Opinion Whom should Geelong drop for returning players?

[Duskfire]

Chappie, Varcoe and Rivers should have to prove themselves in the VFL; there should be no automatic selection. No matter who you are, you have to fight to make your way back into the side. Because dropping Murdoch after the game against Hawthorn would be wrong.

 

[Pure_Ownage]

Chappie, Varcoe and Rivers should have to prove themselves in the VFL; there should be no automatic selection. No matter who you are, you have to fight to make your way back into the side. Because dropping Murdoch after the game against Hawthorn would be wrong.

No one is going to be dropped for the next few weeks.

People will merely be "managed/rested".

 

[year of the cat]

Has anyone considered that Scott already has a fair idea what his best 22 come finals time will already be? He is hardly going to publicly come out and state that Chappy or McIntosh or Vardy have no chance of being in our team - it would possibly not only destroy their hope and motivation for this year but also allow others currently within the team to possibly relax without the threat of being replaced.

He has stated that he doesn't believe in a "best 22" but in developing a squad of 30 to take into finals. I think this is probably true. Who knows what injuries we are going to sustain between now and then? But assuming that everyone is fit and available I just reckon he might have a fair idea about the composition of at least 19 of them by now....

 

[AM]

If I was placing a bet about this week reckon at least SJ, Trav and Smedts will be 'ins'. Haven't turned my mind to the 'outs' yet.

Interesting comment in the following piece about Hawks back injury taken from the CS presser. Seems to me to be worrying him more than the coach lets on.

http://is.gd/kTrx16

 

[Munich]

We live in truly amazing times for our truly astounding football club.

Agreed. The match comittee have some tough decisions to make. I agree that the best 22 will be a week by week basis though. Winning form is good form however we have the depth to make last minute choices come a prelim or GF.

I'm in awe of this football club.

 

[Claude Balls]

We haven't got time for that. It's round 16 not round 8.

We need to have the side settled by say round 20, get all the guys who are coming back in mixed into the 22 again, and see if their bodies can handle afl intensity without re-injury. You don't want someone coming back a week before a final and mucking up the chemistry of a winning side.

It is for this reason that Varcoe and Rivers will come back in first (so we have a couple of weeks to get them up to speed before we have to bring more returnees back in) and why IF Hamish and Chapman are to get back, they will be back in the seniors within 4 weeks from now. If they are not in the seniors by that time, they won't be at all.

The bolded pretty much sums up what I was getting at. I get the feeling that a lot of people on here would bring Chappy back in in Rd 22 on the back of one week in the VFL as a warm up.

 

[Jon Douglas]

From the team right now and in order (to go out and make way for a few really good players coming back (SJ, Varcoe and maybe Rivers) -

Stringer then Murdoch then Caddy IMO. Then just maybe JHunt or Guthrie. The rest of the team playing now, including Blicavs, seem likely best 22 come finals.

 

[GeelongFTW]

Chappy is cooked.

That should get a bite or two

Mmmmm tasty.

 

[catinthemachine]

Hmmm...
Interesting to see Corey, Enright, and Bundy all listed as out this week with injury
The one thing we can't see from the outside is the little niggles that make selection easy
Players who don't deserve to be out but who may be better from a rest
We really are guessing off limited information most weeks

Just goes to show, Finals medals should go to the whole squad who played not the lucky sods who get up on the day
Yeah ok I'm getting a bit repetitive on that note

 

[meto]

Whoever forces their way into this team will have to do just that, they've just beat the Hawks for our eleventh straight, so any thought that there are walk ups is delusional!

 

[DanA]

I foresee a whole lot of general soreness befalling the cats this next month. Still a lot to be decided with I think a very even squad of about 32 players. Right now it looks like we'll have room for:

- Two of Rivers, J.Hunt and Guthrie
- One of Corey, Horlin-Smith or Caddy
- Two of Varcoe, Motlop Smedts, Murdoch and Stringer
- One of Blicavs, West or Vardy
- One of Simpson or McIntosh (Potentially West as well)
- One extra place if Chapman doesn't get up

FB: ?? Lonergan ??
HB: Enright Taylor Mackie
C: Duncan Kelly T-Hunt
HF: Chapman? Podsiadly ??
FF: Christenson Hawkins ??
R: ?? Selwood Johnson
Int: ?? Bartel Stokes ??

I've got my preferences but I think the 15 players I've named are penciled in if fit. That leaves seven maybe eight spots (if Chappy doesn't get up) that are potentially up for grabs assuming no further injuries. Right our squads in a position where we have up to 16 players legitimately with a claim for a spot. To do so they need to do just about everything right though. Bold names are the ones I think will get selected but that by no means decided and highly debatable.

