Preview Round 23 - Geelong vs GWS Giants, Saturday August 26th, 7.25pm, Simonds Stadium

[KevDawg]

They got out of it in the end.

But the fat lady swam, heart attack and didn't make it

 

[Simmofreo]

I disagree.

If we bring our best footy we're as good as anybody.

Leon needs to make some tough decisions.

The three players that are really under the pump are Stevie J, Smith and Hopper.

Stevie J is finished...the media pundits can talk up his genius but he has been shithouse for most of the year. His knee is gone, his confidence is shot and he offers ZERO defensive pressure and in fact provides opportunities for opposition teams. He MUST go.

Smith is playing poorly. I think his mind is elsewhere. Some of the options he took last night were just ridiculous...he butchered at least 3 goal opportunities. I think he goes out.

Hopper is a difficult one. There is no doubt Cal has benefitted from Hopper and Cogs coming in as it has freed him up and we've seen what he has done. The trouble is Hopper is a really average player, he is as slow as a wet week and his lack of agility means he is always under pressure meaning when he does get his hands on the ball he turns it over or gets caught. I could live with him staying in but I could also live with him going out.

The players under consideration to come in De Boer, Taranto, Kennedy, Setterfield.

De Boer is a must, he gives the forward line a different look and comes in for Stevie J.

I'd put Taranto in for Smith. Taranto is a hard worker and offers defensive pressure. Yes he's underdone but he has the right temperament for finals footy.

Hopper and Kennedy are pretty neutral. If anything Setterfield is a point of difference and looked very composed in his first game but he just hasn't played enough footy. Hopper probably stays in.

The only other one is ruck. We looked great with Simpson in. He tapped to advantage and allowed our kids to get first look. Again hasn't played much footy and arguable if he has the same connection. Mummy and Lobb combo remains.

Our mids will be much more effective on big grounds.

All is not lost yet.

Agree with all changes here

Stevie must not be GIFTED a finals game

MDB is finals hardened too and offers a lot more.

Torranto worth a shot. And kicking practice 2 weeks straight !!

One thing is for sure we wont play the same gameplan we have all year. Its too predictable.

Coaches have stuff planed up their sleeve for finals.

Plus us looking s**t has a benefit. Maybe crows go in complacent.

Also if its geelong then i thibk this is ideal and this is why:

We have the perfect preperation. This weeks tape. Study what they did well and try and counter that in 2 weeks. I think geelong is the game we want

Go saints

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[KevDawg]

I disagree.

If we bring our best footy we're as good as anybody.

Leon needs to make some tough decisions.

The three players that are really under the pump are Stevie J, Smith and Hopper.

Stevie J is finished...the media pundits can talk up his genius but he has been shithouse for most of the year. His knee is gone, his confidence is shot and he offers ZERO defensive pressure and in fact provides opportunities for opposition teams. He MUST go.

Smith is playing poorly. I think his mind is elsewhere. Some of the options he took last night were just ridiculous...he butchered at least 3 goal opportunities. I think he goes out.

Hopper is a difficult one. There is no doubt Cal has benefitted from Hopper and Cogs coming in as it has freed him up and we've seen what he has done. The trouble is Hopper is a really average player, he is as slow as a wet week and his lack of agility means he is always under pressure meaning when he does get his hands on the ball he turns it over or gets caught. I could live with him staying in but I could also live with him going out.

The players under consideration to come in De Boer, Taranto, Kennedy, Setterfield.

De Boer is a must, he gives the forward line a different look and comes in for Stevie J.

I'd put Taranto in for Smith. Taranto is a hard worker and offers defensive pressure. Yes he's underdone but he has the right temperament for finals footy.

Hopper and Kennedy are pretty neutral. If anything Setterfield is a point of difference and looked very composed in his first game but he just hasn't played enough footy. Hopper probably stays in.

The only other one is ruck. We looked great with Simpson in. He tapped to advantage and allowed our kids to get first look. Again hasn't played much footy and arguable if he has the same connection. Mummy and Lobb combo remains.

Our mids will be much more effective on big grounds.

All is not lost yet.

SJ looked lost at times. Couldn't turn or bend enough. Patton seems the same btw.

Like Setterfield. Devon was off.

Taranto could be young enough to have that spark and not be phased by the gravity of finals.

 

[Ichabod Noodle]

They got out of it in the end.

Half a dozen out of the several thousand on board (including those singing the song)

Not encouraging odds.

 

[dlanod]

For me:

SJ out for MDB. But then I've been on this bandwagon all year.

Hopper out for MK. Hopper might be "elite" in one area, around the contest, but MK is good there and offers so much more around the field and on the spread.

 

[Ichabod Noodle]

Don't forget Hopper was another one to cop knees to the back which put him on the deck for a significant period. The rest of his game may have suffered as a result.

That said, I've. No objections to Kennedy, M coming in for him. I've actually liked his last couple of games.

 

[Bokonon_]

I think it's been a bit overlooked that Cogs and Hopper have been doing a lot of the dirty work and allowing Shiel and Kelly to play outside. That didn't happen last night with Hopper quiet and Cogs seemed held by Scott Selwood which forced them in. Kolodjashnij seemed to get credit for holding them but that what it looked to my eye.

