Analysis The last five games and the quest for top four/top two

[Partridge]

Pessimistic view.
- We are currently in form. It's just youthful inconsistency creating flat patches.
- The Rnd 5 Hawthorn game was as good as it gets. Reproducing it is possible, but not consistently.
- We can't afford to taper

It's not just youthful inconsistency. The older players are every bit as inconsistent, but their mates are in the commentary team so their mistakes are minimised as much as possible.

 

[Goggin Our Best]

I really can't see Fremantle beating Hawthorn. Aside from the fact that the latter are just quite simply a better team than the former, recent history between the two sides has shown than Hawthorn, in stark contrast to us, tend to implement a game plan against the Dockers that shows some understanding of how important it is to adapt tactics according to your opposition.

If Hawthorn are so clever with their tactics - and understanding the importance of them against certain opposition sides - why do they implement the same tactics and game plan - that continually fails against Geelong

Your a contradicting hypocrite

 

[Partridge]

If Hawthorn are so clever with their tactics - and understanding the importance of them against certain opposition sides - why do they implement the same tactics and game plan - that continually fails against Geelong

Your a contradicting hypocrite

Seemed to work ok in the Prelim final though.

 

[candiehappy]

Seemed to work ok in the Prelim final though.

just ...

 

[Goggin Our Best]

Seemed to work ok in the Prelim final though.

Whats 12 out of 13 as a Mathematical % - about 90%

One 5 pt win - caused by a couple of mistakes by Bartel and Mackie - and it would have been 13 out of 13

Some teams match up well on certain other sides - no matter the tactics - end of debate

 

[Partridge]

Whats 12 out of 13 as a Mathematical % - about 90%

One 5 pt win - caused by a couple of mistakes by Bartel and Mackie - and it would have been 13 out of 13

Some teams match up well on certain other sides - no matter the tactics - end of debate

But it wasn't and it didn't.

We do seem to match up well on Hawthorn. But there's no guarantee it's going to do us any good in Round 22 this year however.

 

[Goggin Our Best]

But it wasn't and it didn't.

We do seem to match up well on Hawthorn. But there's no guarantee it's going to do us any good in Round 22 this year however.

It was just such a pity we lost that game - because the ramifications and fallout at Hawthorn would have been huge ( and most enjoyable)

I heard Ken Judge on the radio - the following day after the PF say - thats his mail from his ex club - was that if Hawthorn had lost ( would have been 12 in a row ) that Clarkson was finished at Hawthorn - and would have been appointed coach of the West Coast Eagles

Hawthorn was 1qtr or 5 points away from being a blooody laughing stock - with their mighty reputation in tatters - i would say that PF win by them ( apart from GFS ) was their most important win in the last 20 years

Geelong had a chance to put a dagger right through their heart - and just missed

 

[dazbroncos]

MC Extra Dollop

Great write up. Deserved to be noted for it.

Not much I can add other than its great to control our own destiny and as much as I DESPISE Al Davis,

" Just win baby!"

North game will tell us plenty I feel. Pretty much full list available. Week off prior. Time to get head, bodies and plans right.

It is now up to us. Lets see what it means to "Be Geelong"

Go Catters

 

[Baudolino]

If Hawthorn are so clever with their tactics - and understanding the importance of them against certain opposition sides - why do they implement the same tactics and game plan - that continually fails against Geelong

Your a contradicting hypocrite

You seem to be under the misapprehension that my assertion that Hawthorn set up very well tactically against Fremantle involves a corollary argument which holds that the Hawks are some kind of infallible tactical geniuses. In reality, though, there is no such corollary - the Hawks are tactically superior against Fremantle and tactically deficient against us - and my original point therefore contains no contradiction. What I said was that "Hawthorn, in stark contrast to us, tend to implement a game plan against the Dockers that shows some understanding of how important it is to adapt tactics according to your opposition"; in other words, I specifically stipulated that Hawthorn were tactically intelligent and flexible with their game plan against Fremantle (see, for example, what they did at the stoppages in last year's GF), but I made no mention of how they set up against Geelong.

 

[MC Extra Dollop]

I'd say that our best 22 at the moment is something like this:

B: Corey Enright, Tom Lonergan, Jared Rivers
HB: Andrew Mackie, Harry Taylor, James Kelly
C: Steven Motlop, Joel Selwood, Mitch Duncan
HF: Allen Christensen, Shane Kersten, Travis Varcoe
F: Jimmy Bartel, Tom Hawkins, Mathew Stokes
R: Hamish McIntosh, Cam Guthrie, Steve Johnson
I/C: Jordan Murdoch, Mark Blicavs, George Horlin-Smith, Josh Caddy

I guess McIntosh v Simpson is probably the most contentious one, but I'm happy to give McIntosh the nod, as he's produced more for us this season and his best games have been top shelf, as far as I'm concerned. Bews should also have some consideration as a horses for courses player, but for the most part, I think the above line-up is what they'd go with. How does it differ from the last time we played our next five opponents?

