Pies v. Cats - All comments please.

collingwoodjoe · Post by **collingwoodjoe** » Mon Jul 09, 2007 9:10 am

I am very excited about this game! WE have a great record against the Cats at the G' and our current brand of footy is so courageous and determined, this will be the perfect test of where we are at right now.

Rocca will return for Reid, a ruck will have to come in, probably for Cox, probably Bryan as he seemed to have the better game at Willi (although the conditions down their made judging form pretty difficult), and I am hoping that Presti may be a surprise inclusion having recovered from his stress fracture.

Beyond that I can only really see 3 players missing from our best 22; Clement, Bucks and Rhyce Shaw. Of these, Clements absence is being ably covered by young Goldsack at the moment, and Iles has a similar running game to Rhyce, of course no one can replace Bucks, but it is certainly a treat to get a close look at Clarke, and he has so far not disappointed.

They are also near full strength, they have two big ruckmen, and three big forwards, and some strong bodied, goal-kicking mids, as well as a very mobile-yet-tall back-line. They are playing some really good footy at the moment, overcoming Adelaide and Sydney in the last month and racking up nine wins on the trot in the process.

We will need to do both of the things that when we do right make us look like a contender; pressure the opposition when they are in possession and run in packs at the goalface when we have it.

Essendon managed to stay right with the Cats for three entertaining quarters using this strategy, they lost their most effective user, Hird to a calf, their most effective tackle, Davey to a broken arm, they missed Lloyd to suspension and Fletcher was carrying a groin, so to get as far as they did was commendable.

We are a better side this year than the Dons. We are also better at that brand of footy, we will need to bring our very best game to Geelong for the full four quarters to win, but if we do, we will.

We have not yet beaten a side currently above us on the ladder this year, it would be nice to knock off the top dog (cat) and cement our place as a genuine Victorian contender for the flag.

GO PIES!

Dark Lord · Post by **Dark Lord** » Mon Jul 09, 2007 10:23 am

This will be a Season defining game, methinks.

DaicosMagic · Post by **DaicosMagic** » Mon Jul 09, 2007 10:56 am

Geelong have played once at the MCG all year - against the undermanned Demons.

Even though we're missing some top line players, we have the goods to take them on the big stage I reckon.

Scoreboard pressure is the key.

hermerl · Post by **hermerl** » Mon Jul 09, 2007 11:51 am

I would not drop reid for Rocca, with the two of them up forward it would be a hard match up for any defence, Reid suffered in the last 2 games because he was the only big man up forward and sometimes had 2 and 3 players dropping back on him, he and Rocca are totally different players and Reid adds another dimension to our attack.
Our problems are going to be at the other end trying to stop Ottens and Hawkins. Who are very strong players, hope we can run off them and create some attack from defence.
Goldsack is going to be one of our key defenders in the future but still needs a couple of kilos to match it with the big strong players, even though he has been nothing short of sensational

die4pies · Post by **die4pies** » Mon Jul 09, 2007 11:53 am

Their time has come.

We have the wood on these blokes too.

Not their favourite ground and we not let them get away like other teams have.

Keep the foot firmly on the excelerator Pies and we will over run these handbag carrying pussies.

Go Pies!!!

Post by **RudeBoy** » Mon Jul 09, 2007 12:03 pm

Reid needs to go back to willi to practice his kicking. He'll be a star no doubt, but he's just not quite ready for the big time imo. With Rocca back our whole forward structure takes shape, making it easier for our midfielders to play more direct down the centre coridoor. I hope Cox is right to play as he needs a few successive games under his belt to cement a place in our team. His class and flexibility will be needed in September. I'm not sure that Bryan will come in, unless Cox is out injured, as we actually look a better side with Josh doing the ruck work on his own. We can always throw Travis, Pebbles or Cox in the ruck for short spells.

Culprit · Post by **Culprit** » Mon Jul 09, 2007 12:11 pm

Dark Lord wrote:This will be a Season defining game, methinks.

It's an 8 pointer

pietillidie · Post by **pietillidie** » Mon Jul 09, 2007 12:35 pm

Will Medhurst stay or go? On stats form he would go, but you just half expect him to click in against the handbaggers. Apparently he played a good game for Willy the week before spending time further up the ground, so I think we should be getting him further into the action on a HFF.

Most will probably disagree with this, but I feel as someone else posted last week it's an adjustment rather than form issue. Certainly if it's dry I would be more inclined to keep him as it would enable us to rotate him, Thomas, Dids and Leon both forward and further up the ground.

However, I also like the idea of keeping Reid in the side as a third tall. Can't have everything I guess, but I don't think Medhurst is far away and he's the kind of player who might need time to settle.

Having said that, I'm still not sure!

