Analysis Are the Cats a Fraud

[Lavender Bushranger]

Tell me how you think it works then. When is the best team crowned?

The GF winner isn't always the best team of the year.

The aim of an AFL footy team isn't even to be the best team, it's to win the Grand Final.

 

[Dazb86]

Pretty sure the Saints losing to Essendon sealed their fate this year.

Bit like us losing to Adelaide by a point/playing terribly most of the year

 

[juss]

Well it’s actually the best September team with the proviso that team was in the best 8 teams leading up to that.

The best team in September that wins the Grand Final is the best team of the year.... you can't win the GF without being in the top 8 sides and no side that's 9th or below would have any real claim yo being the best of the year.

 

[juss]

The GF winner isn't always the best team of the year.

The aim of an AFL footy team isn't even to be the best team, it's to win the Grand Final.

That is the best team of the year. Finishing 1st (H&A) means nothing in our game, other than a better run to the Grand Final.

 

[Jackington]

Is there anywhere to find a ladder if you only count the first time a team plays another team for the year, I’m assuming all games in round 23 are double ups at this stage.

 

[OniAu]

Melbourne supporters getting nervy and know they are done if they face the cats in finals

 

[Falcon3518]

That is the best team of the year. Finishing 1st (H&A) means nothing in our game, other than a better run to the Grand Final.

People get confused on here. They think the best team of the year is the minor premiers, it’s actually the premiers.


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[Lavender Bushranger]

That is the best team of the year. Finishing 1st (H&A) means nothing in our game, other than a better run to the Grand Final.

But that's the point. You don't have to be the 'best team'.

Winning the premiership doesn't prove you're the best team - just that you won on the day.

You could finish on top and beat a team twice during the season, then beat them again in the finals - but have a bad day and lose to them on GF Day.

 

[Lavender Bushranger]

People get confused on here. They think the best team of the year is the minor premiers, it’s actually the premiers.


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I think people that think because a team wins the flag, that they're the best team.

I played in two flags, and in one of them we were definitely not the best team.

They'd finished on top undefeated, beaten us easily twice during the season, and romped in their finals leading up to the GF, whilst we finished 3rd, and won by a point in the prelim to get to the granny!

But we were better on GF day. They were a much better team than us, but that's irrelevant.

The aim of footy isn't to be the best team. It's to win the GF. You don't necessarily need to be the best team to win the flag.

 

[Noidnadroj]

This is the first season Geelong have adopted a slightly different playing style that is more suited to finals football. That is why they are much better placed than previous years to win the flag.

I believe Chris Scott

Chris Scott

Age

47

Ht

182cm

Wt

89kg

Pos.

Fwd

Career

Season

Last 5

D

16.6

4star

K

11.2

4star

HB

5.4

4star

M

5.1

5star

T

1.6

4star

G

0.4

3star

No current season stats available

D

13.2

4star

K

10.2

4star

HB

3.0

3star

M

2.2

3star

T

2.8

5star

G

0.4

3star

was too stubborn for too long to change the way he ‘thought’ football should be played - but then Richmond continued to win flags and then the Demons won a flag playing similar style to Richmond and he realised ‘if you can’t beat ‘em, join ‘em’.

In previous finals under pressure we’ve seen Kolodjashnij and the like make horrific kicking errors that are not usually committed in lower pressure H&A games. But now they don’t play anywhere near as much ‘chip, chip’ possession footy that often comes unstuck in finals, they are certainly hot favourites to take this years flag.

If they do win it then it does make you wonder how many more flags …. If any … they would have won if Chris Scott

Chris Scott

Age

47

Ht

182cm

Wt

89kg

Pos.

Fwd

Career

Season

Last 5

D

16.6

4star

K

11.2

4star

HB

5.4

4star

M

5.1

5star

T

1.6

4star

G

0.4

3star

No current season stats available

D

13.2

4star

K

10.2

4star

HB

3.0

3star

M

2.2

3star

T

2.8

5star

G

0.4

3star

changed styles a little earlier. But a flag this year will certainly silence once and for all the ‘home and away Chris’ comments.

