Review Cats belt Freo by 78 points.

[cats_09]

Kolo, Mullin, O'Sullivan, Bews. Outside of guys who haven't had a senior game yet, I'm having trouble thinking who the fifth might be.

I'm pretty sure that O'Sullivan spent time forward of the ball last year in the VFL and during the pre-season we saw him drift forward for a goal - not sure he'd necessarily be a genuine swing man but he could well have some value up forward


Duncan & C. Guthrie are two who may struggle up forward at this stage of their careers - Duncan doesn't seem to have the same kicking penetration of seasons past, and we just don't really know where Cam is at injury wise

 

[Pollywaffle]

He was average though. By his own lofty high standards.
It wasn't until the final quarter did he begin really finding the footy.

But having made a couple of comments during the match, Cameron was running up and down throughout the day. His gut running is truly exceptional for a larger athlete.
Finally got reward for all that running.

A bit of a victim of his own high standards. Cameron is going to go down as a generational player when it's all said and done.
800+ career goals, 2 x B&F winner, 4 (or 5) x All Australian and hopefully a 2 x premiership medals.

Cameron is interesting. Some days he looks like he is just phoning it in and his mind is somewhere else. The thing is he has that ability to still kick a couple of lazy goals or have an influence even in those sort of games.

 

[CatToTheFuture]

Kolo, Mullin, O'Sullivan, Bews. Outside of guys who haven't had a senior game yet, I'm having trouble thinking who the fifth might be.

I didn't have a list. It was a shot from the hip. 4 seems right also

 

[Pure_Ownage]

Mullin looks better the further he is away from our defensive goal square.

Surely the best thing for him now would be a month in the VFL on the ball.

I do wonder if a fit again Cam Guthrie could finish his career as he started in a small defender role to get another Premiership. Atkins may have to take on the job though, the ultimate team man. Clearly we have a problem there and small forwards are becoming increasingly important to the modern game.

That's where I would put cam Guthrie too but he's cooked.
I agree its probably atkins as a short term band aid if we want to try and win a flag this year.

 

[Pure_Ownage]

Come on. SDK in the ruck might or might not work. But the idea that our ruck solution for this season should've been Fremantle's number 3 ruck with 2 career games was laughable.

To be fair most people were saying we needed a solution, not that it had to be him. And we do still likely need that solution. There's about 10 other guys including Boyd who played today that you could have looked at for that role instead.

 

[thegerman]

Yes indeed. [emoji[emoji637][emoji639][emoji637][emoji6[emoji640][emoji638]]]


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[Mr Meow]

Respectfully disagree , Shannon is well below his peak but his attributes are so well suited to our game plan and personnel.

Neale's last 15 games he averages more combined goals/assists than Thilthorpe's last 15 as well.

Fair enough that Darcy is in his own league but I think Neale is competitive enough at tracking with other young key forwards output.

 

[Pollywaffle]

Respectfully disagree , Shannon is well below his peak but his attributes are so well suited to our game plan and personnel.

Hope he can start clunking those marks. Does all the hard work…

 

[Zouz Kitty]

Wtf was that song

Which one?
Loved Fleetwood Mac songs

 

[Cursed Cat]

He has things to work on but he was noticeably better in the contest and his huge running ability plus the defensive chase and tackle (this is an area of weakness for us in transition between the arcs at times) should get him a solid block of games from here.

Agree with all that PO.

That developing defensive side to his game will hold him in good stead, and really all of Knevitt, Atkins and Bowes played extremely accountable football in the middle, allowing Holmes and Smith (and later Danger) to play a bit fast and loose - in saying that, I was actually very impressed with Max Holmes' committment to defensive running and chasing, there were probably 4 occasions in the 1st half alone in which his chasing pressure caused Freo's transition game to break down. Outstanding.

 

[Zouz Kitty]

Poor Me
Back surgery

Seriously cracking the

Geelong games in diary, no alerts

Fabulous Play it Sam

Enough of ‘Miss Misery’

Observations:

If Close wears a sleeveless guernsey again, arms must be painted with Hoops! HTF is he recognised? I mean, who is #45?

My Boy Miers’ goal



Tackling was immense! James Kelly

Q3
Aberration!

Geelong in Q1, Q2 + Q4 were Top 2 worthy

Fremantle in Q3 were Top 8 worthy, for a young team

Carry on!

