Can Thompson win us a flag?

Joined
Mar 20, 2004
Posts
31,425
Likes
55,512
Location
Melbourne
AFL Club
Geelong
Thread starter Moderator #1
It's only half an hour or so since the end of the match on TV, so this is rush of blood to the head stuff, but I have serious doubts about Thompson's ability to take us to a flag.

The reason? I know longer doubt that we have the cattle to win any match we go into. BUT, I consistently doubt that we will play with the state of mind and with the approach to the game that will win us most games.

We barely played a half of good football tonight. In the second half we played junk football - bombing the ball into the top of the square and hoping for the best. It's just not going to win us games playing like that. In fact, there isn't a full forward out there who would have made a difference for us tonight, so please, spare me the threads on "which forward we are going to trade for this year".

Pathetic effort Geelong. Pathetic effort Thompson. I'm seething that I am associated with such a pathetic team. Can't believe another year has been wasted.
 

(Log in to remove this ad.)

cats2rise

Premium Platinum
Joined
Apr 10, 2005
Posts
19,818
Likes
13,389
AFL Club
Geelong
Other Teams
Tottenham
#2
The question has to be asked, has he done all he can with the players?

No doubt in my mind though that he has done a great job to get this list since 2000
 
Joined
May 30, 2004
Posts
92
Likes
71
Location
Victoria
AFL Club
Geelong
Other Teams
Geelong
#3
I think at the moment our team is physically stuffed because in the third quarter we seemed to stop totally and had no drive. Channel 9 commentators were saying we have an issue with speed, I disagree Tenace, Byrnes and Gazza have heaps of Pace. I think while our forwards were out of sorts tonight delivery was not great and I think guys being underdone lacking match fitness is really hurting us. Watching the last two weeks I think we have shown how much we miss David Wojcinski his run and energy out of defence is something we miss cause they provide a spark. I hope at least we can make the 8 from here and play good footy again cause at the moment we are a flat as we have been for a long time. Perhaps we just arent there yet in terms of seriously challenging but there is no excuse for losing to sides who on our best day we would defeat no matter who it was.
 
Joined
Oct 9, 2004
Posts
25
Likes
0
Other Teams
Geelong
#4
cats2rise said:
The question has to be asked, has he done all he can with the players?

No doubt in my mind though that he has done a great job to get this list since 2000
Only 5 years to make this list what it is today, thats sensational. What is it that our list is now? Ah I know, a list that loses to sides below us on the ladder. You cant help to be so proud.........................
The sooner Thompson gets the flick the better...............
 
Joined
Mar 30, 2005
Posts
215
Likes
0
Location
Melbourne
Other Teams
Geelong - Go Cats!
#7
i like him and think he has done a great job with the side
especially keeping them altogether considering so many were out of contract
i hope he sticks around as he deserves to be there if we ever win a flag
 

patdman

All Australian
Joined
Sep 28, 2004
Posts
701
Likes
4
Location
Brunswick
AFL Club
Geelong
Other Teams
NFL Patriots, NBA Celtics/Suns
#8
There aren't many coaches that you could say could definitely take any team to a premiership.
The only coaches you would answer yes for, are the coaches who have already won flags. I doubt that Laidley, Danniher, Craig, Worsfold (Eagles only??), Roos, Connolly, Clarkson, Thomas, etc could take us to a flag either.
I think Bomber's a good coach, but not a great coach...Eade & Wallace have both brought teams to within a wisker of a flag, but Bomber has almost done as much with the Cats as Wallace did with the Doggies, and while Eade is a well regarded coach (inlcuding by me), he still isn't a premiership coach.

I've got no problem with us sticking with Bomber for another couple of years...short contracts, try keep him honest. He has had some bad luck with injuries this year, and while you could say a super coach would have pinched a couple more extra wins, I think Bomber should still have at least a few credits left in the bag.
 
Joined
Mar 20, 2004
Posts
31,425
Likes
55,512
Location
Melbourne
AFL Club
Geelong
Thread starter Moderator #9
I've had time to settle down now and to let the alcohol wear off...

I am still angry at Thompson because I think he is tactically deficient. He seems to be reactive and not all that keen to try something different when things aren't going right. But...

He's clearly done a lot with the group of players he has at his disposal. He's turned the team around from a rabble to a fairly respectable team (most weeks). The team has been hit hard by injuries and that hasn't made his job any easier. Still...

I think it will get to the point - probably some time next season - when it dawns on both him and the club that there's not a whole lot more he can do to try and bring home that elusive flag.

I hope I'm wrong but that's my feeling at the mo'.
 

rickster

Team Captain
Joined
Dec 5, 2000
Posts
426
Likes
70
Location
Geelong
AFL Club
Geelong
#10
catempire said:
I think it will get to the point - probably some time next season - when it dawns on both him and the club that there's not a whole lot more he can do to try and bring home that elusive flag.
A lot of things must go right for a team to win the flag.

Firstly a good run with injuries. I know this has been done to death but there is no way we could sustain good form with our first choice CHB having played 10-12 out of 18 games, same with first (and second) choice rucks, CHF four weeks off with broken jaw, etc.

Thompson can only do so much with these limitations. I am not making excuses but sometimes the players are the ones that are accountable. The mindset for the Freo and Bulldog games is something that would be hard to overcome with any coach except maybe Leigh Matthews.

Just remember that the season isn't over yet. We are all talking like it is but funny things can happen - look at Adelaide 97/98.
 

(Log in to remove this ad.)

thehoff

Club Legend
Joined
Jul 11, 2005
Posts
2,975
Likes
5
Location
Never Never Land
AFL Club
Geelong
Other Teams
GEELONG
#13
clubsport said:
Every now and then you need a good laugh like this............................
How many years have you coached AFL? Do you know what is involved with coaching at AFL ranks?