From what I’ve seen over the last 15-weeks I actually think the only team that is capable of beating the Cats this final series is Richmond. 4 x losses by a total of 15-points and a team with finals experience and forward weapons to kick a winning score against Geelong’s outstanding defence … especially if Dusty returns.

Whether they get an opportunity only time will tell … it seems unlikely.



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[PhatBoy]

This is the first season Geelong have adopted a slightly different playing style that is more suited to finals football. That is why they are much better placed than previous years to win the flag.

I believe Chris Scott was too stubborn for too long to change the way he ‘thought’ football should be played - but then Richmond continued to win flags and then the Demons won a flag playing similar style to Richmond and he realised ‘if you can’t beat ‘em, join ‘em’.

In previous finals under pressure we’ve seen Kolodjashnij and the like make horrific kicking errors that are not usually committed in lower pressure H&A games. But now they don’t play anywhere near as much ‘chip, chip’ possession footy that often comes unstuck in finals, they are certainly hot favourites to take this years flag.

If they do win it then it does make you wonder how many more flags …. If any … they would have won if Chris Scott changed styles a little earlier. But a flag this year will certainly silence once and for all the ‘home and away Chris’ comments.

From what I’ve seen over the last 15-weeks I actually think the only team that is capable of beating the Cats this final series is Richmond. 4 x losses by a total of 15-points and a team with finals experience and forward weapons to kick a winning score against Geelong’s outstanding defence … especially if Dusty returns.

Whether they get an opportunity only time will tell … it seems unlikely.



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For starters, Kolodjashnij makes one of those mistakes every week. It’s not finals related, it’s skill related. He is notorious for it across the whole supporter base.

I don’t disagree that our style has changed but the simple facts are that in many of our past seasons the style we used we more or less had to because of the personnel in our list.

A coach can only assess what resources he has to work with and establish how best to utilise those resources in order to get the best possible chance to win.

Some will say he picked the wrong plan, I think he picked the best one available but ultimately we didn’t have a side good enough to do it. Hawthorn’s game plan when they won 3 flags wasn’t dissimilar they were just better at executing it.

It’s not a coincidence that the change of approach has come with the emergence of players like close, Holmes and Miers and the recruitment of Stengle and Smith, and the different role of Blicavs and even Cameron playing more and more away from goal.

 

[tenderwarrior]

I don't think they are a fraud but I also don't think they are ahead of a few other teams in the 8. It is going to be a very interesting finals series as I really could see one of about 5 teams winning it.

Of the seven teams confirmed, I wouldn't bat an eyelid if any but Dockers or Lions win.

 

[Gak Attack]

The GF winner isn't always the best team of the year.

The aim of an AFL footy team isn't even to be the best team, it's to win the Grand Final.

So would you say a runner leading going into the last lap of a 1500m is really the best runner even if another runner passes him to win 20m from home? Every team knows to win you need to win the gf going into the season and can plan accordingly.

Of the four year period where we won 3 flags the best the best H&A year was when we didn't win and looked tired come finals. 19 and 20 we came in strong. When you are the team winning when everything is on the line you are the best team.

 

[PhatBoy]

So would you say a runner leading going into the last lap of a 1500m is really the best runner even if another runner passes him to win 20m from home? Every team knows to win you need to win the gf going into the season and can plan accordingly.

Of the four year period where we won 3 flags the best the best H&A year was when we didn't win and looked tired come finals. 19 and 20 we came in strong. When you are the team winning when everything is on the line you are the best team.

That’s a terrible analogy.

 

[Obeanie1]

Melbourne supporters getting nervy and know they are done if they face the cats in finals

Not as nervous as Cats fans.

One or two more hamstring injuries away from falling short again. Old legs, long season and a few more Km to run on the MCG where finals are played.

 

[Duskfire]

That can't be though, Gelong is only on top because of double ups and an easy run?

 

[geelong_crazy26]

Looking at Geelong of 2022 on the surface they appear sensational, however if you dig a little under the surface you will notice one of the most biased draws of all time for a side coming off a Preliminary Final.

• Sides they have doubled up against, Roos, Eagles, Saints, Dogs and Power all outside the 8.
• Of the 7 games only against top 8 sides 3 have been in Geelong, 3 at he MCG and only 1 against the swans away which was a comfortable loss.
• In the 15 games played since round 8 they have played 12 sides outside the 8 with games against Richmond and struggling Carlton at the G and Melbourne at Skilled.
• 5 of their last 8 games at Skilled
• Last 5 games against sides outside the 8.

