On 29/08/2021 at 08:26, david_neitz_is_my_dad said:

That pre Grand Final bye is only an option if covid breaks out and they need to move. Touch wood it wont happen.

I think for logistical reasons they'll keep the pre-GF bye no matter what. You don't just move a massive event like the GF forward a week on the spur of the moment.

However, they'd be dumb not to play the grand final as soon as they can. Imagine WA goes into lockdown after the week off.

WEEK THREE FINALS FIXTURE

FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 10

First preliminary final
Melbourne v Geelong/GWS at Optus Stadium, 5.50pm AWST

SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 11

Second preliminary final
Port Adelaide v Brisbane/Western Bulldogs at Adelaide Oval, 7.10pm ACST

  On 29/08/2021 at 08:21, Jaded said:

There won’t be a bye after the semis. That will give the teams that won the qualifying finals 2 weeks off. No way in hell the AFL will do that. 
Only chance for a bye is prior to the grand final, and if Covid situation gets shaky they might just scrap it altogether. 

Yeah, fair call. I was just looking for all the ways the AFL could help the geriatric Cats.

 

  On 29/08/2021 at 08:29, Chook said:

I think for logistical reasons they'll keep the pre-GF bye no matter what. You don't just move a massive event like the GF forward a week on the spur of the moment.

However, they'd be dumb not to play the grand final as soon as they can. Imagine WA goes into lockdown after the week off.

I imagine the pre grand final bye is there to help the winner of the Adelaide prelim to get across to WA to quarantine without it hampering preparation or pre finals events too much. 
It does mean that if Melbourne makes the grand final we would have played one game in 3 weeks which is not ideal. Hope Burgo has a plan. 

Edited August 29, 20213 yr by Jaded

Hopefully The Giants play the game of their lives and beat Geelong who still worry me. Then having play their guts out have nothing left of the PF. 

  On 29/08/2021 at 09:58, Mr Steve said:

Hopefully The Giants play the game of their lives and beat Geelong who still worry me. Then having play their guts out have nothing left of the PF. 

That would be the dream scenario. Cats still worry me too.

  On 29/08/2021 at 09:58, Mr Steve said:

Hopefully The Giants play the game of their lives and beat Geelong who still worry me. Then having play their guts out have nothing left of the PF. 

Geelong still scare me as well.

Not so much as a team, just more worried about certain individuals getting off the chain like Hawkins and Dangerfield.

Would much rather play GWS. Just go back and look at the second quarter last week to remind yourself of what could happen if we play Geelong. Yes they looked rubbish vs Port but they lost the QF last year and still made the GF.

  On 29/08/2021 at 09:27, Jaded said:

I imagine the pre grand final bye is there to help the winner of the Adelaide prelim to get across to WA to quarantine without it hampering preparation or pre finals events too much. 
It does mean that if Melbourne makes the grand final we would have played one game in 3 weeks which is not ideal. Hope Burgo has a plan. 

It won't matter so much if we win and then Port wins: both sides will have had the same breaks.

I suspect Collingwood would rather have played GWS than Brisbane in their 2019 Prelim…that didn’t work out so well.

I think GWS without Greene if suspended and with other injuries from their game will make it hard for them in the Semi.

Don’t like playing a side twice in a month when Round 23 felt like a final but I think we’d be good enough to put either side in a spliff if needs be.

The more injuries the better is all we can hope for and that their game goes to ET 👍🏻

  On 29/08/2021 at 11:02, Clint Bizkit said:

Geelong still scare me as well.

Not so much as a team, just more worried about certain individuals getting off the chain like Hawkins and Dangerfield.

Look I don’t disagree. Geelong is a very experienced well drilled team. They have plenty of guns who can unleash. 
But they could barely keep up with us in the last half in round 23. 3 weeks later and still no break, three road trips and some bruising football later, I’m not sure that scenario gets any easier for them. 
I don’t want to meet them 3 times in a season, because law of averages suggests we are due for a loss. But I also don’t know how much more they have left in the tank. 
 

Likewise Greene back from a possible one week suspension against us in a prelim and Mumford kneeing Gawn at every Centre bounce is not something I want to deal with either!

