Review Cats destroyate Tuggers by 72 points

[Kobe Gryant]

Unpopular opinion: Dempsey is a big talent, but very, very vanilla.

Needs to go when he has to go. Doesn't always do that. He is clearly a very good player and when on is one of our best, but needs to be more physical when the time comes.

I think that's a really fair and accurate point, but vanilla isn't the right term IMO.

Vanilla in a footy sense is reserved for those who don't have any standout traits. They just do everything at an 'okay' level. Think Adam Cerra at Carlton.

Dempsey is the opposite. His traits are a huge point of difference. His speed, agility, goal sense, marking, and endurance are all at an elite level.

The flaws you mention - as well as floating in and out of games - are amongst some of the worst in our side though, leading to him having high ups and low downs, often even within the same game.

Mercurial likely isn't the correct word either, and massively overused in the footy world, but he's closer to that than he is vanilla.

 

[CatToTheFuture]

Only watched to half time, but Mannagh and Miers so important. COS is attack at all costs and is going to be a serious machine when he fills out. Liked what Neale did today too.

I keep forgetting how few games COS has played

 

[CatToTheFuture]

I think that's a really fair and accurate point, but vanilla isn't the right term IMO.

Vanilla in a footy sense is reserved for those who don't have any standout traits. They just do everything at an 'okay' level.

Dempsey is the opposite. His traits are a huge point of difference. His speed, agility, goal sense, marking, and endurance are all at an elite level.

The flaws you mention - as well as floating in and out of games - are amongst some of the worst in our side though, leading to him having high ups and low downs, often even within the same game.

Mercurial likely isn't the correct word either, and massively overused in the footy world, but he's closer to that than he is vanilla.

Yeah maybe inconsistent is the word Klink

 

[standupand]

It's a great first step for him but it was also in a game we were never losing. We had a team 3 years older with 45 more games under our belts on average. I remember thinking Clark was going to be great based on coming on as the sub and pulling a blinder for like 10 minutes.

Stevens should take huge confidence from that game. You're right it was against weak opposition and the plan definitely seemed to be to feed him the ball from the ruck. But the fact he played the whole game. Did the basics really well. Stood up in tackles. Hit his teammates with clean disposal. And he's obviously such a well-liked character internally. To know that he can slot in like that and do a job in an important position and the team has his back- that's massive for him.
I'm one who's prepared to be patient with these younger players. Knevitt and Clark too. They're our next generation. Let's follow their development I say - not judge them too quickly.

 

[Play it Sam]

I love that review header word "DESTROYATE" Hahaha.
Wouldn't that be nice to drop on their hateful- sooky- salty- diarrhea forum.
We didn't win by enough apparently, as a reflection of their own low standards.

 

[Heckler]

Cats showed up
Played for 3Q's
Won by 72 points
Big 4.8% boost
Stevens went OK
No cats injured.
Bring on Giants

 

[Mr Meow]

With his lack of positional flexibility you have to be certain he is going to impact if you're wheeling him out for a final. If you don't test him against gws you can't play him in sep. You don't want to be burning your sub on him because you can't park him at hbf.

"Wheeling him out"?

He's a bulldozer, not an old man.

 

[Kobe Gryant]

"Wheeling him out"?

He's a bulldozer, not an old man.

To be fair, he could pass for 32. Bloke has probably been drinking at the local without needing ID since he was 12

 

[Pure_Ownage]

Needs a game or 2 vs reasonable opposition.

I think Martin is building nicely but still a question mark on if he is in our best team

Martin and Duncan are both fringe along with a couple of others including today but Martin is probably the one I'd pick for the 22nd/sub spot. He has some class and versatility if his body holds.

 

[Pure_Ownage]

"Wheeling him out"?

He's a bulldozer, not an old man.

I understand what he means. Stevens lack of any viable second position is a real issue unless you can get his TOG a lot higher than it was today-especially in finals.
That said the fact that he found the ball so much despite low gametime shows he knows where to go to get it.

 

[frggr]

Pay a million bucks a year, get Taranto

Draft well, get Stevens

 

[dudusmaximus]

Pay a million bucks a year, get Taranto

Draft well, get Stevens

More like "Use your throwaway pick, get Stevens"

 

[Mr Meow]

I understand what he means. Stevens lack of any viable second position is a real issue unless you can get his TOG a lot higher than it was today-especially in finals.
That said the fact that he found the ball so much despite low gametime shows he knows where to go to get it.

We tend to give players with < 10 games low minutes anyway, perhaps with the exception being defenders. It's not a big issue given we did the same for Selwood and Dangerfield in 2022. Remember Bruhn's game time for whole seasons? Well it was lower than Stevens TOG today. Scott knows how to shuffle things around to exploit strengths and hide weaknesses.

