Preview Geelong Cats v Essendon, AAMI Community Series, Sat 6 Mar 7:10pm @ GMHBA Stadium

[cats_09]

Me either wasn't turning it over not costing us goals not butchering the ball or giving away free kicks,yep needs to do more with it,like putting Dangerfield,Parfitt,Miers Tuohy Guthrie into space.

Looking at the stats as per the AFL app it shows 10 disposals with 5 kicks, 5 handballs at 80%, but only 66m gained

I'm assuming that means a few backward or sideways disposals in there, otherwise it's a lot of short disposals and not necessarily clearing the pack

 

[Big little cat]

There's a lot to be optimistic about. The game exposure to SDK, Evans, Clark, Constable and Z. Guthrie is all positive, even including some of the mistakes. I would rather they learn the lessons now than at the end of the season. The game in my eyes exposed the lack of of an elite kick/decision maker in our back half. Now you realise the talent of J. Hunt, Scarlett, Kelly they rarely wasted a disposal. However, they all learnt this through game experience. Unfortunately, the game style moreso is focused on very quick transition /slingshot so poor disposals are much more difficult to hide. I wonder if there's a role for Duncan (similar to Kelly old role) in defence, to set up the forward movement.

 

[Big little cat]

I also noticed when our midfield got going (in patches) around the clearance we looked much sharper

 

[Hamingja]

I also noticed when our midfield got going (in patches) around the clearance we looked much sharper

It was super hard watching on tv trying to figure out who was playing when and the commentators didn't help any. It looked like Higgins played the first half before being iced but a lot of the other players just seemed to miss random quarters.

 

[Hamingja]

I know he is 34 and all but Higgins has some class

The challenge for Higgins and Smith is to still be playing well in September with 20 games under the belt. They were always going to play well early in the season. Falling away at the end of the year is the concern with them.

 

[cats_09]

It was super hard watching on tv trying to figure out who was playing when and the commentators didn't help any. It looked like Higgins played the first half before being iced but a lot of the other players just seemed to miss random quarters.

And no help that the club didn't put out any info about the substitutions being made

The starting 22 played the first half, which meant that Zuth, Evans, Kolo and Constable as the substitutes got to sit around and take in what was happening. Then during the half time break, those 4 were warming up on the ground, having a kick to kick and getting ready to get involved in the second half

For the 3rd quarter it seemed we chose to bring Clark, Miers and Henry out of the game with Evans, Zuth and Kolo getting their chance; Constable was still waiting his turn

In the 4th we made further changes with Henry sitting out the last half, while Higgins, SDK and Menegola were subbed out of the game with Clark & Miers returning, while Constable finally got his chance

With making changes at half time and again 3/4 time, it seemed the plan was to get a minimum of 3/4s of match time into as many players as possibly

 

[BIGANT]

Who would have thought w out Stanley *possibly vs Adelaide that we would be saying that the crows Obrien will smash us in the ruck. Only have to look at Obrien's progress, since the crows bit the bullet with his development over the decline of club and fan's favourite in Jacobs

 

[Down at K Park]

I thought Essendon was interested one point?

Not that i recall.

 

[cats_09]

I thought Essendon was interested one point?

Wasn't the suggestion that St Kilda were interested after 2019, but that were no where

 

[you pick one]

Looking at the stats as per the AFL app it shows 10 disposals with 5 kicks, 5 handballs at 80%, but only 66m gained

I'm assuming that means a few backward or sideways disposals in there, otherwise it's a lot of short disposals and not necessarily clearing the pack

Won the hard ball inside the contest and feed these blokes Dangerfield,Parfitt,Miers Tuohy Guthrie it's what got us going.

 

[Ratcat]

By the same token, Clark & Stewart each had 11 disposals in the last quarter

So going by your metric Stewart should have 44 disposals as he played all 4 quarters, while Clark should have had 33 as he only played 3 quarters

Stewart finished with 28 disposals from a full match, Clark with 29 from three quarters

So no bias as at, rather just pointing out the basics in that you can't simply extrapolate the efforts of 1 quarter and assume they would be replicated across the other 3

Oh Tommy Rot!...l never said he would've l said that's what he was going at!
Does that bother you?
He's a darn good player coming in cold to do that against a dominant midfield.
That's my point, if you don't like the guy well that's your problem cos it's fashionable or whatever.

 

[Gogeelong]

The point is they both played very well.
Clark will play first game as he deserves it.
You can see he provides run and that is what we miss in spades.

Unless the team gets more run from the backline we will have major issues.
Also our midfield has quite patches. If Stanley is injured we are in strife. Jenkins could be very valuable in this situation after he gets more game time.

 

[Mad_Hatter]

We often talk about players who might find themselves replacing others in the side, one of those to be replaced I reckon is Tuohy.
We simply don't need him anymore, defensively I think Atkins brings plenty (especially considering he's yet to play a proper AFL game down there), through the midfield we have more than enough options and IMO all of them are better and up forward we just don't have room, there's too many absolute locks forward of centre he simply doesn't have a spot.
Clark will line up round 1, Evans is a smoky too (and IMO should), Smith, Higgins and Cameron pick themselves. Honestly Tuohy to me is backup for Kolo or Henry having some bad form (which is more likely with Kolo of course...).
I REALLY like Zac, don't get me wrong, he's certainly not a whipping boy for me, I just struggle to find a spot for him.

 

[Turbocat]

Just watched the replay.

Overall , I thought we looked weeks behind Ess in ball handling and intensity, but thats probably a consequence of finishing late. We had enough talent to turn it when needed.

Like Atkins back, most showed glimpses of what they might bring.

The ruck and midfield seems an area of minor concern. SDK will be a player but is years away in that role, the three most game ready players Stanley, Fort and Sav have not played. JJ is not a ruck option , he looked for body against a kid that had spring

Would it surprise that Blitz gets dragged into the ruck at times again?

