Autopsy Cats lose to Lions by 41 points.

[And_ROOS]

We can sum up all this: Henry couldn't save us.
The entries were duds, the options were covered, small forwards and Dempsey stifled, they nullified any of our forward defensive pressure with fast hands, and had a game plan to suit our ground and spin us out. Pressure made us indecisive with hacked delivery everywhere, midfield holes and absolutely no run or luck.
When we did get it, we missed. C'est la vie, we'd better learn for next time. Oh, and pick an aqua blue T shirt.

Andrews has been an issue the last few times we play them though, not just Friday night.

My fear is we get them in another PF and we get a repeat of Neale on Andrews, Andrews has 12 intercept marks, Shannon kicks 1.1 and we lose by 10-15 points.

 

[Mr Meow]

Andrews has been an issue the last few times we play them though, not just Friday night.

My fear is we get them in another PF and we get a repeat of Neale on Andrews, Andrews has 12 intercept marks, Shannon kicks 1.1 and we lose by 10-15 points.

He wasn't an issue in the prelim.

Payne nullified Neale and Henry got off the chain against Andrews.

 

[Finknottle]

Neale destroyed by Andrews, Dangerfield totally ineffective, Stanley lowered his colours against a b-grade reject from Geelong. Smith and Holmes didn't have the freedom they normally have. Cameron kept it from being a shellacking. Miers turning it over multiple times hurt us early. Bad kicking for goal. But these are just details. Brisbane came to play, hunted the ball, ran to space, moved the ball quickly, kicked straight. They looked in a different league. GWS does that to Geelong as well. These teams have a lot of first round draft picks and the class shows. Geelong needs to come to play to have any chance. Geelong has players picked in the 4th round of the draft, Irish experiments and rookies playing on 1st and 2nd round draft picks. It's amazing for Geelong to continue to be successful given the AFL equalization policy.

 

[Play it Sam]

Andrews has been an issue the last few times we play them though, not just Friday night.

My fear is we get them in another PF and we get a repeat of Neale on Andrews, Andrews has 12 intercept marks, Shannon kicks 1.1 and we lose by 10-15 points.

No team is that good to be a monty, results can and do differ, especially if like us, they have an off night. Remember that time we trounced them in the wet up there? Okay a while ago but another PF smashed them and went on to glory, and the other only just failing? Plus it took them 22 years down here, there's that.

But they are canny and very weathered. Watching Rayner charge through two of ours, head down then yanked up, trying to draw the free unsuccessfully, and Blics screaming for a hold. Reminded me of drawing the foul in basketball.
Zorco and Neale, shifty old heads. Tripled their tackles from the GWS game too.

They slowed us down, and changed the angles on us. I'm backing Scott not to get caught out again.

 

[Mr Meow]

Neale destroyed by Andrews, Dangerfield totally ineffective, Stanley lowered his colours against a b-grade reject from Geelong. Smith and Holmes didn't have the freedom they normally have. Cameron kept it from being a shellacking. Miers turning it over multiple times hurt us early. Bad kicking for goal. But these are just details. Brisbane came to play, hunted the ball, ran to space, moved the ball quickly, kicked straight. They looked in a different league. GWS does that to Geelong as well. These teams have a lot of first round draft picks and the class shows. Geelong needs to come to play to have any chance. Geelong has players picked in the 4th round of the draft, Irish experiments and rookies playing on 1st and 2nd round draft picks. It's amazing for Geelong to continue to be successful given the AFL equalization policy.

Correct

Geelong 2025 best 23's original draft status:

Cameron - GWS underage selection
Neale - pick 33
Stengle - rookie draft
Miers - pick 57
Close - rookie draft
Mannagh - pick 36
Stewart - pick 40
Dempsey - rookie draft
Holmes - pick 20
Atkins- rookie draft
Mullin - international pick
Smith - pick 7
Blicavs - rookie draft
Dangerfield - pick 10
Stanley - pick 47
SDK - pick 19
O'Connor - category B rookie
Duncan - pick 28
Humphries - pick 63
J.Henry - rookie draft
O'Sullivan - pick 11
Z.Guthrie - rookie draft
Martin - number 1 mini draft

18 of the best 23 taken at pick 19 or later (including 9 rookie/international). Kolo pick 41 instead of COS makes it 19 of the 23 from relatively "late" picks.

