Very apprehensive about this game. Geelong were stunning against Port, and I think the 48 point margin we achieved against Adelaide was flattering.

Don't want any changes to the side from last Saturday, unless Bower is ready to return, as neither Waite nor Thornton did enough to warrant a return.

Geelong demonstrated that they're in form, and they don't have a habit of relaxing once they get a sniff.

The flickering light is the belting we gave them last year.

Geelong by 28 points.

Looking forward to being proved wrong, yet again.

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"The old believe everything, the middle-aged suspect everything, and the young know everything." Oscar Wilde

The fact no one expects us to win is a positive for us.

Even allowing for that, we would have to play out of our skins to win.

It is possible, and I think we will achieve honourable loss status

That isn't good, as usually an honourable loss (to any side) is followed by a crap loss if playing half decent opposition (see Hawthorn).

So either win or get flogged Blues!

The win against the Crows flattered us. They had more inside 50s, more scoring shots, etc. etc. That we won by 8 goals really flattered us.

But at least we started to run again. The defence especially gave some drive, particularly that Thornton (sorry TBird) wasn't there holding things up. Even Jamison was running! And we went down the corridor.

Hopefully McLean is fit to come in and if not the MC has the sense to bring in either Hadley or Grigg so there is a specialist inside midfielder to get the ball out to Judd, Murphy, Gibbs, etc we have the chance for an upset.

And I actually thought Setanta looked quite good when he went back into defence to help out. With Geelong's 3 tall forwards, he could be an option to help down back because he isn't doing much up forward at the moment.

The only out is Robinson for McLean/Hadley/Grigg. If Bower is fit he is a bonus but does he have the match practice?

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"Get ready, Teddy - you're on": Ron Barassi half time 1970 Grand Final

Yeah, we didn't beat much but at least the boys will take some confidence out of it. The kids and a few blokes like Tex bobbed up, our fwd line was fast, furious and unpredictable and our midfield started to get its shite together.

We have a platform to build on.

And all Geelong did was blow away one of their bitches

We knocked 'em off last year - when they were struggling, admittedly.

All is not lost ...!

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I just want my old club back ... (edit) maybe I have!

And I tend to agree with Jim on Robinson.

Love his hardness and work in the packs but, with players lining up to get back in, he has to start getting a bit more of the pill and making it count.

Guess it depends how much the MC value his grunt work. And Ratts does seem to be in love with him since their offseason "chat".

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I just want my old club back ... (edit) maybe I have!

Although we won and i was very happy with the win, lets not be fooled that our opposition Adelaide are no good, and if they kicked straight would have been a lot closer.

Geelong are a very tough and talented team... we will need a massive effort by all our boys for us to get a win... can be done but im not confident ( which is normally a good thing ) because when im confident ( eg Vs Essendon* ) we get slapped

Cats bt 52

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Matty Kruzer you star!

We definitely will need another tall in the 22 - Geelong will load up their forwards with tall targets. Ottens,Mooney,Hawkins,Podsiadly are all marking options.

If Bower fit then he deserves the nod. If not Waite should come in because at least he is capable at playing either end.
Mitch Robinson looms as the only change from last week. The kid can't be faulted for his application but I reckon he needs a week in the vfl to get his hands on the ball a few times.

Carlton should instruct Kreuzer & Warnock to push forward at all opportunities to expose Blake & Ottens defensively.

Scarlett likely back for the Cats this week.

Geelong reacted very strongly after their first loss of the season against Freo the week before.
Geelong reacted very strongly against the only team to beat them at home last year on the weekend.
I wonder how Geelong will react against Carlton who also beat them in their premiership year.

I thought the Cats we beat last year were not playing great footy at the time.
But interestingly enough our kids gave the Cats a run for their money in the NAB the previous year too.
Maybe we have a bit of that something that stretches them.

I think it's winning the clearances in the midfield and then running to break lines by effective disposal.
I think we can do that, because that's what we did when he broke the lines against the Crows and previously against the Cats.

I like the ultra mobile Hendo and Setanta as our 2 KP's fwd.
I'd like to think that McLean will add more grunt against the strong Cats bodies in the clearances.
I would like to see Waite play as a defender...if Ratts and Waite believe he can concentrate on his disposal.
However, if Bower is right, then I'm all for him to replace White instead.

Don't change the Black Magic formula, and keep Houla as the defensive HF.
Who do we drop? Surely not Lucas. Probably Robinson.

