Can the Saints beat the Cats in a shoot-out??

[yipper]

Will there ever be a shoot-out in AFL footy again?? Maybe not - but if both teams decided to throw caution to the wind, and just went for the win - who would win. Are we more potent than the Cats if the shackles were released. Imagine our midfield - unchecked - streaming forward to a forward line of Gehrig, Kosi, Roo, Milne and Schneider. As opposed to the cats structure. Perhaps they have a more stable defence than us - but would they be big enough to handle our talls if they are getting unchecked delivery. Perhaps in 08 we will have a more potent ruck division that will deliver to a skillful midfield more often, which will tilt the scales in our favour. In my opinion - given that type of game where there are no tags, just an open shootout between 2 similar sides each with strengths and weaknesses - I believe our forward line is more potent in that type of game and therefore we would take the points.

Gee, I hope we get to see that type of game again.

[chook23]

Will there ever be a shoot-out in AFL footy again?? Maybe not - but if both teams decided to throw caution to the wind, and just went for the win - who would win. Are we more potent than the Cats if the shackles were released. Imagine our midfield - unchecked - streaming forward to a forward line of Gehrig, Kosi, Roo, Milne and Schneider. As opposed to the cats structure. Perhaps they have a more stable defence than us - but would they be big enough to handle our talls if they are getting unchecked delivery. Perhaps in 08 we will have a more potent ruck division that will deliver to a skillful midfield more often, which will tilt the scales in our favour. In my opinion - given that type of game where there are no tags, just an open shootout between 2 similar sides each with strengths and weaknesses - I believe our forward line is more potent in that type of game and therefore we would take the points.

Gee, I hope we get to see that type of game again.

Supply would be the problem..........

as you mentioned their defence is stable and under rated.

Plus their midfield group is very very good and has great depth.

blew sides away last season including us after halftime.

[HarveysDeciple]

Only issue I have is the cats set up in attack us just the type of forward structure we struggle with.

A team that has 2 or even 3 or 4 small to medium forwards who can kick goals.

[yipper]

Will there ever be a shoot-out in AFL footy again?? Maybe not - but if both teams decided to throw caution to the wind, and just went for the win - who would win. Are we more potent than the Cats if the shackles were released. Imagine our midfield - unchecked - streaming forward to a forward line of Gehrig, Kosi, Roo, Milne and Schneider. As opposed to the cats structure. Perhaps they have a more stable defence than us - but would they be big enough to handle our talls if they are getting unchecked delivery. Perhaps in 08 we will have a more potent ruck division that will deliver to a skillful midfield more often, which will tilt the scales in our favour. In my opinion - given that type of game where there are no tags, just an open shootout between 2 similar sides each with strengths and weaknesses - I believe our forward line is more potent in that type of game and therefore we would take the points.

Gee, I hope we get to see that type of game again.

Supply would be the problem..........

as you mentioned their defence is stable and under rated.

Plus their midfield group is very very good and has great depth.

blew sides away last season including us after halftime.

Was that supply based on a competent ruck structure that invariably gave the Cats runners first use. Our midfield was very good in contested situations - if they have free rein and a competent ruck, would they be able to get their own supply levels up and put the Cats defence under pressure?? Based on 07 form - no. But, the structures of both teams have changed over this off-season - maybe it is not so clear cut now.

[st_Trav_ofWA]

Only issue I have is the cats set up in attack us just the type of forward structure we struggle with.

A team that has 2 or even 3 or 4 small to medium forwards who can kick goals.

amen to that there small crumbers actually crumb the ball and give defencive pressure to keep the ball locked in the forward 50 where last year our forwards unless they got it delivered to them on a silver platter it would rebound out of there without a hint of pressure thats where geelong were better then every team last year they all kept the pressure on all the time no half efforts no soft tackles

[Dan Warna]

depends on how we play and what game plan we bring to the match day.

[chook23]

Will there ever be a shoot-out in AFL footy again?? Maybe not - but if both teams decided to throw caution to the wind, and just went for the win - who would win. Are we more potent than the Cats if the shackles were released. Imagine our midfield - unchecked - streaming forward to a forward line of Gehrig, Kosi, Roo, Milne and Schneider. As opposed to the cats structure. Perhaps they have a more stable defence than us - but would they be big enough to handle our talls if they are getting unchecked delivery. Perhaps in 08 we will have a more potent ruck division that will deliver to a skillful midfield more often, which will tilt the scales in our favour. In my opinion - given that type of game where there are no tags, just an open shootout between 2 similar sides each with strengths and weaknesses - I believe our forward line is more potent in that type of game and therefore we would take the points.

Gee, I hope we get to see that type of game again.

Supply would be the problem..........

as you mentioned their defence is stable and under rated.

Plus their midfield group is very very good and has great depth.

blew sides away last season including us after halftime.

