Review Cats get home in another RIVALRY thriller by 7 points.

[iameviljez]

Lot of feedback about how Hawthorn lost the game on social media etc.
For all the talk about their Innacuracy, we missed just as many and got the win without one of our most important players.

Bear in mind that I only listened to it rather than watched it (stuck in Easter traffic as a couple of numpties south of the Gold Coast forgot how to drive and decided to have an accident instead), but it did feel like we rode our luck a bit. Any game where you lose the i50s 46-55, you're going to need a bit of luck to win.

That said, at Round 6, it's about banking the points early in close games and getting yourself into a solid position more than it is about form and performance.

 

[iameviljez]

We also saw Scott's coaching creativity as Mannagh seemingly moved into Miers playing position and was instrumental to the win

He also said in the post-match that Stengle did a fair amount of the Miers gut-running work, too.

Seriously though, how good was that 2023 draft thus far? Mannagh, O'Sullivan, Humphries - and of course the jury is still out on Stevens, Edwards and Wiltshire, but I'm optimistic.

 

[My Tilly]

He also said in the post-match that Stengle did a fair amount of the Miers gut-running work, too.

Seriously though, how good was that 2023 draft thus far? Mannagh, O'Sullivan, Humphries - and of course the jury is still out on Stevens, Edwards and Wiltshire, but I'm optimistic.

They all seem like very good young people too. Articulate and respectful.
Humphries is brilliant. If anyone didn't see it already, go check out his after match interview. That kid is mature beyond his years.

 

[Pollywaffle]

I don't see how Henry can stay in the team on current form. Averages less than 9 touches a day less than 1 goal a game. A long way from AFL level

Surviving on the currency generated by those few games last year when he kicked multiples and had an effect. Now running on fumes and those performances a distant memory. Maybe he is doing stuff that coaches can see and we can’t.

 

[CoolCat75]

O’Henry is lost at the moment as Danger has taken his spot. We are actually running with 8 forwards at the moment, meaning that OHenry has been starting on the wing. Interesting yesterday that Blitz was not required in defence with Hawks small forward line. So he alternated on the wing with Dempsey and OHenry. He swapped with Bowes this week, who played defense instead of wing/mid. And the last 2 weeks we’ve run with just the inside 4 midfielders. Smith, Holmes, Atkins have played 80% with Knevitt at 60%. The latter is struggling with only 7 touches.

Side note being at the game : Hawthorn supporters have overtaken Collingwood as the worst, biggest whinging crowd.

 

[Commando]

Yes, but I don't believe he was reported on the spot?

I'm positive I heard on the broadcast "I've reported him" which I thought attracted a 50m penalty

 

[sexyhunk]

I think it was Cam Mooney who said Bomber once told him "If you're not having a Good Day, at least make sure it's not a Bad Day".

Obviously meaning that if it's just not going your way for whatever reason, you can at least find some way to impact. Even if it's just making a contest or sticking a tackle, or setting up a goal for someone else. You may not get the big stats but you've done SOMETHING to help the team.

At the moment, this seems like the difference between Neale and O Henry. A couple of times now, Neale has been very quiet, but has had a solid last quarter with some clutch moments. You can tell he'll at least never stop trying to get some input in there. Henry seems to really lose all touch and confidence if he can't get some good clean ball early.

shannon neale remind me of tom hawkins early on his career. neale and henry look to have been affected the most with dangerfield playing forward. back in hawkins first few years he had to play off guys like mooney, chapman, johnson, etc and few times he moved into the ruck.

time will tell if neale can take the next level once is his turn to be the main guy.

 

[iameviljez]

They all seem like very good young people too. Articulate and respectful.
Humphries is brilliant. If anyone didn't see it already, go check out his after match interview. That kid is mature beyond his years.

Completely agree with you. All of them pass the Neighbour Test.

I suspect that Humphries has also really benefited from having to live a little bit of regular adult life for a couple of years, too. A bit of exposure to being a regular shitkicker nobody does talented footballers no harm IMO.

 

[Seeds]

When jack henry

38

Jack Henry

Age

27

Ht

192cm

Wt

96kg

Pos.

