Autopsy Argh Bugger - Tigers by 24

[Sire of Claude]

Apparently Parfitt is a bona fide A-grader who has just lost form and confidence because he was left out of the team towards the end of last season. This is speculation.

In reality Parfitt has never been A-grade: he used to be able to scrounge a few kicks and lay tackles but even that is not happening now. His disposal has always been extremely poor. I was at the ground when he played his very first game and everything was evident right there and then.

Certainly he can play better and could be useful backup, but he is always going to be the same extremely limited player.

 

[CHAWKTS]

Close plays and we win IMO. Connection between our mids and forwards was messy, Miers did a power of work but he needed help. Closes impact on the team dynamics is huge, he aint danger but he's often either the last tackle that stops the opposition or the link man who connects the inside mid with the flankers.

You might be right. In fact I want to believe that you are right - I love Close and I want to believe he would have made the difference.

But I am not so sure. The messy connection was often straight out of the middle rather than link play.

Close has had a nice last 5 weeks after a terrible first 3 (to mirror the team) but we do need to now wait and see how the team goes over the next month or so before we know whether we have easy fixes (ie. just get some players back).

If you look at our first 3 wins this year (after the 3 losses) they were against frankly roadkill (all bottom 4 teams at the moment - including Sydney). Every team has returned to form against Hawks, WC and Swans…. Close did return to form in those games but in reality I am not convinced that is a good form line. Even Essendon we played in the middle of a 5 game losing streak.

Adelaide no doubt was a great win and Close was part of that (although not the same level as the weeks before). So I am not convinced that he would have made the difference this week. But it is just a view (that can’t be substantiated!)

Outside of Close, What I am interested in now is whether our 5-4 is the same as last years 5-4

in 2022 we had played 4 games against teams that all won finals (and 3 of them were top 4 teams) and then 5 against bottom 8 teams although St Kilda opened up 8 and 3 so we got them in form. We had just as many injuries last year as we have had this year At same time I think

In 2023 I reckon only 1 team we have played so far will make the top 8 (maybe 2)! (Collingwood will…and Adelaide might?). That is a pretty sobering thought. Now maybe it doesn’t matter as we will end up playing the other top sides when we have full team back….

In the back half of the year when we won our last 13 season games we played 7 of them against top 8 teams. This year will be about the same (guessing who will end up top 8) so maybe we are in the same position - hard to read.

 

[Goggin Our Best]

Apparently Parfitt is a bona fide A-grader who has just lost form and confidence because he was left out of the team towards the end of last season. This is speculation.

In reality Parfitt has never been A-grade: he used to be able to scrounge a few kicks and lay tackles but even that is not happening now. His disposal has always been extremely poor. I was at the ground when he played his very first game and everything was evident right there and then.

Certainly he can play better and could be useful backup, but he is always going to be the same extremely limited player.

Spot on - and back in the day he would be at Church St Geelong West - because that is his level

And the problem for him ( but he will have a tidy bank balance ) but football wise - but when anyone has left Geel in the last 10-15 years it has been very bleak at their new club - because they havent got Patrick and Joel carrying them

With the exception of McCarthy ( and hes only benefited because he has had an injury free run ) but anyone who has left - they havent lasted very long at their new club

The problem with alot of supporters when it comes to rating players - its just blue sky -pure blue sky - blue sky - blue sky -

 

[Romeoh1]

In a strange way, it’s been fortunate that we had a long injury list at this point in the season. We have been able to give guys like Bruhn, Sav, Knevitt, Bowes, Dempsey, Parfitt and O.Henry multiple games.

If we didn’t have the injuries, I expect some of these guys would have just gotten the one or two games here and there.

If a player isn’t in our finals team, it won’t be because they didn’t get an opportunity to show what they can bring.

Now let’s just get to the finals!


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Agree- and if we can just hang in there and cadge a few wins till we get people back, just need to be close enough, we will be good to go in September. Really pleased to be getting games into the kids- they are all promising. And if it’s just a step too far this year with the injury toll, so be it- bad luck but can’t complain.

 

[Phipppppa]

Great video posted by a pretty committed cats fan. Love his content, look at him having a go at dusty towards the end. Didn’t seem to be alone in doing so…

 

[CatToTheFuture]

Close plays and we win IMO. Connection between our mids and forwards was messy, Miers did a power of work but he needed help. Closes impact on the team dynamics is huge, he aint danger but he's often either the last tackle that stops the opposition or the link man who connects the inside mid with the flankers.

Not just that but I'd like to see the numbers for tigers back half score launches. Close probably adds a couple of goals and stops one or two as well

 

[Strange Cat]

For all our losses this year we haven’t been blown off the park and yet we win well

Not that concerned looking at it like this , get some key players back and the gap should be bridged in the future

 

[gogeelongcats]

I think the club intended to start slowly in a long season.
The unexpected injuries have caused the issue

At this stage we have only beaten the teams near the bottom

Need to improve big time and quickly.

 

[gogeelongcats]

many more in the backs being paid in the Collingwood GWS game Sunday night. More salt in the wound

All we ask for is consistency.

 

[Vdubs]

Who are our best 5 after 9 rounds?
I'm thinking-
Cameron
Danger
Hawkins
Sav
Miers
(Blicavs always close)

 

[cats_09]

Who are our best 5 after 9 rounds?
I'm thinking-
Cameron
Danger
Hawkins
Sav
Miers
(Blicavs always close)

Cameron
Miers
Dangerfield
O'Connor
Hawkins

 

[catempire]

At this stage we have only beaten the teams near the bottom

We have only played two teams in the 8 and we are 1-1!

