St Kilda v Geelong

[Blue Boy]

What a big game for both clubs.

I havent decided on a tip yet - I will wait for the sides to be put to paper.

REB how nervous are ya about this.

[Booney]

How nervous is he? Toey enough to consider not watching it........



Enter REB....

[Magpiespower]

The mighty Cats with the same record as a rebuilding Power.

Who woulda' thunk it?

[Rik E Boy]

Not nervous at all little boy Blue because we are seriously 5hite. Geelong has won 9 out of it's last 22 games but somehow this is the first time all season we have been considered underdogs (the bookies had us faves against the Swines in Sydney for some strange unknown reason). Let's have a look at the Cats problems..

FORWARD LINE

Ottens averages less than two goals a game.
Kingsley and Playfair are not fit.
Gary Ablett Jnr has been playing brilliantly of late but Saint Steve Baker has the wood on him but with the tighter interpretation on scragging maybe the little leech may have to earn his kicks this time.
The Dog is in the doghouse with the coach despite kicking ten goals in the last two weeks in the VFL.

MIDFIELD/RUCK

Corey and Kelly don't chase
Ling is slow and kicks backwards and lateraly and holds up the play without exception. I'd put him in the forward line myself.
King will probably either break down again or spend about 40 percent of the game on the ground, leaving the raw Blake to handle the majority of ruck duties now that Looney has been suspended.
Geelong is ranked 16th in clearances this season (but 1st in winning contested footy - work that out), this puts too much pressue on our defence
Kelly and Riccardi are not fit

DEFENCE

Harely won't play again this week.
Egan has been carrying a shoulder injury for a month.
Josh Hunt is dead set useless and when we get rid of him I will dance like John Travolta.
Will Slade is the third most penalised player in the league this season..a very clumsy youngster.

TEAM FACTORS

Night matches lost in a row: 6
Friday night matches lost in a row: more
Game plan: Tell me and we'll both know
Confidence: Shot
Respect factor: We don't respect the opposition even though we aren't winning. Figure that out!
Coaching: Inflexible, currently with no plan B. Looking more and more like Ayres by the week.

Apart from that, I'm pretty confident Nah, we're screwed. Get on the Saints mate it's a safe tip. Even if the Cats do get up it won't hurt you because not too many will be selecting Geelong. Some tips you can afford to get wrong such as Collingwood over West Coast last year but there are others you just have to get right such as Collingwood over Carlton last week because everyone will be on the favourite.

My tip: St Kilda are average but Geelong reek. St Kilda by 16pts.

regards,

REB

[Booney]

"Ottens averages less than two goals a game"

Why do you think such a successful unit as Richmond ( ) decided not to fight to keep him?

I think you may find the part about the coaching at the moment correct.It seems Bomber found a plan that worked last year and decided to stick with it,sadly he has not shown much since,with most opposition some how winning more of the ball against your much lauded midfield.

[JK]

Last week was the first time I've seen Ottens as a pure ruckman in a longtime, and I thought he looked excellent playing the position that imho suits him naturally

[Rik E Boy]

Yes Booney but we have been primarly playing Otto as a forward. It is only due to the continuing injuries to King that he has been played in the Ruck. I recon Constance is on to something about Otto tho, he looks OK in the ruck. Maybe we can chuck King in the forward line instead. The skipper can kick a goal.

regards,

REB

[JK]

If his fitness is there (or get's there) then he could spell up forward here and there, but I honestly think he showed plenty last week that personally I'd forgotten he was capable of, looked as though he was relishing the role and the space and additional touches that come with it

[Rik E Boy]

He is just about match ready now Otto, several other Cats aren't which is why we are struggling but the Melbourne loss was a new low because they had even more injuries than us and we kicked their ar5e by 13 goals in that final last year. We've gone backwards in a big way in a real hurry over the last month.

regards,

REB

[JK]

From the bits I saw of that game I thought it was one of the most entertaining of the season, not that it helps your boys any .. Losing to the enigmatic Dee's is no disgrace and I still think Geelong will get it together and be a formidable presence by the end of the season, but you wouldn't want to leave your run too much longer ...

[sydney-dog]

REB, Good Post

In regards to Ottens, my understanding is that he is the highest paid player atthe Cats, if this is true, why did the cats pay so much for him considering he had done nothing for two seasons or more.....

