Here we go - Line in the Sand Game 2016

Well this thread is either going to crash and burn like Mav from Top Gun in about 12 hours time or is going to gather some serious legs over the course of the weekend. I'm not a religious man, but I'm praying like crazy for a miracle tonight because that's what we'll need to win. Still, we went to Sydney last year needing a miracle and we got Easton Wood's goal so here's hoping.

BT put out feelers a few months ago about game day write ups and this isn't one of those per se but I would like to discuss more specifically just how we can win this game tonight.

EXISTING CONDITIONS

BOM states that for the main part it will be dry during match time, but there will be a 20 km an hour (2-3 goal wind) pushing to the south towards the Reg Hickey end (right of screen). When the wind blows northerly down there there isn't much to stop it straight down the ground so expect heavier scoring to the right of screen. If we win the toss we need to kick with the wind and hope for a good start.

GAME STYLE

Others here are far better versed than me at game day tactics and what our actual game plan is, but without Boyd, Suckers and especially Moz there is not doubt that we will need to bring our 22 man defence and this means 22 men applying constant pressure at the ball carrier while guarding space against Geelong's quick ball use. This is a massive task on what feels like a big ground.

WHO DO WE NEED TO GET A BOUT OF GASTRO BEFORE THE MATCH?

Goes without saying - Dangerfield. Do we run with him? What's the point? Or, do we close up everything around him? I don't know the answer all I do know is that he is the most damaging player in the AFL at the moment and his influence needs to be reduced.

AREAS OF CONCERN

Geelong's mobile talls who think they're all mids and actually play like it. I'm talking Stanley, Blicavs and Smith. They run all night, mark the ball all over the ground and rival a midfielder in metres gained.

My second concern is Taylor and Lonergan. Surely we cannot keep kicking the ball long into our F50 with Stringer as our only target, it will make me cry. There were calls for Will to be included tonight that were ignored so it's up to Roughie and Boyd and if Boyd is not playing serious forward time we need a plan B that plays against Taylor's and Lonergan's strengths in the air.

HOW DO WE WIN?

I'm asking you. I like Hamling on Smith / Stanley it's a good match up but unless we want Wood / Biggs playing tall he has to stay down there. Where does that leave our forward line when Boyd is rucking? We need to rely on our smalls again to kick a winning score. We need our men of mayhem to get our season back on track, we need our 22 man defence as tight as a punk rock drummer and we need a few of our small forwards to find some form and hit the scoreboard.

After last week's debacle morale is low amongst us supporters but we can reverse last weeks capitulation with a win tonight. If we can go to Sydney when they are primed for us and win we can go to Kardinia Park and do the same. Geelong have superstars, but I do believe that their bottom players are inferior to ours and their inconsistency is more marked as well. We need to hope that the Geelong that was beaten by Carlton shows up tonight and that we are at our best.

If we win tonight our top 4 aspirations are back on track. This is our 2016 line in the sand game.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by 1eyedog

Geelong have superstars, but I do believe that their bottom players are inferior to ours and their inconsistency is more marked as well. We need to hope that the Geelong that was beaten by Carlton shows up tonight and that we are at our best.

---

Danger and Selwood are the real superstars, Menzel dangerous up forward, but agree on their bottom players. They are relying on their experience, we are relying on youth to carry us.

I am still quietly confident we can acquit ourselves in this game and not get blown out of the water.

I really hope we do tag Dangerfield.

Send Jong to him. It doesn't really take us that far away from what we are trying to do anyway. What's the difference to the team if Jong has 14 possessions or 7 possessions...if he can quell the influence of Danger - even just stop him from hitting the scoreboard - then it might just keep us closer to them.

This is a massive game

Win and self belief will be through the roof, shouldn't have any trouble accounting for Collingwood, Essendon & Freo, and will probably go into the North game as favourites. One less win for Geelong & one more for us, top 4 looks likely

Lose and it's time to start resting players for our first final with a bottom half of the 8 finish

Time for a line in the sand second half. Great to be so close against the umpiring. Great summary my friend.