Autopsy Round 1 -7 Analysis

[THE CAT WRANGLER]

Positives:

Development of Gregson,Lang, Bews & Thurlow has been good.All players should make 150 + games

Blicavs further development and flexibility making him a potential star.

Stanley has showed glimpses, with a full pre season should improve

Duncan's form looked to be on the improve and it seemed to be relishing the responsibility

Gregson rising star nomination

Club is attempting to communicate with fans more - social media,electronic formats etc I have noticed a increase

Home ground match expierience - club is attempting to incorporate new inniatives - not really sure if it's working well yet but they are trying

Negatives:

Injury list is significant from long term to medium term has effected young & old players

Still no alternative training venue

Retirements - in season makes us 2 short off list with Hartman & Toohey

Home ground advantage - this seems to be slipping away,atmosphere & attendances will be effected more if win loss ratio continues - also P&L can be severly effected if fans fall away

The age profile is now haunting current team , harder decisions will need to be made

Game plan ?

Forward structure seems erratic - Tall forwards not working well currently (Midfield delivery a major issue) Kicked 100 points once for year , % poor



Current rookie strike rate is poor can Delaney or Bates get on the grass ?

Membership is stagnate

Still no signing of Hawkins & Motlop

 

[JUBJUB]

Negatives:

Still no alternative training venue

Don't get why that's a problem

 

[THE CAT WRANGLER]

Don't get why that's a problem

We need tha ability to attract players with state of the art facilities

 

[Turbocat]

Injuries can make any list look thin. does anyone really think GC are as bad as they are playing?
Long term Injuries have hurt us , thou because of our loyalty etc to players we can now see that the 09 and 10 drafts ...should now be stepping up take the main weight of the side.
Most of the kids we have look good enough , its just that only a few of them that are ready to be solid contributors. Really. .thing not to do is the baby/bathwater the list.... we just have to suck it up , to take our licks against better sides and just keep adding talent. At the same time , coming we have some hard choices .. there maybe be a negative feel to that but so be it.

 

[MC Extra Dollop]

Below is our remaining opponents, venue, amount of break from the previous game and anticipated returning player(s)

Carlton (Etihad): 6 days - Hawkins
West Coast (Subiaco): 9 days - Mackie, Gore
Essendon (Etihad): 6 days - Cowan
Port Adelaide (Adelaide Oval): 6 days

Melbourne (Simonds): 9 days
Bye
Adelaide (Adelaide Oval): 14 days - McIntosh, Kelly, Bartel
North Melbourne (Etihad): 6 days

Western Bulldogs (Simonds): 7 days - Smedts
GWS (Spotless): 7 days
Brisbane (Simonds): 7 days
Sydney (Simonds): 7 days

Hawthorn (MCG): 7 days
St Kilda (Etihad): 7 days
Collingwood (MCG): 6 days
Adelaide (Simonds) ??

I would suggest that with the remaining 4 x 4 week blocks, the aim should be to win at least two - if not three - in each of them. Winning two games in each, would leave us at 11-11 to finish the season; going with two wins twice and three wins twice would put us at 13-9 (which I think is an achievable goal)

 

[dazbroncos]

Positives:

Development of Gregson,Lang, Bews & Thurlow has been good.All players should make 150 + games

Blicavs further development and flexibility making him a potential star.

Stanley has showed glimpses, with a full pre season should improve

Duncan's form looked to be on the improve and it seemed to be relishing the responsibility

Gregson rising star nomination

Club is attempting to communicate with fans more - social media,electronic formats etc I have noticed a increase

Home ground match expierience - club is attempting to incorporate new inniatives - not really sure if it's working well yet but they are trying

Negatives:

Injury list is significant from long term to medium term has effected young & old players

Still no alternative training venue

Retirements - in season makes us 2 short off list with Hartman & Toohey

Home ground advantage - this seems to be slipping away,atmosphere & attendances will be effected more if win loss ratio continues - also P&L can be severly effected if fans fall away

The age profile is now haunting current team , harder decisions will need to be made

Game plan ?

Forward structure seems erratic - Tall forwards not working well currently (Midfield delivery a major issue) Kicked 100 points once for year , % poor



Current rookie strike rate is poor can Delaney or Bates get on the grass ?

Membership is stagnate

Still no signing of Hawkins & Motlop

Whilst I would much rather Hawkins and Mots be signed - Hawkins last 6-8 weeks has been focused on family not deals. Id allow that much time from now to "catch up" before stressing that one too much. Either way, id like ink sooner than later.

