Changes for Rd.4 V The Cats

[RogueSwan]

Changes for Rd.4 V The Cats

- I'd be hard-pressed to say what position he usually played.

Defensive small fwd

[cyanide]

Excellent analysis as always on RWO. I'll sound very knowledgable at the pub in 10 min ;-)
I'm excited about the return if Mitch - agree he has more smarts around goal than Dre, can work off the crumbs and take contested grabs and his work rate is excellent.
Taylor is on fire atm - if he does go to Goodes we need the great man to fire up and give us an SCG special.
Leigh Matthews on AFL.com made the point that the Cats are near bottom in hit outs and clearances and we are near top. If that continues the service to our forwards will be regular and Hawkins will be less dangerous. We should win this at home...but I always get nervous when we are unanimously tipped!
Go Swannies

[ShockOfHair]

I wasn't surprised at Bird given how little game time he's had in the last two weeks. It will be interesting to compare how he goes in the reserves compared to Lamb - if Lamb is to force his way in you'd think it would have to be at the expense of someone like Bird. An opportunity will probably open up for another of that type of player in the relatively near future. Can Lamb poke his nose in front? That said, I'd like to see Bird return. I like him. He plays a variety of roles with a minimum of fuss.
.

I think Bird just had his injury at the wrong time. Because he was returning from injury he was the logical sub, and then because he'd been sub for a couple of weeks now has to go back to the reserves. Plus his versatility makes him the ideal vest man - I'd be hard-pressed to say what position he usually played.

I think Rampe more likely as the sub. We need Armstong to play the Shaw role.

[BillyRayCypress]

I think Craig was very hard done by. Two weeks on the bench and then a token appearance.

Then to rub insult to injury he gets dropped.

Time for a Family Guy dedication to our Craig.

[wolftone57]

actually when you look at the cats back six you get a really good idea of why we struggled so much against them last season at KP. They have a very dependable group and all reasonably skilled. Still i continue to think that the critical thing will be the midfield - beat them there both inside and outside and we win the game. grundy plays on pods, ted on hawkins, lrt on bilcavs. Presumably smith on johnson and mattner on someone like stokes (or vice versa).

Very good match ups and they do match up well on us.

the key will be coming out of defence - when we kick it long to the get out forward we really do need someone to be front and centre - otherwise it just comes back in too often and too fast. We could really do with goodes finding a bit of touch tonight.

Our talls need to spread and not be all at the one contest. What we need is for the talls to each take a different part of the ground to lead into and therefore splitting the Cat tall defenders. If they do that we need a small or medium to go with each of the talls. This can work and it is the thing they suggest other sides do to us but we are actually really good one on one. I don't think Cats are as good one on one.

The other thing is that if we spread then Mackie and Corey will have to be accountable for their men. This means even if they do decide to be the second man up in the contest we have a free player at ground level and lets face it if any of our resting mids or Mitch are free at ground level they are in trouble.

[giant]

Cats back 6 very good indeed. Couldn't see Mackie on Fox LT last nite but assume I just missed him.

Scott will be tempted to swing Taylor forward if Hawkins and Pods don't have an impact. Need Goodes to keep him busy and keep him honest on the rebound.

Dre unlucky but needs to know his playing for his footy life every time he plays seniors.

[Melbournehammer]

actually when you look at the cats back six you get a really good idea of why we struggled so much against them last season at KP. They have a very dependable group and all reasonably skilled. Still i continue to think that the critical thing will be the midfield - beat them there both inside and outside and we win the game. grundy plays on pods, ted on hawkins, lrt on bilcavs. Presumably smith on johnson and mattner on someone like stokes (or vice versa).

Very good match ups and they do match up well on us.

the key will be coming out of defence - when we kick it long to the get out forward we really do need someone to be front and centre - otherwise it just comes back in too often and too fast. We could really do with goodes finding a bit of touch tonight.

