Review Cats down Doggies by 4 points to go 4-0

[Strange Cat]

He was excellent as a midfielder, but you needed the rest to defensively cover him.

As good as he was in the middle it was a shame to take him away from the F50 to support Joel as we had no one of note other than him when he was carrying that makeshift midfield fir a couple of years by himself

 

[Art Vandelay_]

I think you are looking for reasons to critique SDK.

Bingo imo.
Weird hill to die on.

He utterly destroyed Naughton last night.

 

[catscratchfever]

Queudos to Libba, an absolute beast - he had something like 19 contested possessions and 30+ disposals. The guy is a freak!

 

[Oisin_the_Goat]

Bowes 23 touches & 2 goals in arguably his best game for the club.

Looks like he can be an offensive weapon in there with his kicking, which is a huge bonus considering most of us thought he was better off as a defensive stopper.

Bont is a superstar, and superstars are going to perform like he did last night.

Although, it means nothing if you're not winning the midfield battle until the opposition are out on their feet off a 5 day break.

The Dogs remind me of a worse version of us in '16-19.

Midfielders stuffing the stats sheet which looks awesome on paper and will smash the poor sides...but you've got to have more strings to your bow when you're playing the contenders.

Didnt think that Bont was stuffing the stat sheet though. He was literally the player keeping the team in it whenever we got a run of goals. No Bont and they wouldn't have even got close to winning.

 

[Oisin_the_Goat]

Anyone think the commentary last night was blatantly pro dogs. Everything was about the dogs coming back from behind.

 

[catters05]

Anyone think the commentary last night was blatantly pro dogs. Everything was about the dogs coming back from behind.

It’s going to happen a lot this year if we keep winning.

 

[catempire]

It’s going to happen a lot this year if we keep winning.

It’s been that way for about 15 years!

 

[Kobe Gryant]

It’s been that way for about 15 years!

They're particularly against us now though. Especially JB & BT. Bennett was a welcome change last night.

Admittedly, it hasn't helped that all our games have been on 7 so far, so we've had to put up with their hatred of our club.

Dennis & Bruce never fell into that category, and the Fox commentators don't either (Even some of the Hawthorn ones)

It's a JB & BT issue for mine. Actively barracked against us for years.

 

[catscratchfever]

Anyone think the commentary last night was blatantly pro dogs. Everything was about the dogs coming back from behind.

I was listening to the game on 774. The entire commentary approach was about boosting the Dogs and talking about how to beat Geelong, how great the Bont is, Air Naughton, blah blah blah

 

[BORIS332]

Queudos to Libba, an absolute beast - he had something like 19 contested possessions and 30+ disposals. The guy is a freak!

19 clearances, 28 contested possessions.

 

[catscratchfever]

19 clearances, 28 contested possessions.

Yeah, even more impressive. Plus they had the Bont and yet they lost. What they're missing is a couple of players and a new coach.

 

[D BRIDGE]

Anyone think the commentary last night was blatantly pro dogs. Everything was about the dogs coming back from behind.

It’s so weird, I was listening to the pre match on the radio (20 mins before game) and all they were talking about was the dogs.

Naughton, Darcy, JUH, Bont… the way Macrae and Daniel have been used and so on and so on.

Almost zero word about us at all.

I was driving thinking that it was just weird… we won the flag by 80 points two seasons ago and were undefeated so far this year and couldn’t get a mention.

 

[STPer18]

I was driving thinking that it was just weird… we won the flag by 80 points two seasons ago and were undefeated so far this year and couldn’t get a mention.

At least our friends at FoxSports are giving us our due credit.

But it’s worth examining exactly how they got to 4-0, because there’s been quite a bit of good fortune.

In Round 1, both the Cats and Saints were very inaccurate. The final score 76-68 was fairly reflective of the game, but the expected score of 102-91 shows if just one side had kicked straight, they would’ve run away with it. So Geelong easily could’ve lost, if St Kilda hadn’t been just as bad as them.

In Round 2, Geelong found its kicking boots but Adelaide lost theirs. This was a straightforward expected score game; the Cats were two goals better than they should’ve been, the Crows were two goals worse than the should’ve been, and an expected 89-83 Adelaide margin turned into 96-77 Geelong. So Geelong easily could’ve, and maybe should’ve, lost.

In Round 3, Geelong deserved the win, but it was nothing like the six-goal final margin over Hawthorn. The Hawks were bang-on expectation but the Cats kicked 17.4 - five goals better than expected. So had they kicked normally, the game would’ve at least been close.

In Round 4, well, we don’t have the official numbers yet. But the fan-run AFLxScore account usually gets it pretty close to the Champion Data figures, and they had the Bulldogs winning 93-83 on expected score, instead of losing 91-93. It’s safe to say Geelong easily could’ve, and maybe should’ve, lost.

 

[Pure_Ownage]

Don't get me wrong, I think he'll play 15 or so games in total this year, with a lot of those games being given to him due to the rotation of our senior core. That said, once Danger is fit, and even more once Guthrie is fit, I think he'll struggle to stay in the side. He's behind Danger, Guthrie, Bruhn, Atkins, Blicavs, Bowes and probably even Parfitt for midfield options, and lacks positional flexibility.

