Preview 2019 Semi Final v West Coast

[Seeds]

I remember CS mentioned that he went over to Steve’s house and they had a beer together after this conversation.

Stevie is now a coach and would understand exactly how difficult it is to make these decisions.

There was no difficult decision. The thought of letting him go should never of been considered. He was still our second best forward after hawkins.

 

[Seeds]

I don't think Stanley is a lock in this game. What if they bring back Henderson as a KP defender and leave Blitz in the ruck?

Nicnat will go to town like he did on blicavs last year. Hoping it happens as we might see the coach forced to resign after the match.

 

[00VicWard001]

They only look fiercely determined because they got found out against the pies, come game time it will be a different story and they will go to water again.

They didn't really get found out. We were just inaccurate and didn't take our chances. That doesn't mean we got 'found out'.

 

[Mr Meow]

Need to take our chances this week. It's been a serious issue in both finals and the back half of the season. It's so vital, especially during rough patches in the game. Settles the nerves and gathers momentum. If you're the 18th most accurate team in the competition (as we have been since round 12) then you have to play outstanding football to win the majority of your matches. The 50/50 record since then isn't surprising.

If Dahl and Hawk kick 0 goals 6 from 7 gettable shots again this week I'm going to eat my TC remote out of frustration.

 

[Mr Meow]

Nicnat will go to town like he did on blicavs last year. Hoping it happens as we might see the coach forced to resign after the match.

Lol what sort of dream land are you in?

 

[Cataholic]

Need to take our chances this week. It's been a serious issue in both finals and the back half of the season. It's so vital, especially during rough patches in the game. Settles the nerves and gathers momentum. If you're the 18th most accurate team in the competition (as we have been since round 12) then you have to play outstanding football to win the majority of your matches. The 50/50 record since then isn't surprising.

If Dahl and Hawk kick 0 goals 6 from 7 gettable shots again this week I'm going to eat my TC remote out of frustration.

I also want to see them instantly run, move the ball on, as soon as they take possession.

None of that pregnant pause, waiting for everyone to flood back before saying 'ok boys, here it comes'

 

[00VicWard001]

So you were happy with the performance on Friday night were you? The thousands of Cats fans who flooded social media to vent their anger were they all wrong because the media said we wouldn't make the 8? Get a grip, the fact of the matter is this club is mentally weak and once again s**t the bed when it mattered most just like previous years, and yes they got found out that they were pretenders and never really in the hunt for the flag. Whatever happens from hereon whether we beat WC or not it will all come back to that Pies game and how disgusting some of our play was and how we cost ourselves a genuine shot at a prelim and flag. Anyone who thinks we beat Richmond in a prelim if we make it must be on some pretty good s**t.

'The club is mentally weak'... what exactly does this mean? The organisation? The entire group of people?

I would contend that the thousands of fans who flooded social media are the mentally weak ones. To display that level of anger and disappointment over a game seems to be quite a strange behaviour. Couldn't they hold it in, be mentally strong and deal with it?

 

[Cataholic]

'The club is mentally weak'... what exactly does this mean? The organisation? The entire group of people?

I would contend that the thousands of fans who flooded social media are the mentally weak ones. To display that level of anger and disappointment over a game seems to be quite a strange behaviour. Couldn't they hold it in, be mentally strong and deal with it?

True, get what you're saying, but geez .......
Getting to the finals and capitulating straight up every time is becoming a bit exasperating.

Just for once it'd be nice to see the boys come out breathing fire, tackling hard, running relentlessly, and displaying that they want the ball more than anything else.

Will we see it against WC?

 

[Grimoz]

I also want to see them instantly run, move the ball on, as soon as they take possession.

None of that pregnant pause, waiting for everyone to flood back before saying 'ok boys, here it comes'

I want to see them use the corridor more and stay away from the wing, we looked so much more dangerous when we came through the middle against the pies to the point where we were on top and could have stolen in. The continuous bombing to the wing from full back wont work against West Coast as it will just come straight back, we need to be smart, hit up players and move through the middle, its easier to deliver the ball on a plate when you are running in a straight line towards your target.

 

[Rhysswans13]

We do? How so?

