Review Cats defeat gallant Pies by 6 points to get into another PF

[00VicWard001]

Absolutely, we had no luck at all. Everyone hailing it as a game for the ages, ah, no it wasn't watching live. Media beat up.
Close yes, and exciting and stressful for that reason, but it was a roller coaster with many poor decisions.
Daicos as good as he is, was greedy, kicked OBF trying to be the miracle match winner, and we take it down to goal.

It was as scrum packed as a rugby game, and the luck when the ball was ejected from those packs was totally with a Pie outsider
as well as the ball bounce you indicated. And they were faster to that errant bounce.

Hawkins was beaten, but if you watch Rohan's pack mark, Hawk's body awareness was integral- knows Gaz is on the way through
and bumps/holds Moore out of the path, while Cameron doesn't even go up. Super well done from our vantage point.
Couldn't believe how many holds, head smashes and necks we got unpaid. yet they're screaming unfair. Inefficient umpiring, but I counted three that should have gone their way, to a wheelbarrow load for us. Luck is a fortune.

That Daicos shot - good teams do something very different - they square it to an open player around 40m out. The Tigers always did it.

He’ll be doing that next year for sure as he develops.

 

[00VicWard001]

Hawkins struggled and Moore was brilliant. I'm some other Cats finals side, that would've been terminal.

Yet this is exactly why you need a strong second and third marking option. Hawk did get double teamed or the super human Moore had him in his pocket, yet this allowed Cameron and Rohan to dominate inferior opponents and find more space. Rohan got so many clean jumps at the ball while Hawkins wrestled almost as a decoy.

Tom had 8 handballs - they were often pretty decent ones as part of scoring chains. He tackled when he had to. Moore marked way more than he'd have liked and thoroughly beat him in the 1v1s but importantly, we had the forward line around him to win the match anyway. Something we craved for near enough a decade.

If it’s Melbourne we take on - then May will do the same. But there is no way that Lever or petty can take JC. And Stengle will be an even scarier prospect after this quieter game.

 

[Mr Meow]

Opposite wings? I’m pet sure Tuohy had Sidebottom at the start.

I've watched the game a second time and even paused it occasionally. Was tricky to identify consistent match ups across the middle and in our defence at times. Plenty of zonal set up and rolling onto different opponents or swapping wings/flanks etc.

It's fair to say Sidebottom and J.Daicos were great on the wings. But Duncan, Smith and Holmes I actually thought were more damaging at times. Duncan and Holmes had influential second halves.

Pies racked up a lot of ball but they had a lot of shuffling handballs or nonthreatening chip kicks. Of course there were exceptions but it felt like De Goey, Crisp and N.Daicos were their genuine weapons. For instance I thought Sel by the end was as almost as influential as Pendlebury with far less touches.

 

[PhatBoy]

Surprised dekonnings game not getting more praise. He stepped up like a seasoned veteren when he needed too. was so composed in some absolute key aerial duels and safe hands when others werent.

I know we regularly clash but this is spot on he was absolutely fantastic and I think if it wasn’t for how good Stewart was he’d be getting a lot more kudos.
He was sensational from start to finish

 

[ninjahcat]

Only going off the texts I've received and Facebook, were we really kissed on the dick by the umpires? I reckon i'm normally pretty even handed with umps but from what I've seen we copped an armchair ride? I barely noticed em FWIW.

If you consider how we got completely torched when Stengles goal was reviewed by the umpires as being touched when there was no way they could possibly have told from the poor quality footage - they owed us big time.

 

[Schmegg]

If you consider how we got completely torched when Stengles goal was reviewed by the umpires as being touched when there was no way they could possibly have told from the poor quality footage - they owed us big time.

Amazes me in a billion dollar game the review system cameras are basically potatoes…

 

[Pure_Ownage]

Because he was having a bad game.

So do we make a change in case he has another bad one against gawn?

 

[CatsDoItBetter]

The biggest issue with Stanley last night was his effort. There was no intensity to the way he was at contests, when he’s played well this year he’s out on big tackles, hit the contest hard and stuck to his tasks.
His running across the ground was poor made little effort to get to contests.

They made a choice to have him come off in the last quarter with the game in the balance. And we finished with no interchange rotations left so he wasn’t going to be able to come back on.

It’d be a big call to bring Ceglar in but from what we’ve seen those things above that Stanley didn’t do is exactly what Ceglar would bring.

 

[Drunkcat]

After playing his first final SDK, how cool is this kid is so good under pressure, what a player we have for the next 10 yrs

 

[Pure_Ownage]

For those that were there was the extra Geelong presence thanks to the timeslot noticeable? Kinda hard to tell from the TV but it definitely didn't sound as one sided as our previous Friday night "home" finals.

The fact that it wasnt a 10.30pm finish probably encouraged more geelong people to go.

 

[darrenmorgan]

Credit to Pies they are better than I thought, almost pinched it when really they shouldn’t have been close. Bloody Stanley haunts me, if we are gonna win this flag we need him to just give us something in a final!