Def

Career

Season

Last 5

D

10.3

3star

K

7.3

3star

HB

2.9

3star

M

4.0

4star

T

2.2

4star

MG

142.6

2star

D

8.6

2star

K

6.7

3star

HB

1.9

1star

M

3.9

4star

T

2.1

3star

MG

142.6

3star

D

9.6

3star

K

7.0

3star

HB

2.6

3star

M

3.6

4star

T

2.0

4star

and kolo come back how do we fit all our tall defenders in?

Some are going to need to move up field. In some games it will be dekonning to ruck but i think this should only be in games we rest stanley as he is still clearly the better all round ruckmen.

Stewart to the midifeld like last season (if he can get his form and fitness back). But we probably need to move one more. If ollie henry doesnt have a dramatic improvement in form then perhaps one of jack henry

38

Jack Henry

Age

27

Ht

192cm

Wt

96kg

Pos.

Def

Career

Season

Last 5

D

10.3

3star

K

7.3

3star

HB

2.9

3star

M

4.0

4star

T

2.2

4star

MG

142.6

2star

D

8.6

2star

K

6.7

3star

HB

1.9

1star

M

3.9

4star

T

2.1

3star

MG

142.6

3star

D

9.6

3star

K

7.0

3star

HB

2.6

3star

M

3.6

4star

T

2.0

4star

or dekonning or even blicavs to spend more time up foward. We desperately need more aerial contest at the half foward line. O. Henry isnt giving us anything here and its not camerons strength. Danger can do it but his body will be shot by finals if he has to do all the aerial contesting work. This is where rohan was so useful.

 

[My Tilly]

He's so composed. So many of his kicks were placed in positions where there were two Hawthorn players on either side and furthermore, he was doing so on both kicking

 

[MisterMarcus]

They all seem like very good young people too. Articulate and respectful.
Humphries is brilliant. If anyone didn't see it already, go check out his after match interview. That kid is mature beyond his years.

I must confess I made some very unfair assumptions about Humphries. The combination of Indigenous + Not Drafted At 18 But Took A Few Extra Years gave me the impression of someone with a troubled background who might be a bit wayward and rough around the edges.

Gave myself a mighty mental boot up the backside the first time I saw him interviewed. Terrible to jump to such conclusions on my part......

 

[iameviljez]

but i think this should only be in games we rest stanley as he is still clearly the better all round ruckmen.

I genuinely disagree with this. Stanley and De Koning both get beaten in ruck contests, so I would rather have the one that is better when the ball is moving around the ground. Both below his knees and in the air, that is de Koning every day of the week.

 

[Pollywaffle]

Just a little thing - James Sicily was diabolically bad. That shot in the last quarter with minutes to go - puts it out on the full. Can you imagine Selwood doing that? Horrible day for him.

Sympathy level…

 

[Seeds]

shannon neale remind me of tom hawkins early on his career. neale and henry look to have been affected the most with dangerfield playing forward. back in hawkins first few years he had to play off guys like mooney, chapman, johnson, etc and few times he moved into the ruck.

time will tell if neale can take the next level once is his turn to be the main guy.

The only thing danger has done to henry is give him an easier opponent.

Danger doesnt make henry pull out of contests or got pushed aside easily in one on ones.

People forget that outside the prelim and the spanking we gave west coast in the last round ollie henry was just as terrible last year as well.

 

[My Tilly]

I genuinely disagree with this. Stanley and De Koning both get beaten in ruck contests, so I would rather have the one that is better when the ball is moving around the ground. Both below his knees and in the air, that is de Koning every day of the week.

Stanley is so much better in stoppages and centre bounce contests. He may not be as tall as De Koning but he is stronger and can hold his positioning allowing us to have time around each contest.

It's going to be interesting seeing what they do this week. Tom De Koning slaughtered his brother last time these teams met.
Stanley will be tired but I would comfortably prefer him over Sam.

 

[PhatBoy]

Only thing is that Henry was one of two Cats to not record a tackle during yesterday's match and pretty sure he finished the game on the bench

No he didn’t, but I clearly know the play that’s being referenced and he did exactly what is being mentioned. I have no idea why it isn’t credited as a tackle. Maybe the Hawks player is credited as having disposed of the ball or something which renders the tackle null but he definitely performed the action being mentioned

 

[PhatBoy]

The only thing danger has done to henry is give him an easier opponent.