Bailey Smith on debut
D 32
G 1

Geelong had 13 different goalkickers:
Cameron 4;
Stengle + OHenry 3;
Holmes, Dangerfield, Dempsey 2;
Miers, Bowes, Close, Atkins, Neale, Smith, De Koning 1

Danger’s return to Midfield changed the game! He is fantastic! Charging into packs, hard tackles, end to end with agility + aggro.

Geelong looked well drilled + for three quarters were a cohesive team.

To criticise any player is just mean.

Said when Miers is off, the team is off. Miers is our gauge

SDK revealed an increase in confidence + that goal was fantastic!

Attempting to think of under achievers?

Need as much beauty sleep to maintain my mystery



To continue, when we have so many superior posters is a huge. . .

 

[Farmer2Goggin]

Neale's last 15 games he averages more combined goals/assists than Thilthorpe's last 15 as well.

Fair enough that Darcy is in his own league but I think Neale is competitive enough at tracking with other young key forwards output.

Agree - Darcy looks generational but Neale look very , very good compared to Mitchell Lewis , Thilthorpe , Cadman , Morris and Logan McDonald to name a few.

 

[CatToTheFuture]

Agree - Darcy looks generational but Neale look very , very good compared to Mitchell Lewis , Thilthorpe , Cadman , Morris and Logan McDonald to name a few.

Mitch Lewis has some runs on the board i think and Cadman is going to be a very, very good player.

Comparisons to Thilthorpe and McDonald are interesting because given that Scratcher is a converted ruckman he should be a long long way behind them. Thilthorpe looks the goods. McDonald less so.

 

[Mr Meow]

Mitch Lewis has some runs on the board i think and Cadman is going to be a very, very good player.

Comparisons to Thilthorpe and McDonald are interesting because given that Scratcher is a converted ruckman he should be a long long way behind them. Thilthorpe looks the goods. McDonald less so.

Mitch Lewis has had 7 years in the system, yet averages just 10 games per season. He turns 27 this year. He can't really be in the conversation until he proves his body is up to it, and at any rate by that time he'll be a very mature player.

 

[CatToTheFuture]

Mitch Lewis has had 7 years in the system, yet averages just 10 games per season. He turns 27 this year. He can't really be in the conversation until he proves his body is up to it, and at any rate by that time he'll be a very mature player.

Wow that crept up quick, hadn't thought he was that old for some reason though now the timeline makes perfect sense. I take it back.

 

[Mr Meow]

Wow that crept up quick, hadn't thought he was that old for some reason though now the timeline makes perfect sense. I take it back.

Don't get me wrong, Lewis played some good senior footy aged 20-23, but playing less games than a 33-35 year old Danger does each year. You kind of wonder whether he'll ever pump out 20+ games seasons and be ready for finals.

 

[CatToTheFuture]

Don't get me wrong, Lewis played some good senior footy aged 20-23, but playing less games than a 33-35 year old Danger does each year. You kind of wonder whether he'll ever pump out 20+ games seasons and be ready for finals.

He still has a few years left

 

[Mr Meow]

He still has a few years left

True, I'm just scratching my head to find a key forward who never played more than 15 games in a season up to 27 years old, who then did so aged 28-33.

 

[CatToTheFuture]

True, I'm just scratching my head to find a key forward who never played more than 15 games in a season up to 27 years old, who then did so aged 28-33.

I can think of only one

 

[Mr Meow]

I can think of only one

View attachment 2252340

Nice pick up, but we are talking about careers that are worlds apart.

I'm referring to young key forwards playing AFL games like Neale. I don't think Mitch Lewis will be clinging onto JPod's path.

Got any contenders?

 

[juzcat]

If danger can keep playing at that level up foward and as a pinch hitting mid while Smith and holmes become A grade mids we are a big big show this year.

they are A graders already, IMO

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[Seeds]

they are A graders already, IMO

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They arent all australian mids yet. Getting close though.

 

[volcboy]

Thoughts on the game:

- Loved the pressure that we brought in the first half and the last quarter. Freo looked average, but it was our pressure and tackling that caused it.

- Third quarter: Freo were always going to come out and have a crack with their one wood (center clearances). We held on well for most of the quarter. When the floodgates started to open with the four goal run, I noted senior players (Cameron, Danger) running up to the middle and pointing/waving, which suggests to me that they were noting something wrong with our setup. After the 4th goal, Danger moved himself into the middle. Good leadership shown, but should have been proactive after the first or second goal in the run, not after four. People on here blaming Mullin for the goals don't understand the game: the backline was being hung out to dry by quick ball coming out the front of the center stoppages.

