News 2020 Pre-season - New and Improved after Rd 1 with Rd2 in June. ***

[Drunkcat]

Has a touch of the Nathan Vardys about him.

Genuinely not sure if that is good or bad

Who has a bit of Vardy about him?

 

[Cataholic]

[B="bulletproof, post: 64150662, member: 8274"]
I think Clark's huge running power and goal kicking ability means he will play wing. Agree we need an extra running half back but I think Clark will play further up the ground.

how about we play players in their best positions, leave Clarke at H/B and give Kenerley a go in his natural position on the wing.
[/QUOTE]

CS isn't necessarily a fan of that logic

 

[Gavin Excell]

Who has a bit of Vardy about him?

Kreuger

 

[Max Milburn]

Kreuger

Has arms and legs and plays footy, but that's where the resemblance ends for me.

 

[dazbroncos]

Has arms and legs and plays footy, but that's where the resemblance ends for me.

its hard to recall Vardy in the VFL, but i dont reallty recall Vards in the VFL hitting packs and striaght lining the pill and or players with it like Freddy has.
Happy to be correct and surely some recency bias - but Vards came with bigger wraps and just never made it ( injuries and motivation )

Freddy just seems to me at least to have more oomph about his game thus far and better skills for a bigger bloke.

We shall see.

GO CAtters

 

[Seeds]

I think it's definitely a personnel issue.

In 07-11 we had Hunt as a quarterback, Scarlett and Mackie pushing forward, Enright chopping out and recycling and Wojak adding a bit of dash. All those guys were as good going forward as they were defending. It was only Harry/Harley/Lonergan who weren't. Now we've got Stewart as the quarterback, Stewart running out from defense, Stewart chopping out and recycling, and Stewart adding a bit of dash. Who else is there? Bews, Henry, Kolo, Blicavs, Taylor? None of them have an offensive side to their game. Touhy does but was unfit after an interrupted pre-season and having his first child. O'Connor was just learning in his second season.

I'm really hoping we drop Bews and play Clarke across half-back because although he's our only real winger, we are crying out for somebody to create off half-back.

Bews, touhy, clark all have an offensive game. Touhy pretty much is only about offense. The coaches do not allow them to use it. Our strategy is to hold the ball up and kick to the wing.

 

[bulletproof]

[B="bulletproof, post: 64150662, member: 8274"]
I think Clark's huge running power and goal kicking ability means he will play wing. Agree we need an extra running half back but I think Clark will play further up the ground.

how about we play players in their best positions, leave Clarke at H/B and give Kenerley a go in his natural position on the wing.
[/QUOTE]

Well we are agreed, players should play in their best position. That is wing for Clark.

 

[Seeds]

how about we play players in their best positions, leave Clarke at H/B and give Kenerley a go in his natural position on the wing.

I agree. Clark looks a better wing then half back.

 

[Gavin Excell]

Has arms and legs and plays footy, but that's where the resemblance ends for me.

I meant in terms of being a highly promising “project player”

 

[Farmer2Goggin]

I meant in terms of being a highly promising “project player”

Kreuger looks like the new wave tall athletic type with speed , endurance and agility plus a bit of mongrel.
I'm thinking Himmelberg , McKay , Cameron and Finlayson as comparisons

 

[Hamingja]

I agree. Clark looks a better wing then half back.

He is a better wing currently because he can't defend at ground level.

With Scarlett and Enright as coaches they should be able to teach him and get him up to a decent standard in that regard.

He reads the ball well and can take intercept marks in the air. He can run and carry and take the game on from the D50.

If we want to improve then he is the sort of player we need at HB rather than Blitz/Kolo/Henry/Bews kicking 20m sideways every time we exit D50.

You just have to accept he will have a few goals kicked on him while he learns.

Look at someone like Saad at the bombers. He was always good offensively and has worked on his defensive game over the years to get that to a solid level too. Even Mackie for us as well. He ended up as a lockdown player on dangerous small forwards at times by the end of his career.

 

[BennyGan]

He is a better wing currently because he can't defend at ground level.