Yes and no he lacks postional flexibility compared to some if those guys but hes a very good player and the coaches rate him. My point was more he will play the next 15 or so (except when rested he wont play vfl) and if he is still doing well physically by round 20 or so the coaches will keep him in bc they rate him that much. The only way he will drop out is if he runs out of puff physically (which would be understandable given how few pre seasons he has had).

 

[And_ROOS]

Anyone think the commentary last night was blatantly pro dogs. Everything was about the dogs coming back from behind.

Welcome to most Geelong games especially when BT is involved.

 

[Mr Meow]

At least our friends at FoxSports are giving us our due credit.

View attachment 1953148

I hope Salt Bae was there for that article submission!

 

[Pure_Ownage]

Tuohy injured late. Played out the game but will likely miss his good mate Rhys’s 200th next week.

Mullin back in.

Clark almost a certainty to get a rest. O’Connor back in to help midfield - I’d say Mannagh most likely as sub unless they rotate another who has played every game.

And I think they’ll give Danger another week.


Sent from my iPhone using BigFooty.com

Like that. Neale in for hawkins too?

 

[CatToTheFuture]

At least our friends at FoxSports are giving us our due credit.

View attachment 1953148

I feel like there's some emotional loss driving that writing

 

[Kobe Gryant]

At least our friends at FoxSports are giving us our due credit.

View attachment 1953148

Is that Kingys article? Or BT? Or JB? Or Jon Ralph? Or Matthew Lloyd? Or Nathan Buckley?

Jesus, the list is actually a mile long.

Montagna & Barrett seem to be the only ones out there this year who like us.

 

[splashwave]

I feel like there's some emotional loss driving that writing

Two out of the three writers on that piece are actually cats fans

 

[catempire]

At least our friends at FoxSports are giving us our due credit.

View attachment 1953148

 

[D BRIDGE]

At least our friends at FoxSports are giving us our due credit.

View attachment 1953148

It’s so strange and doesn’t even make sense.

We have had more scoring shots than our opponents in every single game this year.

We have also lost the free kick count in every single game this year.

Our two best mids are out.
Won twice interstate.

I’ll admit we haven’t played much… but the respect we are getting is laughable.

 

[Jumping Jack]

Like that. Neale in for hawkins too?

You’d think if they’re serious about giving Neale games, then this week is as good as any.

His VFL form hasn’t exactly been banging the door down has it? Despite that, I think he’s the type of player who would benefit from playing at AFL level with a better game plan and some good delivery.

Not sure how Conway slots back in? Stanley was very good after a rest, and probably deserves his 200th at home. Can’t see him resting, coming back for one, and resting again. But I doubt Conway Stanley and Neale all play in the same side this year?


Sent from my iPhone using BigFooty.com

 

[Jumping Jack]

Like that. Neale in for hawkins too?

You’d think if they’re serious about giving Neale games, then this week is as good as any.

His VFL form hasn’t exactly been banging the door down has it? Despite that, I think he’s the type of player who would benefit from playing at AFL level with a better game plan and some good delivery.

Not sure how Conway slots back in? Stanley was very good after a rest, and probably deserves his 200th at home. Can’t see him resting, coming back for one, and resting again. But I doubt Conway Stanley and Neale all play in the same side this year?


Sent from my iPhone using BigFooty.com

 

[Kobe Gryant]

Two out of the three writers on that piece are actually cats fans

Yeah but they're analytical nerds who have never played a game of footy in their lives. I know the ones you're talking about.

It's all based on champion data and expected score.

They never account for the flow of the game (momentum is a myth to those guys), the millions of intricacies that influence a result, or something like a 5 day break influencing clearence/midfield numbers as the Dogs closed in the last quarter.

In all seriousness though, a 4-0 start can only really go one of two ways for us, considering we're a club that needs to win premierships to get any credit. The public and media are that bored of us.

1. We're either not actually that good and are going to be found out (which appears to be the route they're going with)

2. We're really good, but peaking too early and are going to be found out when it matters (A staple from past Geelong seasons)

The reality is Geelong have been the better side in all 4 of their games. There isn't a single argument to suggest otherwise.

To be doing that while playing the kids, managing veterans, and tinkering with a new gamestyle is a massive plus anyway you look at it.

We're not the finished product, and it's clear that Scott & Co are planning on peaking later in the year.

Bruhn, SDK, Holmes, Dempsey, Clark, Mannagh, & Henry will be a different proposition with another 10-15 games under their belt to build consistency, chemistry, & experience.

It's a concept used all across the world, particularly in the states. Play the youngsters early, get through the teething issues, and reap the rewards later in the year.

Guthrie & Dangerfield fit and firing will solve our only possible flaw which is the midfield. Scott and Geelong as a whole are in the business of winning premierships. He wants them firing when it matters, I don't think he cares about being April premiers.

All that March-June is about is banking the wins, and keeping yourself in the top 4, or close enough to it.

Hit the turbo button from July onwards, and that's how you win the premiership. I have zero doubt that is the plan.