2023 Player Reviews

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cats_09

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Jun 21, 2011
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114,278
AFL Club
Geelong
Hey team,

As we know our season will come to an end later today which is obviously earlier than we would have hoped, but it does present opportunities to reflect on the season we've had - the highs & lows, good & bad, who had break out years and who is going to be hoping to smash it on the training track from day one of the pre-season. It's something that got a little lost last year in the celebration of our 2022 premiership but we definitely want the opportunity to reflect upon this year

So we'll be opening up the opportunity for posters to nominate a player or two for whom they'd like to write a season review of - and it doesn't have to be an essay but please provide a bit more than just "they were s**t"

Where feasible we'll have a thread for each player to allow the opportunity to have a chat about them, discuss the season past & hopes for the future and even have a poll in each thread for how we've seen that players season. For our youngsters who didn't venture beyond the VFL this season, we may give them a combined thread and look towards our regular VFL watchers to provide some insights on them

As such, here's our list and if you'd like to write a season summary on a player, please check for available players nominate in a post below - this is something we'll kick off over the coming days so please don't feel like it's got to be written up tonight

1. Rhys Stanley
2. Zach Tuohy
3. Brandon Parfitt - Warhorse
4. Tanner Bruhn - Pure_Ownage
5. Jeremy Cameron
6. Toby Conway
7. Issac Smith
8. Jake Kolodjashnij - year of the cat
9. Max Holmes - numbwombat
10. Mitch Knevitt
11. Cooper Whyte
12. Jack Bowes
13. Jhye Clark
15. Jon Ceglar
16. Sam De Koning - cats_09
17. Esava Ratugolea - Cursed Cat
18. Tyson Stengle
22. Mitch Duncan
23. Gary Rohan - Lana
24. Jed Bews
26. Tom Hawkins
27. Sam Menegola
28. Ollie Dempsey
29. Cam Guthrie
30. Tom Atkins - allrighty
32. Gryan Miers - Hello Kitty (if this is alright :p)
33. Shannon Neale
34. Oisin Mullin
35. Patrick Dangerfield
36. Ollie Henry - Vdubs
37. Sam Simpson
38. Jack Henry
39. Zach Guthrie
40. Ted Clohesy
42. Mark O'Connor - Generalissimo
44. Tom Stewart
45. Brad Close - Mr Meow
46. Mark Blicavs


Our VFL troop - may group these guys together for discussion
19. Phoenix Foster
20. James Willis
21. Oscar Ricardi
25. Flynn Krueger
31. Oscar Murdoch
41. Mitch Hardie - Lana


And as mentioned before, no set time frame and something we'll kick off in coming days and discuss over the summer
 
Last edited:

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I'll take the Hardie Partie and Gary Rohan
 
Mark O'Connor for me please.
 
cats_09 said:
Hey team,

As we know our season will come to an end later today which is obviously earlier than we would have hoped, but it does present opportunities to reflect on the season we've had - the highs & lows, good & bad, who had break out years and who is going to be hoping to smash it on the training track from day one of the pre-season. It's something that got a little lost last year in the celebration of our 2022 premiership but we definitely want the opportunity to reflect upon this year

So we'll be opening up the opportunity for posters to nominate a player or two for whom they'd like to write a season review of - and it doesn't have to be an essay but please provide a bit more than just "they were s**t"

Where feasible we'll have a thread for each player to allow the opportunity to have a chat about them, discuss the season past & hopes for the future and even have a poll in each thread for how we've seen that players season. For our youngsters who didn't venture beyond the VFL this season, we may give them a combined thread and look towards our regular VFL watchers to provide some insights on them

As such, here's our list and if you'd like to write a season summary on a player, please check for available players nominate in a post below - this is something we'll kick off over the coming days so please don't feel like it's got to be written up tonight

1. Rhys Stanley
2. Zach Tuohy
3. Brandon Parfitt
4. Tanner Bruhn - Pure_Ownage
5. Jeremy Cameron
6. Toby Conway
7. Issac Smith
8. Jake Kolodjashnij
9. Max Holmes
10. Mitch Knevitt
11. Cooper Whyte
12. Jack Bowes
13. Jhye Clark
15. Jon Ceglar
16. Sam De Koning - cats_09
17. Esava Ratugolea
18. Tyson Stengle
22. Mitch Duncan
23. Gary Rohan
24. Jed Bews
26. Tom Hawkins
27. Sam Menegola
28. Ollie Dempsey
29. Cam Guthrie
30. Tom Atkins - allrighty
32. Gryan Miers - Hello Kitty (if this is alright :p)
33. Shannon Neale
34. Oisin Mullin
35. Patrick Dangerfield
36. Ollie Henry
37. Sam Simpson
38. Jack Henry
39. Zach Guthrie
40. Ted Clohesy
42. Mark O'Connor
44. Tom Stewart
45. Brad Close
46. Mark Blicavs


Our VFL troop - may group these guys together for discussion
19. Phoenix Foster
20. James Willis
21. Oscar Riccardi
25. Flynn Krueger
31. Oscar Murdoch
41. Mitch Hardie


And as mentioned before, no set time frame and something we'll kick off in coming days and discuss over the summer
Click to expand...
What a great idea! I don't think you will get any pushback from Hello Kitty
 

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Can't decide between Esava Ratugolea and Jack Bowes... I'll take Esava, not sure I'm up to the task though; a lot to unpack.
 
