what it will take to beat the cats- match preview

[fonz_#15]

To the football world it is seemingly an unenviable task..

A geelong side that has forgotten how to lose, which has thumped any side who dares to get in its way of back to back flags. its only slip up, a mauling by collingwood some 13 rounds ago.

It could however be a blessing for a saints side who has nothing to lose, but plenty to gain if they can cause an upset against the clear benchmark of an otherwise even competition.

The size of the task is massive, but in a two horse race either side can triumph.

The saints match up quite well against Geelong, its defence has leaked an average of around 11 points per quater in the last two and a half games. Geelong's star backline will also have its work cut out trying to stop red hot Nick Riewoldt and pesky Stephen Milne who has prospered since his mid season demotion to St.kilda's VFL affiliate the Casey Scorpions.

The way i see it however, this game will be won and lost in the midfield. The form of Lenny Hayes, Brendon Goddard, Leigh Montagna and Jason Gram has been devastating, but they will have their work cut out against the strongest midfield i have seen in years (possibly better than Brisbane's fab four).

Both teams possess great attackers from defence in the form of Milburn and Scarlett for the cats, and Sam Fisher and Jason Gram for the saints.

Ablett, Bartel, Selwood, Ling, Enright, Chapman, such depth...such class. If the saints can somehow stop the cats top line of Ablett, Bartel and Corey, they still must contend with the brilliance of Selwood who has been a revelation in just 2 season with the cats. Then there is Enright and Chapman as well, the saints will have their work cut out.

Then there is the question of who will face the tag of Cameron Ling. In recent times Ling has done a number on Nick Dal Santo but Mark Thompson has to now worry about the devastating form of Lenny Hayes who is undoubtedly back to his best after a knee reconstruction.

I think Ling goes to Hayes as he possesses the ability to turn it on at the start of games.

This is going to be an intriguing battle of two midfields which have great talent and depth. The ever so frustrating saints look to have turned a corner at the right stage and look like they can really take it to the cats.

It would be very difficult to see that cats slip up, but there is only two teams that can take it to the cats midfield and one is St.kilda (the other being the hawks).

If the saints show up to play there is no reason this can't be a classic match, i believe in miracles....

COME ON SAINTS!!!!

[WayneJudson42]

A minor miracle

[Otiman]

Kick more goals than Geelong.

[perfectionist]

1. Take those marks in defence.
2. Kick straight.

[ThePunter]

There was one thing about last night that bodes well for next Sunday.

The relentless pressure.

The best thing about last night from our point of view was that Essendon barely had an un-pressured, un-contested possession. They were hunted last night, and folded like Superman on laundry day.

Collingwood gave us the blueprint - relentless pressure and tackling. If we do that, then we will give a good account of ourselves.

[Legendary]

80 tackles for the match.

Do that and we win.

[St Michele]

It will take confidence in our play. The minute they startsundermining the belief that they are good enough we won't be.

And it also take nobody in the media to believe we can, we always seem to come good when everyone says we can't .
Roll on Sunday!!
Michele

[matrix]

PRESSURE




its that simple.

[saintsRrising]

There was one thing about last night that bodes well for next Sunday.

The relentless pressure.

The best thing about last night from our point of view was that Essendon barely had an un-pressured, un-contested possession. They were hunted last night, and folded like Superman on laundry day.

Collingwood gave us the blueprint - relentless pressure and tackling. If we do that, then we will give a good account of ourselves.

Yes Pressure. Which is why the Pies have been so competitive with them over these last two season.

The Cats area very high possession team and rely on getting good options in space. So you have to stop their run before they start.

Lets hope we get Ball back...as we need him in the clinches.

Gram havinga great game in the midfield will assist as the Cats are not blessed with midfield pace, even though they have lots of midfield quality.

BJ will also be important as he is now blooming again and is playing asa mid. Lingy may geta shock!!


Down back, the Cats are a bit vunerable to talls. So Kosi will need to drift forward and Roo needs to kick stright.

[thehandbrake]

Stephen Powell coming off the line to clean up Ling, followed by a few choice words, wouldn't hurt the cause either!

[kaos theory]

They can be beaten, and we can do it.

Our biggest advantage is that we are an unknown quantity to the cats. Forget eariler in the season (even though we outplayed them for 2 qtrs and kicked poorly), our personnel, confidence level, player positions and game style has changed since then.

Our midfield is evolving, and could be a new significant unknown weapon. We now have added gram & BJ to our midfield rotations. These two are still a work in progress, but it has added more penetration and ball-movement ability. They have been a big part in our recent good performances.

Our defense is working well (though dempster is a big loss), raph is another unknown and tricky player to match up on. He has great skills when he is up on confidence and works instinictively. His disposal by hand in close to open up the play is great & very creative.

Our forward line has evolved significantly: With Milne in white hot form & schnider doing well, we are creating a much more potent forward line, with much more mobility & ground level skills. Coupled with roo & kosi, it will give them headaches....

Kosi will be important variable, if he can continue on from the essedon game, then we will have the big man mobility to hurt them.

Confidence & momentum is a big factor as well, and we are building it in a big way...

I would like to see Ball & X in the team, because we need that talent, but not sure about ball's match fitness. So let's assume that at lest X comes in.

I think (at this early stage of the week) we are good for a 3 goal win....

[remboy]

We need 22 blokes having a fair dinkum crack for 4 quarter. No passengers. None of this taking a quarter to get going business.
Only worry is that we'll probably have to beat them again in 3 weeks.

[St. Luke]

King will be our greatest weapon in this bout.

Dal Santo needs to really fire up, and while I realise he was one of our leaders in disposals, he needs to bring it up another notch.

