Autopsy Blue beat Cats by 18 points.

[Kobe Gryant]

I'm not pigeonholing him but I'm worried that he's not a creative forward. I know his main job is to bring the ball to ground and create a contest but I think there is a guy currently in the VFL who can do that but also hit the scoreboard. His name is Kreuger.

It might be time for Neale to go back to the VFL where he can find some confidence. 3 marks & 0.7 goals per game isn't doing it for us at the moment.
It wasn't just this one showing, it's been a pattern for about a month now.

I know people want him in the MSD, but we really should've picked him up regardless

When you've got three guys on the list who genuinely don't look giving us anything in 2025 (Guthrie, Bruhn, Martin) it's especially pronounced with our lack of options.

We're a list that is mid transition, so the depth was always going to be comprised of kids and cooked veterans.

You just can't afford to be playing three men down in that scenario, two of which we should've expected before the season.

 

[fpm84]

Sorry but kinda OT, does anyone know if Mannagh played much VFL as a pure mid, or was he mainly a half forward as he's been at AFL level? Reckon we could do worse than giving him a few centre bounces.

 

[My Tilly]

I know people want him in the MSD, but we really should've picked him up regardless

When you've got three guys on the list who genuinely don't look giving us anything in 2025 (Guthrie, Bruhn, Martin) it's especially pronounced with our lack of options.

We're a list that is mid transition, so the depth was always going to be comprised of kids and cooked veterans.

You just can't afford to be playing three men down in that scenario, two of which we should've expected before the season.

We have to definitely take him now. Neale will need a rest at some point regardless.
Kreuger can also chip in and help at ruck stoppages. He's very talented but also injury-prone. That will be the gamble the club will have to take.

 

[Spearman]

Don't why people bother there, except for after losses for a laugh.

Going over there is like getting into a time machine to 1987.

A time I didn't get to experience, but if it's that Carlton centric, I think I'm okay with where I'm at.

I've found it strange that random Aussies I've come across here (Taiwan), or other places, and not being big AFL fans, have more often than not said the club they liked was Carlton. From 20 somethings to 50 year old.

 

[geelong_crazy26]

I think you're both right.
I think we can simplify it and say our midfield got slaughtered.

They were 2nd best in the contest, clearance, stoppages and on the spread.

Pretty much what I was getting at, which led to my question

 

[Kobe Gryant]

We have to definitely take him now. Neale will need a rest at some point regardless.
Kreuger can also chip in and help at ruck stoppages. He's very talented but also injury-prone. That will be the gamble the club will have to take.

Agreed, but I just doubt he's available.

AFL level KPP's who can play at both ends generally don't stick around in the state leagues for long.

We'd almost need to tamper, or put a select price on his head (can you do that for MSD?)

 

[GlenMiddlemissed]

Wiltshire. Needs a bit of stain remover on the shorts and back to the VFL until the plums drop.

Tough to judge him on one outing but the poor fella looked overwhelmed and way out of his depth.

He’s a bit of a project I think but looks a few years off being a player at AFL level

Same here. I didn't want to say anything last week because I like to support our players rather than criticise, and because I am sure that the coaches and MC know much much better than me, but I had seen little in the VFL to suggest he should have been promoted. Clohesy is a long way ahead of him, and George Stevens, even if slow, shows much more too. It will be interesting to see if he is given another game this week, I think Geelong usually like to give debutants more than one chance.

 

[Art Vandelay_]

Agreed, but I just doubt he's available.

AFL level KPP's who can play at both ends generally don't stick around in the state leagues for long.

We'd almost need to tamper, or put a select price on his head (can you do that for MSD?)

Our only shot would be to convince him not to nominate for the MSD in exchange for a guaranteed DFA selection likely with multiple years as a promise.

 

[Kobe Gryant]

Our only shot would be to convince him not to nominate for the MSD in exchange for a guaranteed DFA selection likely with multiple years as a promise.

Right, but it still doesn't help us in 2025.

Wouldn't be against it though. He's AFL depth if nothing else... something we don't have a lot of at the moment.

