Analysis Backline/defence

[Sel2hawk]

I agree it would be good to have 2 of him.
When both Selwoods are in he will be able to play down back. He has to take Rioli round 1 as good as Enright is he can't go with Rioli anymore we all remember what happened last time.

He's too valuable either off HB or through the midfield to be a lock-down small defender. They need to develop someone else

 

[Cronin]

I agree it would be good to have 2 of him.
When both Selwoods are in he will be able to play down back. He has to take Rioli round 1 as good as Enright is he can't go with Rioli anymore we all remember what happened last time.

Yeah down back for a bit is ok, especially when the opposition has a lot of small forwards like a Hawthorn or Fremantle.
But not permanent back pocket like a Josh Hunt; he'd be wasted down there and far more valuable upfield.

That's the problem with our current back 6, they can't handle those versitile small forwardlines, which is why we need a mix of tall and small defenders.
As it stands, both Enright and Mackie will probably start in defence against Hawthorn, which means we'll have;
- Lonergan
- Taylor
- Henderson
playing on the tall/medium forwards

- Enright
- Mackie
- Guthrie(HB probably)
playing on Rioli, Bruest, Puopolo....

You're right about Enright playing on Rioli, that would be a disaster.

What I think they need to do, particularly in this game, is have Enright and Guthrie play off HB, move Mackie to either a wing, bench(or not play him at all) and bring in that other small defender like a Bews(who I'm a fan of and has all the attributes to be a good BP, but needs to develop quicker)
and give them a lock-down job on the deep small forward, whoever that is.

 

[The 747]

He's too valuable either off HB or through the midfield to be a lock-down small defender. They need to develop someone else

Put the fat man back there and make him be accountable until he can get himself fit enough.

 

[Cronin]

Put the fat man back there and make him be accountable until he can get himself fit enough.

I don't want to be 0-8

 

[The 747]

I don't want to be 0-8

Yeah I know, I'm just grumpy with him. Fat contract renewal and he looks like he spent the payrise on food.

 

[Cronin]

Yeah I know, I'm just grumpy with him. Fat contract renewal and he looks like he spent the payrise on food.

Maybe they could hypnotise him to thinking that Rioli is actually a cheeseburger

 

[iameviljez]

Yeah I know, I'm just grumpy with him. Fat contract renewal and he looks like he spent the payrise on food.

Me too. Also the wrong year to do it - the first year in ages where we have two gun midfielders and a seemingly decent ruckman. If he doesn't perform next week, I would actually like the club to take a strong stance and drop him for Round One.
Anyway, back to topic...

 

[iameviljez]

Anyway... with our small defenders, basically it seems to be the compounding effect of all of the veterans being a similar age, and a little bit of bad luck. Enright, Wojcinski, Milburn, Hunt and Mackie are almost peas in a pod for their age bracket and so replacing them all quickly wasn't going to happen as we also had a shortfall of numbers in midfield.

That said, of our draftees for defensive roles, things haven't gone to plan in quite the way we'd want:
Laidler couldn't get a look in, now playing well at Sydney
Hunt didn't make the grade at Geelong, is serviceable at Richmond
Cowan has kicked several black cats into mirrors while standing under a ladder
Smedts has not kicked on, and injuries are not great either
Guthrie is too valuable in the middle
Murdoch needs to become a consistent AFL player this year
Thurlow makes me want to cry a little bit
Varcoe can certainly deliver the ball, but isn't a great contested defender, was traded out for Clark
Cockatoo has potential as a McLeod-esque halfback flank, but is as raw as sushi.

 

[catempire]

*bump*

http://www.geelongadvertiser.com.au...c/news-story/b8ad6ef373eb8985f2a785570f9f1a4e

Champion Data figures reveal the extent of the Cats’ improvement on the last line since Scarlett took the reins of Geelong’s defence over the summer.

The Cats have conceded an average of only 66.4 points a game in the opening five rounds of the season, ranking them second-best in the AFL, marginally behind the Western Bulldogs.

Last year the Cats were ranked 11th in this area after leaking 87.3 points a match — eight times allowing teams to kick more than 100 in a game.

They are yet to have the century kicked against them this year, despite an AFL-wide trend of higher scoring games.

When teams go inside 50 against the Cats, it’s like hitting a trampoline — it comes straight back out.

Geelong is second-best in the comp for forcing a side to give up possession of the ball inside 50 (last year 14th) and is also ranked second for stopping sides from converting forward entries into goals.

http://www.geelongadvertiser.com.au...c/news-story/b8ad6ef373eb8985f2a785570f9f1a4e

 

[PremierCatAttack]

*bump*

http://www.geelongadvertiser.com.au...c/news-story/b8ad6ef373eb8985f2a785570f9f1a4e

http://www.geelongadvertiser.com.au...c/news-story/b8ad6ef373eb8985f2a785570f9f1a4e

Love this, Miserly defence, stingy, mean. Scarlo is the man. It is just awesome that our best ever defender is now teaching our defenders, and he seems to be having a great impact, being able to impart his knowledge well, which some star players come coaches seem to suck at.