Danger doesnt make henry pull out of contests or got pushed aside easily in one on ones.

People forget that outside the prelim and the spanking we gave west coast in the last round ollie henry was just as terrible last year as well.

Was he?

So his 2 goal/1 assist game against Adelaide away - a close win, he was terrible, his 4 goal/1 assist game against Hawthorn, his 3 goal game against Carlton, his 3 goal game against Melbourne where they beat us, his 4 goal assists and a goal against North?

At least be balanced with the criticism, mate.

 

[HaydossJ]

I love Shaun Mannagh - well done Cats

 

[standupand]

Seriously, what an inclusion Bailey Smith has been. I pretty firmly believe that if we hadn't landed him, we'd currently be sitting 2 and 4, not 4 and 2.

I agree. On the field, apart from the Brisbane game, he's been great.

I never subscribe to the view that one player can make a difference to team results. But there's just something about him that's bigger than the on-field performances isn't there? Something dangerous. This mixture of strut and vulnerability. It could divide a team. It could also knit a team closer together.

What he's definitely not is a robot. And world sport desperately needs those types I think.

The game of football needs a Bailey Smith more than Bailey Smith needs a football.

 

[GlenMiddlemissed]

When jack henry and kolo come back how do we fit all our tall defenders in?

Some are going to need to move up field. In some games it will be dekonning to ruck but i think this should only be in games we rest stanley as he is still clearly the better all round ruckmen.

Stewart to the midifeld like last season (if he can get his form and fitness back). But we probably need to move one more. If ollie henry doesnt have a dramatic improvement in form then perhaps one of jack henry or dekonning or even blicavs to spend more time up foward. We desperately need more aerial contest at the half foward line. O. Henry isnt giving us anything here and its not camerons strength. Danger can do it but his body will be shot by finals if he has to do all the aerial contesting work. This is where rohan was so useful.

Yes, we can't keep letting Danger throw himself into every aerial and groundball contest or he will wear his 35 yr old body out. We need a competitor to take some of the load off. With JHenry and Kolo back (soon we hope) I'd nominate COS for this role. The kid never stops trying, you won't find him watching as Andrews/Taylor/Weitering take an easy mark. He mightn't win the contest, he mightn't even get to it, but he'd try his hardest to. And he has the size and leap to give it a go.

 

[sexyhunk]

Was he?

So his 2 goal/1 assist game against Adelaide away - a close win, he was terrible, his 4 goal/1 assist game against Hawthorn, his 3 goal game against Carlton, his 3 goal game against Melbourne where they beat us, his 4 goal assists and a goal against North?

At least be balanced with the criticism, mate.

there also the double effort in which he got the ball to cameron who handballed to smith for the goal.

half forward is one of the hardest position to play, he could do more but he hasnt been as bad as people say and the coaches obviously see something in him.

 

[Generalissimo]

The game of football needs a Bailey Smith more than Bailey Smith needs a football.

Geelong are a well-organised and well-drilled team. At times this has opened us up to accusations of playing joyless and robotic footy. Bailey Smith in there adds a bit of larrikin spark and we all love to see it.

 

[michelzing]

A question for any VFL watchers - I noticed that George Stevens and Oli wiltshire were listed as emergencies in the AFL - did they play entire games? - are they close to being good enough?

 

[PhatBoy]

Only thing is that Henry was one of two Cats to not record a tackle during yesterday's match and pretty sure he finished the game on the bench

Just watched the replay of On The Couch and saw it - it was on Karl Amon in the Hawks left back pocket. Forced Amon into a no look hand pass up into the air over his shoulder that went straight to us just as Henry was laying the tackle. It was a really big run down.

I can’t recall if we goaled from it or missed the shot.

 

[Catman]

Shannon Neale went from having one of the worst moments of his short career to a couple of the best moments in the space of a few minutes.

His failure to bodyline man and ball saw them kick a goal, but a big contested grab and the intercept and follow up tackle on Scrimshaw that led to the winning goal showed great character by not dropping his head and remaining in the game.