We "will" be packing our bags come finals time

[newcs]

I have been giving the ladder predictor a bit of a spin. I have tried to be as realistic as possible. I have come to these conclusions.
- If we make the top 4 we will be travelling interstate.
- if we come 5th or 6th we will score one Vic final but will need to travel for either the Semi, Prelim or both.
- North Melbourne are a dark horse for making the top 4.

 

[Beth]

and we "will" be out in an elimination final

I gave the Beth predictor a bit of a spin for that one

 

[BlakeyNoFlakey]

Interestingly we're only two games from top spot at this point, but our form is far from top 4, I agree. Several players need to lift considerably if we're to have any chance at the flag this year. I still hold a little hope for the boys (from a one eye supporter POV), but like many I can't see us doing much this year. It's great to hear CS and the club be upbeat about our chances, but current gameday form can't be ignored. I'm sure behind closed doors CS and the coaches have a more realistic opinion of were we're at.

They said on 360 last night that the stats show we're not only losing clearances, but we've dropped to rank 18 for transition play from the backline. This has been our strength, and the key plank of CS gameplan in the recent past. So this means our whole gameplan is just not working at the moment. If that continues we're going to do very badly indeed.

 

[Teriyakicat]

and we "will" be out in an elimination final

I gave the Beth predictor a bit of a spin for that one

me no likee that one, Beth See if you can re-spin. Maybe two out of three?

 

[Jhye Clark 13]

They said on 360 last night that the stats show we're not only losing clearances, but we've dropped to rank 18 for transition play from the backline. This has been our strength, and the key plank of CS gameplan in the recent past. So this means our whole gameplan is just not working at the moment. If that continues we're going to do very badly indeed.

Yet he continues to persist with Selwood up forward. With Smedts and Blicavs in the back half, and a seemingly tallish defense, this isn't in the least one bit surprising.

 

[Teriyakicat]

Yet he continues to persist with Selwood up forward. With Smedts and Blicavs in the back half, and a seemingly tallish defense, this isn't in the least one bit surprising.

Selwood might be put in the forward line to apply pressure as well as to rest him or shake possible tags. It worked when we played North, didn't it?

 

[Partridge]

Selwood might be put in the forward line to apply pressure as well as to rest him or shake possible tags. It worked when we played North, didn't it?

It's a flimsy excuse though. If he is our best midfielder - and he absolutely is - and we're losing the clearances, he needs to be on the ball a lot more.

 

[Jhye Clark 13]

Selwood might be put in the forward line to apply pressure as well as to rest him or shake possible tags. It worked when we played North, didn't it?

You don't play your best midfielder and best player up forward for long periods when the side has struggled to win clearances unless he's injured....therefore he shouldn't be playing.

I'm not sure about anyone else, but I'm gobsmacked Jansen hasn't debuted as yet given our struggles in this department...instead they gift games to Smedts.

 

[CatTricks]

If we were playing finals tomorrow and players were fit and playing at their best this is the side I would want on the park;

Mackie, Lonergan, Rivers
Enright, Taylor, Guthrie
Duncan, Johnson, Motlop
Stokes, Kersten, Bartel
Christensen, Hawkins, Varcoe
Simpson, Selwood, Kelly
Horlin-Smith, Caddy, Murdoch, Blicavs

 

[Teriyakicat]

It's a flimsy excuse though. If he is our best midfielder - and he absolutely is - and we're losing the clearances, he needs to be on the ball a lot more.

You don't play your best midfielder and best player up forward for long periods when the side has struggled to win clearances unless he's injured....therefore he shouldn't be playing.

I'm not sure about anyone else, but I'm gobsmacked Jansen hasn't debuted as yet given our struggles in this department...instead they gift games to Smedts.

That's a good point but how long is he actually spending up forward? I hadn't realised that he was there for long periods of time- just assumed it was an 'on-off' rotation and that, when he's up there later, he's just been moving out of the midfield.

I still think he is carrying some sort of a niggle- because it's so unusual for him to have a lengthy form slump. Yeah, he has them every year but they don't last very long before he's up and about again. it'd be interesting to see how his spread of Brownlow votes over past years and whether this is normal for him (particularly if you believe the hard training load story that has come from players and coach recently)

 

[Biggy_Boy]

Finish 5th or 6th, play in Victoria, lose first game like we did in 2012. Won't have to travel.

