PF: Melbourne vs Geelong

[1 red eye 1 blue eye 771]

Agree everyone I've spoken to are on us I think we'll have great support at the game. It's going to be a whole different experience to watching us against the Eagles and their rubbish, very exciting. Myself and my 5 Demon supporting mates you can add to the tally.

[MurDoc516 1,529]

1 hour ago, Dee-lusional said:

i'm taking 7 with me

Im taking 2 more neutrals who will be Dee's fans for the day.

[MurDoc516 1,529]

I couldn't even get a ticket in the members section for myself so ended up settling for a group of 3 in a section our the wing.

WA is a footy loving state, and i'm seeing a lot of neutral support for Melbourne.

The boys will be well supported.

[Adam The God 30,418]

9 hours ago, binman said:

Agree.

An issue for the cats against us is that their controlled ball movement plays into our hands on two fronts.

One, it allows us to set our defensive zone up - and in doing so making it hard for the Cats to transition from the back half, and therefore hard to create one on one opportunities for their forwards. 

And two, it is a model that is susceptible to the sort of intensity we bring, as we push right up on them up and every possession becomes a turnover risk. And if it is turned over it is often in our half. 

Their best chance of beating us is really fast ball movement because that is their best shot of isolating their forwards and scoring enough to beat us.

In a funny way, their burst of goals in round 23 is the blueprint - not so much how they generated those inside 50 entries (because they are unlikely to get so many clean centre square clearances again), but more the speed of ball movement and engineering one on ones. 

They definitely looked to move the ball quicker from HB against the giants. Tuohy was a big factor as he looked to run and carry at every opportunity. So you'd think they will try to do so against us. Maybe.

I say maybe, because playing fast creates a catch 22 for them as we are at our most dangerous when there is speed on the ball.

Play fast and if we create a back half turnover we move it super quick down the ground against a defence that has not had time to get back and set up their zone. This play is our most potent offensive weapon.

In much the same way soccer teams that don't have the firepower of an opponent often play, the Cats might decide their best bet is to take as much time out of the clock as possible and try and win a low scoring dirge.

I reckon the main way Geelong win this if we turn up to play our way, is through clearance dominance and shutting down the effectiveness of our clearances. So basically out Melbourning us.

Clearance dominance allows them to move the footy quickly via the likes of Dangerfield, Guthrie and co, but unless they're centre stoppage clearances, we should be able to deal with this, unless they really maul us at around the ground stoppages and get so many repeat entries that our defence eventually buckles.

And yes, they'll likely be looking for a low scoring grind.

8 hours ago, S_T said:

Geelong handed MelbourneFC arguably the darkest day in our history.  And now they stand between us and our best chance of a premiership in most of our lifetimes.  It's going to be a very, very long 4 days....

As a Geelong based Melbourne supporter, the thought of losing to them on Friday night fills me with absolute dread.  

Yes, I've been avoiding my Geelong supporting uncle on the phone. Serious family division possible here haha.

Edited September 6, 2021 by A F

[dazzledavey36 55,358]

Game officially sold out 👏

 

[DubDee 26,117]

After watching the footy shows tonight I’m so pumped for the game I can’t sleep!

in 96 hours time we will be feeling either the best feeling in the world or the worst 

aside from winning the granny that is but one step at a time

[Adam The God 30,418]

5 hours ago, TRIGON said:

We're strong, we're young, we're full of run. Bring the pressure and we'll get it done.

Is this our banner in absentia? It should be. Maybe work in a rhyme about accuracy too. 😉

[SA_Demon 193]

35 minutes ago, WA Demon Boy said:

There will be a massive Demon crowd here. Trust me. 

There won't be much noise for the Cats. 

Great to hear. I’ve got the ticket, G2G pass (from SA), flight and accommodation. Just read sold out. Wish all Melbourne members/supporters could be there. Cannot wait till Friday evening. Go Dees

[Demonland 73,140]

 

[Gawndy the Great 9,011]

8 hours ago, Demonland said:

 

Well technically no pre Finals bye this year (yet)

[Longsufferingnomore 1,646]

1 hour ago, Demonland said:

 

I've got five extra Demon supporters going Friday night. It will be great if we can drown out any Jeeeeelong supporters. 

[dee-tox 4,835]

I reckon they'll bring Hunt back for Bowey. Just an extra bit of height if needed to play on Rohan.

