Autopsy Cats get the cream down the highway.

[Hayes4PM]

Didn't watch the second half, you could see it was gonna be a "keep them at arms length" kind of trundle for the Cats, even if we continued to up the pressure at times really well, our polish and connectivity across the lines just aint there yet.

Didn't give much thought to the Steele rumours, but watching how much of a shadow of his former self he is, wouldn't be surprised if there really is a massive disconnect or disagreement between himself and the coaches. Could be off the mark here, might just be a decade of playing as an inside mid who has taken some heavy injuries catching up to him.

Older blokes and leaders have just not been up to what you would expect lately. Wood, Hill, Steele, Marshal, Sinclair all just seem a bit off to me in differing amounts.

The year is done obviously, we just need to keep exposing the kids (as we have all year). Would like to see some more of Carroll and O'Connell at some point.

 

[Captain Paddy]

This is not one game from Hill. It’s been the majority of the season.
Wood, Clark, Byrnes getting plenty of criticism too, and deservedly.Steele copped a lot earlier but has lifted his game the last few weeks. Possibly fitness related.

This is not a “let’s all bash Brad” thread. But his efforts have been below par.

Exactly, surely people can question a players output without it being called bashing

 

[SaintsofSteel]

This game was lost in the first quarter, what a terrible start. Shocking game planning and the team were no where near switched on.

I wonder what Lyon was hoping to achieve by playing Tauru on Cameron. Cameron nearly kicked as many goals as Alix had possessions. It was almost as if Lyon was consciously throwing the game.

Stocker appears to have lost some mobility, but surely he could have managed Dangerfield.

For far too much of the game we allowed Geelong their over lap run, the made it look like a training drill. Our skill levels are no where near what's expected of a professional team.

 

[_Maximus_12]

First time I’ve been to that shit hole for a a game. There’s nothing more unbearable than a 65 year old female cats fan calling everyone by their first name.

 

[jwikked]

At least ten blokes played worse than Hill today. The pile on coming from our own fans is getting pretty crook.

I expect more from him, than I expect from Wilson, Sharman, Tauru and whoever else.

Senior players are there to be better than them.

 

[Banger9798]

I know he can be a divisive topic, but what are we going to do about Brad Hill?

Really goes out of his way to avoid contact, ball use and decision making has been pretty poor and would have one of the worst 1 on 1 win rates in the league.

Isn't really adding much to the team from what I can see

Got to be dropped or pentioned off.
We can't have that level of softness at the ball.

 

[westernsainter]

Who

Byrnes, Clark, Heath, Boxshall, Henry, Stocker, Wilson... Windy had a lot of it but too many turnovers and not damaging. Caminiti, Tauru and Wilkie all battled today too. Hill is getting on but he isn't our biggest problem.

 

[westernsainter]

I expect more from him, than I expect from Wilson, Sharman, Tauru and whoever else.

Senior players are there to be better than them.

Hill isn't immune from criticism but it's all over social media, he even had to defend himself on the clubs own instagram post a few weeks ago. It's ugly and I don't think it does any good for the culture of the place when we are struggling with retention.

 

[Pardon me]

Byrnes, Clark, Heath, Boxshall, Henry, Stocker, Wilson... Windy had a lot of it but too many turnovers and not damaging. Caminiti, Tauru and Wilkie all battled today too. Hill is getting on but he isn't our biggest problem.

When youre comparing rookies and sub 100 gamers to veterans on output youve already lost.
Senior players have higher expectations - especially for basic skill errors.
Hill was deplorable today and has been ordinary for some time. Saying otherwise is disingenuous.

 

[jimmytigs]

not disappointed as i dont really know what our direction is for these last few games,but the steele shot from well inside 50 landing 5-10 short & hills pass that was intercepted early in game are just killers

want to name manny pacquiao and his opponent for dual bog's

i dont know who corbin middlemas is,but underwood johnson and hawkins is the stuff of nightmares,watched first half in that bar with no volume,thanks pacman and barrios

 

[westernsainter]

When youre comparing rookies and sub 100 gamers to veterans on output youve already lost.
Senior players have higher expectations - especially for basic skill errors.
Hill was deplorable today and has been ordinary for some time. Saying otherwise is disingenuous.

I'll give Wilson, Tauru and Boxshall the benefit there but the others have been in the league long enough now - do we seriously expect them to suddenly make the jump from here?

 

[Joffaboy]

Hill still runs his guts out, but his unforced errors are so costly.
Wilson really has to step up to take his place, but he is having a terrible yrlear.

Four winnable games coming up.

 

[Sully111]

I couldn't care less if we win or lose right now. What I'm looking for is building towards the future. I firmly believe Ross is trying to do that. Tauru on Cameron... then forward in the last quarter.... absolutely love it.

Our Execution at times is frustrating.

We have our gun mid in Nas. With the way Garcia is going and then if we bring Pou in, we're on the right track.

Hill and Henry liabilities at this point.

Shout out to Hammer. The amount of times he got a fist to the ball was awesome.

Windy and Owens both good.

Sharman an important cog imo.

Just need these signatures done.

 

[Ads734]

Lastly, we have a real ‘winning’ problem this year. Since Carlton , we have just not been able to actually been able to get into or hold winning positions. It’s very much a ‘this year thing.’

It’s very disappointing. Idk where it had comes from.

 

[aussierulesrules]

Garcia was a sizeable loss today. Almost certainly would have had the job on Holmes I imagine and he got off the chain so much that we had to pull Windy back off the wing and into a run-with role on him.