Ollie Henry please. Not sure I can contain myself to brevity, but will try. Nice to write about a player I really rate highly.
 
Jake Kolodjashnij review -

After having his best season in 2021 and being deservedly picked and playing in our premiership side, Jake unfortunately reverted back to the form that saw his detractors being frustrated with his ongoing selection prior to ‘21.

Jake has shown he is capable of playing good football. I get the sense that more than most players, he is very much a confidence player and if doubts creep into his head he quickly becomes fumbly, makes poor decisions and is poor by foot.

The form we witnessed this year from Jake, like many I might add, was well below what we saw in last year’s finals series where he was steady, reliable and dependable.

He will never be an attacking type defender. In many ways he’s a throw back to the old style defenders of the ‘80’s. His job primarily is to just beat his opponent. Which to be fair quite regularly he does. He rarely has bags kicked on him. So why the criticism?

Unfortunately Jake, under pressure, fails to rise to the occasion. Our defense this year as a collective was very poor. Surprising, as this part of the team has been our real strength for many years compared with other areas of the ground. Unfortunately too, Jake, as a senior player, wasn’t able to step up and play the game you’d hope to see him play when the likes of Stewart and De Koning were also having poor games. He wilted.

The game against Port Adel away was a stark example of the frustration with Jake. He made several basic errors that resulted in goals. Was akin to a deer in headlights. This wasn’t an isolated game. I really feel he was fortunate to retain his spot in the team towards seasons end.

I think if we are to move forward or transition with a new group he is one player that is very expendable.

One issue that should be raised is that Jake has experienced more than one serious concussion. Maybe this affected his performance this season as last year I hoped he’d turned the corner. I’m not too sure what role he’ll play in 2024 but I’m quite certain that internally Jake is valued far higher than some of us armchair experts.

I sincerely hope that the Jake of 2022 runs out on the field next season.
 
#17 Esava Ratugolea

r0_0_800_600_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg

Esava Ratugolea is 25 years old and has played 75 games of senior football for the Geelong Cats.

He is reaching the prime of his Football life - but he won't be continuing on with Geelong in 2024, despite playing the most potent footy of his career to date this season.

Ratugolea spent 2023 playing as a key defender for Geelong, having previously been tried as both a key forward and a ruckman with uncertain results.

The change of position made an immediate and dramatic difference to the big Fijian Australian's game.

A supreme athlete with a huge leap, deceptive acceleration and an improved capacity to run, Ratugolea was able to contest and influence a lot of Geelong's defensive aerial contests.
Throughout the 16 games Ratugolea played for Geelong in 2023 he regularly got his hands to the ball first in any defensively contested, pack marking situation. He clunked 23 contested marks, spilled many more and occasionally opted to judiciously punch the ball away from immediate peril.

Esava Ratugolea played in the team’s opening 3 losses and duly drew his share of attention and criticism during a baptism of fire in the key defensive post, conceding 5 goals to eventual Coleman Medal winner Charlie Curnow in Rd 2.

But when the club turned things around for a stirring 5-game winning streak between Rounds 4 and 8, the big #17 played his part in the victories, mirroring the team’s fortunes as he tapped into perhaps the richest vein of form of his career.

However as Geelong’s good form waned, and Jack Henry returned to the side in Round 10, the team began to look unbalanced, with one tall too many to squeeze into the line-up - and Ratugolea's assuredness diminished.

The aerial work was sometimes brilliant, but Ratugolea still had his limitations, with kicking reminiscent of ex-Cat and fellow key defender Tom Lonergan; unadventurous and often predictable if usually safe enough.
Ratugolea also understandably lacked some basic defensive nous given his inexperience in the role, losing his opponent for easy hit-up marks inside 50, or losing his bearings as to where the ball was going to drop in 1v1 marking situations, and he more than once drew the ire of an increasingly grumpy and martyr-like Tom Stewart as the season wore on.

Eventually it began to emerge that the team wasn’t big enough (or rather, was too big) for both Esava Ratugolea and 2022’s Premiership key defender golden child Sam De Koning.

