Review Cats down North by 49 points

[TomsBulgingDisc]

I haven't been able to watch the whole game yet, but Close looked like he might have been the recipient of a motivation transplant during the week. His defensive efforts early looked pretty positive.

 

[Catman]

Never have I seen a more protected species than Tristan Xerri, 8 frees he got with some of them being absolutely baffling.

The new Max Gawn.

 

[DangerHere]

Very nervous just after 1/2 time, but then we “brought it”. Much better from halfway through the third. Happy to get the win

 

[Art Vandelay_]

With 4:07 on the clock in the 3rd Holmes goaled to take the score to 60 and get the lead back.

We scored 135.

 

[Mr Meow]

After rewatching the game and interrogating the stats a bit these are some observations:

-It was 15 to 6 clearances against us late in the first quarter (Xerri had 7 himself to that point!). We won the clearances by 8 for the rest of the game.

-There were 26 points to 9 scored against us from stoppages in the first 2 and a bit quarters. We evened up stoppage scores for the next quarter, with 13 to 12 points their way. After the Darling goal early in the last quarter we blitzed them with 25 points to 0 from stoppages.

-Holmes and Mannagh's ball use was easily the top rated on the ground by Champion Data. Cameron was 4th and the next best Geelong ball user was...Worpel! Crazy, I know.

-Mannagh will feature in the coaches votes for the 4th consecutive home game. He's Jekyll and Hyde for home vs away form this season. A half forward being in the best handful of players in half of the games is still a decent hit rate. He's doing it without Miers and Stengle.

-Holmes' run and gun game has destroyed all 4 teams to visit GMHBA this season. Once teams tire he goes up a few gears and nobody can stop him.

-Zuthrie had his best game for the season and only really had one poor moment.

-The games of Atkins and Worpel seemed poorer at the time than they actually were because of a handful of moments. Both got caught holding the ball twice and had a few scrappy disposals. They looked slow at times on North's fast breakaway clearances. On the 2nd watch I noticed the better stuff more though and that matched the stats sheet.

Atkins was 2nd and Worpel equal 3rd on the ground for contested possessions. They had 12 score involvements, 10 tackles and 49 pressure acts between them (each of those categories top tier within the game). Atkins also 1st for score launches and Worpel 2nd for inside 50s - plus goal of the night! They did plenty right and wrong so "mixed bag" fits better than "played poorly".

-Bruhn on the other hand didn't get better on a 2nd watch. Turnover and mistake machine.

-Close and O.Henry were both in the top 5 on the ground for post-clearance contested possessions and top 11 for score involvements - huge improvement from them.

-Cameron easily could have had 6 goals on a slightly better kicking day. Talks of his demise came in way too early. 19 goals and 5 goal assists in his last 4 games.

-The Irish boys had 14 intercepts between them - top 4 on the ground. Mullin had more clearances and only 2 less disposals than Sheezel (18 vs 20), with 6 tackles and good ball use as well.

-Dempsey 7th on the ground for pressure acts (20) and equal 3rd for score involvements (9) - back into form. He was involved in a lot of good Geelong plays.

-Smith had 11 disposals in the first 2.5 quarters of game time (Geelong trailed by a point) and 15 disposals in the last 1.5 quarters (Geelong went +50 points). Atkins had a very quiet first half and a heavy involvement second half as well.

-Holmes, Mannagh, Cameron (minus some early goalkicking yips), Zuthrie, Mullin and COS were our 4 quarter contributors. Close had a big first half and most of Danger's best work was there too. Henry, SDK, Smith and Atkins big second halves. Neale did all the damage at one end. Martin started and finished hot with little in Q2 and Q3; Bowes and MOC were the exact inverse.

 

[dazbroncos]

More needs to be said about Neale's set shot kicking too. What a beast. It's like the reverse Kent Kingsley.

Not ashamed to say it’s what I’ve crapping on about since he started in the vfl. He kicked a 55m drop punt that went thru the middle post high at KP in the VFL when he first arrived.. it was a majestic kick.. and he’s been backing it up ever since

Go Catters

 

[you pick one]

There are a couple here I think that are expecting a bit to much from a 20 year old 7 game ruckman up against the experienced Xerri he stuck to the task and never at any stage stopped competing or dropped the head he's showing the traits of the type you would like to have in the trenches when the heats turned up. I reckon we have a ripper here for many years.