You guys smashed them earlier this year. Definitely a better side then the team that lost to them in the qualifying final last year. To be honest, besides Collingwood I feel like you guys are the only other team that can beat them. Not that this counts for too much but since 1980 your head to head record with Richmond is 46-17 your way.
But one week at a time I guess, but I think you guys win against the Eagles by 7-8 goals.

 

[Mr Meow]

I also want to see them instantly run, move the ball on, as soon as they take possession.

None of that pregnant pause, waiting for everyone to flood back before saying 'ok boys, here it comes'

Yeah just some urgency. I've accepted that the game plan will not involve corridor heavy, hand ball happy movement and flair. But when you can quickly spin or handball out to kick to that 1v1 or 2v2 down the line, versus holding it for 10 seconds to kick to a 5v5 - do it.

I get we are a boundary side but at the MCG you have to switch the play and use the space to open up angles. The 45 degree kick inside etc. It got a tiny bit better in the second half with this stuff but my god the entries themselves were deplorable. Moving the ball with speed means a bomb inside 50 can create havoc rather than become an easy intercept. But could we also try to hit up leads? Kick to the advantage side of a forward anyway. So many times last week they would kick it to 20m high and long when a target is at 25m - so slightly behind the forward and he is scrambling back. That same kick, but weighted more gently and to 35m out, he can actually roam forward and have a crack. Ironically the only time this happened was to Rohan in the first quarter but he absolutely massacred the set shot.

 

[Grimoz]

You guys smashed them earlier this year. Definitely a better side then the team that lost to them in the qualifying final last year. To be honest, besides Collingwood I feel like you guys are the only other team that can beat them. Not that this counts for too much but since 1980 your head to head record with Richmond is 46-17 your way.
But one week at a time I guess, but I think you guys win against the Eagles by 7-8 goals.

To be fair Richmond were missing some key players and we were in much better form at that point in time with a settled team, since then it has all gone pear shaped and we are only a shell of the team that was 11-1. But in saying that it all means nothing if we lose to WC.

 

[Grimoz]

Nicnat will go to town like he did on blicavs last year. Hoping it happens as we might see the coach forced to resign after the match.

Lets be honest he is more likely to get an extension until 2025 than he is to ever resign, Scott is too pig headed and will see resignation as a sign of him being weak and make him look like he cant handle the job hence why it wont happen.

 

[00VicWard001]

True, get what you're saying, but geez .......
Getting to the finals and capitulating straight up every time is becoming a bit exasperating.

Just for once it'd be nice to see the boys come out breathing fire, tackling hard, running relentlessly, and displaying that they want the ball more than anything else.

Will we see it against WC?

Can’t disagree.

It’s a dumb coincidence in my opinion. Nothing more. And it just appears to be a streak of poor starts.

I don’t think intent actually means much. I think that they just need to take opportunity. I would actually want a player like Dahlhaus to kick the opening goal. He’s generally sharp and is committed from the first instance.

 

[Grimoz]

Can’t disagree.

It’s a dumb coincidence in my opinion. Nothing more. And it just appears to be a streak of poor starts.

I don’t think intent actually means much. I think that they just need to take opportunity. I would actually want a player like Dahlhaus to kick the opening goal. He’s generally sharp and is committed from the first instance.

The issue is guys like Rohan and Hawk are confidence players, if they shank a couple of early shots they tend to struggle for the entire game, not sure if its a mental thing or not but we need to find a way to get them a couple of cheapies early, maybe a couple over the back (Obviously Rohan is less likely to play), same goes for Miers and to a lesser extent Gaz, when Gaz is up and about he is really up and about.

 

[Chinacats]

I remember CS mentioned that he went over to Steve’s house and they had a beer together after this conversation.

Stevie is now a coach and would understand exactly how difficult it is to make these decisions.

They got the Stevie J exit correct. He was committing ill disciplined acts and getting suspended. Others had to grow , so he had to go.

 

[Chinacats]

The issue is guys like Rohan and Hawk are confidence players, if they shank a couple of early shots they tend to struggle for the entire game, not sure if its a mental thing or not but we need to find a way to get them a couple of cheapies early, maybe a couple over the back (Obviously Rohan is less likely to play), same goes for Miers and to a lesser extent Gaz, when Gaz is up and about he is really up and about.

