Geelong ( and the most crucial game of our season)
Okay we are 3/4 with a realistic chance of going 4/4 against the GC this weekend. The following week we play Geelong at Etihad. Geelong are clearly not the team they were, they have not won a contested footy count all year, were beaten by North, made to look like a VFL side against Adelaide and pushed by Richmond at home. Their losses have been more than abberations, many in the know think they are on a downward spiral. I still think write them off at your own peril.
I know we need to get past GC first, and this thread is premature, but if we do knock over GC, I think we have a very good chance of matching or even beating the cats the following Friday night at Etihad. We are playing good contested football at that venue and Geelong will be taking us very seriously. It's a big stage with an opportunity to claim a big scalp and go 5/4 and probably be an equal amount of games outside the 8 (or potentially in the 8 if other matches go our way). I think we played well against WC for three quarters, were good in Adelaide and against Collingwood and were obviously rewarded for sustaining the pressure yesterday. The Saints game is looking like an abberation.
So, in light of all these hypotheticals and I'm aware I'm getting excited, but if we beat Geelong where are we at and can we start to hope to play finals football this year?
Re: Geelong ( and the most crucial game of our season)
Since we play them coming off a 6 day break from Darwin not sure its so crucial.
I also have no doubt they are a better side than they are displaying right now.
Re: Geelong ( and the most crucial game of our season)
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Chops
Since we play them coming off a 6 day break from Darwin not sure its so crucial.
I also have no doubt they are a better side than they are displaying right now.
I agree Chops.
Consecutive 6 day breaks with Darwin in the middle is just an utter joke.
Re: Geelong ( and the most crucial game of our season)
If we can apply the same defensive pressure in the forward 50 and lock the ball in for long periods and force Geelong to have a higher percentage of handballs then we would have only 1/3rd of the effort to needed to knock them over , against North Thomas and Anthony were the only players determined to show some run and carry and became their most dangerous players they also had three goal assists between them, thats 6 goals from medium sized players with good foot speed pushing hard forward and making good decisions , Geelong have more than a few of those type of players , if we can shut down Hawkins and Pods then Geelong will adjust and push harder with numbers forward , Geelongs forte is locking the ball in their forward 50 and setting up at each contest to release players like Bartel , Motlop , Duncan , Christensen , we just have to be very clean in defense and hit targets on the edges of the corridor if we try to handball our way out of traffic Geelong will close up the space and lock it in , against North we just ground them to a pulp with the contested possessions and forced them to change the way they play if we can do the same to Geelong as well as lock down their power forwards and be clean from defense to break their efforts to press we could very well knock them over
Now just for some clarity Geelong had 45 clangers and they lost by 50 points
Against North we had 40 clangers and won by 18 points , point being we just have to be a bit cleaner to put sides away , against Geelong we can,t afford too many turnovers if the score is close
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Re: Geelong ( and the most crucial game of our season)
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Rocco Jones
I agree Chops.
Consecutive 6 day breaks with Darwin in the middle is just an utter joke.
Will be interesting how the coach manages his players.
Will he rest some of the stars at the risk of losing to GC? in what would be the worst loss of the year if we did.
I would suggest Boyd, Griffen and one or two others should come down with General Soreness for the GC game.
Maybe Dahlhaus could use a rest.
I would think Pearce may get a game, also Smith and Roberts.
Jones will probably come back as will Cooney.
Re: Geelong ( and the most crucial game of our season)
Don't overlook the Suns. They were poor in Canberra but before that they should have beaten Fremantle and Essendon at Metricon.
We are not good enough to rest players.
Re: Geelong ( and the most crucial game of our season)
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Cyberdoggie
Will be interesting how the coach manages his players.
Will he rest some of the stars at the risk of losing to GC? in what would be the worst loss of the year if we did.
I would suggest Boyd, Griffen and one or two others should come down with General Soreness for the GC game.
Maybe Dahlhaus could use a rest.
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Flamethrower
Don't overlook the Suns. They were poor in Canberra but before that they should have beaten Fremantle and Essendon at Metricon.
We are not good enough to rest players.
I think we are not good enough to rest key players like Griff and Boydy. As I said in another thread, I would rest a few fringe players if they have niggles aren't feeling fresh etc but B-Mac seems to be doing that anyway.
As you have mentioned RT, GC have gone close up against sides better than us. The X-factor that is Darwin also probably suits an underdog. I think we should make sure the 4 points are in the bag. Even if we got hammered against the Cats we 4-5 going into games against Swans at the SCG (which probably will suit us more than any other ground!) then two games at home against Port and the Lions.
I know it's a few weeks down the track but I see the Swans game as a big one if we are to do a bit more than be competitive. That being said, I will be happy if we continue playing hard and developing even if we aren't a finals contender.
Re: Geelong ( and the most crucial game of our season)
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Cyberdoggie
Will be interesting how the General Mac manages the players.
Against North not all of our critical players did their full allotment of time on ground , some of them had only about 75% , I don,t know many rotations we made from the middle of the third quarter onwards but it must have been a quite a few
Up in Darwin I would expect much the same time on ground for the most critical players
We have nearly always had a quiet first quarter after a game in Darwin , could be a factor again against Geelong
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Re: Geelong ( and the most crucial game of our season)
Geez i hope we don't lose to the Suns........chicken/eggs etc
Re: Geelong ( and the most crucial game of our season)
To use an already overused cliche.... "One game at a time". I am not yet convinced that one good win translates into planning a couple of weeks ahead, or even looking as far as finals.
Re: Geelong ( and the most crucial game of our season)
Sub Griff would be ideal if we are going ok against GC. He is our most important player.
Against Geelong I reckon the challenge will be to shut down Enright, Scarlett and Stevie J. No Morris hurts us re Stevie.
Lake should dominate Hawkins or Jpod so if Austin or Marko play well we could really upset their scoring ability.
Re: Geelong ( and the most crucial game of our season)
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Rocco Jones
I agree Chops.
Consecutive 6 day breaks with Darwin in the middle is just an utter joke.
RJ, yes it is a joke, but we also make a rod for our own backs. Why should the AFL compensate us further? It is our choice to play in Darwin.
Re: Geelong ( and the most crucial game of our season)
Quote:
Originally Posted by
azabob
RJ, yes it is a joke, but we also make a rod for our own backs. Why should the AFL compensate us further? It is our choice to play in Darwin.
To make money because of the absurd deal we get at Etihad.
Re: Geelong ( and the most crucial game of our season)
Quote:
Originally Posted by
AndrewP6
To make money because of the absurd deal we get at Etihad.
In all seriousness though we could continue to go in circles about this, why is our deal so bad? Because our supporters don't turn up to games.
Re: Geelong ( and the most crucial game of our season)
Quote:
Originally Posted by
azabob
In all seriousness though we could continue to go in circles about this, why is our deal so bad? Because our supporters don't turn up to games.
We can pack the place out and still not make money.