Opposition Watch: Rd 1 vs Geelong

[Redleg 40,905]

36 minutes ago, DemonAndrew said:

and he looks as fit as he's ever been

however, if we can choke the midfield supply and force him to work up away from the goal line and outside their f50, i'm confident we can restrict his influence

o mac is super fit, and lever and hibberd read the play better than just about anyone in our side to offer defensive coverage, so - as always - it'll come down to the mids, particularly those at the contested coalface, which is where we have an advantage with danger missing

Oscar went off with a minor back injury.

[Redleg 40,905]

Could have egg on my face here, but I believe that Ablett now plays outside and calls for easy ball off his team mates, rather than getting it himself. He doesn't have explosive pace and is not a long kick and has been injured a lot in the last couple of years.

While I fear the pure class of Danger and the tenacity of Selwood, I don't fear Ablett.

I think he is now a player that wants to get stats and plays more for Gary than team.

He is underdone and if he plays so be it.

[Deemania since 56 6,635]

12 hours ago, Jaded said:

Look, I would prefer to beat Geelong and take the 4 points with their best team playing, but I’m not stupid enough to not be slightly relieved that their best player may not be playing. We aren’t that good that we can just laugh in the face of good fortune. 

Regardless of whether he plays or not, I hope we come out there with the right mindset and not thinking we are gonna win because some of their best players are underdone. 

As I wipe away the tears streaming down my face continuously since yesterday morning when I heard the news, I bleed for the prospects of poor, fate-stricken Geelong suffering a horrible, gaping wound in their team selection for Round 1, or is it 3 gaping wounds? Sadness like this is not something that occurs regularly and it is so pitiful that the poor and extremely humane, old MFC has to be given that short straw to earnestly seize the upper hand and destroy the pussycats in their darkest hour. Excuse me, I must dash for another box of tissues - I still cannot read the screen clearly. Sob, sob....

[PaulRB 6,362]

If they’re weakened, I hope our boys smell blood and inflict a deep wound. Scarring their opponents is what champion teams do. 

[Deemania since 56 6,635]

1 hour ago, DemonAndrew said:

and he looks as fit as he's ever been

however, if we can choke the midfield supply and force him to work up away from the goal line and outside their f50, i'm confident we can restrict his influence

o mac is super fit, and lever and hibberd read the play better than just about anyone in our side to offer defensive coverage, so - as always - it'll come down to the mids, particularly those at the contested coalface, which is where we have an advantage with danger missing

I think we need a 'body' on Hawkins at all times. He can brush away 90% of his opponents to take clear marks, move to position, get shots at goal - and the latter are usually lethal. We currently have a full back that is still improving, yet is very light, moves out of position too readily and may not be completely fit due to recent injury during the JLT. Pedo or TMac may well be the answer for this man mountain. Jetta, Hibberd and Frosty can clear for us if we defensively bring the ball to ground, tap or punch the ball from him, cleverly.

Edited March 11, 2018 by Deemania since 56

[FarNorthernD 5,861]

The best option for us would be for Ablett to get picked and 5,000 extra paying Geelong supporters roll up to the G to be there the day the prodigal son returned. Our coffers overflow. As he runs onto the ground he acknowledges the cheers of the adoring crowd and fawning commentators with a bashful wave a moment before reaching for his hamstring and dejectedly hobbling off for the day. One can dream. 

[Richard Tionary 145]

Over the moon with the Danger news. From memory it was he and Selwood in the 3rd quarter last season that turned it on to take the game away from us (albeit with Gawn going down early).

I thought we were a big chance to win already, now I think it's a game we should win. 

[Deemania since 56 6,635]

13 minutes ago, fndee said:

The best option for us would be for Ablett to get picked and 5,000 extra paying Geelong supporters roll up to the G to be there the day the prodigal son returned. Our coffers overflow. As he runs onto the ground he acknowledges the cheers of the adoring crowd and fawning commentators with a bashful wave a moment before reaching for his hamstring and dejectedly hobbling off for the day. One can dream. 

Tidy.

[YesitwasaWin4theAges 6,702]

2 hours ago, Bring-Back-Powell said:

Forget about Dangerfield, Ablett or Selwood, it’s Hawkins that is the difference between us winning or losing.

Like Ben Brown, he completely owns the MFC. He always kicks his 5 or 6 against us.

 

that wont be happening this year with Jakey Lever down there.

[Demon trucker 1,800]

I can see a lot of injuries to danger and abblett this year, because Geelong has put all their eggs in the abblett Dangerfield basket, and Henderson to a lesser extent. I man or 2 man teams never won a flag, they have no depth out side of their 7 best players, every team that ever won a flag needs depth in ever part of the ground, they have 4 good midfielders 2 good defender's and 2 good forwards, outside of those players the don't have a good second tier players, thats way the saints never won a flag under Ross, great top 6, average bottom 10.

Edited March 12, 2018 by don't make me angry

[Ethan Tremblay 30,856]

I recently perused Big Footy and came across the below thread, the OP asks posters which Round 1 game (not including their own teams) they’re most interested in. Reading the posts so far, our game vs Geelong is looking to be the most popular. 

https://www.bigfooty.com/forum/threads/order-the-round-1-games-as-to-how-they-interest-you.1188108/page-2

Edited March 12, 2018 by Ethan Tremblay

[whatwhat say what 22,747]

58 minutes ago, Ethan Tremblay said:

I recently perused Big Footy and came across the below thread, the OP asks posters which Round 1 game (not including their own teams) they’re most interested in. Reading the posts so far, our game vs Geelong is looking to be the most popular. 

https://www.bigfooty.com/forum/threads/order-the-round-1-games-as-to-how-they-interest-you.1188108/page-2

so it should be...the return of the prodigal 'sun', the prospect of the midfield triumvirate being unleashed for the first time, up against an up and coming mob seen as a genuine exciting prospect

god i hope we belt em!