Brisbane 2025 best 23's original draft status:

Rayner - pick 1
Ah Chee - pick 8
Hipwood - pick 14
Bailey - pick 15
Lohman - pick 20
Morris - pick 31
Cameron- rookie draft
McCluggage - pick 3
W.Ashcroft - F/S gift (pick 2)
L.Ashcroft - F/S gift (pick 5)
Berry - pick 17
Dunkley - pick 25
Neale - pick 58
Fletcher - pick 12
Zorko - pre-list
Wilmot - pick 16
Starcevich - pick 18
Lester - pick 28
Coleman - pick 37
Andrews - pick 61
Payne - pick 54
Answerth - pick 55
Fort - pick 65

11x top-18 picks, 4x top-5's and only 1 from the rookie draft (via Adelaide - Cameron).

 

[#cats2021]

What is the Close story? He had several very ordinary games running until last week, when he fired again and all was forgiven. I'm inclined to think he's being given some sort of special role we have no comprehension of.
Yet that would not explain his woeful lack of skills against Brisbane. Perhaps he can't adjust to a team of different players around him.

It wouldn't surprise me if we have seen the best of Close. He has been a very good player but he isn't hitting the scoreboard enough and he is not strong below the knees for a man of his height (where it's usually a strength). He struggles physically around the ball too, getting brushed off it a lot.

 

[Finknottle]

Brisbane team the other night:

11 first round draft picks
3 second round picks

Rayner 1
M Ashcroft 2
McCluggage 3
Sam Day

14

Sam Day

Age

33

Ht

196cm

Wt

106kg

Pos.

Fwd

Career

Season

Last 5

D

9.8

2star

K

5.2

2star

HB

4.6

3star

M

3.5

4star

T

1.8

4star

G

0.7

4star

D

8.0

2star

K

3.6

1star

HB

4.4

3star

M

1.9

2star

T

1.5

2star

G

0.9

4star

D

8.6

3star

K

3.2

2star

HB

5.4

4star

M

3.0

3star

T

0.8

3star

G

0.2

3star

3
L Ashcroft 5
Fletcher 12
Hipwood 14
Bailey 15
Wilmot 16
Berry 17
Starcevic 18
--------------------
Lohmann 21
Dunkley 25
Morris 31

Woops, I see Mr Meow already did this above.

 

[geelong_crazy26]

Correct

Geelong 2025 best 23's original draft status:

Cameron - GWS underage selection
Neale - pick 33
Stengle - rookie draft
Miers - pick 57
Close - rookie draft
Mannagh - pick 36
Stewart - pick 40
Dempsey - rookie draft
Holmes - pick 20
Atkins- rookie draft
Mullin - international pick
Smith - pick 7
Blicavs - rookie draft
Dangerfield - pick 10
Stanley - pick 47
SDK - pick 19
O'Connor - category B rookie
Duncan - pick 28
Humphries - pick 63
J.Henry - rookie draft
O'Sullivan - pick 11
Z.Guthrie - rookie draft
Martin - number 1 mini draft

18 of the best 23 taken at pick 19 or later (including 9 rookie/international). Kolo pick 41 instead of COS makes it 19 of the 23 from relatively "late" picks.

Brisbane 2025 best 23's original draft status:

Rayner - pick 1
Ah Chee - pick 8
Hipwood - pick 14
Bailey - pick 15
Lohman - pick 20
Morris - pick 31
Cameron- rookie draft
McCluggage - pick 3
W.Ashcroft - F/S gift (pick 2)
L.Ashcroft - F/S gift (pick 5)
Berry - pick 17
Dunkley - pick 25
Neale - pick 58
Fletcher - pick 12
Zorko - pre-list
Wilmot - pick 16
Starcevich - pick 18
Lester - pick 28
Coleman - pick 37
Andrews - pick 61
Payne - pick 54
Answerth - pick 55
Fort - pick 65

11x top-18 picks, 4x top-5's and only 1 from the rookie draft (via Adelaide - Cameron).

Let’s be real… you see that and we have no right to be anything besides bottom 4… what Chris Scott does with minimal talent at his disposal is unbelievable what he gets out of them

 

[Mr Meow]

Let’s be real… you see that and we have no right to be anything besides bottom 4… what Chris Scott does with minimal talent at his disposal is unbelievable what he gets out of them

Spot on. As well as brilliant drafting.

Carlton have:

Pick 1
Pick 1
Pick 3
Pick 5
Pick 7
Pick 7
Pick 10
Pick 11
Pick 12
Pick 12
Pick 13

Etc on their list, and struggle to move the ball or have a forward structure.

