Practise Match - Geelong Cats v Western Bulldogs

[Go_Dogs]

Re: Practise Match - Geelong Cats v Western Bulldogs

Thanks for all the reports. Not going to be an easy task selecting the 22.

[Bulldog4life]

Re: Practise Match - Geelong Cats v Western Bulldogs

I don't think Smith will add a lot of value so I now wouldn't name him in the round one side.
Dahlhaus wasn't great but it's no big deal.

I didn't mind the effort from Higgins but he was patchy. He can play a lot better than that.

That is interesting. What I've been reading he appears to be a good chance to be playing round 1. I realize you wouldn't pick him but do you think the selectors will GVGjr?

[always right]

Re: Practise Match - Geelong Cats v Western Bulldogs

It's always great as a supporter to express our views as to what player should be in and who should be out. In the end however we have no idea what instructions Macca has been giving to various players and whether they are carrying those instructions out to his satisfaction.

He has talked up the notion all pre season that he is developing a gamestyle based on team rather than individual performance. He will therefore choose a "team" for round one that he thinks gives us the best chance of winning irrespective of whether we think various players are performing up to their potential or our ecpectation of them.

Personally I reckon Higgins and Smith are lock-ins for round one but hey, I know as much as you blokes

[GVGjr]

Re: Practise Match - Geelong Cats v Western Bulldogs

That is interesting. What I've been reading he appears to be a good chance to be playing round 1. I realize you wouldn't pick him but do you think the selectors will GVGjr?

A couple of days back on the Round 1 team thread I actually named him on the IC bench but yesterdays game indicated to me that he still has a way to go.
I think there is a strong chance the selectors will have him in the best 22 but I wouldn't.
I more or less dropped him based on yesterdays game but obviously the selectors will look at a bigger picture. I'm just very mindful that we can't afford a flogging like West Coast inflicted on us last year.

Personally I reckon Higgins and Smith are lock-ins for round one but hey, I know as much as you blokes

I'd certainly play Higgins and I think Smith will be selected.

[GVGjr]

Re: Practise Match - Geelong Cats v Western Bulldogs

For those that went to yesterdays game what did you make of Cordy? I think he still has a long way to go but he now looks like he can compete against men.

I question what value he could add as a 2nd ruckman but he could potentially cause a lot of match-up problems for opposition defenders if he can hold down a forward position.

It's marvelous what a good pre-season can do for a player.

[Maddog37]

Re: Practise Match - Geelong Cats v Western Bulldogs

The Bulldogs Bite posts are THE posts of this forum. Gee Addison was bad (when he was bad
as he did a couple of nice things). Cordy, Zephi, Libba great. Roughy huge forward ruck potential.
Murph is starting 2 get caught - 2 more years tops IMO
How good is Cooney - even the small stuff
Higgins - over it he's player 18 not player 7 and we need
2 accept it
They did pretty well though

Good points but everyone is getting caught in the AFL now, not just Murph. The intent to tackle has continued to increase again this year.

[LostDoggy]

Re: Practise Match - Geelong Cats v Western Bulldogs

Thanks for the report woofers. Just wondering about Griffen's hand?! Hopefully it is nothing, but all the reports in papers and afl website have him on injury list with hand.

Appreciate the write ups!! Great to see us serving it up around the ball, sounds as if it was a pretty strong hit out, fantastic to see/hear.

[ledge]

Re: Practise Match - Geelong Cats v Western Bulldogs

Thanks for the report woofers. Just wondering about Griffen's hand?! Hopefully it is nothing, but all the reports in papers and afl website have him on injury list with hand.

Appreciate the write ups!! Great to see us serving it up around the ball, sounds as if it was a pretty strong hit out, fantastic to see/hear.

From reports I have seen it has been called very minor but that could be a ruse, i seriously hope not.

[LostDoggy]

Re: Practise Match - Geelong Cats v Western Bulldogs

I think the selection of Higgins depends on what the coaching staff see as non negotiable's in the team ethic. Now tackling, hardness over the ball, and selfless defensive acts are what Macca has been talking up. For me from what I have seen and read of Higgins he is still not doing this. At-least to the capacity I would like. This for me goes to the heart of what I would call team play and if that is what Macca is about then his selection should be in jeopardy. If he is selected though I believe in the long term it would send a bad message to the team. Especially seeing that we are trying to create a new ethos. I believe he should not be picked for a few games based on that until his work ethic is up there with the rest of the teams. I think Higgins needs to be sent a message and we can turn him around quickly if we are bold and do the right thing with him as a player. A little hard love never hurt.

[LostDoggy]

Re: Practise Match - Geelong Cats v Western Bulldogs

For those that went to yesterdays game what did you make of Cordy? I think he still has a long way to go but he now looks like he can compete against men.

I question what value he could add as a 2nd ruckman but he could potentially cause a lot of match-up problems for opposition defenders if he can hold down a forward position.

It's marvelous what a good pre-season can do for a player.

I love watching his ground work. How a 202cm player can scoop the ball from the deck with such seemingly zero effort just astounds me. I suspect we will have a very exciting forward/ruck if he can keep his body sound over the next couple of years. The Zephi/Cordy goal was a really exciting passage for me. Two young talents both showing flashes of massive potential. The cats fans surrounding me were all asking about Roughead, Zephi and Cordy yesterday - always a good sign when you have kids impressing the opposition supporter base. They were more interested in those three than their own kids. I wish we could have got the ball into the forward line more cleanly in the last quarter when they had Jones/Cordy/Roughead/Grant as four tall forwards for about 5-10 minutes. Interesting they were trying out the 3 rucks on the deck combo and we didn't really get to see what might have eventuated from that due to poor ball use out of the back and from the middle. Some good signs yesterday from lots of players but the last 2 members of our back 6 (until Tommy/Morris get back) still the worry for mine. I'd like to try Cordy at CHB round 1 as he was OK at that at Willy last year and he would fix the tall problem we will face against West Coast. There are no signs the match committee agree with me however and i'm happy to defer to their judgement. Really enjoyed the game yesterday

[ledge]

Re: Practise Match - Geelong Cats v Western Bulldogs

Does Williamstown have a practice match on at all today, if so is it at whitten oval?

[Sockeye Salmon]

Re: Practise Match - Geelong Cats v Western Bulldogs

Dogs downed by Geelong

GEELONG has ended its NAB Cup campaign on a positive note, defeating the Western Bulldogs by nine points at Simonds Stadium on Saturday...

Was that from the Geelong Addy?

Almost every comment was about Geelong.

[AndrewP6]

Re: Practise Match - Geelong Cats v Western Bulldogs

Was that from the Geelong Addy?

Almost every comment was about Geelong.

Nope, link was to the WB site, article by Adam McNicol.

[Eastdog]

Re: Practise Match - Geelong Cats v Western Bulldogs

Does Williamstown have a practice match on at all today, if so is it at whitten oval?

Not sure ledge. I checked the Williamstown FC website and I didn't see anything.

[Cyberdoggie]

Re: Practise Match - Geelong Cats v Western Bulldogs

Thanks for the write ups, some good points, very accurate observations also there by TBB