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Are we cracking under pressure?

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mcwilrob

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Following article in the Addy makes some valid points and there is certainly a case to be made that the boys have not been handling pressure against better sides. Poor clearance stats also a big concern - and related to pressure also.

http://www.geelongadvertiser.com.au/article/2011/08/29/275611_gfc.html

Is the all-conquering GFC on the wane as so many pundits predicted at start of '11 or just bored until finals start???

Discuss....
 
This outfit has been in this same position basically for the last 5 years....

On top or bloody close to it come the last 2 -3 rounds of the season.

Never for a second do I believe that they are deliberately playing 75% footy to preserve for the finals.

That said, with the "General" so much in play, the 2 spot locked in, CS as much said that he is lining this team for the finals it is not impossible to accept that the team may not be 100% focused on the outcome of the last 2 games of the year.

The clearances are interesting stat for sure.... but with the team perhaps not going as hard at it there could be the reason.... it is certainly playing with fire but I would expect that some of the recent weeks drop could be accounted for...

The game against the Hawks will be like the GF in my mind....
Clearance numbers should rebound here I have no doubt....

GO Catters...
 
Not really sure what pressure there is, apart from the expectations the group has internally of one another, and to a lesser extent the supporter group. Collingwood are really the only club under external pressure IMO. They are deserved favourites.

As you pointed out, the pundits expected a slide from us this year, the boys quickly dispelled that. The importance of lead-up matches to finals can be (and has been) debated to death.

Were we expected to handle Syndey? Absolutely. Who had more to play for? Them, without question. I give Sydney bugger all chance of winning the flag, but if they get a home final they are more likely to progress first week. I doubt next will reveal much either, both us and Pies will want to win but there's not much reward.

Whatever pressure the boys are feeling, you'll know fairly early in the first final how it's being handled.
 
At least the human rabbit trap (Kelly)is looking for some tuff stuff out of the Cats Friday night, I hope they deliver,its many many weeks since were cracked in lower, harder and stuck big tackles.
Time to flex some mussel,I don't reckon were cracking under pressure,I just think the pressure has been all one way the last two games.
 

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you pick one said:
At least the human rabbit trap (Kelly)is looking for some tuff stuff out of the Cats Friday night, I hope they deliver,its many many weeks since were cracked in lower, harder and stuck big tackles.
Time to flex some mussel,I don't reckon were cracking under pressure,I just think the pressure has been all one way the last two games.
Click to expand...

There's a good supply of freshies down at Fishermans Basin. :thumbsu:
 
Hopefully, in five weeks we will look back and say, "Yes our form in Rounds 22 - 24 was patchy, but the boys were clearly focused on the bigger picture, and it paid off".

I dream....
 
Sttew said:
Hopefully, in five weeks we will look back and say, "Yes our form in Rounds 22 - 24 was patchy, but the boys were clearly focused on the bigger picture, and it paid off".

I dream....
Click to expand...


That's exactly what happened in 2009. I remember Bomber Thompson even saying that post-premiership, that he was worried, but somehow once the finals started, they just clicked into a different mode.

We all expected that to then happen in 2010... but it didn't.

I wonder which September this will most resemble... 2009 or 2010??
 
cat in sydney said:
That's exactly what happened in 2009. I remember Bomber Thompson even saying that post-premiership, that he was worried, but somehow once the finals started, they just clicked into a different mode.

We all expected that to then happen in 2010... but it didn't.

I wonder which September this will most resemble... 2009 or 2010?
Click to expand...

Personally, I am hoping for a 2007 like performance.
:thumbsu:
 
Footy_Fan2007 said:
What pressure? We havent played finals yet so how can we be cracking? :confused:
The season doesn't start till next week.
Click to expand...

Exactly. The Cats were under no pressure in their games against Sydney and Adelaide, the games meant absolutely nothing to them. They were playing against sides that were treating the games as a mini grand final. When Geelong has played against the top premiership contenders (Hawthorn and Collingwood) this year, they haven't played perfect football, but I think they've comfortably been the better team in all three encounters and, more importantly, they've taken home the four points all three times.
 

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I'm not too worried. Sydney and Adelaide threw the kitchen sink at us, while we had nothing to play for. I might be a bit more concerned if we play like we did last week on friday, but even then it doesn't matter a whole lot. It would be a lot more concerning if we played like we did against Adelaide and Sydney against teams such as Collingwood and Hawthorn midway through the season. We were crap at the end of 2009 in the lead up to the finals because we didn't really need to win, so obviously we just need to have a little faith in the team :)
 
We are being outmuscled which is finals type football.
This is compounded by non existent key forwards, a weak ruck division and a team which is not settled. Up to a couple of weaks ago the coaches did not know what our est team looked like.
We have had a good year but appear to have run out of steam as the other clubs are ramping up for the finals
 
Gogeelong said:
We are being outmuscled which is finals type football.
This is compounded by non existent key forwards, a weak ruck division and a team which is not settled. Up to a couple of weaks ago the coaches did not know what our est team looked like.
We have had a good year but appear to have run out of steam as the other clubs are ramping up for the finals
Click to expand...

He's only a rookie-coach. :)
 
Kavliaris69 said:
The might of the Hawks are comin at you guys. Then you will really see the cracks appear in the pussy cats.
Click to expand...

yawn.....

yawn yawn.....

Yes you are a good team. So are we. This week means nothing - and while the win next week is far more important..... a loss is not the end of the season.

I'll take quiet belief over cage rattling confidence anyday...

The lid is still WELL on here...

Go Catters....
 

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I don't think it's pressure, this team has sustained more intense pressure than this before, they are champions. Brent Harvey actually mentioned on SEN tonight that he has some pretty close friends at the cattery and he has heard they are in a heavy training load. Last time there were rumours of a heavy training load I think we lost to Essendon and WC.

Anyone think there's any truth to this? Might explain why we looked so tired and flat against Sydney and Adelaide?
 
JSelwoodisKing said:
I don't think it's pressure, this team has sustained more intense pressure than this before, they are champions. Brent Harvey actually mentioned on SEN tonight that he has some pretty close friends at the cattery and he has heard they are in a heavy training load. Last time there were rumours of a heavy training load I think we lost to Essendon and WC.

Anyone think there's any truth to this? Might explain why we looked so tired and flat against Sydney and Adelaide?
Click to expand...

It would be interesting if they were doing it so close to finals. Normally it's done a little earlier (Rd15-18ish).

Although, having said that, apparently they were in a heavy training load for the Essendon (Rd15) & WC (Rd16) games, then had victories of 62pts (Richmond Rd18), 186pts (Melbourne Rd19) and 150pts (GC Rd20).

Maybe they're thinking that the two-four week period after a heavy training load is the time of peak performance. If that's the case, then a heavy training load in rounds 21-24 (incl bye) could have us set up for peak performance in finals!

Would at least fit with the less than sparkling form in the Adelaide and Sydney games.

I'm going with that theory anyway - sounds good! :D:thumbsu:
 
We are an ageing unsettled list whose intensity has dropped. You need youth to reinvigorate the team.

The youth have to come through quickly or we will be in quick decline. It is not enough to mention a few names as the team has to be rebuilt. Have the players we have introduced been more damaging than those of the other teams?? Over the next 2 years there should be massive changes or we will say stuck in the mud.
 

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