Our mids almost looked like phoned it in at times, but there was probably a don't get injured aspect to the game for them. When Parish looks that good , it sort of says a lot about us.

Also , I found it interesting in Q4 that Miers and Clark took riskier kick options that created opportunities, Mier was on of the few that look like he was handling the ball well.


The 'stand' think on the mark still needs work. At on stage Selwood seemed to creep side ways and was not called.


We will have a better idea of what we have by R3 or R4

 

[Boxhead_31]

So he took a knock in last week's game, and then when walking to the rooms he fell down the stairs when he put his arm out to break his fall but instead broke his arm while at the same time he bumped his head causing the concussion...

Otto really has taught him well

 

[bombersboy]

Constable 10 disposals in a quarter. 80% efficiency in the midfield. What else can he do.

My concern with Charlie was that he only played in the last quarter when other players were fatigued. Did nothing to show us whether he has improved his endurance. Suspect he will only be a "break glass" option if injuries.

 

[calder_daddy]

Just watched the replay.

Overall , I thought we looked weeks behind Ess in ball handling and intensity, but thats probably a consequence of finishing late. We had enough talent to turn it when needed.

Like Atkins back, most showed glimpses of what they might bring.

The ruck and midfield seems an area of minor concern. SDK will be a player but is years away in that role, the three most game ready players Stanley, Fort and Sav have not played. JJ is not a ruck option , he looked for body against a kid that had spring

Would it surprise that Blitz gets dragged into the ruck at times again?

Our mids almost looked like phoned it in at times, but there was probably a don't get injured aspect to the game for them. When Parish looks that good , it sort of says a lot about us.

Also , I found it interesting in Q4 that Miers and Clark took riskier kick options that created opportunities, Mier was on of the few that look like he was handling the ball well.


The 'stand' think on the mark still needs work. At on stage Selwood seemed to creep side ways and was not called.


We will have a better idea of what we have by R3 or R4

Being at the game last night it was extremely noticeable that Geelong players didn’t go to the mark and stood a few meters back which lets you do what you like

 

[Ratcat]

My concern with Charlie was that he only played in the last quarter when other players were fatigued. Did nothing to show us whether he has improved his endurance. Suspect he will only be a "break glass" option if injuries.

Yer right!

 

[cats_09]

We often talk about players who might find themselves replacing others in the side, one of those to be replaced I reckon is Tuohy.
We simply don't need him anymore, defensively I think Atkins brings plenty (especially considering he's yet to play a proper AFL game down there), through the midfield we have more than enough options and IMO all of them are better and up forward we just don't have room, there's too many absolute locks forward of centre he simply doesn't have a spot.
Clark will line up round 1, Evans is a smoky too (and IMO should), Smith, Higgins and Cameron pick themselves. Honestly Tuohy to me is backup for Kolo or Henry having some bad form (which is more likely with Kolo of course...).
I REALLY like Zac, don't get me wrong, he's certainly not a whipping boy for me, I just struggle to find a spot for him.

Tuohy is one of those players that if you ranked the squad not accounting for positional requirements, he'd probably fall into the best 22 players on the list

But when you then actually need to organise those players into a 22 man team to play each week, that's where it becomes difficult to find a spot for him and not sure he's actually in a best 22 playing side

 

[calder_daddy]

Tuohy is one of those players that if you ranked the squad not accounting for positional requirements, he'd probably fall into the best 22 players on the list

But when you then actually need to organise those players into a 22 man team to play each week, that's where it becomes difficult to find a spot for him and not sure he's actually in a best 22 playing side

I thought 2E is one of the players last night that offered absolutely nothing and his spot is gettable
I know it’s his first game back but he needs to play as a backman not a forward

 

[bombersboy]

Just me or does our defence look much worse without Harry there? I have a feeling we'll only realise how much he contributed this year. I miss him already

Agreed. I think Harry was our on field general down back and I'm not sure I can see who fills that role for us now. Stewart?

 

[cats_09]

Being at the game last night it was extremely noticeable that Geelong players didn’t go to the mark and stood a few meters back which lets you do what you like

Seemed a definite tactic when the ball was in our forward half, and especially when it was a quicker player like Rohan or Smith who'd be standing the mark - they kept their distance so they could move or even run at the player if play-on was called

Some of the taller guys like SDK seemed to stand the mark more often, maybe as that aren't as quick over the first couple of steps

We did seem more likely to "stand" in the defensive half of the ground - can't help but think that with how obvious it was when watching from the stand, that it was something out a team tactic, and discussions at team meetings

 

[cats_09]

I thought 2E is one of the players last night that offered absolutely nothing and his spot is gettable
I know it’s his first game back but he needs to play as a backman not a forward

And we have better options down back

He could be a good addition for our vfl side

 

[bombersboy]

The new rules/governance encourages taking the game either via leg speed or high end kicking and decision making skills. In my view Tuohy and Mengola are players at tipping point. Both very good players. But the spread from clearances will be vital this year. As will turnovers, the speed and spread of opposition sides will catch out defenders moreso. Interesting choices will need to be made to balance our transition play. Speed vs safe? Sometimes you need to take risks to win. Clark is not perfect particularly in transition. Kicking, handballs not consistently on target. But he has serious wheels. We will need this asset this year. Lastly, in my view, we need a little bit of old school Malcom Blight thinking, and get the ball movement forward as quickly as possible at every opportunity.

Agree with your observation on Menagola and Tuohy.

 

[Boxhead_31]

Menegola is the first picked on the wing for mine. He was arguably the best in that position in the entire league last season.

He'd want to improve on what he showed last night.
At no stage did he get out of first gear, didn't put any pressure on his man