GO Catters

 

[Turbocat]

Whilst I would much rather Hawkins and Mots be signed - Hawkins last 6-8 weeks has been focused on family not deals. Id allow that much time from now to "catch up" before stressing that one too much. Either way, id like ink sooner than later.

GO Catters

I guess I should have a look at the contract thread but are they the main two? Im confident that Hawk will sign. Motlop... well not confident but he was sort of linked to Brisbane , I bet that looks less tasty atm. If he signs , he signs.. If not do what we have to do.

I think I sai from early on this year that the first 7-8 weeks would sort us to a degree. And I think it has. We would be long odd to get to the PF id say. So , the rest of the year probably should be used in that light. Not unhappy with the first 7 weeks , just a confirmation of a less optimistic assessment.

 

[TheYid]

I think we are not far from making the season a write-off due to the massive injury list and insane draw.

Develop the kids and settle for a top ten this year I think.

The positives are very good this year. At the end of last year and in rounds 1-3 this year I was of the belief that our team was just very average and that the new kids will turn out to be average and not what we all would have hoped them to become. I'm changing that opinion now and believe in Bews, Thurlow, Cocky, Gregson and even Lang. I've got big expectations of GHS and Jansen too- once their bodies get back in shape. So, I say play 'em. Dump Menzel and Vardy (some people just don't have the body for professional contact sport- and Vards is massively over-rated by the fans anyway) at the end of the year and recruit and next year have a tilt at the top 8.

Having said all of the above- we're not that far off being good. If we weren't so hammered by injuries we would be a shot at the top 8.

 

[Mahlepi]

Top 10 in the injury room is better than the top 10 that finished yesterday

 

[JUBJUB]

We need tha ability to attract players with state of the art facilities

Yeah cos a big shiny shed with some gym equipment really makes the difference in a team winning premierships.

 

[Pure_Ownage]

We are about where I expected we would be given the tough draw early on, we have beaten the teams I expected and of the 4 we have lost 2 are definite top 4 (Sydney and Freo) and the other two (Hawthorn are North) are either top 4 or top 8.

Realistically we should beat Carlton and Melbourne over the next few weeks and Essendon is line ball with WC and Adelaide interstate tough.

From there it opens up because I think we can beat the Dogs at home and definitely Brisbane and GWS on the road is tough but doable. Sydney and Hawthorn are then tough but St Kilda we will definitely beat and Coll and Adel at home in the last two weeks is doable.

We need to win at least two of the next five and hopefully three (if we can win the Essendon game) to keep us not too far off the pace for the run home. If we win the games we should definitely win in Carlton, Melbourne, Dogs, Brisbane and St Kilda that gives us 8 wins. Given how even the 6-10 group is this year 12 or 13 wins might get 8th spot, so then out of the Essendon (Etihad), WC (Subi), Port (AO), Adelaide (AO), North (Etihad), Giants (Startrack), Sydney (Simonds), Adelaide (Simonds), Hawthorn (MCG) and Collingwood (MCG) we need to win half of those. If we can win the two at Simonds it will help because I think we can beat the Pies and hopefully the Giants which means we only then need to win one of the other games for a finals spot. It will be tough from where we are but it is doable if we play better across 4 quarters and get more players back, as we have done well considering our long injury list.

The positive for me is the younger players, Thurlow looks outstanding and Bews while he isnt quite as talented looks like he will become the lockdown small defender we desperately need, Gregson is very talented and a useful small forward and Stanley looks better than I expected him to be (even if I am still not thrilled with our ruck stocks). Injuries have given these guys key roles to play and they have stood up, hopefully the coaches keep giving them opportunities when the injured guys come back.

 

[THE CAT WRANGLER]

Yeah cos a big shiny shed with some gym equipment really makes the difference in a team winning premierships.

Why are all clubs upgrading facilities then ?

 

[CatsDoItBetter]

Yeah cos a big shiny shed with some gym equipment really makes the difference in a team winning premierships.

I'm not convinced it does either but Frawley apparently said that the training facilities were a major reason he didn't choose Geelong.

 

[dazbroncos]

And if that is what tipped him over the edge.. im not sure I really want a player with us who makes career decisions based on the appearance of how a gym looks.

Not saying its not a factor, but its pretty superficial on face value. Hoe about deciding based on the ethos of the club, the vibe you get from being there, the players acceptance, the playing style et al…

Seems like a choice of paint colour for a car decision than one of substance…

Go Catters

 

[Biggy_Boy]

And if that is what tipped him over the edge.. im not sure I really want a player with us who makes career decisions based on the appearance of how a gym looks.

