MTO Footy Tipping Comp.

[EgejskaMakedonia]

Well the build-up starts now. Hawks v Geelong next Friday night. Chapman to get suspended and miss out on playing his favourite side. If there's ever a time we can beat Geelong (a part from the GF) it's now.

[Phoenix]

Well the build-up starts now. Hawks v Geelong next Friday night. Chapman to get suspended and miss out on playing his favourite side. If there's ever a time we can beat Geelong (a part from the GF) it's now.

You're right EM, your mob are definitely outright favourites.
We've struggled without an experienced ruck for most of the year and with so much uncertainty surrounding the fitness of Hawkins, it will be a very tough game for the Cats.

Our 2nd half against Port was something close to our better football, something that seems to have been missing for 2 or 3 weeks now.

I just want the Cats to be competitive, I think we found some mojo last night after half time, hopefully we can inflict some more curse on the Hawks.

[Macedonian_Nationalist]

Hawks have this. They'll smash Geelong

[Phoenix]

Hawks have this. They'll smash Geelong

Leading into the Fremantle game last week, the Cats were actually flag favourites with most bookmakers.
Once Fremantle won, the Cats were relegated to 3rd place outsiders for the flag.

Some doubts remained up to half time in the match against Port last night but after a pretty strong 2nd half against Port I wouldn't be prepared to suggest that they'll get smashed against the Hawks.

Geelong has a pretty good record against the Hawks but much will depend on the fitness of Hawkins.
I still think it will be a close encounter, as most games between the two are...

Actually, I hope the Hawthorn players have your level of confidence and underestimate the Cats.

[Macedonian_Nationalist]

Leading into the Fremantle game last week, the Cats were actually flag favourites with most bookmakers.
Once Fremantle won, the Cats were relegated to 3rd place outsiders for the flag.

Some doubts remained up to half time in the match against Port last night but after a pretty strong 2nd half against Port I wouldn't be prepared to suggest that they'll get smashed against the Hawks.

Geelong has a pretty good record against the Hawks but much will depend on the fitness of Hawkins.
I still think it will be a close encounter, as most games between the two are...

Actually, I hope the Hawthorn players have your level of confidence and underestimate the Cats.

Hawkins is farked lol. Needs a microdiscectomy

[EgejskaMakedonia]

You're right EM, your mob are definitely outright favourites.
We've struggled without an experienced ruck for most of the year and with so much uncertainty surrounding the fitness of Hawkins, it will be a very tough game for the Cats.

Our 2nd half against Port was something close to our better football, something that seems to have been missing for 2 or 3 weeks now.

I just want the Cats to be competitive, I think we found some mojo last night after half time, hopefully we can inflict some more curse on the Hawks.

Even if you're out of form, the cats always manage to find that spark against the hawks. Looking forward to Chapman's suspension tonight. Anything less than a week will be a complete joke.

Got my tickets for the game and the Friday off. Ready for a big build-up!

[Phoenix]

EM,

Good win to the Hawks last night, I thought at 3/4 time that we almost had you, even with a 20pt lead I wasn't completely confident that we could hang on.

The Hawks were clearly the better side all night, while Geelong played very well in short periods throughout the game, we couldn't control the overall game like the Hawks seemed to do.

In the end the difference was closer to 5 goals than 5 points.
Hawthorn showed its depth of talent even when a few of their stars had fairly ordinary games, others stood up when it counted.
You had too many forward options even though many times you butchered the ball going forward.

Geelong have had a pretty good season, nobody had them as a top 4 side at the start of the season but they continue to develop some impressive young kids and our core of older players are largely still up to the task.
The injuries to Hawkins and Enright were costly, the suspension to Chapman hurt us last night and losing our biggest ruckman, Dawson Simpson earlier in the campaign damaged our chances.

The upside for Geelong is our youth, our VFL side has a chance to go back to back on Sunday (against the Box Hill Hawks), hopefully we can get Hawkins back to his best next year, Dawson Simpson and hopefully McIntosh in the ruck which will give us the use of 2 genuine big men, as well as a very promising forward from our VFL side, Shane Kerstin.

Good luck to the Hawks next week.

[Macedonian_Nationalist]

EM,

Good win to the Hawks last night, I thought at 3/4 time that we almost had you, even with a 20pt lead I wasn't completely confident that we could hang on.

The Hawks were clearly the better side all night, while Geelong played very well in short periods throughout the game, we couldn't control the overall game like the Hawks seemed to do.