 

[Giant Strides]

Very disappointing. The big factor for me was the tackling intensity. Although a stat was put up at one stage that GWS had completed more effective tackles than Geelong, but I wasn't seeing that. When the Cats tackled, they hammered our guys and wrapped up the ball-carrier, whereas GWS either allowed the Cats ball-carrier to slip out of the tackle entirely or release the ball eventually on too many occasions.

Stevie J didn't lose the game for us, as there were too many other facets of the game where GWS was poor, but on the face of that effort Leon just cannot continue to play him - he was almost entirely ineffective in every regard. All those area where we knew before the game that we needed to be better - the contest, F50 kicking, and D50 pressure - were way off. Players were off across the park too - including Scully who only had 75% game time (was something amiss there?). Add in the injuries to Greene, Patton & Hopper hampering them ... but the question is can we lift? We've been badly beaten by the 3 teams who will finish above us, including bookend R1 & R23 losses to teams at 1 & 2. Notwithstanding that we did well to finish 4th after the season's injury toll, I definitely expected more spark in this game. We will have to see what occurs out of the injuries - most notably Toby as he's one guy we just cannot afford to lose for finals. I hope, though, that Leon makes a statement and makes changes, although I suspect he'll go largely unchanged.

Like others, I favour de Boer for Johnson, and Taranto for Smith. Dev needs a bit of a kick up the backside after his play the last couple of weeks. Hopper I'm on the fence with - I think he needs to provide more, but not sure if anyone else would do a better job. But we also need to improve the gameplan. How many of those 'down the line' kick contests did we lose - and half the time we didn't even get to the contest properly (yes, note some blocking tactics - but if so, change it up)? But the players have to take responsibility for some of the shocking D50 kicks and handpasses that were turned over to the Cats. The team now has two weeks to review, autopsy, reset, plan and train for a massive match.

 

[Orange Agent]

Id like to see Taranto in for Hopper, pretty sure Hopper had 5 touches at 3/4 time, for a mid who cant really play anywhere else its not enough, if he had a stopping role he has failed there as well. Taranto does everything he can and gives a fwd option too. The downside is the lack of games but sometimes you have to roll the dice. Stevie J barely touched it and had 2 tackles, time to channel a legend in Sheeds/Kickett.

 

[Andre the Giant]

Looking like Adelaide in Adelaide (lose)

Swans at Spotless (win)

 

[Raymann]

Not likely Swans more likely Port in the semi. With a lot of luck we will play the swans in the GF

 

[Andre the Giant]

Not likely Swans more likely Port in the semi. With a lot of luck we will play the swans in the GF

Sorry you're right just checked that.

PA at Spotless is a good result.

 

[Giant Heart]

That was ugly. It's going to get even uglier when we go over to Adelaide.

 

[Giant Pete]

Our form across the year hasn't stacked up too well. I know we've had lots of injuries but it doesn't really matter.
As a group we don't do contested footy well enough anywhere near enough of the time.
No loss at all if Devon Smith and Hopper go at end of the year. Smith plays too cute way too often... much rather De Boer at this point. Hopper isn't doing the job he's meant to do, and Kennedy has done it better this year.
We will get a massive touch up in Adelaide at this rate.
At the end of the day I put a lot of the responsibility on the coaches.

 

[Sime11]

we've needed this extra week more than any other team IMO, our injuries have been shocking although finally we are starting to get more fit players so we can decide who plays & who misses.

interesting question - Ryan Griffin - if he is fit to be considered, is he worth the risk bringing? experience could be very valuable...

we cant risk Stevie - as much as I love him, we cant go into a final already down a player - ive had no doubt that Stevie would be up for it, but he's goneski.

 

[Determinant]

Griff is a no for me, no mid playing bad enough that he would be better
Stevie J is gone. MDG in for him, and should Devon go out (unlikely) MK should come in, has a serous pressure intent and we have missed it

 

[gee whiz giant]

Our form across the year hasn't stacked up too well. I know we've had lots of injuries but it doesn't really matter.
As a group we don't do contested footy well enough anywhere near enough of the time.
No loss at all if Devon Smith and Hopper go at end of the year. Smith plays too cute way too often... much rather De Boer at this point. Hopper isn't doing the job he's meant to do, and Kennedy has done it better this year.
We will get a massive touch up in Adelaide at this rate.
At the end of the day I put a lot of the responsibility on the coaches.

Now that the dust has settled on last week's loss, we can review the season in a clearer right. I believe the Giants had a crushing injury list, and a daunting fixture list. Just compare the Bulldogs run home against ours. Ours was way tougher!
Team did good, they kept faith with the supporters, they never really let us down. Beaten badly at the season bookends in hostile territory with no ground support, but survived, accrued more prem. points than last year, and start the finals as capable as anyone else.

 

[Ellie Aquitaine]

Anyone think that we rushed Rory back because of the bye next week? If he didn't play he would have missed three weeks; hardly ideal finals preparation.

 

[Danny88]

Anyone think that we rushed Rory back because of the bye next week? If he didn't play he would have missed three weeks; hardly ideal finals preparation.

No not really... it was just tightness wasn't it