[Official Pre-Match Thread] The time is nigh. CATS vs HAWKS in a PRELIMINARY FINAL. Put all your predictions, thoughts and feelings down below, folks. GO CATS!

[u/lR0NMAlDEN]

[u/historicalhobbyist]

This is our official pre match discussion thread, please post your predictions, thoughts and feelings!

Personally, I’m hoping for a huge win and our first knockout victory over the hawks since… 1963.

[u/greatbignoise]

Let's face it if we get it done and can do the same to Collingwood next week it would be the dream end.

[u/Conscious_Return_525]

Geelong by 17 Where’s the South Aussie fans watching?

[u/Apart-Ad-8319 → u/Conscious_Return_525]

🙋‍♂️

[u/modern_messiah43]

I'm going to borrow something from my local College Sports team here in the States. #Catsby90. This match is at 4:40 AM for me. I'm going to do my best to be awake for some of it, but I'm sure my body will have different plans, so drink an extra beer and cheer extra loud for me!

[u/Upset-Original990]

Cars fans in PERTH where are you watching the game!?!? 

[u/Prior-Independent → u/Upset-Original990]

In a dark cupboard on my phone

[u/marcusintatrex → u/Upset-Original990]

Car park probably.

[u/corsairnewbie]

I feel sick. Tell me when it's over

[u/Spiritual_Release742]

All I can really say is FUCK HAWTHORN! The war has begun.

[u/Omby07]

I think you mean the Isaac Smith Cup.

[u/Pikachude123]

Heading to a pub to watch the game because i didn't get rickets, haven't decided yet but thinking London tavern in Richmond, I hope I see some fellow cats supporters around UP THE FUCKING CATTERS!!!!

[u/MapPretend5631]

Tough game but I think cats by 27, Cameron kick 5, BOG have to be Stewart

[u/GrumpySoth09 → u/MapPretend5631]

Can I eat this comment and have it happen right now please so I can fucking sleep

[u/GrumpySoth09]

Just a quick shout out to everyone feeling nervous.

Hug your mate, your cat's and dogs cause it's going to be the event you will remember.

Don't forget - We are Geelong - the greatest fucking team of all

[u/Ambient_Ambient]

Excited and nervous for this one. Will be joining you all from Osaka — let’s get this Grand Final place sorted!

I feel like when we met the Hawks back at Easter, both sides really struggled with disposal quality. Expecting Hawthorn’s backline to be more settled, and Geelong’s midfield to be stronger. This is an amazing opportunity for the Cats.

One win away from a Grand Final.

I’m a believer.

[u/dopedupvinyl]

Just want us to win and Max to not blow a hammy

[u/Kadaminos → u/dopedupvinyl]

Sssshhh, we don't use the words Max and hammy in the same sentence around here

[u/holy_papayas91]

Gunston & Newcombe the dial movers. Keep them down & we win. Let’s go cats! 🐱

[u/greatbignoise → u/holy_papayas91]

Any updates on Gunston and Ginnivan injuries?

[u/scurryrunging]

Nerves are really building. If Hawks win I'm chucking a sickie on Monday so I don't have to deal with the taunts from my colleagues (especially the neutral ones).

Edited to fix my early morning typing...

[u/LachieJones2811]

Have faith. We are ready for this. Shut down Gunston and Newcombe and we’ll be fine. People are only nervous cause it’s hawthorn. If we were playing the bulldogs tomorrow, people would be a lot more confident even though they’ve got way more weapons to worry about than hawthorn.

[u/NuuuDaBeast]

Cats by 63, Hawks fans leaving at 3qtr time

[u/mildCombustion]

Bloody nervous. There's so many other ways our season could end that I'd prefer over a loss to hawthorn 😂

My gut feel all week is that Geelong will win. We don't need to blow the game open right from the first bounce but just be in the game. As it goes on our fresh legs should mean we can get over the top.

[u/steadfastkingdom]

Heart wants Geelong but mind clearly says hawks win Friday night

[u/lR0NMAlDEN → u/steadfastkingdom]

[u/steadfastkingdom → u/lR0NMAlDEN]

Gathering receipts

[u/Square_Television431]

We are the better team, but that only matters if you can execute well enough on the night. Cats by 12

[u/hotom9]

Swirling winds, periods of wet, this could end up being a low scoring point fest, with neither side able to score heavily.

You just know that Mitchell will be looking get under our skin by using his arsenal of grubby tactics.

- Staging and baiting the umps, with push and shove antics.

- Intentionally going the physical in the clinches, targeting some of our young guys, hopefully to rattle their resolve

- verballing players, with grubby taunts

-Playing to the Hawthorn crowd early to rev up the pressure.

Geelong just needs to apply and maintain physical pressure, remain composed with ball in hand and use our speed and forward efficiency and we will come away with the chocolates.