I think at times over the past decade or so we do get found out in finals for lack of sheer talent. It's difficult to bridge that gap to being the absolute best side in it. Our bottom 5 or 10 are bound to have deficiencies in some areas. And we are relying on A graders to come from some pretty unlikely places.

 

[standupand]

Correct

Geelong 2025 best 23's original draft status:

Cameron - GWS underage selection
Neale - pick 33
Stengle - rookie draft
Miers - pick 57
Close - rookie draft
Mannagh - pick 36
Stewart - pick 40
Dempsey - rookie draft
Holmes - pick 20
Atkins- rookie draft
Mullin - international pick
Smith - pick 7
Blicavs - rookie draft
Dangerfield - pick 10
Stanley - pick 47
SDK - pick 19
O'Connor - category B rookie
Duncan - pick 28
Humphries - pick 63
J.Henry - rookie draft
O'Sullivan - pick 11
Z.Guthrie - rookie draft
Martin - number 1 mini draft

18 of the best 23 taken at pick 19 or later (including 9 rookie/international). Kolo pick 41 instead of COS makes it 19 of the 23 from relatively "late" picks.

Brisbane 2025 best 23's original draft status:

Rayner - pick 1
Ah Chee - pick 8
Hipwood - pick 14
Bailey - pick 15
Lohman - pick 20
Morris - pick 31
Cameron- rookie draft
McCluggage - pick 3
W.Ashcroft - F/S gift (pick 2)
L.Ashcroft - F/S gift (pick 5)
Berry - pick 17
Dunkley - pick 25
Neale - pick 58
Fletcher - pick 12
Zorko - pre-list
Wilmot - pick 16
Starcevich - pick 18
Lester - pick 28
Coleman - pick 37
Andrews - pick 61
Payne - pick 54
Answerth - pick 55
Fort - pick 65

11x top-18 picks, 4x top-5's and only 1 from the rookie draft (via Adelaide - Cameron).

Pretty amazing that probably their best players in Neale, Andrews, Cameron (throw in Zorko) were some of the lowest-rated picks.

 

[winty]

Let’s be real… you see that and we have no right to be anything besides bottom 4… what Chris Scott does with minimal talent at his disposal is unbelievable what he gets out of them

Where we have an advantage over sides like Carlton and St Kilda who have stacked their list with top 10 draft picks is we have a superior record when it comes to player development.

I guess it helps when the players we draft come in and are training alongside the likes of Ablett, Selwood. Danger, Hawkins, Cameron, Stewart etc, etc. They see how the best players going around go about their business and they follow in their footsteps.

 

[Vdubs]

Let’s be real… you see that and we have no right to be anything besides bottom 4… what Chris Scott does with minimal talent at his disposal is unbelievable what he gets out of them

Have said for a long while we are guilty of overachievement

 

[standupand]

Where we have an advantage over sides like Carlton and St Kilda who have stacked their list with top 10 draft picks is we have a superior record when it comes to player development.

I guess it helps when the players we draft come in and are training alongside the likes of Ablett, Selwood. Danger, Hawkins, Cameron, Stewart etc, etc. They see how the best players going around go about their business and they follow in their footsteps.

I think that's part of it. In my opinion part of it is just over-rating of the draft order. The fact is there are players all through the draft, and many that aren't drafted, that can make it. The worse teams simply end up with lists that have higher proportions of high draft picks which helps but is no guarantee of success.
I think our development is very good but recruitment is excellent. If it were mainly development, then you'd expect the few higher picks we have had to also become very good players which hasn't often happened.

 

[Pollywaffle]

It wouldn't surprise me if we have seen the best of Close. He has been a very good player but he isn't hitting the scoreboard enough and he is not strong below the knees for a man of his height (where it's usually a strength). He struggles physically around the ball too, getting brushed off it a lot.

Hopefully not. Close is a barometer for how we play. Works hard up and down the ground but can appear ineffective when our game is off. Not so good in the clinches but that’s not his thing.

 

[Mr_Bojangles]

3 Votes has to go to our own hubris. The lead up all week was arrogant to say the least and we weren't really paying much respect to checks notes, the reigning premiers. The white out thing can get in the bin.

Hopefully Neale takes some lessons from being dominated like that by one of the best and it means we go in to the bye with a bit of a reality check. No more bath water for the club to drink please.

 

[bombersboy]

3 Votes has to go to our own hubris. The lead up all week was arrogant to say the least and we weren't really paying much respect to checks notes, the reigning premiers. The white out thing can get in the bin.