 

[Mr Meow]

There are a couple here I think that are expecting a bit to much from a 20 year old 7 game ruckman up against the experienced Xerri he stuck to the task and never at any stage stopped competing or dropped the head he's showing the traits of the type you would like to have in the trenches when the heats turned up. I reckon we have a ripper here for many years.

Xerri was a beast but it wasn't a result of Edwards disgracing himself. His ruckwork still lead to a number of our breakaway clearances and stoppage scores.

Although Xerri is a contested possession and clearance machine, he is not a damaging ball user at all. He was one of the worst ranked ball users on the ground and got it 30 times. A lot of his scrappy clearances don't actually result in scores.

 

[Pollywaffle]

Never have I seen a more protected species than Tristan Xerri, 8 frees he got with some of them being absolutely baffling.

The headgear’s worth about 4 or 5 a game … Some of our guys should try it

 

[calder_daddy]

Collingwood will open Geelong up and slice and dice on the bigger MCG surface if we serve up that footy next week.

Last qtr was positive obviously, but Geelong’s best footy seems to be once the pace has come off the game. Really missing a couple of fleet footed smalls like Miers and Stengle.

Steven’s playing very well in the VFL but I think he’s a risk on the MCG with Collingwoods quick ball movement. Surely Edward’s gets a rest and Stanley plays……Cameron (Pies) might be under some doubts after not being able to finish the game

Completely disagree, the pies slow ball movement suits us.
Our game style these days as pointed out by others suits the G more so than it does GMHBA.
Stevens will struggle to even play another AFL game.
Wouldn’t Rest Edwards either, kids doing his job just fine

 

[winty]

Xerri was a beast but it wasn't a result of Edwards disgracing himself. His ruckwork still lead to a number of our breakaway clearances and stoppage scores.

Although Xerri is a contested possession and clearance machine, he is not a damaging ball user at all. He was one of the worst ranked ball users on the ground and got it 30 times. A lot of his scrappy clearances don't actually result in scores.

I wonder what the hit out to advantage numbers were like.

 

[catsfootyfan89]

He's been a weapon for 2.5 seasons

That's definitely correct. But there's also marked improvement that I think we'll see from him in seasons to come.

It's pretty unfair to hold him to higher standards when he's already up there. But he's only 23. We have 4 more years ahead of us before he's physically prime. That's pretty exciting.

I'm expecting we'll see even more from him as the engine gets bigger and he gains some more definition. (though I can't imagine he's trying to bulk too much, given the impact that'd have on his running game)

When it comes to Max, I've got a healthy balance of deserved plaudits and expectations of improvement. It's pretty exciting to have him.

 

[Commando]

With 4:07 on the clock in the 3rd Holmes goaled to take the score to 60 and get the lead back.

We scored 135.

We did to North what Brisbane did to us in the GF last year!

 

[catsfootyfan89]

Not ashamed to say it’s what I’ve crapping on about since he started in the vfl. He kicked a 55m drop punt that went thru the middle post high at KP in the VFL when he first arrived.. it was a majestic kick.. and he’s been backing it up ever since

His kicking action is like a clock pendulum made in Germany. Feels like he could do it a thousand times exactly the same. The ball really rockets off the foot too. The timing of his action is seriously impressive. Kicking a footy 50m was always a tough task for me personally. Kicking it that high and accurate - absolutely no chance.

 

[Mr Meow]

That's definitely correct. But there's also marked improvement that I think we'll see from him in seasons to come.

It's pretty unfair to hold him to higher standards when he's already up there. But he's only 23. We have 4 more years ahead of us before he's physically prime. That's pretty exciting.

I'm expecting we'll see even more from him as the engine gets bigger and he gains some more definition. (though I can't imagine he's trying to bulk too much, given the impact that'd have on his running game)

When it comes to Max, I've got a healthy balance of deserved plaudits and expectations of improvement. It's pretty exciting to have him.

It's most accurate to say he has been a weapon and can still get even better.

