Pre Match: Pies v. Cats - all comments please

[Piethagoras' Theorem]

[mattys123]

By the way, there is no walk up seating on the night now (except for the MCC).

Ticketek has put every remaining public seat on sale.

[lanstro]

On changes, as unlikely as it is to happen due to team disruption issues, I reckon we should play all the kids. Seeing as we'll be playing Geelong at least once more this year, and most likely once in the finals, and losing this game won't matter too much in the scheme of things, we want to find out now whether they can perform against the best opposition now rather than deep into the finals. So if I were Mick I'd let all the kids that are fit and will conceivably play come September a go: so Reid, Brown, the Caff, Wood, Anthony, Barham etc should all get a run this week at the expense of their senior colleagues.

We can then learn from the experience if we do lose, play our best team at the second H&A game against them, which will hopefully be a win, and then perfect it in the finals.

[Tannin]

^ What, start tanking in May?

[colin_wood]

I think play the best team available....to be 2 games clear in 1st position would be massive.

[swoop42]

It would be interesting to know who people believe should pick up the Geelongs forwards.

I'm thinking Toovey vs Stokes, O'Brien vs Johnson, Macaffer vs Chapman, Prestigiacomo vs Podsiadly, N.Brown or Reid vs Hawkins, Maxwell vs Mooney, Shaw vs Byrnes/Varcoe.

[Joel]

Not sure about Macaffer on Chapman.

[swoop42]

^It's an unknown but just feel we need to throw someone onto either Chapman or Johnson who is willing to sacrifice there own game to play a completely negative role.

Macaffer has played down back, up forward and thru the midfield in his time at AFL level so I was thinking he might have the ability to shadow Chapman when he plays upfield and have the size and strength to match him in a contested situation deep in defence.

As good as Shaw is he worries me when dragged deep in defence as he has a bad habit of infinging in marking situations and against such a great side like Geelong they'll make him pay if he zones off his opponent to often.

O'Brien has impressed with his attack on the ball and run from defence this season but with this he's become a little to loose and has been leaking to many goals. This week he'll most likely get Johnson and will need to sacrifice some flair for accountability.

It's a calculated risk to play Macaffer on someone like Chapman but it's a good time when you're 7-1 to throw out a challenge and see how the player responds. If he does well he's then added another string to his bow
and gives us another option for a big job in defence going forward.

[Pied Piper]

I like your matchups, swoop. Not sure about Macaffer either but we'll see, I reckon you're pretty close to how it's going to line up on Friday for my money.

[favourites 2008]

Lets be honest the job that Harry O(?) did in the final, no one can do worse than that.

[Pied Piper]

I can't remember anyone playing well that day favs. Even Presti got his arse kicked.

[Bob Sugar]

I can't remember anyone playing well that day favs. Even Presti got his arse kicked.

well look at the game plan for the prelim, we basiclly flooded our own fwd line to keep the ball in there and we were hamered on the fast break leaving our backs one out, the cats keys fwds could lead fwd, back, up, down, sideways, and none of our backs had any support, be it in the air or on the ground, the game plan broke down when we let the ball out of our 50, simple.

[John Wren]

Not sure about Macaffer on Chapman.

how about johnno on chapman?

[Akos]

I havent heard a word Swoop has said this week! i keep getting distracted

[HAL]

Not sure about Macaffer on Chapman.

how about johnno on chapman?

What were we talking about again?