[Blistering 541]

Does anyone else think Geelong are playing games with Dangerfield’s injury? He’s such a valuable commodity for them and yet they’re saying that they won’t have a scan done till tomorrow because of the public holiday today. This doesn’t sound logical to me in view of the fact that any remedial work would surely depend upon the diagnosis. They should be eager to find out.

[Demon trucker 1,800]

26 minutes ago, Blistering said:

Does anyone else think Geelong are playing games with Dangerfield’s injury? He’s such a valuable commodity for them and yet they’re saying that they won’t have a scan done till tomorrow because of the public holiday today. This doesn’t sound logical to me in view of the fact that any remedial work would surely depend upon the diagnosis. They should be eager to find out.

They will do the standard thing they do for hamstring injuries, they have a fair idea, am sure doctors can make a fairly good judgement, without scans.

[jnrmac 20,060]

3 hours ago, don't make me angry said:

They will do the standard thing they do for hamstring injuries, they have a fair idea, am sure doctors can make a fairly good judgement, without scans.

Was just about to say the same. The treatment would be pretty much the same bt if the injury was worse than initially thought would just be longer...

He would already be re-habbing, icing etc since the game..

[jnrmac 20,060]

4 hours ago, Ethan Tremblay said:

I recently perused Big Footy and came across the below thread, the OP asks posters which Round 1 game (not including their own teams) they’re most interested in. Reading the posts so far, our game vs Geelong is looking to be the most popular. 

https://www.bigfooty.com/forum/threads/order-the-round-1-games-as-to-how-they-interest-you.1188108/page-2

Loved this comment from a rabid Geelong supporter...

"I like the Dees for top 4 this season and possibly even premiers. I think they will beat us first up, and I'm tipping a Melb-Tiges GF with melb to win. I think between them two, and us, that's where the winner will come from."

[Red and Bluebeard 2,084]

8 hours ago, Redleg said:

Could have egg on my face here, but I believe that Ablett now plays outside and calls for easy ball off his team mates, rather than getting it himself. He doesn't have explosive pace and is not a long kick and has been injured a lot in the last couple of years.

While I fear the pure class of Danger and the tenacity of Selwood, I don't fear Ablett.

I think he is now a player that wants to get stats and plays more for Gary than team.

He is underdone and if he plays so be it.

I bow to your superior footy knowledge Redleg, but I will say I was looking forward to Jack Viney sitting Ablett on his bum inside the first minute. Oh well, looks like OIiver or Jones will get the privilege now ...

[Mazer Rackham 14,971]

7 hours ago, fndee said:

The best option for us would be for Ablett to get picked and 5,000 extra paying Geelong supporters roll up to the G to be there the day the prodigal son returned. Our coffers overflow. As he runs onto the ground he acknowledges the cheers of the adoring crowd and fawning commentators with a bashful wave a moment before reaching for his hamstring and dejectedly hobbling off for the day. One can dream. 

You left out the 25 goal thrashing? Disappointed.

[Lord Travis 10,729]

8 hours ago, Redleg said:

Could have egg on my face here, but I believe that Ablett now plays outside and calls for easy ball off his team mates, rather than getting it himself. He doesn't have explosive pace and is not a long kick and has been injured a lot in the last couple of years.

While I fear the pure class of Danger and the tenacity of Selwood, I don't fear Ablett.

I think he is now a player that wants to get stats and plays more for Gary than team.

He is underdone and if he plays so be it.

It's a bit out of sight out of mind with Ablett. People forget how good he is/was. He hasn't played much due to injury the past 3 years, and people don't bother watching Gold Coast games. He has actually become more of an inside player at Gold Coast, purely out of necessity. His contested possession rate in 2017 was roughly 44%, which is high. He averaged 7.6 clearances a match, which made him the number 1 clearance player in the entire league on average. He also averaged career high tackles, at just a touch under 6 per game.
Statistically he was the best player of the 3 in 2017 in pretty much every possible stat, though Dangerfield scored more goals. He's a mile ahead over the course of their careers, and no-one who has played in the past few decades come close to him. If his body holds up, he can still be damaging on the inside, outside, and up forward. If his body holds up. I suspect it won't, which is good for our chances of winning. Even if he is cooked and sat in the forward pocket he'd still probably kick 3-4 goals and cause us some issues. Don't underestimate one of the all time greats!

If there is no Dangerfield and no Ablett come round 1, then we must win. There will be no excuses.

[brendan 3,437]

Ablett hasn’t even joined in full training yet hopes to by Friday, that leaves him no time I would be very surprised if he lines up round 1

[whatwhat say what 22,747]

ablett was, is, and remains an absolute superstar

treat his non pre-season with peril 

[At Least I Saw a Flag 5,242]

12 minutes ago, brendan said:

Ablett hasn’t even joined in full training yet hopes to by Friday, that leaves him no time I would be very surprised if he lines up round 1

He'll play

[Demon trucker 1,800]

13 minutes ago, brendan said:

Ablett hasn’t even joined in full training yet hopes to by Friday, that leaves him no time I would be very surprised if he lines up round 1

Abblett will play round 1 ready or not, with danger not playing they will be desperate for him to play, it will be a good chance he pulls it during the game which will be better, because the other player will relay on him.

[DeezNuts 624]

Enough said, we’ll smash em!

[DV8 2,271]

13 minutes ago, DeezNuts said:

Enough said, we’ll smash em!

 

 

Where is Aunty when we need him, to sort out Gaz of god ?

 

just a little message for down the Girlong Rd

 

 

 

Edited March 12, 2018 by DV8