Rd 2 vs Geelong Cats @ SCG - Pre-Game Thread

[Bloods05]

No Jeremy Cameron puts a massive hole in Geelongs setup. I think this is a pretty comfortable game for us, and if it's not too wet, a 6 goal margin sounds about right.

Cameron has been mediocre at Geelong, and in any case he might still be playing.

[Mountain Man]

Re Sheldrick, he did not play in the Community game in Albury, with Roberts preferred. Posters some time ago picked him to be the first debutant in 2022, and he appeared to do well in that game.

Roberts did not play last Saturday - not in the VFL against the Giants or, obviously, in the AFL.

My conclusion is that he either became injured, or has been caught up in the Covid protocols.

I'm not knocking Sheldrick, but cautioning his selection last weekend being affirmation of his current status in the pecking order

[SwanSand]

I think Jake Lloyd is absolutely needed in the backline to provide some steadiness in the backline when things are not going well.
Warner will come in for Sheldrick - that is a no brainer.
Does Harry Cunningham have a run in role with Isaac Smith as in the past? That may create a space for Josh Kennedy in the backline. But I am not sure if we can have Kennedy looking after Tyson Stengle or Luke Dalhaus. That will be a mismatch.
I think Logan McDonald will be replaced by Peter Ladhams this week. Not because Logan wasn't good but maybe a bigger body needed against good defence.
Stephens and Rowbottom both need to step up if we have to win this one.

[Aprilbr]

I was at the Geelong game against Essondon. They dominated out of the centre and at clearances. Danger was on fire. We need to watch those areas plus clamp down on Danger. Maybe send Rowbottom to him?

[Ludwig]

Chad can be in the mids too , why does it have to be one or the other , they were both in the mids last yr and it was fine. Now everyone has gone cold on Kennedy in the mids , why ? Cause he 's old ?

I think Banga has summed it up pretty well in his post on this issue.

Kennedy has been dropping off the last couple of years. He was still good and had some great games, but generally speaking, just falling away from his best footy.

I started questioning his place in the middle last year because of his inability to defend at stoppages when the opposition won the ball. They would just blow by him. And now that teams are scoring more heavily from centre breaks, Kennedy is becoming a liability.

I thought our midfield did okay in the 2nd half, even with Parker in the forward line. Florent has shown that he can play at centre bounces. Chad has a similar profile at stoppages, with his quickness to break from the pack. So that gives us 5 centre bounce regulars in Florent, Warner, Parker, Mills and Rowbottom. Heeney and Stephens will get more time at stoppages around the ground. There really isn't much need for Kennedy in the mids now. That's why we tried him out at HB, but like Hewett, it hasn't quite worked out.

[TheBloods]

I think Banga has summed it up pretty well in his post on this issue.

Kennedy has been dropping off the last couple of years. He was still good and had some great games, but generally speaking, just falling away from his best footy.

I started questioning his place in the middle last year because of his inability to defend at stoppages when the opposition won the ball. They would just blow by him. And now that teams are scoring more heavily from centre breaks, Kennedy is becoming a liability.

I thought our midfield did okay in the 2nd half, even with Parker in the forward line. Florent has shown that he can play at centre bounces. Chad has a similar profile at stoppages, with his quickness to break from the pack. So that gives us 5 centre bounce regulars in Florent, Warner, Parker, Mills and Rowbottom. Heeney and Stephens will get more time at stoppages around the ground. There really isn't much need for Kennedy in the mids now. That's why we tried him out at HB, but like Hewett, it hasn't quite worked out.

At least Kennedy can find the ball and use it well at stoppages , would take that in our midfield

[Bangalore Swans]

I think Banga has summed it up pretty well in his post on this issue.

Kennedy has been dropping off the last couple of years. He was still good and had some great games, but generally speaking, just falling away from his best footy.

I started questioning his place in the middle last year because of his inability to defend at stoppages when the opposition won the ball. They would just blow by him. And now that teams are scoring more heavily from centre breaks, Kennedy is becoming a liability.

I thought our midfield did okay in the 2nd half, even with Parker in the forward line. Florent has shown that he can play at centre bounces. Chad has a similar profile at stoppages, with his quickness to break from the pack. So that gives us 5 centre bounce regulars in Florent, Warner, Parker, Mills and Rowbottom. Heeney and Stephens will get more time at stoppages around the ground. There really isn't much need for Kennedy in the mids now. That's why we tried him out at HB, but like Hewett, it hasn't quite worked out.

What I hadn’t banked on in my preseason assessment of the team was the apparent thus far improvement in Ollie Florent and Stephen’s. They are both looking better that I predicted. I also didn’t expect Rowbottom to show what he is now with his wonderful tackling.

