Geelong - Too old, too slow?

[Grand Uncle Horace]

There’s a reason why Dangerfield was wanting the quarters to remain shorter.

This.

 

[Sttew]

How do they get two Geelong games in a row??

The same way WCE does in R 14 & 15.

By the way, have you heard of paragraphs?

 

[Saint]

No way is drafting kids a ‘lottery’! It’s not an exact science, but still is a science. When cats last went ‘all in’ at the draft you won three flags and there should be a statue of Stephen Wells. Since then you have ‘topped up’ by pinching players from other clubs, which has kept you competitive but no flag. To look back all flags are built from draft, not pinching players especially ‘messiah’ type recruits.

It's finding the balance between striking while you've already got gun players like Selwood, Hawkins, Dangerfield, Duncan, Guthrie and then topping up. But if you go too far down this path, it can fall off a cliff.

IMO, more teams have shot themselves in the foot by going hard at the draft and trading away decent players than have fallen off the age cliff.

If I were Geelong, I would have only done a few things differently (Smith or Higgins, not both) and maybe harder at a ruckman, but they've still got the list to do the job. I think their gameplan is more of the problem. They need to move the ball faster out of the back half. I think this will be easier with Cameron, but not necessarily.

 

[Sttew]

sh*t that's a read and a half.

It's like he had a 1001 ideas and he gad to get them all down in one paragraph

 

[Saint]

They chose this shape. They wanted a point of difference. I live here in Geelong, they had plenty of room to go west and widen the ground with all the new grand stands these last few years. But decided on a long narrow ground for home and away advantage. Which is too long for spectators at goal ends and terrible for cricket and doesn’t make for great football generally.

The staging of it was the problem. As soo as they did the Eastern Stand in the shape they did it (Because it was the first stage), they couldn't then move the field away from the grandstand to improve the shape by widening the ground.

Had they had the money all at once and with staging no problem, you would have probably built a new stadium within Kardinia Park then knock down the old one, but they were only ever able to do it in smaller stages, hence the sub-optimal outcome.

 

[Freshwater]

The staging of it was the problem. As soo as they did the Eastern Stand in the shape they did it (Because it was the first stage), they couldn't then move the field away from the grandstand to improve the shape by widening the ground.

Had they had the money all at once and with staging no problem, you would have probably built a new stadium within Kardinia Park then knock down the old one, but they were only ever able to do it in smaller stages, hence the sub-optimal outcome.

Not actually true. Even with the stages it was totally possible. I watched it unfold. After the narrow Moorabool street narrow grandstand on the eastern side. Each stage built from the southern end and could have been built more west. It was all built to a ‘master plan’. And the narrow, long oval was part of the plan. Small time thinking that those in Perth learnt from.

 

[The 747]

They still have enough talent to make the 8 and along with their great home ground advantage maybe even push into the top 4. But against the Tigers and even the Doggies this year their aging midfield will struggle in finals.

Most of our midfield is not all that old. Selwood is yes and Danger is but he has only played two games this year and spends a lot of time forward.

 

[The 747]

If I were Geelong, I would have only done a few things differently (Smith or Higgins, not both) and maybe harder at a ruckman, but they've still got the list to do the job. I think their gameplan is more of the problem. They need to move the ball faster out of the back half. I think this will be easier with Cameron, but not necessarily.

Agree with you on Smith/Higgins and a ruck. Dalhaus, Rohan, Higgins, Smith not ideal and ruck has been a big weakness since Ottens retired. Stanley can play great games but his average game is not very impressive.

Half back is an interesting one, we do have players that could be used to get more speed off half back but we are not using them that way at the moment.

 

[Saint]

Most of our midfield is not all that old. Selwood is yes and Danger is but he has only played two games this year and spends a lot of time forward.

Dangerfield had already lost his absolute top speed. Now a serious ankle injury, I'd guess he'll spend more time forward this year when he comes back.

I thought it selfish at the time that he didn't injury sub himself. Hearing now that it's a serious injury, it's borderline inexcusable. He was playing on one leg as if him on one leg is better than fresh Jordan Clark on two.

It's ok to be arrogant when you are in the top 5 players in the league. It's going to get old quick when he's not in the top 30 when he returns from the ankle.

 

[Gavin Excell]

Ball movement far too slow.
Not sure cautious approach to date is all coaching/game plan or a lack of speed or even confidence
Whatever its not a winning formula

Super test v eagles who have as many holes as Geelong but just in a different way

 

[300Weatherby]

Most of our midfield is not all that old. Selwood is yes and Danger is but he has only played two games this year and spends a lot of time forward.

And I believe that Geelong are still heavily reliant on them both

 

[Sttew]

And I believe that Geelong are still heavily reliant on them both

Not so anymore. Guthrie, Duncan and Parfitt are the main go-to midfielders. Dangerfield has only played 2 games this year. Selwood has spent time in the middle, but even against North he went up forward

 

[ThatsjustDappa]

They chose this shape. They wanted a point of difference. I live here in Geelong, they had plenty of room to go west and widen the ground with all the new grand stands these last few years. But decided on a long narrow ground for home and away advantage. Which is too long for spectators at goal ends and terrible for cricket and doesn’t make for great football generally.

