Review Cats destroyate Tuggers by 72 points

[numbwombat]

Loved the debut game from Big George.
Will get a more complete understanding of his game when he plays against better opponents, which after tonight's effort surely must be next week vs GWS and maybe also the following week vs St Kilda.

 

[Strange Cat]

Marvel is a big quick track against a fleet footed but inexperienced midfield in north.

It’s probably wishful thinking to have him tested out on the MCG with the view of finals after a strong debut ….

 

[Zouz Kitty]

We don’t get a MCG game untill the end of the year vs tigers?

Poor George can’t be tested out on the large ground untill right before the finals

The team trains at Deakin Oval (??? name), which has similar dimensions to MCG.

It was suggested on our board as part the reason we’ve lost at KP recently.

 

[allrighty]

17thmond

View attachment 2360397

 

[Baudolino]

As an aside, as the unplayed sub, does Duncan still get credited with a game played, and insofar as career stats go, another win participated in? He seemed to have a wry smile when pictured late in the game, still sitting down with his tracksuit on. Get the feeling he probably wasn't all that shocked he wasn't required to go on. maybe Stevens played too well to take off?

I think he does, but that's BS imo.

If you're not activated, you haven't contributed to the game or even participated in it, so you shouldn't be credited with a game to your career tally.

 

[r32godzilla]

Huge fan of Ollie Dempsey r32godzilla: but I've gotta 100% agree with your comments and these flaws have been creeping into his game for a while now and he needs to cut it out and get far more serious which includes being harder at the ball but also to concentrate and focus on the far more simpler things cos the guy got way too much talent to be doing what you have accurately described. Ollie has all the talent in the world and I'm sure in time he will fully fulfil those talents.

Yep by all means I love his brilliance at times but he has been off it a bit lately especially today. I rate the kid and just want to see him be more consistent and yeah get back to basics a bit and work harder. Also go the hard ball. His ceiling is really high hence why I'm going a bit harder on him than some others. Same with OH to an extent as well.

 

[allrighty]

The team trains at Deakin Oval (??? name), which has similar dimensions to MCG.

It was suggested on our board as part the reason we’ve lost at KP recently.

I've said before our game is designed for MCG finals so we are not so good at KPark anymore

 

[Play it Sam]

crosta:.... fully agree with you speaking in glowing terms of George Stevens but I reckon it's a 'big mistake' to use a 'horses for courses' approach with George and I'll tell you why, cos I reckon George is the best inside mid we've had at the club 'in years'. Has an elite footy brain, positions his 'young' strong body brilliantly in contest and is so creative with 'superior hand and foot skills', better than Dangerfield and Selwood in that area, especially in congestion and his is only 20 years old. Reminds so much of former Sydney Swans champ in Josh Kennedy and coincidentally they are pretty much the same height at 189 cms with body strength and weight comparative when George fully matures. George Stevens is virtually a Josh Kennedy clone, Mark 11 version and I'd love to see the Cats MC play him in every remaining game of the year to prepare him for finals which will be 'hugely beneficial' to all concerned. Mark my words this kid is going to be a future elite inside midfielder of the AFL competition and we certainly don't need to recruit guys like James Worpel from Hawks when we've got this kid who in time will be classes better than him, we've 'struck gold' with this kid.

So your not sold then?

 

[kickazz]

I reckon it's the first time a sub hasn't been activated full stop

I've got a feeling that when Knevitt came on last year against Adelaide, that it was the latest a sub has been activated and tonight may well be the first time it hasn't

been used

I assume you are not including the period when the sub was for "injuries only"? Pretty sure they often went unused then, 2021 grand final for example

 

[Generalissimo]

A lot of milestones today

Chris Scott

Chris Scott

Age

49

Ht

182cm

Wt

89kg

Pos.

Fwd

Career

Season

Last 5

D

16.6

4star

K

11.2

4star

HB

5.4

4star

M

5.1

5star

T

1.6

4star

G

0.4

3star

No current season stats available

D

13.2

4star

K

10.2

4star

HB

3.0

3star

M

2.2

3star

T

2.8

5star

G

0.4

3star

350 games
Blitz AFL life membership
George Stevens first game, and first goal
Jezza goal 700
Jack Martin

19

Jack Martin

Age

30

Ht

186cm

Wt

82kg

Pos.

Fwd

Career

Season

Last 5

D

16.2

4star

K

10.0

4star

HB

6.3

4star

M

4.9

5star

T

3.7

5star

G

0.9

4star

D

14.9

4star

K

7.9

3star

HB

7.0

4star

M

4.3

4star

T

3.6

4star

G

1.1

5star

D

8.2

2star

K

4.6

2star

HB

3.6

3star

M

1.8

2star

T

2.0

4star

G

0.6

3star

first goal for Geelong

 

[Generalissimo]

I reckon it's the first time a sub hasn't been activated full stop

I've got a feeling that when Knevitt came on last year against Adelaide, that it was the latest a sub has been activated and tonight may well be the first time it hasn't been used

Richmond used their sub in the first three minutes, we didn't use the sub at all. That must be a record differential.