I personally am not worried about Hawkins. The ball coming in was poor the other night, so all forwards were down. Rohan is another story, he has been crap for months!

 

[Chinacats]

Yep. Even CS's press conference had that backs against the wall feel. They all look fiercely determined right now.

Yes , but why have the fierce determination after a loss, why not last week. It was a QF for ffs. This steely resolve lasts a week then we get pumped by tigers? Not good enough at elite level!

 

[Chinacats]

Nicnat will go to town like he did on blicavs last year. Hoping it happens as we might see the coach forced to resign after the match.

Certainly needs a fresh injection of ideas in the coaching box. Even if it’s assistants.

 

[Chinacats]

What happened to the plan of a forward half game?? Going back to pre season the plan was to have a forward half, repeat entry, small forward half game. Even when we were 11-1 it wasn’t exactly lock it in style, repeat entry wins. We are now a back half slow moving bore to watch. Scott has lost his direction!

 

[Nickoo]

'Opening bounce' as in the start to the game, the trend thereafter, not that singular act.

The whole first quarter was rubbish in my eyes.

I’m not so sure. We looked panicky for 25mins but effort was there.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

 

[BORIS332]

Im entitled to voice my opinion, doesn't mean you have to like it and I can appreciate that, my point is if it had happened once it wouldn't cut so much but the fact that its almost a given these days that we will s**t the bed because it has happened so many times constantly it ruins the interest I and many others have in the games which is sad. As i said above the complete lack of accountability the club takes for the constant losses/poor performance/poor decisions is really disheartening and likely wont change while the current administration is in power. I hope they do come out and show some heart and put in a performance worthy of a top of the ladder team, however my confidence in the group to get it done is not high.

Nonsensical. Out of the 22 that played on Friday night only 16 played in the final against the Dees last year, only 12 played in the final the year before and only 9 in the final the year before that.

Our performances 2012-2018 have no bearing whatsoever on our performances today. So when you refer to “the group” which “group” is that? The group that finished top this year and won more games than any other club save for Brisbane with their easy 16th placed draw?

“Constant losses, poor decisions, poor performances” we finished TOP in a year we weren’t expected to make the eight. We lost a final by 10 points due to a single bad quarter. The cup is 3/4 full and you think it’s empty.

 

[Grimoz]

Nonsensical. Out of the 22 that played on Friday night only 16 played in the final against the Dees last year, only 12 played in the final the year before and only 9 in the final the year before that.

Our performances 2012-2018 have no bearing whatsoever on our performances today. So when you refer to “the group” which “group” is that? The group that finished top this year and won more games than any other club save for Brisbane with their easy 16th placed draw?

“Constant losses, poor decisions, poor performances” we finished TOP in a year we weren’t expected to make the eight. We lost a final by 10 points due to a single bad quarter. The cup is 3/4 full and you think it’s empty.

Im not going to argue with you, you have your opinion I have mine, lets leave it at that.

 

[Grimoz]

I personally am not worried about Hawkins. The ball coming in was poor the other night, so all forwards were down. Rohan is another story, he has been crap for months!

Hawk has been badly out of form for a month, his kicking has gone bad too (as shown by his 4 behinds friday), earlier in the year he couldn't miss, kicked 5 in 5 games on the trot now the past 3-4 games hasn't slotted one, I refuse to blame him for the loss because he does a lot more around the ground and cant be judged on that but if we are talking goal kicking im a little worried about him.

 

[Farmer2Goggin]

Can’t disagree.

It’s a dumb coincidence in my opinion. Nothing more. And it just appears to be a streak of poor starts.

I don’t think intent actually means much. I think that they just need to take opportunity. I would actually want a player like Dahlhaus to kick the opening goal. He’s generally sharp and is committed from the first instance.

Agree - you just need to be sharp and clinical in execution early - confidence levels go off the scale and generates momentum.

IMO the Eagles are a better switching and backline kicking team than the Pies so we must not give them space to execute without pressuring the hell out of them. Ideally we would pair that with lowering our eyes when going I50 but I don't have much faith in our forward line making room to do that of late - hope we can rectify it though.
Eagles are gettable , surely we can't repeat last weeks selection blue ,early injuries and nerves all over again?