TAG A MATE

Scott expects midfields will go head-to-head

GEELONG coach Chris Scott does not expect Adelaide to change its winning midfield formula despite the Crows talking up their tagging options.

The Crows have flagged the possibility of deploying a runwith player on Patrick Dangerfield or Joel Selwood tomorrow night in the block- buster Simonds Stadium clash.

But Scott is expecting a head-to-head midfield battle and admits he would be surprised if the ladder-leaders changed the way they had been playing.

“Every team would go in when they’re playing some of the best midfielders in the competition with a contingency,” he said. “But I think one definition of a tagger would be what they’ve done with (Rory) Sloane on Dangerfield in the past. That may well be what they’re referring to.

“They did throw up Rory Laird (as a possible tagger) — that would be a little different.

“I suspect they’re a team that has a lot of faith in their system and it would take something extraordinary for them to turn their game upside down.”

The prospect of Dangerfield going head-to-head with close friend, former teammate and fellow Brownlow Medal fancy Sloane shapes as one of the most intriguing aspects of tomorrow night’s showdown.

Still, Adelaide midfield coach Scott Camporeale said this week the Crows were considering employing a tagger for the first time this year.

“We’ve had a couple of meetings,” Camporeale said. “Potentially (we would tag one). We’ve trialled a couple of guys during the pre-season but we won’t be giving Geelong any idea if we’ll do it. They’re obviously two quality players and they’re big barometers for their footy team.

“We haven’t necessarily done it in the past (tagged opponents) and that’s not to say we’ll do it on Friday night either, but it’s certainly an option that we need to think about.”

The Cats are almost certain to bring back experienced defender Tom Lonergan as they look to quell the AFL’s most potent attack.

The Crows have registered 1241 points this season, almost 200 more than the Cats, who boast the second most effective attack in the league.

Scott said it was more than likely the two midfields would go head to head.

“Rory has gone to Pat a couple of times, so I’m sure that will eventuate at times,” he said. “It’s one thing getting the match-up that you want, the execution of that match-up is the most important thing.

“Sometimes those sort of match-ups can be looked at a little superficially in my view; generally it’s midfield against midfield.

“They’ll go in with some plans for our good players, as we will for them.”

Scott said the Cats’ home record against the Crows — their last loss at home coming in 2003 — would stand for nothing tomorrow night.

“We’re really chasing them. If we spend too much time looking back and patting ourselves on the back for the things we’ve done well against them, I think we’ll be in for a rude shock,” he said.

“While they’ve been, in my view, the best team in the competition this year, they have had patches in games where they’ve struggled a little bit, which I think is more reflective of the competition rather than them specifically.

“It just shows that the best teams aren’t miles ahead of the rest. The important part for us against Adelaide is acknowledging they’re going to have periods where they’re on top and we’ve got to limit the damage there and make the most of our opportunities.”