- Smith lifted in the last quarter, which was great to see. Honestly didn't realise he had had that much of the ball up until that point when I was at the game. Butchers the ball by foot occasionally, but so does Danger, so we can put up with it given his maniacal run and carry for 4 quarters.

- Neale iced the game early in the last quarter with two big marks leading to goals. Sign him up long term now - plenty of teams will be sniffing around to see if he is available, especially the two from W.A. Don't even know if I would trade him for H. Reid at this point, as he would be difficult to replace.

- Keep persisting with Knevitt. It's been a long time since we had a big inside mid who dishes it out to quicker teammates on the outside and tackles like a demon. The Joel Corey comparisons are not far wrong, although he would have been a thorn in the Fremantle midfield coach's side on Saturday.

- Once I heard they would persist with SDK in the ruck, he was straight into my Supercoach side. Will have up and down weeks, but is the best option there. Playing the 2022 Stanley role of dropping behind the play to free up Stewart - lets see how opposition coaches try to counter it.

 

[catswhiskers]

Honestly, it was such a nearly game for him. There probably were - without exaggeration - about six occasions in the first half where he got the first hands to the ball, in a contested situation, but just couldn't hold on to the mark.

He's presenting really well, but just getting a bit of the trampoline hands at the moment. I was relieved he finally got a few to stick.

Sorry if this discussion has been had already.

Neale played very well and is starting to produce quality outcomes.

His aerial work improves week by week and his forward rucking provides the main ruck with periods of recovery on ground while his opponent is kept very busy.

Just on the sentiment that his overhead marking is not up to scratch : when not quite in pole position to mark he elects/ is directed to hit the ball down and forward. It seemed obvious to me live but I haven't been able to watch replay yet.

With smalls like ours, it's a no brainer.



The early career game hesitation in his approach to overhead marking is evaporating as we watch. Like most of our talls he has versatility stamped all over him. Perhaps Conway the only one role tall on the list.

 

[CHAWKTS]

Thoughts on the game:

- Loved the pressure that we brought in the first half and the last quarter. Freo looked average, but it was our pressure and tackling that caused it.

- Third quarter: Freo were always going to come out and have a crack with their one wood (center clearances). We held on well for most of the quarter. When the floodgates started to open with the four goal run, I noted senior players (Cameron, Danger) running up to the middle and pointing/waving, which suggests to me that they were noting something wrong with our setup. After the 4th goal, Danger moved himself into the middle. Good leadership shown, but should have been proactive after the first or second goal in the run, not after four. People on here blaming Mullin for the goals don't understand the game: the backline was being hung out to dry by quick ball coming out the front of the center stoppages.

- Smith lifted in the last quarter, which was great to see. Honestly didn't realise he had had that much of the ball up until that point when I was at the game. Butchers the ball by foot occasionally, but so does Danger, so we can put up with it given his maniacal run and carry for 4 quarters.

- Neale iced the game early in the last quarter with two big marks leading to goals. Sign him up long term now - plenty of teams will be sniffing around to see if he is available, especially the two from W.A. Don't even know if I would trade him for H. Reid at this point, as he would be difficult to replace.

- Keep persisting with Knevitt. It's been a long time since we had a big inside mid who dishes it out to quicker teammates on the outside and tackles like a demon. The Joel Corey comparisons are not far wrong, although he would have been a thorn in the Fremantle midfield coach's side on Saturday.

- Once I heard they would persist with SDK in the ruck, he was straight into my Supercoach side. Will have up and down weeks, but is the best option there. Playing the 2022 Stanley role of dropping behind the play to free up Stewart - lets see how opposition coaches try to counter it.

Great observations. Agree with them all.

But the pressure is the one that I not only agree with but tbh was actually surprised at on the day.

Not actually something I associate with the Cats other than players like Close and Atkins.

But right from the start I noticed players like Stengle and Dempsey chasing and tackling like I don’t remember. Danger’s defensive efforts I was worried about in pre season but he turned into Chucky. Scratcher is not Hawkins…but defensively that is good - he was part of the manic pressure. We got to see Knevitt in his natural habitat tacking and pressuring. Atkins and Close did their thing. And it forced turnovers.

If we keep that up we are going to be very hard to beat as we of course have the skill to hurt on the turnover. In particular for me it was the different mindset of the likes of Dempsey and Stengle that was very positive.

And then going the other way when the ball was in dispute having the likes of Knevitt and Smith hunt the ball adds something.