I'd say we are looking at Stevens like a bigger bodied Bruhn. A bit slower, but let's not pretend Tanner has explosive qualities or amazing transition ability.

 

[Pure_Ownage]

Cheers, I didn't realise that about Fyfe

Fyfe unused last week but that's bc he got injured in the half time warm up.

 

[Strange Cat]

Pay a million bucks a year, get Taranto

Draft well, get Stevens

 

[dudusmaximus]

Stevens could be +1 Footballer in our "Footballer vs Athlete" team mix. How is his contested marking?

 

[ShaunWDT]

Someone should tell that Daz guy to stop sharing his opinions on a message board.

Some people are ridiculous on here though, dare to criticise a guy for playing shit and its as if the world has ended and everyone comes out with the pitchforks

 

[ShaunWDT]

Loved the debut game from Big George.
Will get a more complete understanding of his game when he plays against better opponents, which after tonight's effort surely must be next week vs GWS and maybe also the following week vs St Kilda.

Test will be when he plays against top line mids with genuine burst and power out the stoppage, Richmond are exactly the type of workman like midfield that hes a good match up for.

 

[Baudolino]

Stevens could be +1 Footballer in our "Footballer vs Athlete" team mix. How is his contested marking?

I'd like to know more about this too. I don't watch junior footy, so I can't speak to what he was like before he got drafted, but his Rookie Me profile mentions he used to play as a defender before he switched to the midfield, which made me wonder whether he had ability in the air we might benefit from:

A name that has been on draft radars for three years, George Stevens has continued to to impress with his honest efforts since debuting for the Rebels in 2021. Stevens came into the 2023 season pegged as a defender, but an early season switch into the midfield produced truly eye catching numbers in the Talent League and at National Championships level.

When stationed in the backline, Stevens is the definition of a general, directing teammates to fit structure or shut off opposition players, whilst remaining accountable for an opponent himself. He isn’t typical key position height, but controls the airways as if he was, with his reading of the ball allowing him to be an intercepting threat both in the air and at ground level. Stevens' distribution from the back half is also a highlight of his game, moving the ball smartly with precision by foot, able to kick start attacking plays with some of his ball movement.

His marking numbers in the VFL have been quite low even for a midfielder though, so not sure if the above really means anything now that he's fully switched positions.

 

[bombersboy]

Left the ground thinking that even though it was against a poor opposition Steven's had gone straight past Clark, Knevitt, Clohesy. Was impressed with how clean he was and how good his disposal was by hand and foot. Has a game that translates well into Seniors. I think he is even better at AFL level because he has better players around him, who are more predictable.

Also could not help noticing how popular and respected he seemed with the playing group. Pretty impressive for a 20 year old. Impressed by how happy he seemed to be, to be out there. After the game I think he went to everyone on the fence from about the far end of the Selwood stand round to the race. Sharing his joy with the fans.

 

[CatToTheFuture]

Stevens should take huge confidence from that game. You're right it was against weak opposition and the plan definitely seemed to be to feed him the ball from the ruck. But the fact he played the whole game. Did the basics really well. Stood up in tackles. Hit his teammates with clean disposal. And he's obviously such a well-liked character internally. To know that he can slot in like that and do a job in an important position and the team has his back- that's massive for him.
I'm one who's prepared to be patient with these younger players. Knevitt and Clark too. They're our next generation. Let's follow their development I say - not judge them too quickly.

Yeah it's a great start, I thought though I would just check how his stats of 21 disposals, 1 goal, 3 tackles stands up in a debut game compared to Charlie Constables debut and weird coincidence Chooka got 21 disposals, 1 goal, 3 tackles....

Before someone goes to town on this no I'm not saying it's the same, just a weird coincidence. Chook also had 3 clangers, 4 less contested possessions, 5 less clearances, 9 less score involvements, etc. Though he did play in a close loss to good opposition and ended up with basically the same fantasy score if that's what you're into

 

[CatToTheFuture]

"Wheeling him out"?

He's a bulldozer, not an old man.

Mentally I'm thinking of a tractor rather than a wheelchair doing the wheeling

 

[CatToTheFuture]

Pay a million bucks a year, get Taranto

Draft well, get Stevens

*Be a jerk to port Adelaide over Esava Ratugolea, get Stevens you mean

 

[Mr Meow]

Mentally I'm thinking of a tractor rather than a wheelchair doing the wheeling

Realistically, players like Clark and Bruhn are just smaller tractors though. Bowes isn't quick either and played a lot of midfield last year. Stevens isn't replacing a Max Holmes type rotation.

 

[CatToTheFuture]

Realistically, players like Clark and Bruhn are just smaller tractors though. Bowes isn't quick either and played a lot of midfield last year. Stevens isn't replacing a Max Holmes type rotation.

Tractors can be pretty useful as long as you don't try to drag race them