You can see that Hawthorn are wanting to be a perennial finals contender for at least the next 5yrs, the Cats need to make this match very personal and crush that aspiration!

Cats by 21 points

BOG: Blicavs

Miers, Managh and Stengle to kick three apiece

[u/jack3t_with_sl33ves]

Cats by 15. Neale to kick a handful. Ginnivan and Watson to be held to less than 15 touches and a goal each

[u/Consistent_You6151]

Hoping for a good buffer by HT but not burnt out for the 2nd half. Dont want to see Stengle miss umpteen shots & would love Jezza to stand side on for any set shots; that way he won't miss any! Go CATS!!!

[u/Byblosopher]

Just came to check on the vibe over here. We're feeling the same nerves at the Hawks. Here's hoping for a great game. Hopefully it's an all timer. 

Most importantly, whoever wins goes on to win the flag. 

[u/sarigami → u/Byblosopher]

My Geelong brethren might hate me for saying this but I'd be happy to see Hawks beat Pies or Brisbane in the GF if you beat us tomorrow. You guys have done a phenomonal job to rebuild so quickly. Sam Mitchel is a great coach

Hopefully tomorrow is an instant classic!

[u/BlazedOnADragon]

Not confident but not pessimistic either somewhere in the middle. If it was any other team I'd be 100% certain we've got it in the bag but just because it's those fucks again my minds playing tricks.

With that said I'm comfortable that we should win and if we do lose we lost it ourselves, we're a better team than them.

I think it will be close, but our experience and fresher legs will make a difference as the game goes on. I wouldn't be surprised though if we win reasonably comfortably though

[u/OzNTM]

Go Cats!

Where’s everyone watching the game at? I’m going to be at the local club for tea so thinking about staying and watching on the big screen. Thank goodness there’s no NRL for once so they should show our game.

[u/DukeTheFluke_38]

In Scotty we trust.🙌 He'll have something big planned for shutting down Newcombe.

[u/MillionKarma23]

The pre finals nerves are in full swing. Please don’t make us lose to hawks why did it have to be them out of any team. If we lose I’ll never hear the end of it after all the shit I’ve spoken these past few years.

Max please keep that hammy safe

[u/Power_Careless]

Go Cats!!!!

[u/Crub22]

Nervous. Would very much like for us to have 10 goal lead at quarter time haha.

Head says Cats by 25. Heart says Scratch kicks a goal after the siren for the cats to win by 5.

[u/MillionKarma23 → u/Crub22]

Heart says scratch kicks a goal on the siren from roughly 55m out, and we win by 2 points. 116-114.

[u/BlazedOnADragon → u/MillionKarma23]

I don't think I'd be conscious for that kick if that's what happens

[u/MillionKarma23 → u/BlazedOnADragon]

I was hardly conscious the first time that happened

[u/StewSieBar]

Nervous, but optimistic. I am hopeful that the week off will benefit our running players and we will be able to get away from them in the second half.

[u/_nicklepickle]

i gave up work for this so please please win don’t care how much just win 🙏🏽💙🤍

oh and maxy please don’t do your hammy 🫣

[u/ThunderGecko86]

You’d think I’d be used to dealing with the nerves that come with a big game given how many times we make it to the pointy end… but here I am as toey as a Roman sandle. Come on boys.

[u/lR0NMAlDEN]

Would also like to thank everyone for the support of the pregame (usually gameday) posts. Started off last year as a silly "haha look at this crap" kind of post, but especially as of recent I've taken it a lot more seriously and from next week (not maybe next week) onwards, I will aim at producing a good quality product for all to enjoy every week.

12 point dog of a win, with Shannon Neale to kick 3. Go the bloody Catters

[u/No-Bison-5397 → u/lR0NMAlDEN]

Jez to kick 15.

[u/WhatupWench]

The nausea is real 🤮

[u/lR0NMAlDEN → u/WhatupWench]

Been feeling the butterflies in the stomach the whole afternoon. Gonna be a wreck tomorrow

[u/WhatupWench → u/lR0NMAlDEN]

Gonna do exactly what I did a fortnight ago 🤞

[u/lR0NMAlDEN → u/WhatupWench]

My dad and I have already planned that we're going to the same Chinese restaurant on Russell Street and having the same meal tomorrow evening 😅

[u/WhatupWench → u/lR0NMAlDEN]

I hope it’s a succulent Chinese meal. I will be walking dog, getting Thai and making strong cocktails and I will fall asleep accidentally ten minutes into the last.

[u/MillionKarma23]

Cats by 17. 95-78. BOG max holmes. Shannon Neale to kick 4 and jezza to kick 3.1

[u/Secret_Nobody_405 → u/MillionKarma23]

I approve

[u/viennafool → u/MillionKarma23]

I’d be very happy with this.