Yep sure, we are frauds. Expect a turd sandwich from us in finals. No pressure

 

[Daka]

Fraud is not the right word, However if they don't win the Premiership in 2022 it will go down as a huge choke probably similar to our 2018 campaign.

 

[Lavender Bushranger]

So would you say a runner leading going into the last lap of a 1500m is really the best runner even if another runner passes him to win 20m from home? Every team knows to win you need to win the gf going into the season and can plan accordingly.

Of the four year period where we won 3 flags the best the best H&A year was when we didn't win and looked tired come finals. 19 and 20 we came in strong. When you are the team winning when everything is on the line you are the best team.

You're missing my point.

To use your 1500m race analogy, winning that race doesn't mean you're the best. It just means that you won that race on that day

You're not aiming to be the best. Who cares who is the best? The aim is to win that race.
The best runner doesn't always win the 1500 Olympic gold.

Steven Bradbury wasn't the best skater.


The thing is, there's no prize for being the best.

 

[Lavender Bushranger]

When you are the team winning when everything is on the line you are the best team.

I don't disagree.

We're debating semantics in terms of the definition of 'the best'.

 

[Fadge]

So would you say a runner leading going into the last lap of a 1500m is really the best runner even if another runner passes him to win 20m from home? Every team knows to win you need to win the gf going into the season and can plan accordingly.

What if the runner who was leading going into the last lap was the world record holder, hadn't been beaten in 5 years, and only got passed because they twisted their ankle on the home turn and couldn't finish the race?

Would the eventual winner still be regarded as the best runner in the race?

 

[Falcon3518]

I think people that think because a team wins the flag, that they're the best team.

I played in two flags, and in one of them we were definitely not the best team.

They'd finished on top undefeated, beaten us easily twice during the season, and romped in their finals leading up to the GF, whilst we finished 3rd, and won by a point in the prelim to get to the granny!

But we were better on GF day. They were a much better team than us, but that's irrelevant.

The aim of footy isn't to be the best team. It's to win the GF. You don't necessarily need to be the best team to win the flag.

Why have finals then? Just do H&A since minor premiers are the best team of the year. Seems like a waste of time to me. Poor lions supporters their 01-03 team never won a minor premiership, guess they were never the best in the comp.


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[Big Crow]

I think people that think because a team wins the flag, that they're the best team.

I played in two flags, and in one of them we were definitely not the best team.

They'd finished on top undefeated, beaten us easily twice during the season, and romped in their finals leading up to the GF, whilst we finished 3rd, and won by a point in the prelim to get to the granny!

But we were better on GF day. They were a much better team than us, but that's irrelevant.

The aim of footy isn't to be the best team. It's to win the GF. You don't necessarily need to be the best team to win the flag.

Spot on, the two flags I’ve played in we were the second best team all season but got it done in Grand Final day and so were premiers.

Ignoring covid, in the AFL over the last 15 years the premiers have often been the best team of the year that lives in the same state as where the deciding match is hosted.

 

[Bluelegs]

Think Cats and Swans are the head of the pack but don't think the gap is outrageous. If a side can outpressure them for a whole game they will be challenged. Regardless, Geelong have been very impressive to do so well with their age profile.

 

[Big Crow]

Why have finals then? Just do H&A since minor premiers are the best team of the year. Seems like a waste of time to me. Poor lions supporters their 01-03 team never won a minor premiership, guess they were never the best in the comp.


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There are pros and cons to both approaches. If you look at say the English Premier League…

Pro:

• Best team over the course of the whole season takes the title.
• Every match has meaning and is critical to winning the league.

Con:

• Miss out on having what are often thrilling finals matches, where it’s all or nothing.

The downside of the AFL is that in a 23 round season, a lot of games are pretty meaningless because they have very little or no bearing on the ultimate outcome of the season. Becomes a bit like ODI cricket outside a World Cup. This is exacerbated when you have the deciding match locked to a set of teams’ home ground/state no matter what happens over the course of five months of matches. On the upside though you get the excitement of finals.