Edited August 29, 20213 yr by Jaded

Given GWS' big injury list (Tom Green and Cummimg are massive outs, Green was involved in most of their clutch goals) and Greene's likely suspension, I think we'll certainly be playing Geelong. I'd much rather play GWS now, but I can't see it. 

  On 29/08/2021 at 11:33, A F said:

Given GWS' big injury list (Tom Green and Cummimg are massive outs, Green was involved in most of their clutch goals) and Greene's likely suspension, I think we'll certainly be playing Geelong. I'd much rather play GWS now, but I can't see it. 

GWS still bat very deep in the midfield. Far more than the Cats so even though they may have a couple of outs I still give them a great chance. What I want is a very hard physical, tight game with a couple of injuries and reports then whoever we play the following week are stuffed.

  On 29/08/2021 at 11:02, Clint Bizkit said:

Geelong still scare me as well.

Not so much as a team, just more worried about certain individuals getting off the chain like Hawkins and Dangerfield.

Think we scare them more, they couldn’t beat us down there after getting 44 up no chance they beat us after we have a week off in a neutral venue. No one wants to play us now in a straight up match as they know they can’t win.

  On 28/08/2021 at 18:55, Stevienic23 said:

GWS without Greene for mine. They won't have enough goals in them to kick a winning score

The ideal scenario. 

 

  On 28/08/2021 at 18:55, Stevienic23 said:

GWS without Greene for mine. They won't have enough goals in them to kick a winning score

They also won't beat Geelong without him. 

GWS had six first 22 come out V Cats at Kardinia Park two weeks before MFC. 

Think Toby was out - bunch of kids, back to the wall, still knocked them off

Only recent win for Cats was four Qtr struggle v Saints who kicked themselves out of it

Still rather front an exhausted GWS

 

At least the players don’t seem to have MFCSS. Half the side weren’t even at the club for 2018 Prelim

Got to say that our reward for winning a Prelim Final in Perth reminds me of Stonecutters episode of The Simpsons.

Remove the ball of shame! Attach the ball of triumph!

The Geelong/GWS game will be an interesting test of resilience both physically and mentally. The pending suspension to Greene and key injuries to the GWS will flatten their sales, but their midfield can still run rampant and ultimately is where Cats can come undone. The GWS should take some confidence into this game given their recent victory and there seems to be a swell in team dynamics and connection (albeit Greene may have put a spanner in the works here)

The Cats on the other hand, look flat and cooked. It has been a long season and they are out of form too. They might get Zac Tuohy back to inject some better ball movement but i think they are also carrying some injuries.

We are definitely on the better side of the finals draw.

I think Geelong win this week, and I think history and mfcss scars cause me to worry about them in the prelim. However I think Geelong’s recent form, and a hard run to get there will hurt them. Particularly at Optus and possibly in the heat.

If we win, who do we want to play in the GF? I think I’d rather Port than the Bulldogs. The lions would also be ok, but I can’t see them beating the dogs let alone port. I’m more frightened of the bulldogs than anyone else now. 

  On 30/08/2021 at 09:20, spalding said:

I think Geelong win this week, and I think history and mfcss scars cause me to worry about them in the prelim. However I think Geelong’s recent form, and a hard run to get there will hurt them. Particularly at Optus and possibly in the heat.

If we win, who do we want to play in the GF? I think I’d rather Port than the Bulldogs. The lions would also be ok, but I can’t see them beating the dogs let alone port. I’m more frightened of the bulldogs than anyone else now. 

I agree with you. Would rather play Port than Dogs in the GF.

I know you shouldn’t base everything on one game but the Dogs were too good for us in round 19 in all facets.

  On 30/08/2021 at 09:45, Bring-Back-Powell said:

I agree with you. Would rather play Port than Dogs in the GF.

I know you shouldn’t base everything on one game but the Dogs were too good for us in round 19 in all facets.

No they weren't.

They won the game but we put them under enough heat to make me think we can beat them if we play them again.

But I doubt it matters as I don't see the Dogs beating Brisbane in Brisbane off a six day break, let alone backing up with beating Port in Adelaide when they've had the week off to rest and recover.