De Koning encountered his own share of issues throughout a trying year in which he battled multiple injuries and indifferent form, but Chris Scott and the club slowly revealed their preference for the big blonde kid ahead of Ratugolea, who by this point of the season was starting to succumb to wear and tear problems of his own.

Ratugolea would go on to miss 6 games in total mainly due to hamstring issues, although one wonders whether team balance came into play during selection meetings at some stage too.

He would play one more eye-catching game for the 2023 season in the win against Port Power at home, clunking a number of contested intercept marks as he played his part in setting the game up for a Cats victory.



But when he failed to take the field in Geelong’s final game for 2023, the writing was on the wall that the out-of-contract big man had played his last game in the hoops.

And so how will Esava Ratugolea be remembered at Geelong?

I was a big advocate of his for at least the first 3 of his 6-year stint at Geelong.
He was undeniably frustrating, clearly lacked a bit of footy street smarts, and in his original incarnation as a key forward – and then as an undersized, mobile ruck – he was prone to long stretches where he was unable to make an impact.

But there has always been talent there.
Contested marking talent.

I’ve always loved a player who could take a big contested grab, and I’ve historically been willing to overlook other inadequacies as long as the player in question was pulling down the odd towering mark.
Think Peter Johnston, or Josh Walker.
Ratugolea could do that. I enjoyed watching him play.

Once he was shifted to defense he was suddenly able to impact the game far more consistently (for good and bad).

I suspect he will blossom at his 2nd AFL club; 25 years of age with 75 games under his belt, he is in the key position player Goldilocks Zone. He might always be prone to the odd clanger deep in defense. But he may well develop into a key piece.

Fare thee well Esava Ratugolea.
 
Cursed Cat said:
#17 Esava Ratugolea

View attachment 1789737

Esava Ratugolea is 25 years old and has played 75 games of senior football for the Geelong Cats.

He is reaching the prime of his Football life - but he won't be continuing on with Geelong in 2024, despite playing the most potent footy of his career to date this season.

Ratugolea spent 2023 playing as a key defender for Geelong, having previously been tried as both a key forward and a ruckman with uncertain results.

The change of position made an immediate and dramatic difference to the big Fijian Australian's game.

A supreme athlete with a huge leap, deceptive acceleration and an improved capacity to run, Ratugolea was able to contest and influence a lot of Geelong's defensive aerial contests.
Throughout the 16 games Ratugolea played for Geelong in 2023 he regularly got his hands to the ball first in any defensively contested, pack marking situation. He clunked 23 contested marks, spilled many more and occasionally opted to judiciously punch the ball away from immediate peril.

Esava Ratugolea played in the team’s opening 3 losses and duly drew his share of attention and criticism during a baptism of fire in the key defensive post, conceding 5 goals to eventual Coleman Medal winner Charlie Curnow in Rd 2.

But when the club turned things around for a stirring 5-game winning streak between Rounds 4 and 8, the big #17 played his part in the victories, mirroring the team’s fortunes as he tapped into perhaps the richest vein of form of his career.

However as Geelong’s good form waned, and Jack Henry returned to the side in Round 10, the team began to look unbalanced, with one tall too many to squeeze into the line-up - and Ratugolea's assuredness diminished.

The aerial work was sometimes brilliant, but Ratugolea still had his limitations, with kicking reminiscent of ex-Cat and fellow key defender Tom Lonergan; unadventurous and often predictable if usually safe enough.
Ratugolea also understandably lacked some basic defensive nous given his inexperience in the role, losing his opponent for easy hit-up marks inside 50, or losing his bearings as to where the ball was going to drop in 1v1 marking situations, and he more than once drew the ire of an increasingly grumpy and martyr-like Tom Stewart as the season wore on.

Eventually it began to emerge that the team wasn’t big enough (or rather, was too big) for both Esava Ratugolea and 2022’s Premiership key defender golden child Sam De Koning.

De Koning encountered his own share of issues throughout a trying year in which he battled multiple injuries and indifferent form, but Chris Scott and the club slowly revealed their preference for the big blonde kid ahead of Ratugolea, who by this point of the season was starting to succumb to wear and tear problems of his own.

Ratugolea would go on to miss 6 games in total mainly due to hamstring issues, although one wonders whether team balance came into play during selection meetings at some stage too.

He would play one more eye-catching game for the 2023 season in the win against Port Power at home, clunking a number of contested intercept marks as he played his part in setting the game up for a Cats victory.



But when he failed to take the field in Geelong’s final game for 2023, the writing was on the wall that the out-of-contract big man had played his last game in the hoops.

And so how will Esava Ratugolea be remembered at Geelong?

I was a big advocate of his for at least the first 3 of his 6-year stint at Geelong.
He was undeniably frustrating, clearly lacked a bit of footy street smarts, and in his original incarnation as a key forward – and then as an undersized, mobile ruck – he was prone to long stretches where he was unable to make an impact.