 

[vinum coupe]

"Champion backman Tim McGrath" lol

 

[Turbocat]

*bump*

http://www.geelongadvertiser.com.au...c/news-story/b8ad6ef373eb8985f2a785570f9f1a4e

http://www.geelongadvertiser.com.au...c/news-story/b8ad6ef373eb8985f2a785570f9f1a4e

Any advice from someone as knowledgable as Scarlo , would have to enhance any defensive attribute you have... I wonder if he could do something with the likes of Murdoch and Cockatoo ...if players with limited defensive mindset could become better defenders we really would be a stronger side.

I wonder how much work he does with the very young like Parsons etc.

 

[Catastic82]

Hope Scarlo stays long term ....well we might give him a break when he's in his 60's

 

[one eyed cat]

I'm a little afraid of how our defence will go without Enright and Lonergan back there. At the moment they both look light they could play another season.
If they could possibly play on next year it might give us a chance to lure a couple of well known good defenders.
GO CATS.

 

[David the Cat]

I'm a little afraid of how our defence will go without Enright and Lonergan back there. At the moment they both look light they could play another season.
If they could possibly play on next year it might give us a chance to lure a couple of well known good defenders.
GO CATS.

Yes...Enright in particular is irreplaceable. Very hard to imagine a Geelong side without his name on the team sheet.

 

[dazbroncos]

This with Boris - and I know he's about 37, is his form is brilliant.

AS long as the unit is functioning, and the Ruggles/Bews development continues, I don't see why Boris' main detriment, being lack of speed on the little speedy buggers, can't be carried.

If Ruggles, Bews, and Thurlow come back next year and Boris wants to, is given fair break over the summer, his form would certainly allow another lap.

GO Catters

 

[Sttew]

This with Boris - and I know he's about 37, is his form is brilliant.

AS long as the unit is functioning, and the Ruggles/Bews development continues, I don't see why Boris' main detriment, being lack of speed on the little speedy buggers, can't be carried.

If Ruggles, Bews, and Thurlow come back next year and Boris wants to, is given fair break over the summer, his form would certainly allow another lap.

GO Catters

34! Still a baby

 

[4quarter_cat]

I'm a big advocate of Boris playing on. His form has been superb. I think only once Thurlow is back and fully fit can we "afford" (As if we can afford to lose a player of his skill and talent) for Boris to move on. I hope he's give another year.

 

[Sttew]

I'm a big advocate of Boris playing on. His form has been superb. I think only once Thurlow is back and fully fit can we "afford" (As if we can afford to lose a player of his skill and talent) for Boris to move on. I hope he's give another year.

Boris must be thinking to himself, "I'm 34, I'm still playing good football, so I shouldn't rule out playing on in 2017".

The same cannot necessarily be said for Jimmy or Mackie.

 

[iameviljez]

Boris must be thinking to himself, "I'm 34, I'm still playing good football, so I shouldn't rule out playing on in 2017".

The same cannot necessarily be said for Jimmy or Mackie.

Boris is playing outstanding footy, but Jimmy and Mackie (esp. Mackie) can be happy with their seasons so far. That said I do agree that this is probably it for Jim.

 

[Catastic82]

If it is the last year for Jimmy hopefully he can end his career holding up the cup

 

[Cezz The Catter]

That said I do agree that this is probably it for Jim.

Agree with you here mate. Hes not playing his usual high possession game. One thing thats been great by Jimmy this year is his hardness. Theres been multiple times this year were it looks like the opposition are on the rebound only to be cut off by Bartel streaming through midfield and winning a contested ball. Hes lifted us in a few quarter slumps and hes attacking the ball like his midfield days.

 

[GHS33]

Boris must be thinking to himself, "I'm 34, I'm still playing good football, so I shouldn't rule out playing on in 2017".

The same cannot necessarily be said for Jimmy or Mackie.

Mackie kept Wingard to two kicks last week. His season has been quality so far.

 

[evolutionbaby]

Developing players like Kolo, Ruggles and the acquisition of Henderson has taken the pressure of the old stagers. With the workload spread a bit more, I've noticed that Enright and Mackie look a lot more relaxed in general. Ruggles is the best find imho for allowing Guthrie to stay in the midfield.

 

[Spyder]

Boris is playing outstanding footy, but Jimmy and Mackie (esp. Mackie) can be happy with their seasons so far. That said I do agree that this is probably it for Jim.

Pretty please hit 300 games Jim!