If you dont, i would suggest no-one knows the answer apart from the players and coaching staff at the football club and from what the players and staff say, Bomber is the right man to take us forward. Who are we to argue?

Maybe you could suggest you know better as you have coached the Koo Wee Rup Under 9's netball team to their first wooden spoon.
 
Joined
Oct 9, 2004
Posts
25
Likes
0
Other Teams
Geelong
#14
thehoff said:
How many years have you coached AFL? Do you know what is involved with coaching at AFL ranks?

If you dont, i would suggest no-one knows the answer apart from the players and coaching staff at the football club and from what the players and staff say, Bomber is the right man to take us forward. Who are we to argue?

Maybe you could suggest you know better as you have coached the Koo Wee Rup Under 9's netball team to their first wooden spoon.
Have you truly been watching the Cats lately? I mean the club that is losing to the sides well below them! Well I can tell your another Cat supporter who settles with mediocrety and thats great if you want to keep watching the Grand final with other teams in it.
One good year in the last 5 thats special. Wake up and smell the roses we have a great list and a one dimensional coach that will take us nowhere but you can already see that.
You should be more passionate and no longer settle accept average because that is how we play with Thompson at the helm. I only want to actually see one premiership before Im cremated,now Im off to Koo Wee Rup.........that was a good one.
 

Copernicus

Brownlow Medallist
Joined
Jul 17, 2004
Posts
11,420
Likes
1,190
Location
Hotlanta
AFL Club
Geelong
Other Teams
UGA, KSU, Knox C.C
#16
ablettjnr said:
Can Thompson win us a flag?
I think the question here is can the players win a f'ing game?
Not right now, no. Do we have anyone to come back next week? Do we have any bloody players left?
 

ablettjnr

Club Legend
Suspended
Joined
May 25, 2005
Posts
2,723
Likes
2
Location
Geelong
AFL Club
Geelong
Other Teams
Centrals
#17
copernicus said:
Not right now, no. Do we have anyone to come back next week? Do we have any bloody players left?
Well, we were scraping the bottom of the barrel this week (26 to choose from I think) and now with the loss of Chappy and Enright, we are back to as bad as it has been this season.
 

Copernicus

Brownlow Medallist
Joined
Jul 17, 2004
Posts
11,420
Likes
1,190
Location
Hotlanta
AFL Club
Geelong
Other Teams
UGA, KSU, Knox C.C
#18
We might as well just play the bloody VFL side. Oh wait....

All joking aside, bloody hell it's frustrating. Players in and out, half the team lacking match fitness and confidence. No wonder the year is down the gurgler.
 

thehoff

Club Legend
Joined
Jul 11, 2005
Posts
2,975
Likes
5
Location
Never Never Land
AFL Club
Geelong
Other Teams
GEELONG
#19
clubsport said:
Have you truly been watching the Cats lately? I mean the club that is losing to the sides well below them! Well I can tell your another Cat supporter who settles with mediocrety and thats great if you want to keep watching the Grand final with other teams in it.
One good year in the last 5 thats special. Wake up and smell the roses we have a great list and a one dimensional coach that will take us nowhere but you can already see that.
You should be more passionate and no longer settle accept average because that is how we play with Thompson at the helm. I only want to actually see one premiership before Im cremated,now Im off to Koo Wee Rup.........that was a good one.
Mate, I think people too often blame the coaches for things that are in no relation their fault. People were singing Bombers praises last year when he had us firing and at the start of the year. I think you would have been one of them.

How can the coach go from being a super star to to a dud overnight? I am not a supporter who is happy to accept poor performances, but i am realistic. I have never coached AFL, neither have you. If the players and the club think he is the right man to go forward then who are we to challenge it?

The coach cannot get out there and physically do the hard work, if he could he would. I think bomber is the right man for the job at the moment and are more than happy with his efforts at this point of the year considering our current available list, the result last night was ok. I thought a rampaging St Kilda would have rolled us by 80+ points. I think most geelong supporters would agree with that, however we did way too many stupid things!

In closing, until Leigh Matthews comes out of contract, bomber is the best man for the job.
 

LongBomb

Brownlow Medallist
Joined
May 17, 2004
Posts
10,538
Likes
3,804
AFL Club
Geelong
Other Teams
Good bloke
#20
We have half our VFL side running around in the seniors at the moment.
I can't blame Bomber for that.
 

della

Team Captain
Joined
Nov 24, 2001
Posts
493
Likes
2
Location
Melb - Eastern
AFL Club
Geelong
Other Teams
Geelong
#21
we had 3-4 players missing yeah, but that isnt the reason our forwards don't try and our midfield gets beaten, can't use injuries as an excuse, the effort was too poor by to many players still
 
Joined
Oct 9, 2004
Posts
25
Likes
0
Other Teams
Geelong
#22
della said:
we had 3-4 players missing yeah, but that isnt the reason our forwards don't try and our midfield gets beaten, can't use injuries as an excuse, the effort was too poor by to many players still
Couldnt have said it better. Lets just keep making excuses..........
 
Joined
Oct 9, 2004
Posts
25
Likes
0
Other Teams
Geelong
#23
thehoff said:
How can the coach go from being a super star to to a dud overnight?
I thought a rampaging St Kilda would have rolled us by 80+ points. I think most geelong supporters would agree with that, however we did way too many stupid things!
thehoff said:
Easy he was never a superstar and will never win us a flag.
So you accept a 40+ point flogging is acceptable ? Thats mightly comendable from you. Do you remember we actually beat St.Kilda in the first part of the season and the Bulldogs and Essendon............just keep singing his praises....or......keep using injuries as an excuse. Go and buy the 1963 GF on dvd its the only time you may see Geelong actually win one.
 
Top Bottom