With Scarlett and Enright as coaches they should be able to teach him and get him up to a decent standard in that regard.

He reads the ball well and can take intercept marks in the air. He can run and carry and take the game on from the D50.

If we want to improve then he is the sort of player we need at HB rather than Blitz/Kolo/Henry/Bews kicking 20m sideways every time we exit D50.

You just have to accept he will have a few goals kicked on him while he learns.

Look at someone like Saad at the bombers. He was always good offensively and has worked on his defensive game over the years to get that to a solid level too. Even Mackie for us as well. He ended up as a lockdown player on dangerous small forwards at times by the end of his career.

100% agree about Jordy, think his best position will eventually be half back but needs more size and defensive craft, hope he can make a defensive improvement like MOC did this year.

 

[Joey JoJo Shabad]

It look's like Narkle has bulked up a fair bit during the pre season. I'm really looking forward to seeing what he can bring to the team this year.

 

[Seeds]

He is a better wing currently because he can't defend at ground level.

With Scarlett and Enright as coaches they should be able to teach him and get him up to a decent standard in that regard.

He reads the ball well and can take intercept marks in the air. He can run and carry and take the game on from the D50.

If we want to improve then he is the sort of player we need at HB rather than Blitz/Kolo/Henry/Bews kicking 20m sideways every time we exit D50.

You just have to accept he will have a few goals kicked on him while he learns.

Look at someone like Saad at the bombers. He was always good offensively and has worked on his defensive game over the years to get that to a solid level too. Even Mackie for us as well. He ended up as a lockdown player on dangerous small forwards at times by the end of his career.

We need a good winger far more then a half back flanker. Touhy, bews and stewart are all capable of run from the backline if we allow them.

 

[longtimecat]

View attachment 809474
Saw him at the club last week, he appears to have lost a bit of weight and looks very fit
It look's like Narkle has bulked up a fair bit during the pre season. I'm really looking forward to seeing what he can bring to the team this year.

 

[cats_09]

Seems a few youngsters have been having a good preseason & could be pushing for roles in our midfield. Maybe also mean that #GuthrieInTheGuts is replaced with #2xGuthrieInTheGuts & a Jimmy Parsons joining them...

Assistant Coach Matthew Knights has been impressed by the performances of Geelong trio Charlie Constable, James Parsons and Zach Guthrie this pre-season.

He believes each has demonstrated positive signs and are ready to take the next step with their football this year.

“Charlie Constable is one who had a taste of AFL last year and is demonstrating with his midfield work that he is really keen to try to earn a spot and break into that midfield group, but James Parsons and Zach Guthrie both fit into that category too,” Knights said speaking to the Geelong Advertiser.

“They have done a lot of midfield work this pre-season so far and I think their first couple of weeks post-Christmas have been outstanding. The way they are attacking the ball but also picking up the ball and running with it and breaking lines has been great, so those guys are really demonstrating some good training habits and are keen to nail a spot in that 22.

Injuries to a number of key cats will present an opportunity for some of the less experienced players to face the Suns and Bombers during the Marsh Community Cup Series.
“Mitch and Joel played virtually 100 per cent of the time in the midfield last season and if you add Tim Kelly to that, that’s three players who won’t be there in the early part of the year (for the pre-season matches).

“Young players are smart and they can see there will be opportunities, and even though they are lead up games they are vitally important because coaches and their peers are looking at what they can do.

“So, it would be great to reward these guys with some opportunities and for them to reward themselves by playing some solid footy, which will give them a good chance of being selected for round one.”

Trio to Push For More Senior Footy

Charlie Constable, James Parsons and Zach Guthrie have shown positive signs as they push for more senior football in 2020.

www.geelongcats.com.au

 

[Cataholic]

Seems a few youngsters have been having a good preseason & could be pushing for roles in our midfield. Maybe also mean that #GuthrieInTheGuts is replaced with #2xGuthrieInTheGuts & a Jimmy Parsons joining them...

Trio to Push For More Senior Footy

Charlie Constable, James Parsons and Zach Guthrie have shown positive signs as they push for more senior football in 2020.

www.geelongcats.com.au

I'm not a believer in Knights' judgement.