 

[DV2000]

I'm not sure why Selwood is playing more forward at the moment. I agree that he is a valuable goal kicker, and that it helps to break opposition tags, but he is a brownlow midfielder when at his very best. I think we need to let him continue in the midfield, to help us in the clearances, while also learning to break tags and adapt to them when possible. Players like Pendlebury and Ablett have, through persistence, managed to keep playing well most of the time while being tagged. That's the main difference between Selsy and the very elite midfielders of the game - the the thing missing in Joel's game is the ability to COPE with tags. I'm not saying he has to get 40 touches and 10 clearances while getting pestered by macaffer or Crowley, but he needs to stop being completely taken out of games.

 

[BotsMaster]

Already packed my bags for September OP.

 

[BlakeyNoFlakey]

Yet he continues to persist with Selwood up forward.

Selwood looks slow in the midfield at the moment, that's the problem. I think that's why he's being played forward more. His poor preseason has really caught up with him in the last month. Stared the season well, but has dropped off lots.

 

[Jimmy Yamazaki]

Doubt we will make top 4, Freo has yet again an easy 2nd half of the year.

Even if we made it, at our best we aren't the best team. We have won 1 final from our last 4 with arguably a better team than what we have right now.

Cats supporters should gear up for another "Meh" finals series again in all honesty, no matter where we play.

 

[Jhye Clark 13]

With Geelong's draw and the draw of other sides vying for a top 4 position, I'd be mightily surprised if we didn't finish in the top 2 to be honest, and if we're in a heavy training load, it would also explain why we look fatigued and aren't pressuring the ball carrier at every cost. It would also explain why we've shied away from this game plan that worked so well in 2011, and in the first 5 round of the current season. Of course injuries haven't helped, and our midfield have looked tired due to the lack of rotations available, but we have the talent...it's only a matter of hunger now.

A win tomorrow night is paramount before a string of winnable games. We'll know more in a few weeks after those who've missed substantial game time get some run in their legs.

I can only see us losing 1 more match for the season, and that's even accounting for our current form. Let's be honest, we can't get any worse and we've won 9 games.

Scott holds the aces with his positional moves, and it'll effect the outcome of the season. Let's hope he's learnt from his previous errors. No Blicavs and Smedts in the back half and I may spring back to life. Also no Walker up front, and less talls in the side.

 

[Jhye Clark 13]

Selwood looks slow in the midfield at the moment, that's the problem. I think that's why he's being played forward more. His poor preseason has really caught up with him in the last month. Stared the season well, but has dropped off lots.

He looks slow because the entire team is one paced and can't win enough possession to be effective. We need to pay to our strengths and be proactive.

Too tall and stagnant, with not enough run and carry.

 

[BlakeyNoFlakey]

He looks slow because the entire team is one paced and can't win enough possession to be effective. We need to pay to our strengths and be proactive.

Too tall and stagnant, with not enough run and carry.

You're right that our midfield is too one paced. But I do think Sels is a yard slower than last year, and I put that down to his injuries during preseason. Same with Motlop.

 

[Art Vandelay_]

Already packed my bags for September OP.

Um... I'm not sure optimism is allowed on this board anymore

 

[BotsMaster]

Um... I'm not sure optimism is allowed on this board anymore

Interesting that you read that as optimistic as the intention was pessimistic.

 

[Art Vandelay_]

Already packed my bags for September OP.

Interesting that you read that as optimistic as the intention was pessimistic.

Given you never alluded to losing, and given 3 of the current top 4 are interstate sides I would have thought travel was inevitable and realistic... Not pessimistic

Packing your bags either means we finish in the top 4 and travel first week or we win first week and travel interstate 2nd or 3rd week... Not exactly pessimistic in my eyes... Then again I can't recall ever being pessimistic about anything, I'm definitely a glass half full minded individual

 

[BotsMaster]

Given you never alluded to losing, and given 3 of the current top 4 are interstate sides I would have thought travel was inevitable and realistic... Not pessimistic

Packing your bags either means we finish in the top 4 and travel first week or we win first week and travel interstate 2nd or 3rd week... Not exactly pessimistic in my eyes... Then again I can't recall ever being pessimistic about anything, I'm definitely a glass half full minded individual

I was thinking more the Richmond way of packing your bags for September.

 

[Art Vandelay_]

I was thinking more the Richmond way of packing your bags for September.

Well if you make ambiguous comments you will be open to multiple interpretations

 

[BlakeyNoFlakey]

Um... I'm not sure optimism is allowed on this board anymore

I'm optimistic, but also a realist.

 

[Cosmic Energy]

Well at least we have an opportunity to roll Freo at home. I'm excited to see how we go in this run home, a good mix of quality opponents & up & coming teams.

Like Digger used to say of the Pies....don't write Geelong off just yet.