Opinion What do you think about the flow of ex-Demons players into the Cats?

[lolcat]

So we appear to be on a bit of trend now with ex-Melbourne players joining the Cats playing list.

What does everyone think of this?

The reason I ask is that after just reading the latest news about Cats management interested in Blease coming over I thought to myself... "Hmmm, we seem to be picking up more and more players from a team/club that has been deplorable in terms of results over the past decade".

I wonder where this will take us?

Please don't get me wrong, I have a LOT of faith in our system at Geelong and our ability to do great things with our list. I just wonder, from a long term strategy point of, where this could lead us?

Were the issues at Melbourne due to the players? The coaching teams? The management/administration? The overall culture at their club? A bit of all those things? Will we see some of those issues creeping over to Geelong like an unintended stowaway if we keep bringing more and more Demons players over?

Or, am I just reacting/worrying without analysing it properly?

Interested in hearing your thoughts.

 

[Two Planks]

Judge each person on their merits.

Jarrod Rivers as been very good for us as he came in when we were in premiership mode and he had to add experience after losing Scarlett. Definitely a win for us and he cost us nothing in terms of trading as he was a free agent and wouldn't be on huge money.

Mitch Clark is a risk but even if he fails the cost of varcoe and a mid range salary made it worth the go.

Blease has very little or no expectation as he will cost base salary and a draft choice in the 90's. Nothing to lose.

 

[UnitedWarrior93]

I don't think its that big of an issue, rivers was no spud at melbourne and so far has been a really good get for us, Mitch Clark showed how good he can be, also no dud so that's 2 pretty good gets. Blease is a different one, I don't really rate him, he has pace but that's it, didn't do enough at melbourne from what I see. Obviously Geelong see him with a big upside, so will back then if they go through with it.

 

[fpm84]

Who cares?

Three of the best clubs in the league in us, Hawthorn and Fremantle chased Frawley.

We didn't have to give up anything to get Rivers into the club and he's been a very good pickup.

Clark was chased by other clubs like Collingwood and Essendon and he chose us. It was a no brainer for us to go after him. Slots into an age/experience profile we are lacking in, will fill a role we sorely missed this year and by all accounts is a decent and popular guy. His on-field talents are exceptional and by all accounts he hasn't signed on big money and his contract is largely performance based.

As for Blease, meh. He'll come cheap and has shown ability at AFL level, albeit fleetingly and in an extremely poor team. In this off-season we've already lost two best 22 players (Varcoe, Christensen) and depth in Stringer and Sheringham. I've got no issue with Blease playing in our VFL team and getting senior selection if he warrants it. If the option is between that or selecting someone at pick 70-something in the draft, I'll choose Blease every day.

 

[Whit3y]

Judge each person on their merits.

roger that

 

[JPod_31]

Who cares where the players come from. For all we want is players who are best 22 quality and the coincidence is that all of them come from a team like Melbourne.

 

[iameviljez]

Judge each person on their merits.

Jarrod Rivers as been very good for us as he came in when we were in premiership mode and he had to add experience after losing Scarlett. Definitely a win for us and he cost us nothing in terms of trading as he was a free agent and wouldn't be on huge money.

Mitch Clark is a risk but even if he fails the cost of varcoe and a mid range salary made it worth the go.

Blease has very little or no expectation as he will cost base salary and a draft choice in the 90's. Nothing to lose.

Yes, exactly this. It's not reasonable to judge a few individuals on their club's performance.

Re: why so many Demons - Melbourne is quite a unique case in modern football in that they've been so ordinary for so long, they have inherited quite a few talented young players through the draft/cap space, and lost them through failure to improve their players or their fortunes. Effectively, there's a lot of untapped potential in that club available cheaply.

 

[4quarter_cat]

Someone (can't remember who) in another thread said that he who recruits too many players from Melbourne and St Kilda will play like Melbourne and St Kilda. This is true I guess.

However I agree with the consensus here,each player on their merits, Some/None/ or All of our off season trades from other clubs may force their way into our best 22.

Okay we've lost 2 players from our best 22, which will hurt, but we might find that the players recruited better match our needs as a club anyway. Like others I trust our system. Is it perfect? Hardly. Has it proven to be more professional and generally more successful over the long-term than our competitors over the last 10 years. I would say so. Hawthorn might argue but they are in a different phase to us right now.

 

[Sttew]

Firstly, Mitch Clark is hardly an ingrained MFC player. How many games did he play with the Demons?

Secondly, I believe Melbourne players are an untapped and unknown quantity. Its like you will never know their true potential until they transfer to half decent teams. Jarred Rivers is an interesting example. When MFC was a top 8 team in the early 2000's he was one of their best, but like so many Demons, he lost his way . Geelong "saved" him!!