In the end the difference was closer to 5 goals than 5 points.
Hawthorn showed its depth of talent even when a few of their stars had fairly ordinary games, others stood up when it counted.
You had too many forward options even though many times you butchered the ball going forward.

Geelong have had a pretty good season, nobody had them as a top 4 side at the start of the season but they continue to develop some impressive young kids and our core of older players are largely still up to the task.
The injuries to Hawkins and Enright were costly, the suspension to Chapman hurt us last night and losing our biggest ruckman, Dawson Simpson earlier in the campaign damaged our chances.

The upside for Geelong is our youth, our VFL side has a chance to go back to back on Sunday (against the Box Hill Hawks), hopefully we can get Hawkins back to his best next year, Dawson Simpson and hopefully McIntosh in the ruck which will give us the use of 2 genuine big men, as well as a very promising forward from our VFL side, Shane Kerstin.

Good luck to the Hawks next week.

Varcoe could've won it! The easiest of shots

[EgejskaMakedonia]

EM,

Good win to the Hawks last night, I thought at 3/4 time that we almost had you, even with a 20pt lead I wasn't completely confident that we could hang on.

The Hawks were clearly the better side all night, while Geelong played very well in short periods throughout the game, we couldn't control the overall game like the Hawks seemed to do.

In the end the difference was closer to 5 goals than 5 points.
Hawthorn showed its depth of talent even when a few of their stars had fairly ordinary games, others stood up when it counted.
You had too many forward options even though many times you butchered the ball going forward.

Geelong have had a pretty good season, nobody had them as a top 4 side at the start of the season but they continue to develop some impressive young kids and our core of older players are largely still up to the task.
The injuries to Hawkins and Enright were costly, the suspension to Chapman hurt us last night and losing our biggest ruckman, Dawson Simpson earlier in the campaign damaged our chances.

The upside for Geelong is our youth, our VFL side has a chance to go back to back on Sunday (against the Box Hill Hawks), hopefully we can get Hawkins back to his best next year, Dawson Simpson and hopefully McIntosh in the ruck which will give us the use of 2 genuine big men, as well as a very promising forward from our VFL side, Shane Kerstin.

Good luck to the Hawks next week.

Phoenix, good to see you're gracious in defeat.

Truth be told, we have beaten the cats when it matters. The amount of heartbreak resulting from some of those losses since 2008 doesn't even irk me anymore. Last night's match was probably the best game I've ever been to and experienced. Yes, the 2008 GF was awesome, but a Preliminary final is rather special. As they say, it's the final for the supporters. When Shiels got that kick away on the wing with 10 seconds left, that's when the Hawks fans knew the game was over. Everyone was on their feet for the last minute or two. I was on ground level, and the experience was similar to when buddy kicked the winning goal against Adelaide in the 2007 elimination final. Randoms were hugging and giving each other high-fives, just like in 07. Add the fact that the crowd last night was twice as large, the stakes were much higher, and we were up against arguably our biggest rivals, it pretty much tops it off as an absolute classic. It was a roller-coaster of emotions, and that's the beauty of footy.

Our goal-kicking is still a looming concern. We could've easily been 4-5 goals up considering some of the easy chances we had throughout the game. For Selwood to say that the Hawks 'pinched' the game is simply being a sore loser. This game should give us the final wake-up call we need before the big day. It really is ours to lose from here. Hopefully the Swans put up a fight tonight and the game is as close as last night. As for the umpiring last night, I thought it was shocking. None of the blokes from last night deserve to umpire in the Grand Final. The goal review system also needs to be scrapped, until the AFL invest in some proper goal-line technology.

The cats will be back next year. I'm not sure you'll be able to go the whole way, but top 4 is still on the cards. At the very least, the top 8 is most likely a given. I'd say next year is your last chance before a few of the veterans hang up the boots. From then on, it'll be up to the kids to bring forth a new 'Geelong dynasty.' Chapman could've been the X-factor last night, but he has nobody to blame but himself for being side-lined.

Go Box Hill, make it 2/2 on the cats!

Bring on next week! A lot is on the line.

[makedonche]

@Phoenix...
True gentleman...very gracious in defeat, Cats did their best given all the circumstances and showed some absolute brilliance..in unsustainable bursts!

@EM.....enjoy!

Beware the Dockers....desperate for a flag and will do anything to get it...will be hard to overcome!

[Phoenix]

Varcoe could've won it! The easiest of shots

Don't they seem so easy from the pressure vacuum that's our living-rooms...I reckon I could have kicked the ones that Bruest missed...lol

[Phoenix]

Phoenix, good to see you're gracious in defeat.

