cat enforcers

[smelly cat]

Following on from a post I made last week...

"...From my experience I believe that backlines, not forwards do the most damage in Grandfinals. Flashy gets crushed in finals. Goal sneaks get shirt fronted. Enforcers rule, lightweights get driven into the dirt...."

Brisbane had heaps: Voss, Michael, Leppitch, Scott bros, Lynch, Brown, Pike. Probably a fair few others. Those blokes absolutely MONSTERED teams during thier 3 years on top. And with guys like this in their grand final sides, it's no wonder they won three. Remember when they spanked us at Skilled a few years back? Corey got his shoulder popped out by Voss. Bomber said it was "boys against men." Now it's our time.

If the cat's have any hope of being a dominant team, they must start packing some serious arsenal in their handbags. Skills are great, but we also need some mongrels, people who intimidate.

Here's who I reckon could step up to the plate

Mooney: He's an animal. Already the team's main enforcer
Rooke: Hard and bruising. Another year and I reckon he could have a physical presence in the middle like mooney.
Henry: He has the size, but he needs to get angry. Someone up forward has to do it. And lets face it, it wont be Kent. Or Charlie. The 175cm Chappy has more presence at times than Henry.
Lingy: Similar size to Vossy. He definately looks more frightening. Needs to shake the nice guy tag and start softening people up.
Josh Hunt: he has the physique to bruise.
Shannon Byrnes: no
Steven King: Ruckman Damian Bourke when captain was a tough bastard. Kingy needs to get amongst it too and lead from the front
Scarlett: But he just doesn't look tough with that haircut.
Egan: Has potential. Maybe.

A few notable mentions (but a bit on the small/ skinny side): Chapman, D. Johnson, Milburn and a few others

Anyways, what do you guys think?? Who has the potential to be like the Hardwicks, Solomons, Ricciuto, Archers etc? Every top team needs them.

btw I reckon Bomber should start Mooney and Rooke in the centre against Carlton this week and put the fear of God into Stevens, Murphy, Kouta and co.

 

[Shell]

Following on from a post I made last week...

Brisbane had heaps: Voss, Michael, Leppitch, Scott bros, Lynch, Brown, Pike. Probably a fair few others. Those blokes absolutely MONSTERED teams during thier 3 years on top. And with guys like this in their grand final sides, it's no wonder they won three. Remember when they spanked us at Skilled a few years back? Corey got his shoulder popped out by Voss. Bomber said it was "boys against men." Now it's our time.

If the cat's have any hope of being a dominant team, they must start packing some serious arsenal in their handbags. Skills are great, but we also need some mongrels, people who intimidate.

A few notable mentions (but a bit on the small/ skinny side): Chapman, D. Johnson, Milburn and a few others

Anyways, what do you guys think?? Who has the potential to be like the Hardwicks, Solomons, Ricciuto, Archers etc? Every top team needs them.

btw I reckon Bomber should start Mooney and Rooke in the centre against Carlton this week and put the fear of God into Stevens, Murphy, Kouta and co.

Yeah i remember that game all too well. I have basically front row seats in the outer at KP and when those guys came near the fence.. holy cow, they were HUGE. Always knew then we were gonna get spanked thet day!

As for the intimidation factor, its a fine line i think. If you go too close to it or go over it, you just wind up at the tribunal dont you? And where does that get ya? Mooney is a classic example of this.

btw I rekon Bomber wouldnt have ta worry about putting the fear of god into Stevens and co.! I think we'll be okay putting em away on Sat!

 

[smelly cat]

As for the intimidation factor, its a fine line i think. If you go too close to it or go over it, you just wind up at the tribunal dont you? And where does that get ya? Mooney is a classic example of this.

Totally agree with you- i don't want blokes getting suspended.
BUT
As you said, Brisbane were huge and intimidating. That day at skilled they monstered us and drove us into the turf. But it was fair and square- they didn't get suspensions.
Our kids have grown up. We have to do that to the lesser clubs now.
Mooney (despite a few brain implosions) was able to keep out of trouble for most of the year whilst still being a ferocious and physical competitor. That's what I'm looking for. You never saw Vossy getting suspended heaps, but that guy had an incredible physical presence. For Geelong to finally raise the premiership cup, some of our blokes have to step up in that facet of the game this year.

Aggression at the ball, at the contest and at the man with the ball.
Ground and Pound

 

[Shell]

Totally agree with you- i don't want blokes getting suspended.
BUT
As you said, Brisbane were huge and intimidating. That day at skilled they monstered us and drove us into the turf. But it was fair and square- they didn't get suspensions.
Our kids have grown up. We have to do that to the lesser clubs now.
Mooney (despite a few brain implosions) was able to keep out of trouble for most of the year whilst still being a ferocious and physical competitor. That's what I'm looking for. You never saw Vossy getting suspended heaps, but that guy had an incredible physical presence. For Geelong to finally raise the premiership cup, some of our blokes have to step up in that facet of the game this year.

Aggression at the ball, at the contest and at the man with the ball.
Ground and Pound

Cant disagree with ya there! I guess all that comes with experience and time (ie. physically getting bigger and mental toughness). Remember Brisbane didnt just step up and win three flags in a row. They did their time in the finals. I went to a couple of prelims of theirs where they got flogged!

If Geelong can minimise their injuries (i know it's been said time n time again), i dont think we'll have not one excuse! St Kilda are in the same category. This year will be very very interesting to say the least!

 

[Mr Sensitive]

Steve Johnson is one fella who likes to get stuck in and iron out the odd opponent, just ask James Hird and Luke Power... that is when he's actually on the ground

 

[tomthabuddah]

Bartel and milburn can put on good hits.

 

[GeeCat]

As most have alluded to, there's a fine line between team-lifting, bone-crunching intimidation techniques, and plain stupidity. We've all seen it and experienced it before, so we know what's it like to be on either receiving end.

That being said, I don't think we'll ever be that type of team to adopt that Brisbane-esque physicality approach. Definitely, there's a need to have the big bodies, and definitely, we have a few within the squad. But in our own approach to each game, be it a home/away affair or a finals game, I can't see us adopting it to the same extent as Brisbane have/had. Nor is there a real need to. Not beyond us to lay a few grounders within the course of a game, but taking the physical approach to the Lion's extreme?

I don't think we'll ever see a guy like King be put in the same boat as a Lynch or Brown.