So knock down pretty much all of the grand stands to move westwards a bunch of metres.......really.....? Let alone ignoring the concept of staged grand stand development....

 

[Freshwater]

So knock down pretty much all of the grand stands to move westwards a bunch of metres.......really.....? Let alone ignoring the concept of staged grand stand development....

You didn’t get what I was saying. It could have just as easily been done in the same stages. They just chose not to. Those grandstands built in the last decade could have easily been built 20metres west without any loss during construction, but the club wanted a ‘point of difference’. I just think they made the wrong decisions.

 

[Bestbird]

The average age from AFL Tables for teams in Round 5 makes interesting reading

Geelong 27 yr 238 days

The next 2

Richmond 26 yr 339 days
Collingwood 26 yr 102 days

Still backing that Geelong's good record with the development of players from late draft picks will not see them tumble down the ladder

 

[NetworkNerd]

I cant see Geelong losing this week. If West Coast are going to make a match of it I think it will have to be their forward line dominating in the air. Can Allen/Darling/Kennedy beat Kolodjashnij/Blicavs/Henderson

 

[Saint]

You didn’t get what I was saying. It could have just as easily been done in the same stages. They just chose not to. Those grandstands built in the last decade could have easily been built 20metres west without any loss during construction, but the club wanted a ‘point of difference’. I just think they made the wrong decisions.

I'm intrigued as to how the southern grandstand could have been demolished and built 20m to the west while the western grandstands were still there.

It would also move the northern and southern parts of the eastern grandstand further away from the ground when they made the boundary rounder.

And for what? A bit of width which isn't an actual requirement.

 

[Saint]

I cant see Geelong losing this week. If West Coast are going to make a match of it I think it will have to be their forward line dominating in the air. Can Allen/Darling/Kennedy beat Kolodjashnij/Blicavs/Henderson

If the ball comes in quick, those three forwards will mop the floor with them on the lead. Kolo and Henderson aren't very quick.

 

[Saint]

The average age from AFL Tables for teams in Round 5 makes interesting reading

Geelong 27 yr 238 days

The next 2

Richmond 26 yr 339 days
Collingwood 26 yr 102 days

Still backing that Geelong's good record with the development of players from late draft picks will not see them tumble down the ladder

I don't think they'll tumble down the ladder out of the 8, but they will likely fall out of the top 4 this year, maybe out of the top 8 the next year, then threabouts for a while.

 

[Roby]

Who are the umpires going to favor this week against West Coast? It's a pickle.

 

[Sttew]

Who are the umpires going to favor this week against West Coast? It's a pickle.

Significance? I don't expect Geelong to move off the bottom of the Frees Against ladder

 

[Freshwater]

I'm intrigued as to how the southern grandstand could have been demolished and built 20m to the west while the western grandstands were still there.

It would also move the northern and southern parts of the eastern grandstand further away from the ground when they made the boundary rounder.

And for what? A bit of width which isn't an actual requirement.

The eastern stand built in the early 2000’s was confined because of Moorabool street. Then the southern end was constructed. As the southern was constructed you simply build it to the dimensions you want. As it swept around it would have been more West than the old stands on the west wing. And they wouldn’t meet exactly. For a couple of years there would be a difference. But no one would have lost viewing capacity. Construction wise it wasn’t very hard at all, anyone builder and architect could easily make it happen. But it wasn’t the client’s wish. And as for making it wider, it greatly enhances the quality of the football contest, makes cricket work way better, and spectators are not ‘miles’ away at each goal end. But we got small minded localism.

 

[Roby]

Significance? I don't expect Geelong to move off the bottom of the Frees Against ladder

It's not just about frees though is it. Against Brisbane you had less frees, do you feel hard done by in that game?

This year they're paying a lot more free-kicks for defenders holding on forwards something Geelong generally get away with.

 

[STPer18]

It's not just about frees though is it. Against Brisbane you had less frees, do you feel hard done by in that game?

This year they're paying a lot more free-kicks for defenders holding on forwards something Geelong generally get away with.

Eight shots on goal is a pretty cruisy afternoon for the Lions. Got sucked in by the media attention, it happens to the best of us.

 

[The 747]

Dangerfield had already lost his absolute top speed. Now a serious ankle injury, I'd guess he'll spend more time forward this year when he comes back.

I thought it selfish at the time that he didn't injury sub himself. Hearing now that it's a serious injury, it's borderline inexcusable. He was playing on one leg as if him on one leg is better than fresh Jordan Clark on two.

It's ok to be arrogant when you are in the top 5 players in the league. It's going to get old quick when he's not in the top 30 when he returns from the ankle.

Unsure if this is analysis or just disliking Dangerfield