Hope I'm wrong.

 

[cats_09]

I'm not a believer in Knights' judgement.

Hope I'm wrong.

Opening bounce round 1 of season 2020 and our starting midfield quartet is: Stanley, Guthrie, Guthrie & Parsons

Which player will be #1 in the firing line by the fans?

 

[Cataholic]

Opening bounce round 1 of season 2020 and our starting midfield quartet is: Stanley, Guthrie, Guthrie & Parsons

Which player will be #1 in the firing line by the fans?

Holy Hell.

That's a hard one.........

 

[ButterMill]

Talk of Kolo's groin soreness and hip issues makes me think it's a similar issue to what Stevie J, Vardy and many others have had. FAI it's called. A hip impingement, where the femoral head (thigh bone part that sits in the socket) is slightly misshapen. Occurs commonly in the population (roughly one in four) but isn't really a problem unless you do activities that jam the thigh bone up into the socket. Like play football, soccer etc.

It can lead to a damaged hip socket, torn cartilage around it, which then causes your hip stabilising muscles to shut down. The load shifts to outer muscles that can't cope and the whole thing can appear like groin pain, throbbing leg pain, loss of acceleration and power.

Caught early you can operate in one day and be "cured" in 2-3 weeks. Stevie J had that op in the finals that year. Sometimes it can take multiple surgeries to shave enough bone off and alleviate the problem.

What's that mean for Kolo? Maybe nothing. But if it is what I'm guessing it can be fixed effectively and Geelong have a good amount of experience in treating this injury.

 

[Landgraft]

Seems a few youngsters have been having a good preseason & could be pushing for roles in our midfield. Maybe also mean that #GuthrieInTheGuts is replaced with #2xGuthrieInTheGuts & a Jimmy Parsons joining them...

Trio to Push For More Senior Footy

Charlie Constable, James Parsons and Zach Guthrie have shown positive signs as they push for more senior football in 2020.

www.geelongcats.com.au

That article is the result of someone on this board wishing on a monkeys paw if we end up with a midfield trio of Chook, Zuthrie and Parsons.

 

[longtimecat]

Anyone know if the boys will train at Deacon today.

 

[longtimecat]

Anyone know if the boys will train at Deacon today.

Stupid auto spelling, Deakin Uni.

 

[00VicWard001]

While it's supported by one of the hardest presses in the comp yes, but it buggers our forward movement to go into attack from the back line with all 18 behind the center,meaning it's slow sideways back would stuff while someone tries to get forward.

Yeah, but we were up there with one of the strongest attacks (points for) last year too with excellent forward pressure.

I know that we become predictable to teams, but the style of play is very successful and does work against chaos teams like Richmond. Yes, we lost to them, but that was to do with Prestia's centre clearance dominance in the third quarter primarily.

 

[Strange Cat]

Got down to W.Ponds this morning to see what was going on.

Only players missing as far as I could tell were the draftees, Dangerfield, Duncan, Kolo, Constable, Kreuger and Okunbor (not sure about Fog.).

It looked a little low key (first day back in training?) until some solid 3/4 ground match sim. at the end.

Thoughts/observations:
Selwood and Stewart trained but did mainly running to the side of the area.
Fort started to the side but joined with main group later
Parfitt was not with the main group - just running I think (might have joined later)but i don't think so.
Cockatoo trained with main group all time I was there.

It was not a day for highlights but Simpson seemed to have the ball a lot. Kicks both feet (better than most over short to mid distances).
O'Connor looked good. He is quick. Got a minor knock I think on his leg and was on the "table" for a bit.
Steven and Jenkins looked quite at home. Happy in service.
Narkle was quieter but looks in top nick.
Sav is ready. Zuthrie is looking more like an AFL footballer size wise but more would help.
No ruck work.

Pleasant Friday [Edit: Thursday. Thanks Shai ] morning.

Good to hear that Zuthrie has put on some size , I think he will be a big surprise in the backline in years to come he’s very calm under pressure and uses the ball very well...even when he was skinny he had a ton of strength at AFL level.

I clearly rate him