 

[catempire]

I foresee a whole lot of general soreness befalling the cats this next month. Still a lot to be decided with I think a very even squad of about 32 players. Right now it looks like we'll have room for:

- Two of Rivers, J.Hunt and Guthrie
- One of Corey, Horlin-Smith or Caddy
- Two of Varcoe, Motlop Smedts, Murdoch and Stringer
- One of Blicavs, West or Vardy
- One of Simpson or McIntosh (Potentially West as well)
- One extra place if Chapman doesn't get up

FB: ?? Lonergan ??
HB: Enright Taylor Mackie
C: Duncan Kelly T-Hunt
HF: Chapman? Podsiadly ??
FF: Christenson Hawkins ??
R: ?? Selwood Johnson
Int: ?? Bartel Stokes ??

I've got my preferences but I think the 15 players I've named are penciled in if fit. That leaves seven maybe eight spots (if Chappy doesn't get up) that are potentially up for grabs assuming no further injuries. Right our squads in a position where we have up to 16 players legitimately with a claim for a spot. To do so they need to do just about everything right though. Bold names are the ones I think will get selected but that by no means decided and highly debatable.

Pretty close to the way I have it except I have Guthrie in for sure and Rivers and J.Hunt battling it out, depending on match-ups.

 

[The Quandrinator]

Its not about players doing anything wrong. Its just about picking the best 22. Im looking into the crystal ball abit and it will become a bit more clear as we get closer. Guthrie is def the closest to getting in my team and again Simpson atm would be the #1 ruck.

People have short memories. Chapman is in our best 22. Make no mistake. Of course he has to be fit. That is obvious. There is alot of up and coming players and we are in a good position with our depth if anyone goes down. Duncan and Motlop have cemented their spots in the team but as for the rest you have mentioned, not quite.. Although a couple are really pushing (Guthrie, Murdoch, Caddy, Smedts) I'm keeping a close eye on Kelly, Corey and Hunt as to whether their form warrants another finals campaign though.. They have been in reasobale form but keeping an eye on them..

Yeah - I know - exactly right. Isn't this a great problem to have? That's why I posed the question in the first place. I can;t remember a time in my 50 odd years of being a Cats fan where there was this much contention over places. Hell I was horrified they left Blake out!

 

[CatFan79]

Taylor Hunt had some great form early in the season but since his return from injury has had average games against Brisbane and Hawthorn, did a job on Hill v Freo who's a softy and probably the most taggable player in the league..

He needs a few more games before a call is made but based on current form he has in no way cemented a finals spot.

 

[RegHickeyStand]

Taylor Hunt had some great form early in the season but since his return from injury has had average games against Brisbane and Hawthorn, did a job on Hill v Freo who's a softy and probably the most taggable player in the league..

He needs a few more games before a call is made but based on current form he has in no way cemented a finals spot.

They have plans for Taylor Hunt, I reckon. Just like Varcoe in 2011. Form will be building instead of right there in your face, as we come into the finals.

 

[The rabbi]

Whoever forces their way into this team will have to do just that, they've just beat the Hawks for our eleventh straight, so any thought that there are walk ups is delusional!

Does that comment apply to Stevie Johnson?

 

[dazbroncos]

Chappy is cooked.

That should get a bite or two

CHOMP!

Go Catters

 

[dazbroncos]

I also think that CS has learnt from dealing with Moons and Dash at the end of 2011.

I think Chappy and Dash are kinda the same hard headed single minded types that will give everything and then some and do what it takes to earn the spot. As long as the body prevails. Dash still had it all just not the pace - Chappy may not have the fitness...

Will be bloody hard calls...

Go Catters

 

[meto]

Does that comment apply to Stevie Johnson?

Johno's form has been sublime as to Stokes and Selwood, we have a raft of mediums and smalls, so I reckon the rest have a lot to prove to the coach!
Wouldn't you think?

 

[BIGANT]

The only players I can see coming out - and they are all unlucky in their own ways - are Stringer, Murdoch, Caddy and T.Hunt. Hunt is only there because I see a slight risk of him not regaining his pre-injury form and us opting for an alternative tagging option (e.g. Horlin-Smith).

Aside from SJ, the ones I think could squeeze into a finals side from here are West, Vardy, Varcoe, Chappy and Rivers*. The latter three will all be there if fit. The first two of those will be tried among many different ruck combos in the next few weeks. Horlin-Smith and Smedts will see AFL action before H&A end, but I think they are up against it to break into the finals side barring a few injuries or some spectacular form when they get a chance.



*I think people underestimate the importance of the 3rd tall allowing us to release Mackie into a more dangerous role. Mackie is great because he is versatile enough to play as 3rd tall but he is best when he can be let loose and get more possessions up the ground. Rivers permits this.

Barring a lack of consistency and form once in the team, I think the mc regard "riv" as the role player down back they got him for. Whether that goes against the opinion of some of us members/supporters doesn't really count, as we are just an outside opinion. It's what the mc see and believe best suits our game looking fwd to the rest of the yr and finals.

 

[Seeds]

Chappie, Varcoe and Rivers should have to prove themselves in the VFL; there should be no automatic selection. No matter who you are, you have to fight to make your way back into the side. Because dropping Murdoch after the game against Hawthorn would be wrong.

Lol. Murdoch has been getting games all season without deserving it.

 

[denicat]

Murdoch like other young guys they just trying to get games into them