Was that supply based on a competent ruck structure that invariably gave the Cats runners first use. Our midfield was very good in contested situations - if they have free rein and a competent ruck, would they be able to get their own supply levels up and put the Cats defence under pressure?? Based on 07 form - no. But, the structures of both teams have changed over this off-season - maybe it is not so clear cut now.

let's hope so

[yipper]

Only issue I have is the cats set up in attack us just the type of forward structure we struggle with.

A team that has 2 or even 3 or 4 small to medium forwards who can kick goals.

amen to that there small crumbers actually crumb the ball and give defencive pressure to keep the ball locked in the forward 50 where last year our forwards unless they got it delivered to them on a silver platter it would rebound out of there without a hint of pressure thats where geelong were better then every team last year they all kept the pressure on all the time no half efforts no soft tackles

Yep, no arguments. They were exceptionally good. In 08 - it looks likely that our structure will have more goal scoring options, a better ruck division and hopefully a fully fit best 22. The addition of players recruited may give us more flexibility in defence than previously. Time will tell - however, the golden rule for high scoring is first use of the pill. We could well be able to do that with a fully fit mid-field group.

[chook23]

depends on how we play and what game plan we bring to the match day.

also on what gameplan and how opposition play too Dan!!!

[HarveysDeciple]

Only issue I have is the cats set up in attack us just the type of forward structure we struggle with.

A team that has 2 or even 3 or 4 small to medium forwards who can kick goals.

amen to that there small crumbers actually crumb the ball and give defencive pressure to keep the ball locked in the forward 50 where last year our forwards unless they got it delivered to them on a silver platter it would rebound out of there without a hint of pressure thats where geelong were better then every team last year they all kept the pressure on all the time no half efforts no soft tackles

Hopefully the Schneiderman more closely fits that description then anything we have had recently.

[StSteven]

Keeps me awake at night thinking of their forwards in the GF (midfields and backs also) and the way they peppered the goals.

Ablett, G & N, Chapman, Mooney, Stokes ( a far better small forward than Milne) Bartel, Rooke and even Mackie scoring. I probably have left out a few (woops Ottens, Selwood) and then ADD Hawkins to the forwards and Egan to the backline! They are bloody awesome.

We tend to rate our guys highly, Roo, Kosi, Gehrig but their guys are as good if not better.

[rodgerfox]

Keeps me awake at night thinking of their forwards in the GF (midfields and backs also) and the way they peppered the goals.

Ablett, G & N, Chapman, Mooney, Stokes ( a far better small forward than Milne) Bartel, Rooke and even Mackie scoring. I probably have left out a few (woops Ottens, Selwood) and then ADD Hawkins to the forwards and Egan to the backline! They are bloody awesome.

We tend to rate our guys highly, Roo, Kosi, Gehrig but their guys are as good if not better.

Their midfield won the GF - not their forward line.

I include their HB line and to an extent their FB line when I say 'their midfield'.

They flooded the midfield chronically, and gave Port absolutely nothing. Not an inch.

And in contrast, when they had the nut, they went forward in waves with speed and precision.

The forward line they had in place could have easily looked terribly unbalanced had they not had such midfield dominance.

[busso mick]

Keeps me awake at night thinking of their forwards in the GF (midfields and backs also) and the way they peppered the goals.

Ablett, G & N, Chapman, Mooney, Stokes ( a far better small forward than Milne) Bartel, Rooke and even Mackie scoring. I probably have left out a few (woops Ottens, Selwood) and then ADD Hawkins to the forwards and Egan to the backline! They are bloody awesome.

We tend to rate our guys highly, Roo, Kosi, Gehrig but their guys are as good if not better.

Their midfield won the GF - not their forward line.

I include their HB line and to an extent their FB line when I say 'their midfield'.

They flooded the midfield chronically, and gave Port absolutely nothing. Not an inch.

And in contrast, when they had the nut, they went forward in waves with speed and precision.

The forward line they had in place could have easily looked terribly unbalanced had they not had such midfield dominance.

Agree with RF and this was the hallmark of their game all year. Particularly in defence Scarlett, Milburn and Enright just played on at all costs and ran at the opposition. Even Johnson whenever he got the ball in the forward half he tried to wiggle out of tackles to get the ball on quickly. In contrast we scored the least of any club this year with indecisive keepy-off that left our forwards second guessing. Fast play-on footy is a sign of fitness and confidence and Geelong had both.

[bigcarl]

Their midfield won the GF - not their forward line.

The forward line they had in place could have easily looked terribly unbalanced had they not had such midfield dominance.

probably some truth in this.

but you've still got to be able to put the score on the board and they had their best goal-kicking players playing in positions from which they could kick goals.

let's face it ... in reality they dominated everywhere. i think they learned that game plan from us early in 2004

[Teflon]

Their midfield won the GF - not their forward line.

The forward line they had in place could have easily looked terribly unbalanced had they not had such midfield dominance.

probably some truth in this.

but you've still got to be able to put the score on the board and they had their best goal-kicking players playing in positions from which they could kick goals.

let's face it ... in reality they dominated everywhere. i think they learned that game plan from us early in 2004

How many GF's been won without a midfield dominating?

*YAWN*