 

[CatToTheFuture]

It’s probably wishful thinking to have him tested out on the MCG with the view of finals after a strong debut ….

With his lack of positional flexibility you have to be certain he is going to impact if you're wheeling him out for a final. If you don't test him against gws you can't play him in sep. You don't want to be burning your sub on him because you can't park him at hbf.

 

[kickazz]

I've said before our game is designed for MCG finals so we are not so good at KPark anymore

Yep.

Compared to years gone by, we are better for pace and a little worse at one on one contests.

MCG your kick usually just has to favour your player over his opponent, because you have some space to play with.

KP can get choked up a bit and the kicks are tighter. Stronger marking players come into it more, because you can't give your teammate as much of a run in space to the ball. The space isn't there.

 

[strauchnyy]

Stevens showed more at AFL level in 1 game than anything we’ve seen from knevitt and Clark. He’s leap frogged them.

Hes the perfect mid for what we need right now to compliment Smith and Holmes.

Reminds me of Sewell from Hawks. Inside mid that every team needs. See how he goes vs better opposition.

 

[Play it Sam]

Yeah, one set of ridiculous "insufficient intent" calls aside, I thought they were good.

Umps were great, maybe only one or two contentious calls, but what a nice change, basically invisible.
Definitely missed a 50 metre penalty on Mannagh running across the mark, Richmond HF, last three minutes.
Probably thought why bother, can't save this sinking ship.

 

[Strange Cat]

With his lack of positional flexibility you have to be certain he is going to impact if you're wheeling him out for a final. If you don't test him against gws you can't play him in sep. You don't want to be burning your sub on him because you can't park him at hbf.

On the other hand you want to play the kids in the finals to get exposure it’ll be interesting how Scotty approaches it if Stevens shows strong signs of being the inside bull we need

Who needs Harley

 

[Zouz Kitty]

I've said before our game is designed for MCG finals so we are not so good at KPark anymore

Yes, couldn’t remember who said it. Thanks for telling me

 

[Zouz Kitty]

A lot of milestones today

Chris Scott 350 games
Blitz AFL life membership
George Stevens first game, and first goal
Jezza goal 700
Jack Martin first goal for Geelong

Cats did GO!

 

[CatToTheFuture]

On the other hand you want to play the kids in the finals to get exposure it’ll be interesting how Scotty approaches it if Stevens shows strong signs of being the inside bull we need

Who needs Harley

It's a great first step for him but it was also in a game we were never losing. We had a team 3 years older with 45 more games under our belts on average. I remember thinking Clark was going to be great based on coming on as the sub and pulling a blinder for like 10 minutes.

 

[standupand]

1. Rhys Stanley - This guy just keeps reaching higher levels in the twilight of his career. At the start of the year he was the cooked and somewhat brittle veteran just keeping the seat warm for Conway and Edwards. A month later, legit best 22 and consistent contributor. Today he was clearly in our best, won a heap of the ball, used it well, and probably shaded Nankervis around the ground. Key to our September ambitions, and I would not have expected to say that in Round 1.

700. Jeremy Cameron- It was nice to see him slot goal #700, and it was another very good game today. Unfortunately he let himself down with his goalkicking, because the way he played today he should have finished with 8. I do prefer when he stays inside F50.

7. Shaun Mannagh - Mannagh's ability to win the ground ball, lay and wear a tackle, and bust a pack makes him a very valuable counterpoint to the more creative and elusive forward types like Dempsey and Close. The way he accumulates touches sort of sneaks up on you unnoticed, but you look at the stat sheet at the end of the game and see he's got 20 and a goal, and realise he's been an integral part of the win.

9. Max Holmes- Another 36 touches in the absence of Smith, and a goal, but I thought his disposal was pretty poor especially early. He's become such a good and important player that we might be starting to judge him to a higher standard, because I think there's 17 other clubs who'd love to have a "poor" game from Holmes on their side!

12. Jack Bowes - I think it's fair to say he made the most of his unexpected return to the seniors. Fifteen touches and two goals roaming around all over the ground is a valuable contribution.

14. Connor O'Sullivan - I liked his game. He didn't win a lot of the ball, but he didn't have to. He just wore his opponent like a glove, found ways of affecting the contest even when in poor position, and some of those spoils over the goal line were emphatic. It was a professional, no-nonsense game, which I like to see from a young tall defender.

15. George Stevens - What a nice debut, and what a difference a genuine power inside mid makes. Questions about his lack of pace seem irrelevant now. Though I may be jumping the gun just a smidge, I saw shades of Greg Williams. It was awesome to see him slot a goal on debut too.

17. Lawson Humphries - I thought it was a bit of a quiet day for Lawson. A few uncharacteristic fumbles let him down. Expect him to bounce back strongly next week.

19. Jack Martin - Another player who I thought started off woeful, with a few quib efforts and hilariously crap disposal in the first half, but he greatly improved in the 2nd half and was aptly rewarded with his first goal in Geelong colours. While I think towards the end of the year, if we get a full fit list to choose from, he'll be squeezed out for now he's a handy and versatile guy to have.

