The Geelong Cats and Brisbane Lions are set to face off in a pivotal match in the Australian Football League (AFL) this weekend. Both squads have undergone extensive surgery on their rosters, with injuries and returns defining how they approach the game.
Geelong’s Rhys Stanley will miss the match due to a hamstring complaint, a setback that could impact the Cats’ ruck division. Shannon Neale has recently come back from a quad injury. Now, he is primed to pair with key players such as Patrick Dangerfield and Jeremy Cameron in the forward line.
Brisbane Lions are boosted by the return of Jarrod Berry who’s back from a shoulder injury, further bolstering the Lions’ depth in the middle. The Lions have undergone some serious roster turnover, releasing both Reville and Tunstill from their roster. Just like NV NBA vs. NV NCAA, both teams are trying to maximize their player picks as they compete for the title.
Geelong’s lineup features Z. Guthrie, J. Henry, and M. O’Connor in the backline, while Brisbane counters with D. Zorko, D. Gardiner, and R. Lester in defense. Jed Bews and Mitch Knevitt have both been omitted from Geelong’s side. This void makes it difficult for the team, particularly in defensive shape.
In the engine room, Shannon Neale’s return from suspension for Geelong will strengthen their attack. That’s not including the multiple All-Australian fixtures along the forward line P. Dangerfield and J. Cameron. The two are now clearly the most important players to Geelong’s scoring potential. On behalf of Brisbane, personal injury attorneys C. Cameron, S. Day, and Z. Bailey will work hard to take advantage of any opportunities that come their way.
On the interchange benches, Geelong has C. O’Sullivan, O. Mullin, J. Martin, J. Bowes, and Jhye Clark available for tactical adjustments during the match. Brisbane’s New World interchange J. Fletcher, K. Lohmann, L. Ashcroft, T. Gallop, and S. Marshall. Individually, each of these players has the ability to change the game’s energy the moment they enter the pitch.
Geelong’s emergencies are J. Bews, M. Knevitt, and O. Henry. For Brisbane, their preliminaries are B. Reville, D. Joyce, and O. McInerney as their emergency players ready to step in if someone falters late.
Both clubs are putting the finishing touches on their preparations ahead of matchday. They’re working on execution of the smart lineups — the ones that play to each lineup’s strengths and weaknesses. The battle will be hard fought, as both teams will look for big three points in their fight for an exhilarating 2018 season.