Truth be told, we have beaten the cats when it matters. The amount of heartbreak resulting from some of those losses since 2008 doesn't even irk me anymore. Last night's match was probably the best game I've ever been to and experienced. Yes, the 2008 GF was awesome, but a Preliminary final is rather special. As they say, it's the final for the supporters. When Shiels got that kick away on the wing with 10 seconds left, that's when the Hawks fans knew the game was over. Everyone was on their feet for the last minute or two. I was on ground level, and the experience was similar to when buddy kicked the winning goal against Adelaide in the 2007 elimination final. Randoms were hugging and giving each other high-fives, just like in 07. Add the fact that the crowd last night was twice as large, the stakes were much higher, and we were up against arguably our biggest rivals, it pretty much tops it off as an absolute classic. It was a roller-coaster of emotions, and that's the beauty of footy.

Our goal-kicking is still a looming concern. We could've easily been 4-5 goals up considering some of the easy chances we had throughout the game. For Selwood to say that the Hawks 'pinched' the game is simply being a sore loser. This game should give us the final wake-up call we need before the big day. It really is ours to lose from here. Hopefully the Swans put up a fight tonight and the game is as close as last night. As for the umpiring last night, I thought it was shocking. None of the blokes from last night deserve to umpire in the Grand Final. The goal review system also needs to be scrapped, until the AFL invest in some proper goal-line technology.

The cats will be back next year. I'm not sure you'll be able to go the whole way, but top 4 is still on the cards. At the very least, the top 8 is most likely a given. I'd say next year is your last chance before a few of the veterans hang up the boots. From then on, it'll be up to the kids to bring forth a new 'Geelong dynasty.' Chapman could've been the X-factor last night, but he has nobody to blame but himself for being side-lined.

Go Box Hill, make it 2/2 on the cats!

Bring on next week! A lot is on the line.

I've said all season that I thought Hawthorn and Sydney (before all the injuries to the Swans) were the best 2 teams in the comp, so without great heartache I accept our loss last night, especially with the fact that we lacked a genuine big man in the ruck for most of the year and a dominant big man up forward for most of the year. Those 2 positions are critical for a flag and that point was well proven last night with Hale doing the job on us in the ruck and as a forward target.

The group we have will actually be in contention for 2014-2015, that we got to a prelim and nearly pinched it is a bonus to those plans.
Don't underestimate our kids and don't overestimate the significance of some of those older players, a few of which are probably keeping out some of the kids.

I expect Josh Hunt has played his last game and was easily the worst player on the ground last night...Joel Corey may call it a day and Chapman may be pushed out or given one last year.
The flip side is getting Hamish McIntosh fit, Dawson Simpson fit, Tom Hawkins fit, Dan Menzel fit, Taylor Hunt fit and more opportunity to Billie Schmedts, George Horlin-Smith, Schroader, Jessie Stringer and Shane Kersten, just to name a few guys that are killing it in the VFL.

I reckon we're looking pretty well placed but the one thing that's important is momentum and health to the squad, on both counts we failed and you have to time all of that to perfection to win a flag and that means being in a position to get the weeks rest.

I have no doubt that in the end we were out run by a faster finishing Hawthorn who enjoyed the week off. To win the flag you have to be in that favourable position of having the rest.

So please Hawthorn, don't fuck it up if you play Freo...football should be played like it was last night, the way Geelong has played for 7 years, the way Hawthorn has played lately and the way Port went about their business this year.

[Phoenix]

@Phoenix...
True gentleman...very gracious in defeat, Cats did their best given all the circumstances and showed some absolute brilliance..in unsustainable bursts!

@EM.....enjoy!

Beware the Dockers....desperate for a flag and will do anything to get it...will be hard to overcome!

That's how football should be played makedonche, the way Geelong, Hawthorn and Port Adelaide played this year...not the turd Ross Lyon brings to the table each week.

With the Cats out at least I can enjoy the spectacle without the emotional noose around my neck...

[United MKD]

Awesome performance by Freo, smashed Sydney. Can't wait for next Saturday

[Phoenix]

Awesome performance by Freo, smashed Sydney. Can't wait for next Saturday

I can't see Freo maintaining that game style against Hawthorn on a wide ground like the MCG.
Even last night Freos intensity after half time was far less than at the start of the game, that's fine against an undermanned Sydney who are playing without a break and across the other side of the country but I can't see it working against the Hawks.

Hawthorn has an impressive record against Freo which will play a crucial role in next weeks mind games.

Hawthorn for me. (by 20pts)