 

[catempire]

Back home after a celebratory evening. As others have said, we played quite poorly but found a way to get over the line. You just felt that if the game eventually opened up (which it really only did fleetingly) it would favour us.

Selwood and Atkins were immense in the last quarter. Rapt for Rohan that he finally threw the finals monkey off his back. Hopefully that augers well for a strong last 2 finals games. Stewart and Z.Guthrie were terrific all game. Unfortunately the occasion got to Henry - hopefully he’ll be better for the experience.

I thought Duncan and C.Guthrie were decent. As was Dangerfield. Weren’t fantastic but very serviceable. Blicavs had another finals ‘mare. It’s concerning, particularly after being an AA this year.

Stanley is an another ongoing finals concern. Do you take the punt on Ceglar or back him to be better for the experience?

Miers another who had little influence. Does Menegola come in for him?

Parfitt has to come in I think. We need more grunt in the middle.

So plenty to like but a few questions that need answers.

Early thoughts re changes for the Prelim without knowing our opponent would be -

Outs - Miers, Kolo

Ins - Parfitt, Menegola

I’d be fine with those changes but I’d say they’re more likely to go again with the same crew.

 

[Pure_Ownage]

Some very interesting negativity after a great win. Plenty suggesting we wouldn't win the PF based on that performance. We will play a fortunate Brisbane who can't win in Melbourne or the Dees who were well beaten. I would suggest we are favourites for our next game.
We just won our 14th straight and some are suggesting we need to drop Stanley, Dangerfield, Blics, Miers and O'Connor. Sure some were below their best but backing players in his been a winner for us, with Rohan and Z Guthrie exhibits A and B. Let's keep doing that and keep winning. Can't have 22 best players every week.

On CPH1831 using BigFooty.com mobile app

This is our best chance at winning a flag since 2011.
Need to be ruthless at selection even if it means changes.

 

[catempire]

For those that were there was the extra Geelong presence thanks to the timeslot noticeable? Kinda hard to tell from the TV but it definitely didn't sound as one sided as our previous Friday night "home" finals.

It was noticeably closer to 50% than “normal”. They are louder though.

 

[mcwilrob]

This game reminded me of the 2007 preliminary final... very stressful and lucky to win it.

Lose that one and our premiership aspirations were most likely extinguished.

Onwards and upwards.

Stanley had just about his worst game ever. Zero marks. Hopefully he just played his last game. Ceglar or Rat are so much more worthy.

No way Rat should get near a finals game. At least Stanley has shown he *can * be good when he’s on!!

 

[Pure_Ownage]

Scott has benched Stanley once before like that, it was against Hickey at the SCG, and he didn’t regain trust in him again for a while. Wouldn’t shock me if they switched to Ceglar.

Stanley has had such a great year, I would stick by him.

Stanleys 'effort' was so non existent whereas in the couple of games ceglar played he was fighting and scrapping for everything post centre bounce. My question mark is im not sure if ceglar is fit enough to cover the bigger ground at the G (given his injuries this year) but if Scott think he is i can see the change happening.

 

[Pure_Ownage]

I’d be fine with those changes but I’d say they’re more likely to go again with the same crew.

Stoppages matter against melb more than most teams so i reckon parfitt is straight back in.

Menegola 50/50.

 

[catempire]

Aged liked the finest of wines...

Death, taxes, the “Colllllllliiiiiiiiinggggwoooooooood” chant ending badly for the Pies and Vdubs overrating the opposition.

 

[year of the cat]

I’d be fine with those changes but I’d say they’re more likely to go again with the same crew.

Kolo likely to miss?

 

[bulletproof]

What about when Sdek bailed out Blicavs with the clutch grab when he was sold down the river with a horrendous cross 50 pass.

That felt like a big moment.

 

[catempire]

Darcy Cameron and yeah he was good. Not a match winner but a few marks, 4 clearances, 7 tackles and 14 largely useful possessions (Stanley had 12 but how many good ones?).

Hardly the kind of difference people are making it out to be. It was a minor defeat in the ruck and barely had any influence on the game.

 

[catempire]

Scott has benched Stanley once before like that, it was against Hickey at the SCG, and he didn’t regain trust in him again for a while. Wouldn’t shock me if they switched to Ceglar.

Stanley has had such a great year, I would stick by him.

Must stick by him. Panicky move to change.

 

[allrighty]

I wasn’t worried after the 1 quarter - they were so dominant but ended up only a couple of goals ahead, things could only get better.

I thought we’d come back and win easily. I got that part half-right.

Someone mentioned on here sometime that there is a preferred scoring end at the MCG. I don't know which one it is but yesterday's game scores reflect that though.

 

[year of the cat]

What about when Sdek bailed out Blicavs with the clutch grab when he was sold down the river with a horrendous cross 50 pass.

That felt like a big moment.

Was a shocker of a pass. Possibly a game saving mark.

 

[catempire]

Kolo likely to miss?

Seems so. He looked very sore.

I would have him permanently sacked for the brain fades too.