A fit Ball will complete a pretty formidable midfield line-up, but we need more scoring opportunities present up forward (preferably through the midfield). IF we keep chipping around trying to hit Roo instead of the goal we’re not only wasting time, but running the risk of constantly turning the ball over. The Cats will expose us if we try this anymore.

Just get the damn thing in there, choke the crap outta the Cats run and let Milne and Snidesdo their stuff! A free out-front Riewoldt & Kosi will produce the icing!

[saintspremiers]

send a virus to their training base direct from CSL or wherever viruses are kept.

Problem solved!

[TassieJones]

- Immense tackling pressure on their midfield
- Nick Riewoldt to have his kicking boots on and expose their defense

These are the two most important in my opinion. It'll take more than just that to beat them but those two are absolute musts if we're gonna win.

[saintsRrising]

Stephen Powell coming off the line to clean up Ling, followed by a few choice words, wouldn't hurt the cause either!

Well that would certainly be off the line...the boundary line after having first having had to jump the fence!!!

[brown-coat]

send a virus to their training base direct from CSL or wherever viruses are kept.

Already on to it.

..i've said too much.

[StSteven]

If we try playing a new game plan to beat the cats we are screwed. Very important to not get carried away beating Bendigo Bombers and Dad's Army so easily.

If it comes to goal kicking note Geelong 160+% Saints 110%. (Over the whole year).

King is important but last time we played Ottens was out and he will beat King (that is why they gave him away).

It is a big week for the selectors and coaches this week.

Interesting to see our strengths that are greater than theirs. Roo is the obvious one.

I can't wait - no matter what the outcome.

[Cosmo Kramer]

Long time observer of this forum and first day i have posted anything.
I do get a laugh at some of the dribble that comes from here.
Anyway i dont say I am an expert but having played 350 senior games of footy i would like to think i know a bit about the game.

Harry Taylor and Josh Hunt are the weak links in defence for them.
Taylor is still young and in one on one contests can be beaten pretty easily and Josh Hunt refuses to run back with the flight of the ball and he needs to be taken to the goal square in a one on one with a player who can out mark him, say a Gwilt. Same with Taylor and try and get him in a one on one and he will be beaten every time as he lacks strength.
Their backline has to be seperated as they like to zone off so the more one on one contests the better in our forward half.
Their backs like to hunt in packs and help each other and as soon as they get one loose man in their backilne they are off as they like drawing a man and that creates a chain of loose men.
So to put it simple we cant have 2 or 3 forwards leading together to the same spots,must be seperated as much as possible.
All good in theory though.
But forward pressure is a must ( obvious as it sounds) but i would like to see CJ in middle and especially forward of middle ( i get nervous having him close to the oppostions goal).

[jonesy]

The super flood.

120 minutes of tempo footy like it's never been played before.

Sort of like that match against the swans in 2002 which ended in a draw when we had our d graders in. Except we play keepings off 5 times worse.

Ross Lyon has the chance to display some of that 'football genius ' this weekend. Something from left field. if we go head to head we'll get smashed probably, so we play a new brand that's never been seen 'super tempo footy'

[hotdish]

1. Kick accurately - we have to kick something like 16.9 to win
2. Tackling, pressure, 1%ers - to ensure they can't hit their forwards lace out all day.
3. shut down/minimise Ablett and Bartel
4. Forward tag on Scarlett [Gwilt] - if Scarlett gets 15+ possies we lose. Simple.
5. Riewoldt as a lead up forward - if he sits in the 50 Taylor will take him and Harley/Milburn will be there to spoil everytime - basically we need alot of goals from Milne, Kossi, Schneider.
6. Dal will get tagged - so play him of Half Back [zone off and take marks] and be quarterback out of the backline

[3rd generation saint]

Actually all I want is a good showing this week.

I will concede a 6 goal or less defeat against this side this weekend.

However I will be unhappy if we do a North in last years QF.

Now if we lose Sunday, but give them a damn good run for their money, we win our way into the Grand Final against more likely Adelaide, which we know we can beat and Hawthorn which we also know we can beat.

Than we have Geelong again in the Grand Final, still on a long winning streak, thinking they are invincible and that will be where they will be vulnerable, we can use their arrogance against them.

As I said previously, I am a New York Gialnts fan in the NFL and I am hoping for a parrallel result in the AFL as in the NFL when the Giants upset the undefeated Patriots to win the Superbowl.

[markp]

Clean hands, straight kicking, relentless pressure, audacity...... not just a belief we can win, but a refusal to lose.

[Legendary]

Long time observer of this forum and first day i have posted anything.
I do get a laugh at some of the dribble that comes from here.
Anyway i dont say I am an expert but having played 350 senior games of footy i would like to think i know a bit about the game.

Harry Taylor and Josh Hunt are the weak links in defence for them.
Taylor is still young and in one on one contests can be beaten pretty easily and Josh Hunt refuses to run back with the flight of the ball and he needs to be taken to the goal square in a one on one with a player who can out mark him, say a Gwilt. Same with Taylor and try and get him in a one on one and he will be beaten every time as he lacks strength.
Their backline has to be seperated as they like to zone off so the more one on one contests the better in our forward half.
Their backs like to hunt in packs and help each other and as soon as they get one loose man in their backilne they are off as they like drawing a man and that creates a chain of loose men.
So to put it simple we cant have 2 or 3 forwards leading together to the same spots,must be seperated as much as possible.
All good in theory though.
But forward pressure is a must ( obvious as it sounds) but i would like to see CJ in middle and especially forward of middle ( i get nervous having him close to the oppostions goal).

Great post.

[Griggsy]

Geelong are so good because they dont make many mistakes. We have to heap the pressure on with tackling to force mistakes out of them.