 

[Play it Sam]

While I am fired up I'm going to offer some roasts that I will immediately track back on when they start playing well.

-MOC is a liability offensively.

-Neale is basically Henry Playfair in disguise.

-Stengle seems checked out.

-Ollie Henry completely out of form offensively and gives nothing defensively.

-Mullin must be a real good bloke or something.

Disagree on MOC and Stengle. Partly agree on Neale, agree on Henry.

Too much Deja Vu in our house, yelling at the TV : Fecking Mullen Again!!!!

 

[standupand]

Sorry but kinda OT, does anyone know if Mannagh played much VFL as a pure mid, or was he mainly a half forward as he's been at AFL level? Reckon we could do worse than giving him a few centre bounces.

Yeah from memory he played predominantly in midfield for Werribee. Attacking outside goal-scoring midfielder type. Similar role to Smith.

 

[Kobe Gryant]

Yeah from memory he played predominantly in midfield for Werribee. Attacking outside goal-scoring midfielder type. Similar role to Smith.

He's a Zac Bailey clone for mine. More of a burst option than a proper fully fledged midfielder that we need.

Point being, we should still throw him in there more than we do...but he's probably only going to be getting 10 CBA's a game.

Won't solve our problems as such, but when you consider Knevitt and Clark have been getting those all year, then there's slot open where he'll give us more than we've got so far.

 

[CatToTheFuture]

I agree that Danger can't physically play permanent mid anymore, his move forward is as much about preserving his body / prolonging his career as it is about giving more ownership to younger players in the middle.

But it just seems a no brainer that he would play closer to a 50/50 or 60/40 split. There were 26 centre bounces yesterday and Danger only attended six - to my eye they were all in the last quarter when we were attempting a big comeback. I wish we'd swung him into the middle in the second quarter when Carlton effectively set up their match winning lead...

Hard to know how far you can push the old warrior i guess

 

[CatToTheFuture]

So I pushed myself to watch all 18 minutes of this blood bath. My mental health has declined off the back of it and I may not sleep for a few days.

I recommend everyone else watch it too

 

[My Tilly]

So I pushed myself to watch all 18 minutes of this blood bath. My mental health has declined off the back of it and I may not sleep for a few days.

I recommend everyone else watch it too

Is that Jeff White?
Would certainly know his stuff

 

[And_ROOS]

While I am fired up I'm going to offer some roasts that I will immediately track back on when they start playing well.

-MOC is a liability offensively.

-Neale is basically Henry Playfair in disguise.

-Stengle seems checked out.

-Ollie Henry completely out of form offensively and gives nothing defensively.

-Mullin must be a real good bloke or something.

Hey woah Playfair had a purple patch where for a few matches before he injured himself (hand or foot, can't remember which) he was a very good CHF for us.

Also if we drop Neale to get some touch in the VFL, play Henry as a FF from the square. Danger has a new role thats a bit KPF, and a bit Gary Rohan, and Cameron does what Cameron does.

So play Henry in Neales role at CHF. Instruct him to fly for everything or bring it to ground. He has too big a leap for the medium defenders and too quick for the KPD.

Or bring Kolo back into defence, use Blicavs mainly ruck swapping with SDK and put Stanley to FF which is a role he can play and can swap into the ruck if needed.

Neale needs a few weeks in the VFL to find form and be reminded not to take his spot in the team for granted.

 

[BotsMaster]

 

[My Tilly]

Can't help but wonder what the older players like Hocking or Bairstow think about this stuff. It was probably a quarter-to-quarter regular occurrence back then.

I see nothing in that incident whatsoever and hope Cerra gets off.

The forceful swing arms like that of Nash on Miers, they are the ones which need to be made an example of.

 

[cats_09]

Can't help but wonder what the older players like Hocking or Bairstow think about this stuff. It was probably a quarter-to-quarter regular occurrence back then.

I see nothing in that incident whatsoever and hope Cerra gets off.

The forceful swing arms like that of Nash on Miers, they are the ones which need to be made an example of.