Not saying its not a factor, but its pretty superficial on face value. Hoe about deciding based on the ethos of the club, the vibe you get from being there, the players acceptance, the playing style et al…

Seems like a choice of paint colour for a car decision than one of substance…

Go Catters

Or the chances of winning a premiership, which I imagine was the greatest contributing factor for his decision.

 

[Whit3y]

Why are all clubs upgrading facilities then ?

too much money to spend due to pokey revenue??

i know some of those teams of the 90's went alright without gold plated equipment.

 

[dazbroncos]

Or the chances of winning a premiership, which I imagine was the greatest contributing factor for his decision.

sure.

the discussion and post was about the decision made on facilities.

Go Catters

 

[manboob]

Our facilities are pretty bloody good - at least they were when I did the tour a year ago.

Hawks gym doesn't look much better. See photo below.

 

[manboob]

We are about where I expected we would be given the tough draw early on, *snip*.

Pretty much agree 100% with this. Really pissed we lost to Norf but happy we beat Pies and Tigers. Getting smacked by Freo is no disgrace as it turns out. However, I just wish they'd scrap it out a bit more even when the game is over, i.e. Hawks and Swans.

 

[UnitedWarrior93]

I thought we'd be 4-3 at this stage, I expected us to beat North at home, that loss was very disappointing. Hawks, freo and swans were all going to get us, just a shame we've been pumped by all of them.

 

[you pick one]

Some of the kids playing well now will start to run out of puff around the halfway mark and the long and medium term injury boys will be given an opportunity later in the year to show why they should be there in 2016 I expect they will require a stint of games as they will be no doubt rusty.
Right from the start this year was always going to be the lets find out who has a future at the Cats,I feel that our present ladder position is about where we are as a force right now and about where we will finish the year.
If we get to the end of the year with a clear understanding of where Vardy,Menzel,Simpson and Cowan are as well as our over 30s and make the right decision all won't be lost for the season.
Buckle up for another couple of years of the same we are about to sort the chaff from the wheat at the club level the supporter level and I dear say big footy level.

 

[GFrost]

It's easier to tell a club you've chosen a rival because of training facilities than it is to say "I think you're moving away from a premiership and they are still a red-hot chance".
He was being kind/weak....

 

[Goggin Our Best]

Positives

(1) Trading Varcoe - no loss whatsover

)2) Trading Christensen - no loss whatsover - what did Akermanis call him a week ago - Fat

(3) Recruitment of Stanley - hes going great guns

(4) The obvious good form of Bews Gregson Lang Thurlow

Negative

Well there is only one negative - that is the team simply running out of petrol tickets at half time - solve that and Geelong are well placed
1ST Half against Collingwood was brilliant - and the 1st half against Sydney was also very good

Geelongs played all the top teams - the key games are WCE and both Adelaide teams away - those 3 games will give a real good guide where Geelong is at

 

[JackFlash]

I thought we'd be 4-3 at this stage, I expected us to beat North at home, that loss was very disappointing. Hawks, freo and swans were all going to get us, just a shame we've been pumped by all of them.

Yep, agree with that, the North game was not good because i really don't think they are much chop either! The next 3 weeks will tell a significant tale as we play sides around our level, surely they can knock off Carlton and then travel to Perth where i believe we are a good chance. The Bombers follow after that and i expect us to win two maybe all three of these matches!

 

[Tysio]

Well it's tough to have a good gage on it with our tinkering form so far this season. Initially we probably thought we were a chance to make top 6 (we still could theoretically), but the recovery from a disappointing start has been promising. Our younger brigade is seemingly stepping up in leaps and bounds. Lang and Gregson in particular have been pretty impressive. Murdoch played his best or second best game against the Swans. Bews has been handy down back. A lot of upside with the mounting injuries we have. After Duncan's injury against Sydney, we now have no players either playing for us or on our list from the 2009 draft. Jpod's at the Crows, Drum retired through injury, Christensen has gone to Brisbane, Duncan's injured, along with Cowan, Menzel and Vardy who can never get a fair run on the park. Around about this time this is where a lot of these players are just about to hit their peak, and start strongly contributing to the side, but we've got no one! I'll be very happy if we were to sneak into the top 8, but it'll be incredibly tough from here on in. Duncan's a huge loss, probably in our top 3/4 most important players to have for us