Geelong a better team without Ablett?

[Sttew]

It's early days but I reckon the Cats are better off without Ablett. Bartel is relishing playing in the midfield again. Steve Johnson is a revelation in the middle, a role he had no need to fulfill pre 2011. Kelly and Corey are icing on the cake in the middle and Selwood is....Selwood. Then there's Mitch Duncan who is playing like a 100 gamer. As I said it's early days.....

 

[blues4flag]

You're right, it is early days.

 

[RUNVS]

I think Geelong supporters should wait until they play a quality team before getting to excited.

 

[The Zebra]

Agree Sttew. I have always said they would have won a flag in the 1990s without that selfish forward making them one dimensional. Very over-rated player.

 

[catters078]

The next two weeks will give a good indication, but they do appear to be happy with the new culture there so far...

Hopefully we can nip the swans next week and make the Hawthorn match a block buster..

 

[WCErevival]

You can look at it this way too. 2007 GF you beat Port by 119. They were the 2nd best team at the time. Now they are wooden spoon material and you beat them by less. Geelong have definitely fallen a bit there's no denying it. They are still a good team though.

 

[The_Eagles]

 

[wce4premiership]

When you look through the list you realise they're quality across the board and a great mix of age and youth.

Varcoe, bartel and stevie j are great through the middle

Kelly has always been a little underrated.

 

[Gaz_Brownlow]

Ease up....Ablett is still the best player going around in my opinion and the fact that you are taking away our best midfielder (most disposals, most clearances and most contested possesions) as well as 44 goals is a big out@!

What people haven't realised about Geelong is that this transition was always coming. We simply couldn't afford to keep our mid-tier 20 something players (i.e. Davenport, Moles, Djukerra, Mumford, Callan, Prismall, etc ).....we just didn't have the salary cap. Thus we have invested heavily in youth over the last 3 seasons....and this is starting to pay dividends. We not only have Menzel, Duncan, Christensen, and Hunt playing great footy, but with Vardy, Mitch Brown, Motlop and the possibility of a few more (Guthrie, Smedts for instance) we have the foundations of an entire new generation. Very exciting times for the cats and we could be able to pull off something no other team has managed....a seamless generational transition!

Looking forward to the rest of the season!

 

[damochandler]

to early to say. throw a lot of money at bartel to stay but

 

[He_Beast]

Now that I think about it, what team wouldn't be better without Gary Ablett?

Pies should have a look at pissing off Dane Swan.

 

[its just sporn mum]

Ridiculous. EVERY team would be made better with Gary Ablett in it.

 

[Riders of Rohan]

Ridiculous thread

 

[winty]

I think Geelong supporters should wait until they play a quality team before getting to excited.

Says the supporter of the team that drew with Melbourne.

Freo in Perth is a pretty tough ask, especially without your full-back, full-forward and best midfielder, yet we still got over the line.

Like the OP said, it's only early yet, but it's hard not to get excited by the form of Menzel, Duncan and Taylor Hunt, and even the debutantes Guthrie and Christensen have shown something in their time on the ground.

Was interesting to see Mooney playing as a key defender today, and Ling, Corey, Milburn and Wojcinski seem to have avoided father time so far this season too.

Possibly rumours of our demise this season might just be premature.

 

[GoTheSwannies]

Have to disagree with the op, its more than likely you would've ripped st kilda n freo apart with Ablett in the team, the only thing that's clear at this stage is that you have quality players who are capable of filling the void, and they've stepped up. Abletts loss hasn't affected geelong as much as it would most other teams. It's still a loss though.

 

[RUNVS]

Says the supporter of the team that drew with Melbourne.

Beat us next week and you will have my respect as playing the Swans at the SCG is no easy task.

 

[The Octopus]

worst thread ever

 

[Pessimistic]

Smug bomber prick has also left geelong. Hmmmmm

 

[JUBJUB]

Gary who ?

 

[magic_johnson!]

You can look at it this way too. 2007 GF you beat Port by 119. They were the 2nd best team at the time. Now they are wooden spoon material and you beat them by less.

In 2007, we also lost to Port by 5 points at home. Does that make us a 84 point better team now? Crap logic.

I think Geelong supporters should wait until they play a quality team before getting to excited.

We bet st kilda at the mcg, which we didn't do last time we played. We also bet Fremantle away, which we couldn't do last year. I tipped us to be 1-2 at the stage, surpassed my expectations.

Don't quote me on this, but i'm pretty sure we've played 10 games now since the start of 2007 without Ablett, winning 9 of them.

 

[RUNVS]

We bet st kilda at the mcg, which we didn't do last time we played. We also bet Fremantle away, which we couldn't do last year. I tipped us to be 1-2 at the stage, surpassed my expectations.

Given St Kilda's form this year i don't think beating them means much. I will give you that beating Fremantle at Subiaco is a accomplishment though as they seem to be either as good or almost as good as they were last year.

 

[Jack2Johnston]

Ridiculous. EVERY team would be made better with Gary Ablett in it.

This ^

 

[doingthangs]

I was always worried about geelong losing ablett, but i was just as worried about them losing gamble. It seem one has been good and the other not so good. Losing gamble has obviously effected the geelong structure of having a stay at home forward, they have been forced to find other options apart from the 'kick it to gamble mindset'. Now without gamble they have found multiple goal kicker across the board. Gambles attack on the ball is second to none however the geelong forwards have realised they needed to step up without there leader and it has showed 10 fold. Menzel has been praised as the second coming of gamble but lets me serious thats a bit to much pressure to put on the kid. Ablett hasnt had as much of an effect on the team. I feel geelong did well in moving on with life after gamble.

 

[Chocolate_Rhythm]

I feel Geelong peaked in 2007 with Nathan Ablett on board. The moment I heard Nathan Ablett left the club/ attempted suicide I tore up my membership. He is worth 3 N Riewoldt's IMHO. Pivotal to our structure TBH.

As far as Gary goes, he would never reach his potential unless he plays from the back pocket. Haters gone hate.

 

[nicko74]

That would have to be some of the most ridiculous logic i have ever heard