It's at the MCG, and that does not give me confidence.
I think we are still not as physically developed enough to produce the stamina required to play the MCG against the mature bodied and experienced Cats.

Lets see how the teams are selected.
I have some good tickets for this game, so I am keen to see how our kids play against the in form reigning premier.
Judd will help our cause.

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Everyone looks good in Navy Blue

Geez I hope we come to play this week and smash the pussies!

I haven't minded Geelong being up there the last couple of years despite living in their heartland of one-eyed whinging supporters, however at the moment you would think that they were the greatest team known to man if you listen to their supporters.

Seriously, one of my work collegues said to me this morning "The Blues had a pretty good win on the weekend, however it was against Adelaide - who are shit", so I said "Oh, well we'll see how we go ths week up against you guys then". Response: "You guys have got no chance". He was deadly serious.

Geelong supporters are getting far too ahead of themselves now, not paying other teams any respect. I think they are forgetting the last time we beat them they looked as far from their next premiership as we did. They managed to turn things around and to their credit they did it well, but their winning run isn't going to last forever and should start being a bit more humble so they don't feel like we did for 8 years whilst we were rebuilding.

I'd be happy with a 1 point win next Monday, and I don't really care how we do it. Just don't want to put up with these cocky supporters for a whole week at work.

At least after we beat them last year I didn't gloat around the office. I just took the opportunity to enjoy some "how good are we(less)?" peace and quiet.

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"If everyone is moving forward together, then success takes care of itself" - Henry Ford

OUT Robbo, White
IN Brock the Rock, Bower

Hopefully

Robbo is #1 at club for tackles though so hard to drop him given we are facing the Cats

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It's a small world, but I wouldn't want to paint it

I actually agree with your colleague. We had a good win against shit opposition. And if Geelong brings their A-game, we won't beat them. We're just not that good, yet. No shame in admitting that against one of the best teams we've seen in years.

Thornton cracks it when his eggs are overcooked by 15 seconds...

The guy's like a bending plumber.

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“When a clown moves into a palace, he doesn't become a king. The palace turns into a circus.”
Turkish Proverb

Is Scarlett still out?????? He wasn't playing against the Power over the weekend.



If we go into this game with Geelong missing Scarlett plus Milburn and Johnson due to suspension then i give us half a chance.

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"We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act, but a habit"
- Aristotle

I'm of the thinking that it might be a wise idea to bring back Thornton for this week. According to Ratts he played well in the 2nds and to be frank, if we went into this Geelong game with the same backline we had against the Crows, then I'm certain we'd get fair smashed. No disrespect to the team at the weekend, but that's how I see it.

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Premierships: 1869, 1871, 1873, 1874, 1875, 1877, 1887, 1906, 1907, 1908, 1914, 1915, 1938, 1945, 1947, 1968, 1970, 1972, 1979, 1981, 1982, 1987, 1995.

"GIBBS."

Adelaide may not be in form at the moment, but I wouldn't agree that they are shit - especially when playing with the home ground advantage playing at AAMI. What really has changed in their side from the team that (I believe) based on end of season form should have made the Grand Final last year?

They have a couple of injuries to key players (Bock, Otten, Hentchel?) at the moment and that's about it. It is no mean feat beating them at their home ground and I wouldn't underestimate it.

Anyway John - I never said we were going to beat Geelong if they bring their A-game (who would), I was more referring to the attitude that we are "no chance" against them. We were "no chance" against them last year, even with their injury and form issues, but we still won.

Funny thing about football that - there is never a team that is no chance to win on a given day*

*except for Richmond in season 2010

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"If everyone is moving forward together, then success takes care of itself" - Henry Ford

We've got to play like we've nothing to lose. We tend to do well when noone gives us any chance of winning,
and I doubt there'd be many expecting us to do well against this mob....

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Don't look at me, I'm irrelevant....

Steve Johnson given 1 week. Can escape with a reprimand though.

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Premierships: 1869, 1871, 1873, 1874, 1875, 1877, 1887, 1906, 1907, 1908, 1914, 1915, 1938, 1945, 1947, 1968, 1970, 1972, 1979, 1981, 1982, 1987, 1995.

"GIBBS."

We are massive underdogs, and with nothing to lose (c.f. Bombers game), the Blues will play the game of their lives.

Blues by 4 goals.

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No Guts, No Glory

Stevie J reported but clear to play if he accepts an early plea. No charge laid against Milburn for breaking Chad Cornes nose. Seen as reasonable contact given that it was 'The Chad'.