caddy up a bit/ give him some more support when wright is in the ruck.

 

[naraku]

FFS, Geelong is just one of those games...they'll win and win well.

Out: Durham (susp), Perkins, Gresham Goldstein.
In: Vigo, Redman, Shiel, Tsatas.

I think we need to have a few games where we have a look at Tsatas now- even though I have been against gifting games, we need to see who he is.

Stanley, I think is a good match up for Vigo and Gold can have 2 weeks rest for the second half of the season.

 

[cAsEy_18]

I like the look of some of our young guys.

But I would like to forfeit.

 

[Keystone agony]

In redman, sheil
Out Durham, Hobbs
Jeremy Cameron is going to be tough to stop.

Yep

Redman or Angus Clarke are getting the job unfortunately

 

[rioli brownlow]

McGrath laverde Roberts
Johnson Blakiston Redman
Duursma tsastas Martin
Gresham caddy ,merrett
May, Wright, kako
Vigo, Caldwell, Parish
Settlefield,smartt,Shiel,clarke
Sub.lual

In. Blakiston, May (debuts) tsastas, Vigo,Redman,smart,shiel
Out. Durham ( will get the traditional Essendon tax 1 week even though cerra played the game out)
Goldy and prior(well earned rest)
Perkins,hobbsguelfi( offer nothing)
Day wicks ( will be back)

 

[Call Me Cake]

****ing Geelong

 

[cAsEy_18]

McGrath laverde Roberts
Johnson Blakiston Redman
Duursma tsastas Martin
Gresham caddy ,merrett
May, Wright, kako
Vigo, Caldwell, Parish
Settlefield,smartt,Shiel,clarke
Sub.lual

In. Blakiston, May (debuts) tsastas, Vigo,Redman,smart,shiel
Out. Durham ( will get the traditional Essendon tax 1 week even though cerra played the game out)
Goldy and prior(well earned rest)
Perkins,hobbsguelfi( offer nothing)
Day wicks ( will be back)

Don’t mind it - but I’d like to see a few more changes

I also like the idea of bringing May and Blakiston in specifically to debut, but also bringing Vigo in not to debut. That will really confuse Geelong.

 

[rioli brownlow]

Redman probably has to take Cameron if he’s available.

Laverde to Neale.

Wasn't Neale in a moonboot after the game yesterday

 

[JayJ20]

We have arrived to the end of the season.
Last couple of weeks were enjoyable but it’s time to say goodbye to 2025 like every other time we play Geelong.

The game will be over by QT and we’ll slide hard down the ladder from here.

 

[eth-dog]

 

[Blind Turn]

Will be interested to see if they use Lual as a sub. I worry that he’ll be monstered by the Cats. Maybe a run-with type game on Dempsey who is like 3 players in 1. He runs so hard that he becomes a target and also an intercept defender the other way. Might need Shiel back but he seems to have had minimal game time for weeks now.

Out: Durham Hobbs and Perkins
In: Tsatas, Redman, and Big Mac

Visentini a chance if Goldy needs a rest.

Willl probably just be Redman in for Durham though

 

[eth-dog]

For me, assuming Redman is out a while:

Out: Durham (susp), Hobbs, Gresham (omitted), Goldstein (rested)
In: May, Smartt, Visentini, Blakiston

McGrath - Blakiston - Prior
Johnson - Laverde - Roberts
Lual - Martin - Duursma
Perkins - Caddy - Day-Wicks
May - Wright - Guelfi
Visentini - Caldwell - Merrett
Parish - Setterfield - Clarke - Smartt
Kako

Think Kako has looked gassed towards the end of games last few weeks, might be an impactful sub to give him a mini rest. Happy to swap either Hobbs Gresham and Perkins, Perkins has been better than Gresham this year but has been bad 3 out of the last 4 games as well.

 

[Beerfish]

 

[ant555]

Want to have another look at both games but initial thoughts.

Goldstein got smashed around the ground so it may be time to change it up. Long shot scenario is play May forward and ruck Wright. Visentini had a tough battle against Pittonet and was beaten physically but he stuck it out so maybe we give him a run.

Hobbs must be under some pressure although looking at his stats the tackles and pressure acts where in our best 5 or 6 again and he actually used the ball okay in the limited disposals he had. The only replacement for him would be Smartt but he was very ordinary defensively today. Just wandered around when Carlton had the footy. ADJ was very average so he is no chance.

This leaves Gresham in the same boat. No one really pushing for his spot. Would be good if we could punish his up and down form but it would be spin the magnets time to do it.

As far as Perkins goes he could be dropped and they use Lual a bit forward as well as wing.

Durham out could open the door for Tsatas.

May possibly did enough for selection.

Blackiston probably did enough defensively but it would be a big ask to put him at AFL level after one game in defence in the VFL. Would obviously handle the physical aspects.

Mentioned Smartt above. Did some okay stuff and had some midfield minutes but the amount of times he was just wandering around when Carlton had the footy was a bit alarming.

problem was no one really jumped off the page in the VFL. Tsats was okay. May showed a bit but you would expect a couple more VFL games. Vigo would probably be okay rucking against Stanley. ADJ did not do anywhere near enough. Ditto Unwin. Would be a big ask to step Blackiston up to AFL level as a defender after 1 game. McMahon did not really have a great game but took all his chances and kicked goals. Smartt was not good enough defensively.

 

[Snake Charmer]

My thoughts every time we have to play Geelong