 

[iameviljez]

Never have I seen a more protected species than Tristan Xerri, 8 frees he got with some of them being absolutely baffling.

I don’t remember any of them not actually being there, though.

 

[catsfootyfan89]

It's most accurate to say he has been a weapon and can still get even better.

Yup, and I expect internally the coaches would be focused on improvement also.

 

[cats_09]

After rewatching the game and interrogating the stats a bit these are some observations:


-Mannagh will feature in the coaches votes for the 4th consecutive home game. He's Jekyll and Hyde for home vs away form this season. A half forward being in the best handful of players in half of the games is still a decent hit rate. He's doing it without Miers and Stengle.

That's not exactly possible though - no votes for Mannagh versus the Bulldogs

He was in slightly less of a funk that night but not enough to get himself into the votes

Last night was comfortable his best game since being in the votes against Adelaide back in round 3

 

[Seeds]

Asked google ai who were geelongs best players against north in yesterdays game. It replied: holmes, mannagh, cameron (3 goals), jack bruhn, osullivan and brandon parfit.

 

[Seeds]

So i watched the game on delay. It was late in the 3rd qtr on my tv and scores said 43 to 48 when i looked at a phone and up popped the final scores. I managed to avoid looking at the geelong score but saw that north had made it to 86. Basically had doubled their score in a bit over a qtr. F×××××. We had been beaten by effing north at home.

Wasnt going to bother watching the end but then i had a small argument with my wife cos she cracked it over a toothbrush being left in the sink (never mind she leaves her products scattered throughout the bathroom regularly) so i was on involuntary couch duty for the night. Thus I watched the rest of the game from the couch and to my surprise .... hellllo

Best argument with the wife ever. 5 stars. Would do again.

 

[Catsace]

I don't recall kent kingsley being such a bad kick ? Time distorts our memories though.
Henry Playfair may be a better example

Peter Johnston, great mark but dodgy kick in the early 80's.

 

[TheWoodenSlug]

Over the past 3 weeks, Mullin's totals:

Disposals: 45 (32 effective)
Marks: 14
Clearances: 11
Tackles: 15
Score Involvements: 13
Scores: 0.2

Bont, Butters & Sheezel combined totals:

Disposals: 64 (47 effective)
Marks: 7
Clearances: 9
Tackles: 8
Score Involvements: 10
Scores: 1.0

Pretty bloody good considering that is 3 absolute stars of the comp. Let's see if he can add Daicos (again) to his list of scalps next week.

As others have mentioned, his team mates are starting to trust/look for him more and more, and for good reason. His kicking is a genuine weapon now - fast, low and straight.

 

[you pick one]

I don’t remember any of them not actually being there, though.

Jezza and I disagree on at least one.

 

[TheWoodenSlug]

On the topic of set shot kicking, finals specialist Gary Rohan

23

Gary Rohan

Age

34

Ht

189cm

Wt

92kg

Pos.

Fwd

Career

Season

Last 5

D

9.6

2star

K

6.6

3star

HB

3.0

3star

M

3.3

3star

T

2.5

4star

G

1.0

4star

D

8.8

2star

K

6.0

2star

HB

2.8

2star

M

3.4

3star

T

2.3

3star

G

1.0

4star

D

9.8

3star

K

6.8

3star

HB

3.0

3star

M

2.2

3star

T

4.2

5star

G

1.2

4star

deserves a mention. Loved watching him kick for goal about as much as with Neale.

 

[you pick one]

Over the past 3 weeks, Mullins totals:

Disposals: 45 (32 effective)
Marks: 14
Clearances: 11
Tackles: 15
Score Involvements: 13
Scores: 0.2

Bont, Butters & Sheezel combined totals:

Disposals: 64 (47 effective)
Marks: 7
Clearances: 9
Tackles: 8
Score Involvements: 10
Scores: 1.0

Pretty bloody good considering that is 3 absolute stars of the comp. Let's see if he can add Daicos (again) to his list of scalps next week.

As others have mentioned, his team mates are starting to trust/look for him more and more, and for good reason. His kicking is a genuine weapon now - fast, low and straight.

Wow just wow.