Autopsy AFL 2021 First Preliminary Final - Demons v Cats Fri September 10th 7:50pm EST / 5:50pm WST (Optus)

[PhatBoy]

After the fact, to be fair.

2nd and 3rd in 2017
1st and 3rd in 2019
3rd and 4th in 2020

2 out of 3 years you finished higher on the ladder.

They were better full stop. 2017 I thought we probably had a claim at it but I think they cruised the other two years.

 

[My Cotchin Rules]

No I realise it I’m just staggered at the level of stupidity.

Hats off to you PhatBoy for sticking around after a disastrous game.
You made PF (again) which is a hell of a lot better than 14 other clubs sticking their boots in.
As like the last 15 years cats will be back up there again next year. We failed but hopefully we can match you and reignite that finals rivery.
Keep your head up.

 

[Farang83150]

Any particular reason why?

Yeah, I'd prefer it be a non vic team.

 

[The wily weagle]

Mate low hanging fruit. You’re roughly the 300th person to post this. What are we going to do, refute it?

You elected to play the greatest finals non achiever of all time. Again

You absolutely deserve to cop any and all criticism you get for that

 

[Ice-Wolf]

Fyfe really does not have the ears to pull off that look.

 

[SA HAWK]

Geelong were lucky Sydney choked against GWS.

Would have been straight sets imo had they played Sydney last week.

 

[PenfoldsFan]

we were awful and clearly pretty broken after the Gawn onslaught but in the first half we tried f***ing hard and we’re still nowhere near it. Just not good enough

I dont think anyone can absorb their pressure and ive still got skin in the game, i want my mob there but we better turn up.

 

[Lampers]

Fair to say Geelong had one dominant burst in the 2nd quarter last time these teams met.

This is the ball movement pattern in that quarter. Not much on the wings at all, Geelong using the middle of the ground with Melbourne also using the middle.

View attachment 1227637

I think it’s also fair to say in general play Melbourne had things on their terms most of the 1st, 3rd and 4th quarters, with a period in the 4th where Geelong managed to dry up scoring (for both teams).

Those quarters the ball movement was more like this.

View attachment 1227642

Lots more on the wings with Melbourne attacking and Geelong switching sideways. In the 4th quarter it was similar but Geelong’s switching was pushed even further into their backline.

The round four meeting was a long while ago, and no team had a really dominant quarter so it’s more difficult to see a pattern - Melbourne just pulled away steadily with their inaccuracy and one quarter of superior Geelong accuracy being the reason the margin was only 25 instead of closer to 40. But in that game again Melbourne used wings far more often, and Geelong went sideways in the back half a lot.

So this indicates the only time Geelong scored heavily against Melbourne this year was for around 30 minutes out of 240, and it was when they and Melbourne played mostly direct and through the middle of the ground.

Melbourne is up 46-32 scoring shots on the year, with Geelong getting up 9-3 in the 2nd quarter of round 23.

Aside from that burst of dominance where neither team played their standard ball movement pattern, Melbourne is up 43-23 scoring shots for the year.

Can Geelong win enough centre clearances and sustain the corridor play for long enough to score more than Melbourne?

Melbourne don’t seem to care too much about winning centre clearance, so will they setup more defensively to mitigate the risk of a repeat burst like 2nd quarter round 23?

If each team just plays their normal way, it looks like Melbourne should get across the line.

Hate to say I told you so, but…

I was expecting a 30-40 point win based on the above, not 80 to be fair.

 

[PhatBoy]

You elected to play the greatest finals non achiever of all time. Again

You absolutely deserve to cop any and all criticism you get for that

yeah I know that I personally went into bat for him at the selection meeting.

I think the real takeaway from this is that if we played someone else instead of Rohan we’d have won, and won comfortably, in tonight’s game

 

[Hoops]

Geelong were lucky Sydney choked against GWS.

Would have been straight sets imo had they played Sydney last week.

So if Sydney can choke in big games what's to say the wouldn't have choked against Geelong

 

[blue harvest]

Thats like 3 people but - and one of thems favourite player is that christiano ronacca or whatever his name is

Anyway I genuinely hope you get to go.

 

[PhatBoy]

I dont think anyone can absorb their pressure and ive still got skin in the game, i want my mob there but we better turn up.

I said to a mate before tonight that I thought regardless of who wins, my money would be on Port.

geez mate you’ll have to play well if you get there.

 

[Stabby McGee]

Jack Viney is a twat.

Ok so we have one...
You still have 44

 

[The wily weagle]

yeah I know that I personally went into bat for him at the selection meeting.

I think the real takeaway from this is that if we played someone else instead of Rohan we’d have won, and won comfortably, in tonight’s game

I legitimately love that you are still trying to defend the indefensible

 

[SA HAWK]

So if Sydney can choke in big games what's to say the wouldn't have choked against Geelong

I would have backed them to beat you like i said imo.

 

[StingBitten]

Geelong are a champion team to have remained relevant for at least 15 years.

There's no doubt they're missing 2-3 'next level' players in getting a flag.

My worry is they continue to recruit solid, durable sizeable lads with skills to put away the majority - they just lack the ice and dynamism to get level with the very best.

They'll need to draft differently over the next few years I think to get to evolve with the game.

 

[Wolfgang West]

Will have to see how they go with the umpire assisted dogs in the Grand Final.

If dogs do make the GF which is doubtful it would not matter if Peter Gordon, Doug Hawkins and Libba umpired they would not get within a bulls roar of Melbourne.

 

[PhatBoy]

As someone who switches off in the off season, can someone tell me what the Brown to Melbourne process was? I don’t think he’s a world beater but I couldn’t believe that there wasn’t a handful of sides looking at him

 

[Seadog]

Another brainwashed sheep I see, listening to the tyrants. The tide is turning believe me, so watch out..

We got a freedom fighter.
You don't know what a tyrant is ya softy.

 

[Plugger35]

You could tell from the first quarter that Melbourne were on a mission and Geelong were just there to make up the numbers, the Geelong Generals.

 

[beema limapep]

You are just so desperate to piss people off, aren't you. Every post is fishing for a Geelong supporter reply. Possibly you're the one who needs to be 'better'?

Yeah nah. I'm good barracking within the rules. Nothing Ive posted goes beyond what other neutrals have. Just because you think it, doesn't make it true.

Tighten that cape hero.

 

[windyhill]

That was hard to sit through. Seriously hard. But hey you throw your hands up and say how good the other team were, they were f***ing incredible

What they would’ve done to my boys!!

 

[Guardian Hawk]

Mate seriously? Really? What would you suggest Dangerfield do in that game? In a midfield that got unequivicolly hammered. Utterly hammered. He had the most metres gained, second on the field for contested possessions, third for possessions, ranked highest for clearances.

Someone who had never watched AFL ever in their life could have watched that game and gone ‘why is that guy in 35 the only one doing anything?’

Well done for fronting up all night mate - that would have been hard. Not only to lose, but the manner of the loss and probably the realisation that the approach is probably going to have to change.

P.S. Also thought Isaac Smith did ok. 33 year old outside player who ran hard and got 23 and 1.

 

[YeoShuey]

If dogs do make the GF which is doubtful it would not matter if Peter Gordon, Doug Hawkins and Libba umpired they would not get within a bulls roar of Melbourne.

They will make the Grand Final though. They have their two most important players, Stevic and Findlay.

 

[Finknottle]

Shouldn't be surprised when you stack your backline with players of the calibre and poise of Atkins, Kolodjashnij, Bews, Zuthrie, Blicavs and your midfield stars are an old warhorse and an aging turnover king.