[wolftone57]

Taylor will go to Goodes, that's the matchup they like and will stick with it. Lonergan to Reid and Rivers to the resting ruckman. Mackie will probably get Mitch, if he starts. McGlynn forward tag on Bartel.

More undecided will be our matchups on their speedsters Motlop, Christensen, Smedts and Stokes

Those match ups are going to be interesting. Where does Smedts play forward or on the wing? does Chapman start in the forward line or on ball? This will depend on who goes to whom.

In thinking about our forwardline I also think it depends on who we have playing forward. If it is as you say then either Corey, Mackie, Hunt or Enright are going to be on the bench. I don't think Rivers can take our resting rucks, he is too easily bodied by the monsters. I say that in the nicest way as his grandmother was my surrogate Aunt. His Uncle Pat and I were in the same class at school in Broken Hill as kids (I left there at 11 y o). There is also not going to be someone to help him as we spread (if indeed we do spread and not bomb).

[Triple B]

Mitch will definitely start as he will be the thorn in the Cats defensive side. Either Mackie or Hunt will get Mitch.....

If Taylor Hunt goes to Mitch I think a few of our midfielders will be very relieved....

[ugg]

Taylor will go to Goodes, that's the matchup they like and will stick with it. Lonergan to Reid and Rivers to the resting ruckman. Mackie will probably get Mitch, if he starts. McGlynn forward tag on Bartel.

More undecided will be our matchups on their speedsters Motlop, Christensen, Smedts and Stokes

[wolftone57]

So who to be sub this week? Armstrong, Rampe or someone else? Tony A I think will get the sub vest. Rampe is a strong body to body player whereas Tony A is not and against the Cats need the body player. Dane is also a very long kick, probably not as accurate as Tony in the short passing but in long kicks very devastating. he can change a game with one of his long passes.

Mitch will definitely start as he will be the thorn in the Cats defensive side. Either Mackie or Hunt will get Mitch. Corey will have to go to Goodsie as Taylor will have to take Ried and Lonergan will have to go to Pyke/Mummy. i actually think we are stretching them a bit. Jude kicked 4 last week, Hannas, Kizza & Lukie rest in forward line, the one taking them is in for a torrid day as they kicked 7 between them last week. Add Macca, joey and ROK all kicking goals and you have a very over burdened backline. Our mids need to hold hard against quality opposition and support our defense.

I think we are in for a great game and I also think/hope we are going to sock it to them. But if we don't just remember we are primed for September April.

[Ludwig]

I think Morton came in for Everett because the Geelong defence is very difficult beat in the air. Harry Taylor especially; he seems to mark everything that comes in his direction. Smaller forwards do better against them, especially now they will have 4 tall backs with Rivers coming in. Morto can be a tricky character and suits the kind of game we are now playing, which is creating a lot of opportunities from stoppages and the ball coming free from pressure. Everitt missed a couple of chances close in when he couldn't work his way through traffic. I think Mitch would have found a way to score.

[ernie koala]

Armstrong is the lucky one to hold his place, his form has been average at best..

He needs to produce a big game, if he is any hope of holding his place.

That'll be hard for him if he's the sub...Hasn't played well as the sub in the past..

Seems to run around like a headless chook looking for easy possessions, rather than having a meaningful impact when we don't have the ball....ie pressure, tackling ,blocking, etc.

Hope he goes well, but it's a big ask for him against the strong bodied Cats.

[Melbourne_Blood]

Changes for Rd.4 V The Cats

I think Everitt was serviceable last week, but by no means undroppable. ( made up word, yeah probably). Birdy is a gun but sub two weeks in a row, needs a hit out in the Ressies. Rampe should slot into Tonys spot and tony to be sub. Morton adds a much larger danger factor to our forward line than Dre does. Dre doesn't have a set role IMO and in a team of role players, that's probably his downfall.

[Swansongster]

Maybe Morton or Rampe will end up in the red vest after a five day turnaround.