[bloodspirit]

I think with Kennedy and the midfield it’s a number of factors:

1) 666 rule. Before this rule you used to have bodies charging into the centre square from half forward / half flank. You needed to be big and powerful like Kennedy to withstand that pressure. Now these guys are inside 50 for centre square and it opens up space in the middle. Quicker players are advantaged by this rule. The Florent goal was an illustration of the space created by 666. This rule change is not to Kennedy’s benefit.

Thoughtful, interesting observation, Bangalore.

I was wondering about this after hearing one of the commentators talking about how important "big bodied mids" were in the midfield and then seeing our game. Mills and Rowbottom don't quite qualify as "big bodied" for mine - I think that category belongs to the likes of JPK, Cripps, Tom Green, Bontempelli etc. Yet our mids did well against the Giants elite midfield unit.

[TheBloods]

What I hadn’t banked on in my preseason assessment of the team was the apparent thus far improvement in Ollie Florent and Stephen’s. They are both looking better that I predicted. I also didn’t expect Rowbottom to show what he is now with his wonderful tackling.

Those 3 you mentioned are n' t Kennedy

Florent maybe , fantastic on saturday but 1 game

rowbottom less i say the better , everyone would agree

stephens was n't even inside hardly at all , so not competing with Joey . and hes no Joey anyway

Dont like that we are shafting an all time great because of some unproven mids . Kennedy is still a great mid , wheres the proof that he 'd struggle at centre bounces ? Why is speed necessary ? how is Mills quick ? Parker ? Rowbottom ? They are slow . Hewett slow, he dominated for Carlton . Its his contested work that makes him the champion he is , we cant replace that !

[stevoswan]

Those 3 you mentioned are n' t Kennedy

Florent maybe , fantastic on saturday but 1 game

rowbottom less i say the better , everyone would agree

stephens was n't even inside hardly at all , so not competing with Joey . and hes no Joey anyway

Dont like that we are shafting an all time great because of some unproven mids . Kennedy is still a great mid , wheres the proof that he 'd struggle at centre bounces ? Why is speed necessary ? how is Mills quick ? Parker ? Rowbottom ? They are slow . Hewett slow, he dominated for Carlton . Its his contested work that makes him the champion he is , we cant replace that !

Tend to agree with the crux of this post.....particularly the second part of the third sentence!

Kennedy is too good to drop, back into the mid's....and if that doesn't work, into the forward line. As for who makes way for him....I'll let others speculate.

[graemed]

Geelong midfield is still built around Dangerfield and Selwood.

Rowbottom is capable of matching one of them, but I think Kennedy may get a midfield role this week. I have only seen the highlights of the Geelong game - and Essendon were pretty soft (even pathetic), - but they bullied contested possessions and clearances.

So, for me, Lloyd in his usual role replaces Kennedy at half back; Kennedy in mids and Sheldrick misses; Warner in and maybe McDonald misses if the weather is bad.

McLean has to stay as relief ruck, and Wicks needs to stop any exit run.

From AFL 360 the numbers were Essendon were -45 in contested possessions and -25 in the clearances.

I really like McDonald and it was great to see a newbie who did nothing wrong but we must have someone on Stewart and I believe Wicks can do the defensive job. Kennedy on Kolodjashnij looks good to me. My point is to make their defenders accountable and make them play one on one.

Not that McDonald wouldn’t be capable of drawing the ball to himself (he can and has done so) but Geelong thrive on their defenders playing loose, zoning off and supporting each other. He has a tendency to draw his opponent into contests. That’s a role already being done by McLean with more success.

The final point to my argument is that given Kennedy’s past and his current limitations a forward role is more appropriate and the likelihood we will need his grunt, strength and ball winning skills in the middle at some stage, for my money he has to stay.

[AB Swannie]

From AFL 360 the numbers were Essendon were -45 in contested possessions and -25 in the clearances.

I really like McDonald and it was great to see a newbie who did nothing wrong but we must have someone on Stewart and I believe Wicks can do the defensive job. Kennedy on Kolodjashnij looks good to me. My point is to make their defenders accountable and make them play one on one.

Not that McDonald wouldn’t be capable of drawing the ball to himself (he can and has done so) but Geelong thrive on their defenders playing loose, zoning off and supporting each other. He has a tendency to draw his opponent into contests. That’s a role already being done by McLean with more success.

The final point to my argument is that given Kennedy’s past and his current limitations a forward role is more appropriate and the likelihood we will need his grunt, strength and ball winning skills in the middle at some stage, for my money he has to stay.

I think Hayward is a better matchup for Stewart. I think he does a fantastic role when nullifying the intercept defender of the opposition.