I've watched the footage a few times and struggling to see any clear, high contract that would be worthy of a report - should have been a free kick on the day and not sure it warrants more than that

 

[ninjahcat]

I was just reading Jhye Clark's draft profile:

"The Geelong Falcons skipper is just one of those players you can lock in for 250 games without a second thought".

Huh?

I think they meant Poker Stars

 

[Catsace]

Carlton fans going nuts on social media over Danger not getting cited for breaking Silvagni's hand with his pec.

He lost a Brownlow for a textbook tackle on Kreuzer several years ago - what more do they want?

Exactly with the tackle on that complete klutz Kreuzer with his jelly head in 2017. And Danger himself at the end of his HTB against Weitering was slung into the ground in exactly the same fashion, but oh no.....no dangerous tackle on our Danger man. He's been suspended a couple of times for tackles that he himself has been the recipient of a free against numerous times. It actually blows to be honest.

 

[AM]

Sorry PO a lot of what you say is accurate but it’s time to take the rose coloured goggles off with Clark. Unwavering support for Clark when he is clearly not up to it is silly reading. I question your judgement. Same with your support for knevitt for that matter. These guys are not AFL standard unlike a heap of our other young guys

Agreed. I've had misgivings about Knevitt for some time. Clark also has shortcomings, but I'd cut him some slack as he's a relative babe in AFL company. The other player I'm concerned with is Neale who appears to me to be an athlete we are attempting to make into an elite player. To me, he doesn't read the play at all well, that includes the fall of the ball. His positioning, particularly his body-on-body work is poor - get Tomahawk back to work on it with him. Some get taken in by the occasional contested mark he clunks. Do like his work rate.

Blitz was an outstanding footballer as a kid before he decided on athletics. I add that in case a false equivalence is attempted.

 

[Farmer2Goggin]

I'm not pigeonholing him but I'm worried that he's not a creative forward. I know his main job is to bring the ball to ground and create a contest but I think there is a guy currently in the VFL who can do that but also hit the scoreboard. His name is Kreuger.

It might be time for Neale to go back to the VFL where he can find some confidence. 3 marks & 0.7 goals per game isn't doing it for us at the moment.
It wasn't just this one showing, it's been a pattern for about a month now.

Kreuger definitely has AFL attributes and played some solid games forward with the Pies before his body inevitably let him down.
He's certainly worth a look if he has overcome his injury issues by playing less cavalier.

 

[TheYid]

I have hopes for a lot of our new guys. Old guys mostly had a shocker.

Neale is out of form in the last few games. But can't drop him. Good for the structure.

Mullin- never seen a guy get punished by the umps so much in my life. 5 frees against and only 2 were legit. A few in previous games too. But perhaps there's a skill deficit that needs to be ironed out causing this. I think he was better last year and he did have a very good game this year and got some praise for it too. But back to the 2s when kolo is fit.

Wiltshire- not ready. Like his skills though.

Clark- a bit light bodied at AFL level. Reserving judgement long term but back to the 2s.

Ollie Henry- out of form

Stewart- completely out of form. Looks injured- too often.

Holmes- had a poor one by his standards.

I think it's fair to say that now the heart and soul of our team is Tom Atkins

30

Tom Atkins

Age

30

Ht

180cm

Wt

86kg

Pos.

Mid

Career

Season

Last 5

D

11.5

3star

K

5.0

2star

HB

6.5

4star

M

1.4

2star

T

4.3

5star

CL

1.3

3star

D

6.5

1star

K

3.0

1star

HB

3.5

2star

M

0.8

1star

T

1.5

2star

CL

0.5

3star

D

11.6

3star

K

5.0

2star

HB

6.6

4star

M

2.0

3star

T

4.8

5star

CL

1.2

4star

alongside Danger. He's gone up a level this year.

Anyway- we won't beat Pies, and we'll struggle until we play the Eagles looking at the fixture. Thank goodness it's a long season.

That's all.

 

[TheYid]

I think Atkins is tackled as often as he tackles. There is no stat for that but he is HTB more than any player I have seen.

The last three weeks that he's played I think Mannagh gave away 1 more free than Atkins and neither is that bad at giving away frees on the scale of things. IIRC Bowes might be the worst. I can check again when I can be bothered.