Ling, he gets plenty of ball but he does not hurt sides with his possession, he needs to win more ball in the middle of the ground and push forward, quickly.......

Discipline is a huge issue, Mooney, great footballer but once again has let the side down, they cannot afford to have him fit and in the outer, Slade, I watch a game the other week and he gave away at least 5 sloppy free kicks....

Gary Ablett jr, I am a huge fan, but saying that it will be a waste if he plays his entire career as a forward / pitch hitting midfielder, Gary get yourself super fit and become a premier on baller of the comp.....

This side has been together for 4 seasons now, it's time they put some consistency on the board and become a serious challenger, if the Cats do not make the GF then changes will be required at Cat Land

My Tip, I'm going to back the Cats, reason, the Saints too have been ordinary, the only reason they got up last week was because of Fraser and Scarlett will win this duel....... The Cats midfield should get first look at it, if they can play more direct they can stretch an ordinary Saints defence

[GWW]

I saw on the Sunday Footy show on ch 9 footage of where the Geelong player (Egan?) ridiculed and laughed at the Demons player after taking the mark, leading up to a shot at goal. I think they were up at that stage. He kicked a point from pretty much straight in front. You'd have to think he'd have to be a prime candidate to be dropped this week on the basis of poor attitude.

[stan]

MIDFIELD/RUCK

[list]Corey and Kelly don't chase

Yeah I know, Corey is in my dream team and i love the fact that he does nothing but pick up slut kicks all day!!

[Rik E Boy]

I saw on the Sunday Footy show on ch 9 footage of where the Geelong player (Egan?) ridiculed and laughed at the Demons player after taking the mark, leading up to a shot at goal. I think they were up at that stage. He kicked a point from pretty much straight in front. You'd have to think he'd have to be a prime candidate to be dropped this week on the basis of poor attitude.

That was Josh Hunt Gee dubya. I've been calling for his head for weeks on BigFooty.

regards,

REB

[stan]

Im not going to pull punches here. That game was shithouse to watch last night. Only the last quater was decent. What do you all think?

[sydney-dog]

REB

Now you have been a big critic in regards to the flood and slow tempo possession footy which creates boring footy, now last night the cats won ugly by imploring the flood tactic all night, the game last night was not a good standard game, but after 4 losses the Cats now have a win, what are your thoughts now, are you happy to take the win or do you remain critical but this time it was your team you played boring footy, but came away with the win

[mighty_tiger_79]

as a cats fan who didnt see the game, if they flooded all night and got the win thats all that matters. it doesnt matter how you get a win after 4 terrible losses, just have to get some confidence back in the playing group

[Mr66]

Well done STK, ANOTHER wasted year coming up!

[Rik E Boy]

REB

Now you have been a big critic in regards to the flood and slow tempo possession footy which creates boring footy, now last night the cats won ugly by imploring the flood tactic all night, the game last night was not a good standard game, but after 4 losses the Cats now have a win, what are your thoughts now, are you happy to take the win or do you remain critical but this time it was your team you played boring footy, but came away with the win

Happy to take the win but agree it was fugg ugly to watch. I think the simple solution was mentioned by Dennis 'o wise one' Commetti. Drop the size of the interchange bench so that you can't rotate fresh runners off the bench for four quarters. AFL football has become Lacrosse, not netball and it is no surprise that the game opened up a little once fatigue set in.

Also, St Kilda will now be flooded regularly because they will kick it to Rievolting and Off the rails train no matter how many are on them. One, how could they drop Milne, and two..they are dead 5hite without Hamill who actually fights to keep the ball inside their forward 50.

I guess the 'ugly football' thing is related to observers who don't follow one of the sides or the offending side on the day. Like I said before, Crows fans won't give a 'rat's toss bag' (Go Blighty) whether they play keepings off as long as they win and that applies to supporters of all teams. What the AFL should be worrying about is if a majority of fans 'do a Wedgie' and start to watch other codes and recent ratings and crowd figures might suggest this is beginning to happen.

regards,

REB

[sydney-dog]

REB

I agree with your thoughts on the Saints, my thoughts are tactically they are a pretty dumb side, they do not have a plan b or know how to work through different tactics thrown at them during the course of the game