He will apparently train in the main session tomorrow. 

I think the selectors have major concerns with Hibberd, especially after the Adelaide game  He just doesn't have the pace or stamina any more.

[Guest]

I can’t believe Razor Ray isn’t getting a gig this weekend! And because the performance of the umps in the prelims is what determines who shall be officiating at the GF, he obvs won’t be umpiring then, either. Poor Ray. ☹️

[At Least I Saw a Flag 5,274]

Sportsbet have Demons $1.50 Jee-long $2.65.

The odds for the puddy tatts look massive overs.

 

[Cassiew 1,903]

I am scared out of my brains. For football I have never known fear like this before. The fact that this is our best chance to win a premiership in this lifetime and the possibility that this might be our last game for the season is terrifying. I’m almost too fearful to watch the game

[Clintosaurus 7,861]

58 minutes ago, WalkingCivilWar said:

I can’t believe Razor Ray isn’t getting a gig this weekend! And because the performance of the umps in the prelims is what determines who shall be officiating at the GF, he obvs won’t be umpiring then, either. Poor Ray. ☹️

Yeah he has already been told his season is over. Guess he was too even in his officiating on the weekend. At least our least favourite ump Nathan Williamson is not blowing 50 free kicks against us on Friday.

[Demon17 5,203]

9 hours ago, WA Demon Boy said:

There will be a massive Demon crowd here. Trust me. 

There won't be much noise for the Cats. 

At a neutral business meeting I attended yesterday, someone summed up the mood of the room by saying at the end of football chat

"...ABG..."  

It stood for Anyone But Geelong.

My motto now till midnight Friday.

[Jaded No More 68,974]

1 hour ago, WalkingCivilWar said:

I can’t believe Razor Ray isn’t getting a gig this weekend! And because the performance of the umps in the prelims is what determines who shall be officiating at the GF, he obvs won’t be umpiring then, either. Poor Ray. ☹️

Gotta say I’m also surprised. I thought our game against Brisbane was actually well umpired. The Port Geelong final was also pretty good. 
I hope the 3 idiots who umpires the Brisbane Geelong game aren’t coming to Perth this week. That was one bad umpiring display. Nothing annoys me more than umpires who have no feel for the game. 

[danielE288 779]

49 minutes ago, Cassiew said:

I am scared out of my brains. For football I have never known fear like this before. The fact that this is our best chance to win a premiership in this lifetime and the possibility that this might be our last game for the season is terrifying. I’m almost too fearful to watch the game

Same I'm so nervous and it's only Tuesday

[Pates 9,660]

A random question but are they allowing a banner to be made as a run through? Obviously the Demon Army can’t get over there but if local Dees fans can do it would it be permitted? It’s just be great to see the boys run through a banner!

[Redleg 41,443]

1 hour ago, WalkingCivilWar said:

I can’t believe Razor Ray isn’t getting a gig this weekend! And because the performance of the umps in the prelims is what determines who shall be officiating at the GF, he obvs won’t be umpiring then, either. Poor Ray. ☹️

Ray was easily the best of his 3. 
Who are the 6 umps this week?
Umpire Williamson, 22,  is the one who always officiates Cats wins.

Edited September 6, 2021 by Redleg

[In Harmes Way 7,823]

Imagine the lack of productivity at work in the whole of September if we win this Preliminary Final. No work will get done at all.

I think this pre GF bye is a terrible idea.

[Clintosaurus 7,861]

3 minutes ago, Redleg said:

Ray was easily the best of his 3. 
Who are the 6 umps this week?
Umpire 22 is the one who always officiates Cats wins.

22 dropped this week. Rosebury and Mollison the ins. Suspect we get the 2 surviving umps from the Cats game and add Rosebury. 

[Guest]

9 minutes ago, Redleg said:

Ray was easily the best of his 3. 
Who are the 6 umps this week?
Umpire Williamson, 22,  is the one who always officiates Cats wins.

Not sure it’s been fully decided as yet. Matt Stevic is a definite, though. 

[Guest]

7 minutes ago, Clintosaurus said:

22 dropped this week. Rosebury and Mollison the ins. Suspect we get the 2 surviving umps from the Cats game and add Rosebury. 

Matt Stevic and Robert Findlay are certainties.