But there has always been talent there.
Contested marking talent.

I’ve always loved a player who could take a big contested grab, and I’ve historically been willing to overlook other inadequacies as long as the player in question was pulling down the odd towering mark.
Think Peter Johnston, or Josh Walker.
Ratugolea could do that. I enjoyed watching him play.

Once he was shifted to defense he was suddenly able to impact the game far more consistently (for good and bad).

I suspect he will blossom at his 2nd AFL club; 25 years of age with 75 games under his belt, he is in the key position player Goldilocks Zone. He might always be prone to the odd clanger deep in defense. But he may well develop into a key piece.

Fare thee well Esava Ratugolea.
Click to expand...

Really well balanced and presented.
The only reason he dnp on Saturday was a reinjury.
 
Anyone wanting to do Jack bowes please be aware of his upcoming book release

Screenshot_20230829_222031_Chrome.jpg
 
Mitch "Partie" Hardie

Came with a bit of fanfare, as the most in form SANFL player. A well rounded inside mid, capable of kicking with his non-preferred left, who after a career best pre-season was hitting big disposal numbers and was capable of hitting the scoreboard.

In his first interview at the club, he was asked to name his strength of his but wasn't able to do so. When you watch him play, he is a bit of a jack of all trades, master of none. The worry is he hasn't shown a weapon. In the week between his drafting and debut, I watched a few quarters from different games, and his teammate James Rowe (former Adelaide Crow) stood out a little more as an inside mid. At times his intensity, and off the ball running speed seemed low for his level of accumulation.

Billed at 185cm 82kgs, though he doesn't look either of those on the field. It is fair to say that he didn't quite bring the form his reputation suggested with him to Geelong. At VFL level clubs paid him immediate respect, putting a hard tag on him for the first couple of games. His first half was full of promise, he got his hands on the ball, and linked up on the outside. But as the season went on around the stoppages, he didn't really win many battles of strength nor did he find space through athleticism. The club preferred to use him up forward in second halves, where he tended to do a disappearing act. That isn't to say he is a bad player at the level, it is just be that the 2nd tier is his level. If he wasn't already an AFL listed player, on the VFL form alone he wouldn't be considered draft-able.

To be fair to him at times our VFL team was fielding less than 6 AFL listed players, so he wasn't really afforded any real support. From day one there was this perhaps this unfair expectation that he'd be ready to lead our VFL team from day dot and not far of playing AFL level as our cupboard was bare. The mid season draft just doesn't do all kinds of player a favour, like Williams last year it would be wrong to disrupt his life and de-list him so quickly. I think after a true pre-season and given a chance to get to know his teammates, a chance to transform his body in that of a professional, he might show that he has more to offer. So I hope we keep him on for another year. Honestly our unfair expectations are the real villains.
 
Last edited:
Lana said:
Mitch "Partie" Hardie

Came with a bit of fanfare, as the most in form SANFL player. A well rounded inside mid, capable of kicking with his non-preferred left, who after a career best pre-season was hitting big disposal numbers and was capable of hitting the scoreboard.

In his first interview at the club, he was asked to name his strength of his but wasn't able to do so. When you watch him play, he is a bit of a jack of all trades, master of none. The worry is he hasn't shown a weapon. In the week between his drafting and debut, I watched a few quarters from different games, and his teammate James Rowe (former Adelaide Crow) stood out a little more as an inside mid. At times his intensity, and off the ball running speed seemed low for his level of accumulation.

Billed at 185cm 82kgs, though he doesn't look either of those on the field. It is fair to say that he didn't quite bring the form his reputation suggested with him to Geelong. At VFL level clubs paid him immediate respect, putting a hard tag on him for the first couple of games. His first half was full of promise, he got his hands on the ball, and linked up on the outside. But as the season went on around the stoppages, he didn't really win many battles of strength nor did he find space through athleticism. The club preferred to use him up forward in second halves, where he tended to do a disappearing act. That isn't to say he is a bad player at the level, it is just be that the 2nd tier is his level.

To be fair to him at times our VFL team was fielding less than 6 AFL listed players, so he wasn't really afforded any real support. From day one there was this perhaps this unfair expectation that he'd be ready to lead our VFL team from day dot and not far of playing AFL level as our cupboard was bare. The mid season draft just doesn't do all kinds of player a favour, like Williams last year it would be wrong to disrupt his life and de-list him so quickly. I think after a true pre-season and given a chance to get to know his teammates, a chance to transform his body in that of a professional, he might show that he has more to offer. So I hope we keep him on for another year.
Click to expand...


You think he has a chance of developing into a realistic midfield depth option in 2024 Lana?
 
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