 

[cats_09]

 

[CHAWKTS]

We have only played two teams in the 8 and we are 1-1!

And I am not convince that the team we beat in the 8 will stay in…Adelaide have had a soft draw so far

 

[CatToTheFuture]

And I am not convince that the team we beat in the 8 will stay in…Adelaide have had a soft draw so far

I still wouldn't be making bets on a sample size of 1 then

 

[catempire]

And I am not convince that the team we beat in the 8 will stay in…Adelaide have had a soft draw so far

8th spot is probably the most interesting uncertainty in play. The top 7 is set IMO. Maybe the Dogs are slightly vulnerable given poor percentage.

I agree the Crows have had a good run but it’s hard to argue they are not clearly better than all those below them. They have half a game on Carlton and a full game and healthy % on the rest. They are well placed if their young team can hold it together.

Below them are a lot of troubled sides. Carlton’s woes are well documented. Essendon had fallen off a cliff since their good start. Richmond, for all the talk of “being back”, are a game and a half out of the 8 and still need probably 10 wins out of the last 14 with 7 of those against sides in the 8 currently.

 

[Romeoh1]

And I am not convince that the team we beat in the 8 will stay in…Adelaide have had a soft draw so far

They will make the 8 surely? They are good. They will belt a few teams over there and end up with a decent percentage.

 

[Ricky Vaughn]

Who are our best 5 after 9 rounds?
I'm thinking-
Cameron
Danger
Hawkins
Sav
Miers
(Blicavs always close)

Cameron
Danger
Miers
Esava
Holmes

If I’m guessing the b&f order.

 

[Kobe Gryant]

The cocka said we'll get a couple back next week. Close obviously, SDK, Stengle, maybe Henry. All but Stanley and Menegola will be back before the bye, and that's only a couple of weeks away.

I wouldn't write off top 4 just yet. We finished two games clear on top from this position last year. Not saying we'll repeat that, but the reality is that we could drop at least another 2-3 and still get there.

Adding to that, Dees and Pies are likely to finish top 2, so for us it's a moot point whether we finish top 4 or top 2, we get the same opponent and venue either way.

 

[Mr Meow]

The concern is that injuries are out of our control and compounding.
This has not been planned.

The umpiring was an issue and our club must bring this up.

Hawkins and Holmes were very poor after halftime.
Based on that performance Parfitt should not play again.
Duncan must improve quickly. I think it will be his last year.

As a team, we had no cohesion and were too hesitant.

Bruhn and glimpses from Clark were the positives.

25 touches and 5 clearances at 85% efficiency, listed in our best players in the AFL report (behind Miers and Atkins). It is mind boggling how harshly people mark him. He had a poor run of 3 weeks. His last 2 have been very good.

 

[Mr Meow]

It's pretty hard at a game trying to figure out who is playing on who but it seems we try to get Stewart onto the poorest forward we can whilst the opposition try to get him onto the best forward they can. He plays an attacking game and when the ball gets turned over as it did on Friday night he gets caught out big time. Often getting caught in no man's land between the ball and his player. He needs to have a full strength backline around him. Kolo and Jack Henry provide a a lot of cover for him. Without them both there I think he leaks 2-4 goals a game.

Am I miles off or does anyone else see it like me?

Probably a bit harsh or overstated, but I know what you mean. We didn't have many defenders winning 50/50s or applying necessary pressure either, which doesn't help. But yeah the butchering the ball exposes us as a defensive group and we need SDK + Henry in ASAP.

 

[Mr Meow]

Adding to that, Dees and Pies are likely to finish top 2, so for us it's a moot point whether we finish top 4 or top 2, we get the same opponent and venue either way.

Yep. Probably need 16 wins and to finish above two of Port, St Kilda and Brisbane. St Kilda have a soft draw but aren't looking too imposing. The others we'll have big 8 pointers against away from home.

 

[Kobe Gryant]

Yep. Probably need 16 wins and to finish above two of Port, St Kilda and Brisbane. St Kilda have a soft draw but aren't looking too imposing. The others we'll have big 8 pointers against away from home.

I have us winning every game with only real fears over the Collingwood, Brisbane and Port games.

If we can win out everywhere else, all we have to do is win one of those games where we'll be outsiders. I'll back us to get that done.

 

[Mr Meow]

Outside of Close, What I am interested in now is whether our 5-4 is the same as last years 5-4

in 2022 we had played 4 games against teams that all won finals (and 3 of them were top 4 teams) and then 5 against bottom 8 teams although St Kilda opened up 8 and 3 so we got them in form. We had just as many injuries last year as we have had this year At same time I think

In 2023 I reckon only 1 team we have played so far will make the top 8 (maybe 2)! (Collingwood will…and Adelaide might?). That is a pretty sobering thought. Now maybe it doesn’t matter as we will end up playing the other top sides when we have full team back….

In the back half of the year when we won our last 13 season games we played 7 of them against top 8 teams. This year will be about the same (guessing who will end up top 8) so maybe we are in the same position - hard to read.

I'd say Adelaide are a good chance to make it based on their home form. So 1-1 for top 8 teams. The games against Bulldogs, Melbourne, Port Adelaide, Brisbane and St Kilda will be telling. We probably need to go 3-2 from those games at the bare minimum, but 4 if we are seriously back in form with our players returned.

 

[Mr Meow]

I have us winning every game with only real fears over the Collingwood, Brisbane and Port games.

If we can win out everywhere else, all we have to do is win one of those games where we'll be outsiders. I'll back us to get that done.

Agreed. If we drop those and win every other game we'll sneak into 4th I reckon. Unless Port and Brisbane are incredibly consistent on the road.