titan_uranus

Should have said, if May's injured, I think it will be Joel Smith (assuming he's fit). There aren't any other reasonable options.

Atkins is a smug [censored], loved seeing Oliver get to him. Also loved us getting stuck into Selwood after he gave away 50, and Viney getting in Henry's face after he was outmarked by TMac (I think?). That sort of bullying is what we've copped from Geelong for years. It's arrogant, but it's symbolic to see us give it back to them.

6 - Gawn 5 - Viney 4 - Petracca 3 - Salem 2 - Oliver 1 - Langdon Plenty of others deserve votes too (Brown, Petty, Lever come to mind).

No change. Jordon holds his spot as sub. It's hard for Chunk, but Jordon has been in the 23 almost all year and it's just the right thing for Jordon to have that spot.

Unreal. It's just incredible that this is us doing this. The plaudits will rightfully come for Gawn (Naitanui can go [censored] a [censored], tonight put to bed any "debate" about who is the competition's best ruckman), Viney, Petracca and Oliver, but this was a 22-player effort. Langdon's run on the wing was far too much for their wingers. Brown's contested marking was critical, particularly early when the nerves were high (and another quiet two goals). Brayshaw looked composed. Spargo was a threat all night. May went down but Petty stood up. Hibberd played his role. That third quarter. That rush of goals. Gawn playing like Dustin Martin. It was just, well, perfect. And never mind that our opponent happened to be the most arrogant, smug pack of [censored]s. That just tops it all off.

In all seriousness, they have three players who average more than a goal a game: Cameron (2.64), Hawkins (2.54) and Rohan (1.60). We have five: Fritsch (2.32), Brown (1.82), Pickett (1.61), TMac (1.43) and Petracca (1.13).

Who kicks Geelong's goals? I mean, they did score less than us during the H&A season.

The teams have changed substantially since then. For both, only 12 from that night are playing. Our team was: FB: Jetta, O McDonald, Lewis HB: Salem, Frost, Hibberd C: vandenBerg, Oliver, Harmes HF: Melksham, T McDonald, Brayshaw FF: Hannan, Weideman, Neal-Bullen F: Gawn, Jones, Petracca I: Viney, Spargo, Tyson, Fritsch Their team was: FB: Kolodjashnij, Henderson, Stewart HB: Bews, Taylor, Tuohy C: Blicavs, J Selwood, S Selwood HF: Menegola, Ablett, Kelly FF: Parfitt, Hawkins, Henry F: Abbott, Dangerfield, Duncan I: Menzel, Murdoch, C Guthrie, O'Connor Although they'd be at 15 if they could, as they'd be playing Stewart, Parfitt and O'Connor if they were fit.

In case Geelong supporters are reading this, let me explain: Most other supporters dislike your club for two reasons. You have been very successful, which for most clubs makes us envious. But more than anything, as a club, from the coach to the fans, you are supremely arrogant, like no other club I've ever seen.

Yep, the nerves have arrived. It's going to be a long 11 hours.

I can't recall my first game but the earliest memory I have is the game where Jeff Farmer took Mark of the Year at the MCG, which Google tells me was Round 22, 1998 vs RIchmond. The best win I've been to was the 2018 Elimination Final. The anticipation of our first final in 12 years, the roar of the crowd before the bounce, the feeling we were relevant again, the hot start, the Hannan goal, the Selwood free kick that cost them a goal, the win, the roar of the crowd after the win, and then drinking in the bar with MFC fans singing the song for hours afterwards. Other contenders include: the 2018 Semi Final the 2006 Elimination Final (I was sitting behind St Kilda supporters who were arrogantly mocking us as they built their lead. Then Gehrig tried to step around Carroll...) Round 20, 2016 when we beat Hawthorn for the first time in 10 years Round 7, 2008, the big Fremantle comeback Round 22, 2005, when Robbo kicked a Warne-esque leg break goal to get us into the finals I honestly can't pick the worst game I've been to (I wasn't at the 186 or 148 point losses). The 104 point loss to Hawthorn in Round 1, 2008 was pretty bad. Round 5, 2009 vs Adelaide was a shocker - Saturday twilight game at the G, no one there, we kicked 1 goal in the first three quarters.

In Round 23 we won the tackle count 70-61 and tackles inside 50 20-6, won clearances 47 -40, and CPs were even at 140-140. We also took 12 contested marks to their 2. We also had five of the top 6 pressure act rated players in the game. In Round 4 we won the tackle count 82-74, with tackles inside 50 even at 18-18, won clearances 46-35, had more CPs at 167-148, won contested marks 12-8, and had three of the top five pressure act players.

Don't know if this has been posted on here yet: https://www.foxsports.com.au/afl/teams/melbourne-demons/afl-finals-2021-melbourne-vs-geelong-preliminary-final-mental-scars-2018-prelim-vs-west-coast-will-schofield-comments-news/news-story/22b7e75c5968ee20a3d0079db4ccd8d8 Will Schofield is a [censored] but the insight into how West Coast treated us with absolute disdain in 2018 is interesting.

I recall Dustin Martin played the 2018 prelim with an injured leg, and was really ineffectual in Richmond's loss. I see shades of that with the Dogs and Bontempelli.

Yes I know, I just think of it practically. Someone tomorrow will be named as their medi-sub and theoretically that player is the "in" to replace Parfitt, but really it's Guthrie in, Parfitt out, and someone else to medi-sub.

Their true team is Z Guthrie in, Parfitt out. It's hard to believe Guthrie is ahead of Narkle, who can't even get on the emergency list, but there you go.

Hard luck for Smith. I think Hibberd is the right call as the closest like-for-like replacement for Smith. Jones the sub?

Geelong's brought Z Guthrie in for Parfitt. Their emergencies are Higgins, Fort, Simpson and Dahlhaus.

Hibberd in, Smith out. Emergencies are Jones, Melksham, Jordon and Chandler.

I don't think you can reasonably say he kicked it. In the heat of that very difficult moment, if what he did is considered a free kick, a defender has almost no viable opportunity to contest that ball.

Much as you might expect this to be the case, it isn't true. Geelong won 14 of 22 fourth quarters in the H&A season. That was one more than us. They are actually slow starters, only winning 9 first quarters in the H&A season (we won 13).

49ers, Packers, Ravens

That wasn't a free kick for deliberate and I'm glad as [censored] it wasn't paid. You'd have felt the same way if it was us, not the Dogs. The worst one of the late decisions was to not penalise Dale for holding the ball when he dragged it in and made no attempt to get rid of it. Blatantly HTB. Led to the Bailey Smith goal.

Regardless of your views on TMac's form, he's not getting dropped for M Brown or Weideman. Neither of them have had VFL matches to press a case to replace a player for poor form. Even if you consider that playing TMac is a risk due to perceived poor form, it's a significantly bigger risk to swap him out for a prelim for someone who has either played one game, and that was back in Round 5, or a player who has played 5 games, the last of which was three months ago in Round 13. If we want the tall, TMac has the spot. If we want a mid, Melksham had the spot in Rounds 21 and 22 and could get that spot back. Yes, Goodwin dropped Fritsch for Smith in 2018. That was, in my view, a bad call and I doubt he'll be repeating it again with anything as left-field as that.

Rotten luck for Smith. Really only two options to replace him, Hibberd or Hunt. Jetta hasn't played since Round 10 whilst Daw, Lockhart and Hore haven't played at all this year. Given Geelong's forward line, Hibberd is really the only option. Have to trust him to go with either Cameron or Rohan.