North Melbourne
In: Johnson, Caddy, Christensen, Kersten,
Out: Sheringham, Simpson, Bews, Stringer

Key outs for North last time: Wells, Grima, Brown

Fremantle
In: Caddy, Stokes, Christensen, Kersten
Out: Sheringham, Bews, Hunt, Simpson

Key outs for Fremantle last time: Morabito, Ibbotson, Walters, McPharlin,

Carlton
In: Varcoe, Caddy, Christensen, Kersten
Out: Smedts, Stringer, Bews, Walker

Key outs for Carlton last time: Judd, Kreuzer, Bell, Graham, Curnow

Hawthorn
In: Caddy, Christensen, Motlop, Kersten
Out: Simpson, Hunt, Burbury, Sheringham

Key outs for Hawthorn last time: Sewell, Lake, Ceglar, Schoenmakers, Shiels, Spangher, Litherland

Brisbane
In: Rivers, Christensen, Motlop, Kersten
Out: Brown, McCarthy, Simpson, Hunt,

Key outs for Brisbane last time: Harwood, McGrath, Martin, Beams, McStay, Gardiner, Maguire, Rockliff

 

[BUSTER29]

I reckon they have to be flexible with Guthrie's role for that one. If we are pretty much uncompetitive at the stoppages, in my opinion, Guthrie has to go to Mundy or Barlow. I'd go in with Bews and Enright and if Guthrie is required in defence, Enright can play more as a sweeper. If we're getting killed in the middle, we have to roll the dice with Bews to do the job, as far as I'm concerned.

Different tactics are required for whichever player Crowley tags too. Either Johnson or Selwood should drag Crowley to Barlow or Mundy, or they should go deep forward. If Crowley responds by going to the other one, they repeat the move.

This x 1000.
Please forward to Chris Scott and assistant coaches.
Need to break even in midfield/clearances to have a chance v Freo.
If Crowley goes to Johnson,he plays alot more minutes forward of centre.I'd rather 12 touches and 2 goals from Stevie J up forward,than 20 touches and a report from him playing as a mid.
Scott needs to have a re-think about our set ups v Freo, they have had our measure recently.

 

[romeoh]

I am certain we won't be taking North lightly, the question, is are we good enough to beat them at Etihad? I think with Motlop, Stokes, Christensen and an improving Varcoe, we can get to them on the outside but can we match them in contested ball?

I am increasingly thinking North's problem is a tactical one. They seem incapable of adapting to a side bringing something unexpected or a plan to counter them. They like playing the top teams because the top teams come in and back their players to be able to beat them and they don't make it about North. North then get it on their terms and they are fine.

We surprised them with Bartel and Kelly last time, but I am worried we will head into this one thinking, we just have to play our best to win. We have to go with the mentality of an underdog and get the game on terms that North don't like.

I think North are favorites to be honest.

'I think North are favorites to be honest.'
Perfect -we win then.

 

[Turbocat]

So basically.. if we are good enough we finish top 2. If we don't then we aren't probably good enough. Freo at home, Hawks at the G , North at the Dome ...they should be worrying about us , not us about them.

 

[romeoh]

I like Bews for the Freo and Hawk games.

 

[candiehappy]

I like Bews for the Freo and Hawk games.

given Christianson will be back, who goes out for Bews?

I'm not opposed to what you are saying, I really like Bews and think he is (another) player of the future. But I'm not sure who would go out.

 

[Seeds]

To finish top 2 I think we have to win the lot as Freo are likely (or were before this round anyway..) to win the rest of theirs.

I still think, despite results going our way of late, we have to win every game between now and the end of the year to win the flag. We won't do it from 3rd or 4th assuming Sydney and Freo finish 1-2.

Not true. We can lose one game as long as we beat Freo and Hawthorn.

 

[candiehappy]

Not true. We can lose one game as long as we beat Freo and Hawthorn.

I think this is correct, and of course it will help if sydney beat the hawks next weekend.

nothing wrong with having your own destiny in your hands. This is a very good end to the season. Come what may our young players are in for a learning curve.

 

[year of the cat]

Not true. We can lose one game as long as we beat Freo and Hawthorn.

That's a pretty unlikely scenario though..

 

[Seeds]

given Christianson will be back, who goes out for Bews?

I'm not opposed to what you are saying, I really like Bews and think he is (another) player of the future. But I'm not sure who would go out.

Mackie or Varcoe are the only obvious ones I can think of.

 

[Seeds]

That's a pretty unlikely scenario though..

Not as unlikely as you would think. Last year we lost to North late in the season but beat Hawks and Freo.

 

[candiehappy]

Mackie or Varcoe are the only obvious ones I can think of.

I wouldn't be dropping Mackie.

bringing up the "V" name is going to add a few more pages to this thread !!

 

[year of the cat]

Not as unlikely as you would think. Last year we lost to North late in the season but beat Hawks and Freo.

Does lightening strike twice?!

 

[catempire]

Mackie or Varcoe are the only obvious ones I can think of.

 

[Partridge]

Mackie or Varcoe are the only obvious ones I can think of.

Won't happen though. Both are completely safe.

 

[romeoh]

given Christianson will be back, who goes out for Bews?

I'm not opposed to what you are saying, I really like Bews and think he is (another) player of the future. But I'm not sure who would go out.

Murdoch. They can shuffle things around.