22. Mitch Duncan - Unused sub.

28. Ollie Dempsey - A bit of a down game today I think. While he got a bit of the ball on the wing, his F50 forays didn't really come off and a lot of the creative things he tried in the midfield didn't work. Still, when things aren't going your way you keep working hard and find ways to contribute nonetheless, and I think Dempsey still did his bit.

30. Tom Atkins - Mister Tackle Beast was at his best again today. I reckon he got dudded a bit by the statisticians because they missed a few and "only" credited him with 17, when it was actually more like 20 or 21. Still, this is an insane number.

32. Gryan Miers - Best on ground IMO. With thirty-odd touches, numerous clearances and contested possessions, he dominated the midfield and his creative field kicking probably set up more scores for us than Richmung managed all day.

33. Shannon Neale - I think he's really settling into his role as the Hawkins replacement. He's sticking marks now that used to bobble out, his speed and pressure insode 50 is elite, and he's a good kick for goals in both set shots and roving- which he does far more often than a 203cm ruckman-sized tall forward has any business doing.

34. Oisin Mullin - Another creditable game as a tagger. When we were killing them in the 2nd quarter he won quite a bit of the ball himself and, crucially, found the ability to stand up in the tackle and get some contested ball wins. I think it's not far from clicking. Then we'll have another inside mid, and one who can also burst off a wing with his crazy pace.

35. Patrick Dangerfield - I think we've got the mix right with PFD at the moment: 75% medium forward, with the ocasional run in the centre square as a carefully managed resource. It'll prolong his career into 2026 and beyond and, more importantly, win us a lot of footy games.

36. Ollie Henry - If you're the sort of person who just takes a superficial look at the stat sheet, you might conclude he had a down day. But his contribution today was mostly positional- working as a decoy for Neale, Danger, and Jezza. What I've liked more about his efforts in his latest few games is a greater willingness to tackle and pressure at ground level, and getting the ball to drop to the benefit of our crumbers in marking contests.

38. Jack Henry - A bit quiet, but this was mostly because Richmond struggled to get the ball inside 50. When he was actually called upon to do something, he generally beat his opponent by reading the ball well off the boot as he always does. A valuable contribution.

39. Zach Guthrie - Best game for ages, and led the field in both kicks and marks. Richmond's terrible disposal inside 50 made life very easy for him, but this is still a top-shelf game no matter how you look at it.

42. Mark O'Connor - He saved our hides several times in the first quarter when Richmond were actually pressing. Drifted out of the game a bit after 1/4 time, but this was a direct consequence of Richmond losing the midfield battle and not getting the ball inside 50 anymore.

44. Tom Stewart - Oddly anonymous game today, though he won his position and disposed of the ball well. Geelong's full of blokes who quietly and unobtrusively beat their opponents, and it's why we just keep on winning games.

45. Brad Close - Excellent again today. While the stat sheet only credits him with 14 touches, he snagged two goals and constructed several others with some creative positional running and deft disposals inside 50.

46. Mark Blicavs - Not a lot of touches, but I thought he was pretty good both as a tall defender and 2nd ruck. He's a bit like the backstage crew at the theatre- working away unnoticed in the background while others get the limelight.

Brilliant summary as always. Love your work Supreme General.

On your point about Atkins being dudded by the statisticians. I had the same thought, because they were talking about his tackle count on tv at the start of the 3rd - he was on 13 I think - and then he started the quarter immediately with 2 more tackles in the opening play. Then when I checked his stats shortly after he was still on 13 or something.

 

[CatToTheFuture]

Brilliant summary as always. Love your work Supreme General.

On your point about Atkins being dudded by the statisticians. I had the same thought, because they were talking about his tackle count on tv at the start of the 3rd - he was on 13 I think - and then he started the quarter immediately with 2 more tackles in the opening play. Then when I checked his stats shortly after he was still on 13 or something.

I seem to remember something about all the stats being checked a second time after the game and corrections being made. In game it's literally a dude with binoculars telling another guy to put stats into his laptop

 

[Strange Cat]

It's a great first step for him but it was also in a game we were never losing. We had a team 3 years older with 45 more games under our belts on average. I remember thinking Clark was going to be great based on coming on as the sub and pulling a blinder for like 10 minutes.

Of course I’m just stating that if he does this same perfomance against better opposition it’s going to be a very interesting dilemma

 

[Interdimensional Bigfoot]

Only watched to half time, but Mannagh and Miers so important. COS is attack at all costs and is going to be a serious machine when he fills out. Liked what Neale did today too.

 

[Strange Cat]

Only watched to half time, but Mannagh and Miers so important. COS is attack at all costs and is going to be a serious machine when he fills out. Liked what Neale did today too.

COS gave Balta a decent taste of his own medicine too with a good tackle , and Balta was very lucky with that late low bump on Stewart I still think there might be a fine in that one

 

[CatToTheFuture]

Probably my favourite moment of the game. I didn't realise the tackler that George took on to get the handball away was Nankervis with a support effort from Hopper. Kid looks like he bends rebar by hand