Post by **David** » Mon Jul 09, 2007 12:36 pm

Culprit wrote:
Dark Lord wrote:This will be a Season defining game, methinks.
It's an 8 pointer

They all are these days

I'm going to outdo everyone... this one's definitely a 12-pointer

DaVe86 · Post by **DaVe86** » Mon Jul 09, 2007 1:01 pm

Cam Mooney will be the key for us. I do not rate him and think that there are many better players in the AFL, however he is holding up really well and dominating most teams. He is intimidating a lot of defenders.

I think we'll take him out comfortably. Wakelin is in good nick and should maul him.

The other important thing will be Tom Hawkins. This kid is not quite ready yet, but is very strong for his age. Last week, Sheedy went with Ryder on him. A lot of coaches have decided to go with kids playing on him and have been reluctant to put a key defender on him. Hawkins is way too strong for a kid.

Last week he simply pushed aside Ryder on atleast 3 occassions and either put through goals or set them up. I think we will have to put Harry O'Brien on him. Mick will be tempted to use Goldsack, but i think he is a tad undersized for Hawkins and Harry is the better matchup.

The other obvious key players for us to stop are Ablett, Chapman, Bartel.

Lockyer v Ablett
Heath Shaw v Chapman
Pendlebury going head to head with Bartel.

I got a good feeling about this one

collingwoodjoe · Post by **collingwoodjoe** » Mon Jul 09, 2007 1:49 pm

Presti would be the perfect matchup for Hawkins if either plays (remember Nathan Ablett might take Hawkins spot!) Hawkins is a lead up player of the Plugger mould, he isn't poor in any area, but he is strongest on the lead, there are none better than Presti at negating that.

I like Wakes on Mooney, he will not be intimidated, and plays pretty smart.

Goldsack aught to be able to spoil Ottens,

leaving O'Brien to line up on the extremely dangerous Steve Johnson, who behind Cam Mooney has kicked most of thier goals.

magpiefanatic · Post by **magpiefanatic** » Mon Jul 09, 2007 3:03 pm

Well I will never forget the last time we played them.

Last year they were hot to trot heading for a "certain" finals berth, only for us to smash them by 102 points and it was see you later Cats.

Sure they have improved this year but then so have we. So I cant see them making up 102 points or more.

rowdypies · Post by **rowdypies** » Mon Jul 09, 2007 3:09 pm

a win would go a long way to cementing a top 4 berth come season's end as we have the bottom four all to come and our only real danger games after the cats are the swans and crows. a win here would ever cover us doing something stupid like when we lost to essendon near the end of last season and cost ourselves top 4. also let's face it the handbaggers are due for a loss.

Sachmojo · Post by **Sachmojo** » Mon Jul 09, 2007 3:19 pm

What a match-up, what an opportunity.

Honestly, there'll be no one out there expecting us to win, no pressure at all on us, and that's the kind of situation in which we excel.

I am bloody excited about this match... if we lose, I won't be too disappointed as long as we make a good account of ourselves, because I definately rate the Cats.

If we manage to pull off a win, on the other hand... I mean... can you guys imagine the attention we'll be getting?? It'll be shades of 2002 indeed.

Go the 'Pies!

pietillidie · Post by **pietillidie** » Mon Jul 09, 2007 3:34 pm

DaVe86 wrote:Cam Mooney will be the key for us. I do not rate him and think that there are many better players in the AFL, however he is holding up really well and dominating most teams. He is intimidating a lot of defenders.

I think we'll take him out comfortably. Wakelin is in good nick and should maul him.

The other important thing will be Tom Hawkins. This kid is not quite ready yet, but is very strong for his age. Last week, Sheedy went with Ryder on him. A lot of coaches have decided to go with kids playing on him and have been reluctant to put a key defender on him. Hawkins is way too strong for a kid.

Last week he simply pushed aside Ryder on atleast 3 occassions and either put through goals or set them up. I think we will have to put Harry O'Brien on him. Mick will be tempted to use Goldsack, but i think he is a tad undersized for Hawkins and Harry is the better matchup.

The other obvious key players for us to stop are Ablett, Chapman, Bartel.

Lockyer v Ablett
Heath Shaw v Chapman
Pendlebury going head to head with Bartel.

I got a good feeling about this one

Some good calls in there Dave. Wakes loves playing on the big angry gorillas--the angrier they get the more he loves it.

We have got the players to negate their prime movers who at the same time know how to hurt them the other way. I'm feeling confident insofar as we are a side that loves the big occasion, and I still have doubts about how well Geelong will go against a side that plays genuine accountable footy.

I wondered after the third quarter against the Saints whether we in fact already had one eye on the Geelong game....

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Pies v. Cats - All comments please.

Pies v. Cats - All comments please.