Hopefully Neale takes some lessons from being dominated like that by one of the best and it means we go in to the bye with a bit of a reality check. No more bath water for the club to drink please.

I'm not worried about Neale. I do admit to having concerns about him early days but he is developing very well. He is going to have some bad days against the best defenders in the comp but that is all part of his development. He has played 35 games, Andrews has played 227.

The likes of Andrews and Taylor are likely going to have the wood on him for a while. Let's see where things are after he has played 70-80 games.

 

[Mr_Bojangles]

Not a knock on Neale, I think he's really coming along. It's more hopefully after a beating like that he learns.

 

[geelong_crazy26]

Not a knock on Neale, I think he's really coming along. It's more hopefully after a beating like that he learns.

Harris andrews just towellee him up 1v1.

He really needs to learn when up against an opponent that is destroying him to at least compete and get the ball to ground.

He doesnt have to turn the tide and beat harris andrews, but he can at least nullify the contest and get the ball to ground.

To just sit there and get outmarked so badly as a 202cm 100+kg key forward is not acceptable as an outcome.

Harris Andrews is clearly superior, but just bring the ball to ground and contest

 

[cats_09]

Bailey still leads

 

[Finknottle]

Harris andrews just towellee him up 1v1.

He really needs to learn when up against an opponent that is destroying him to at least compete and get the ball to ground.

He doesnt have to turn the tide and beat harris andrews, but he can at least nullify the contest and get the ball to ground.

To just sit there and get outmarked so badly as a 202cm 100+kg key forward is not acceptable as an outcome.

Harris Andrews is clearly superior, but just bring the ball to ground and contest

I agree. It would be better if Neale just punched the incoming ball instead of trying in vain to mark it. I think he was receiving the wrong advice from the coaches.

 

[Mr Meow]

Bailey still leads

View attachment 2349688

View attachment 2349689

2 KPPs and 2 mid/forwards (4 goals, 2 goal assists and 13 score involvements between Rayner and Washcroft) towelled us up, so it's not surprising to see those 4 dominate the votes.

 

[Vdubs]

Bailey still leads

View attachment 2349688

View attachment 2349689

Wonder how far off the pack the star GCFC mid, Rowell, is

 

[cats_09]

Wonder how far off the pack the star GCFC mid, Rowell, is

35 votes from his 13 games to date this season

But, when breaking that down a bit more he polled 22 votes broken down as 5, 10 & 7 in his first four games of the season (round 5), and he's only polled 5 times for a total 13 votes across his next 9 games

 

[Vdubs]

Correct

Geelong 2025 best 23's original draft status:

Cameron - GWS underage selection
Neale - pick 33
Stengle - rookie draft
Miers - pick 57
Close - rookie draft
Mannagh - pick 36
Stewart - pick 40
Dempsey - rookie draft
Holmes - pick 20
Atkins- rookie draft
Mullin - international pick
Smith - pick 7
Blicavs - rookie draft
Dangerfield - pick 10
Stanley - pick 47
SDK - pick 19
O'Connor - category B rookie
Duncan - pick 28
Humphries - pick 63
J.Henry - rookie draft
O'Sullivan - pick 11
Z.Guthrie - rookie draft
Martin - number 1 mini draft

18 of the best 23 taken at pick 19 or later (including 9 rookie/international). Kolo pick 41 instead of COS makes it 19 of the 23 from relatively "late" picks.

Brisbane 2025 best 23's original draft status:

Rayner - pick 1
Ah Chee - pick 8
Hipwood - pick 14
Bailey - pick 15
Lohman - pick 20
Morris - pick 31
Cameron- rookie draft
McCluggage - pick 3
W.Ashcroft - F/S gift (pick 2)
L.Ashcroft - F/S gift (pick 5)
Berry - pick 17
Dunkley - pick 25
Neale - pick 58
Fletcher - pick 12
Zorko - pre-list
Wilmot - pick 16
Starcevich - pick 18
Lester - pick 28
Coleman - pick 37
Andrews - pick 61
Payne - pick 54
Answerth - pick 55
Fort - pick 65

11x top-18 picks, 4x top-5's and only 1 from the rookie draft (via Adelaide - Cameron).

No Ollie Henry for you as a best 23?
If he is missing from our finals sides, notwithstanding injury, I will go awol from BF indefinitely.

 

[Mr Meow]

No Ollie Henry for you as a best 23?
If he is missing from our finals sides, notwithstanding injury, I will go awol from BF indefinitely.

Why would you do that?