 

[Gydafud]

I do miss the "built not bought" mantra we had for a few years there. I know you can't go on without trading other players, but it was nice knowing that every player was home grown (Ottens being the exception).

 

[Sttew]

I do miss the "built not bought" mantra we had for a few years there. I know you can't go on without trading other players, but it was nice knowing that every player was home grown (Ottens being the exception).

Agree, but it will never happen again. You'll be able to tell your grandchildren, "Kids there was a time when Geelong recruited only one established player from another club..." The grandchildren probably won't give a stuff....

 

[iameviljez]

I do miss the "built not bought" mantra we had for a few years there. I know you can't go on without trading other players, but it was nice knowing that every player was home grown (Ottens being the exception).

The freedom that players now have to move clubs has changed this somewhat. Hawthorn in particular is setting the bar high with regard to using established quality players to tread water at the top - bottoming out is far more dangerous than ever before.

There is also the fact that in the early 2000s we were absolutely nowhere near it, and so recruiting players in their mid-20s made no sense whatsoever.

 

[Bobby_]

it sickens me.

 

[iameviljez]

Agree, but it will never happen again.

It might. The wheel always turns.

 

[fpm84]

Firstly, Mitch Clark is hardly an ingrained MFC player. How many games did he play with the Demons?

Mitch played 15 games for the Demons - and your point is absolutely correct.

 

[Eddie1994]

Simply put, Blease didnt fit Melbourne's bill. Watch the kid as a youngster, even some of his Melb highlights, very quick, doesn't really look like he is running flat out, almost gliding, maybe not actually showing how quick he is, but he has left some pretty pacey players in his wake. Talk was he was in the top 3 quickest at Melb, so pace, and pace to burn at that is what this kid brings. Im a big advocate of this decision, especially as it is for next to nothing.

Clark, hardly was in the Melb system, spent most of his time at Brisbane, from 2005 (year he was drafted @ pick 9), and has been coached by 2 of the greatest players in the history (Lethal and Vossy) and we have all seen what he can do on the field, inspired pick up IMO

And Rivers has been a solid pick up, maybe a bit iffy early on, but his last season was brilliant, he isnt meant to be a big possesion winner, he has a job to do and is rarely beaten.

A club and a player have to have a special bond, formed by the need of the club to perform the said clubs game plan. Blease didnt fit in at Melbourne, due to the slow ans stagnant play that is Melbourne, The Catters on the other hand play a very attacking fast paced game, suited down to the ground by Blease.

Super excited for next season!

 

[Lana]

Three big number

 

[iameviljez]

it sickens me.

Why is that?

 

[Bobby_]

Why is that?

it doesn't really, I just like that catchphrase

No issues with it personally. The Cats hierarchy are far more switched on than most of us here and would obviously know what they are getting into with these players on the outer. The only ones I'm weary on are the injury-prone players but Blease doesn't have any issues, at least none that I have heard of.

 

[Whit3y]

is this thread worthy of a thread?

i didnt think so

 

[rocker_oz33]

Times are changing the cats were one of the best teams of going organic (growing their own).
Now there looking out side the box on getting some new players in the cats system.

 

[James1970]

it doesn't really, I just like that catchphrase

No issues with it personally. The Cats hierarchy are far more switched on than most of us here and would obviously know what they are getting into with these players on the outer. The only ones I'm weary on are the injury-prone players but Blease doesn't have any issues, at least none that I have heard of.

Dodgy ankles - should fit right in.

http://www.theage.com.au/afl/afl-ne...blease-and-james-strauss-20141023-11afwe.html

"Blease and Strauss could only manage 33 and 24 games respectively in their six-season stints at the Demons with injuries playing their part in curtailing their careers."

 

[JUBJUB]

Three big number

Maybe three

 

[goyoucatters]

The numbers at the moment (even with the possibility of Blease added, "they" will be well under 10% of our list) suggest that they're far more likely to be affected by our culture than the other way around.

Our culture might not be stellar (cue those on here who'll point out our recent shortcomings in this area) but I believe it's still demonstrably superior to that of a club which has been generally non-competitive for years on end.

 

[dazbroncos]

The system no longer allows a club to simply plant in their own backyard and allow the fruits to grow. Success is a metric that no longer has a expectation of time allowances - it has to happen now now now. At the minimum you must be seen to be continually building - a plateau is the death knell - see Sando, BMac and Bluey as examples.

And as s the system allows the poaching/trading/wooing call it what you will, you can't always protect what you have grown. Now it is build internally sure, but you must be topping up externally and often that big fish needs to come in as well.

Hawks have been doing it very well and that is the system of today.

As for where those top up players come from, I don't think it really matters. What matters is what they do once they are here. If they underachieved externally to us - then now is the time to correct that. To be at GFC is a massive chance in a great system that has produced elite results. Be a part of it ,buy into it or be gone.

Go Catters