It’s pretty awesome how important he’s become for us so quickly.

We’ve got a serious future midfield cooking now if we retain them all.

Nas
Pou
Garcia
Windy
Box
Trav (?)

 

[Pardon me]

I'll give Wilson, Tauru and Boxshall the benefit there but the others have been in the league long enough now - do we seriously expect them to suddenly make the jump from here?

Fair enough, so we go back to the question: whats changed?
Hill has been around long enough to know whats what. So what has changed for this drop in form and more alarmingly; basic skill errors?
Is it change in position? possibly - I think his best is on the wing. If this has been taken away from him he may be less confident in teammates positioning and amount of time he has to make a decision which could absolutely result in these turnovers and skill errors.
Is it a change in role? Again possibly. NAS moving to midfield may have forced Hill more D50. Structurally this might make the team lopsided.
There needs to be accountability, especially when a player is on decent coin, has history of better output and has extended their contract.

 

[Browny2Carlisle]

Byrnes, Clark, Heath, Boxshall, Henry, Stocker, Wilson... Windy had a lot of it but too many turnovers and not damaging. Caminiti, Tauru and Wilkie all battled today too. Hill is getting on but he isn't our biggest problem.

Did you watch the game or are you just looking at fantasy score?
I was critical of Byrnes, clark and wood too.
Difference being, all of those players put their bodies on the line though and do the hard stuff. Hill doesn’t, waits for cheapies and then turns it over under zero pressure. He’s not the same player he was. His weapons are gone and it’s detrimental to the side.

 

[Minga]

I couldn't care less if we win or lose right now. What I'm looking for is building towards the future. I firmly believe Ross is trying to do that. Tauru on Cameron... then forward in the last quarter.... absolutely love it.

Our Execution at times is frustrating.

We have our gun mid in Nas. With the way Garcia is going and then if we bring Pou in, we're on the right track.

Hill and Henry liabilities at this point.

Shout out to Hammer. The amount of times he got a fist to the ball was awesome.

Windy and Owens both good.

Sharman an important cog imo.

Just need these signatures done.

Agreed, but I’d like to persist with Henry.

Had some plays today that stood out, break away pace and a touch of class, if he came on again as good as he was looking pre-injury run he’d be a real X factor.

 

[Veer Right]

I thought we were very good again with some turnovers hurting us yet again. Thought we also looked a lil bit disorganised down back but still a good effort with the lack of experience back there.

I want replaced....

Hill - hates contact so he loses 1v1s thus giving the oppo the ball
Byrnes - disposal
Clark - He hurts us out there. He is a liability. Slow, mediocre disposals and slow to release the ball.

Liked....

Heath/Marshall combo
NWM as a mid
Steeles tackling

 

[Minga]

Was also thinking, the real positive of Steele staying (which is more likely than not you’d think) is he’s kind of the perfect mentor for Boxshall to learn from, at a glance they seem pretty similar.

 

[Captain Paddy]

I wonder what Lyon was hoping to achieve by playing Tauru on Cameron. Cameron nearly kicked as many goals as Alix had possessions. It was almost as if Lyon was consciously throwing the game.

This is a crazy take, Jezza been one of the best forwards for a decade, what an education for Tauru

 

[aussierulesrules]

Fair enough, so we go back to the question: whats changed?
Hill has been around long enough to know whats what. So what has changed for this drop in form and more alarmingly; basic skill errors?
Is it change in position? possibly - I think his best is on the wing. If this has been taken away from him he may be less confident in teammates positioning and amount of time he has to make a decision which could absolutely result in these turnovers and skill errors.
Is it a change in role? Again possibly. NAS moving to midfield may have forced Hill more D50. Structurally this might make the team lopsided.
There needs to be accountability, especially when a player is on decent coin, has history of better output and has extended their contract.

Hill has for whatever reason been terrible the on the wing for the vast majority of the time he’s played there for us. Eg his first 18 months, before switched back, as he was doing so poorly on the wing.

His last two seasons have been clearly his best for us and he played the great majority of that time at high-half-forward, pushing right up and back all game, but this year we have Hall and probably now Henry playing that role, and Brad is back to roles he’s just not that good at any more.

It is what it is and he’s still running his guts out and doing something with most of his disposals, so I’m not going to lose sleep over it.

If him playing back frees up Nas to play midfield then it’s not the worst thing in the world.

 

[Diehard Saint]

Every youngster has shown a bit this year.
It is a talented list.
2026 we can hope for something like this, with everyone in the starting 18 (barring Wilkie and Sincs) expected to improve.


B: Hastie Wilkie Tauru
HB: Sinclair NWM Windhager
C: Wilson Boxshall Hall
HF: Henry Sharman Owen's
F Collard King Higgins
R Dodson, Garcia , Phillipou
IC Steele, Wood, McRae, Marshall
Em Clark (last chance )

Camaniti? Travaglia?
You should probably include Tdk. He’s not coming to play seconds

 

[Pardon me]

Hill has for whatever reason been terrible the on the wing for the vast majority of the time he’s played there for us. Eg his first 18 months, before switched back, as he was doing so poorly on the wing.

His last two seasons have been clearly his best for us and he played the great majority of that time at high-half-forward, pushing right up and back all game, but this year we have Hall and probably now Henry playing that role, and Brad is back to roles he’s just not that good at any more.

It is what it is and he’s still running his guts out and doing something with most of his disposals, so I’m not going to lose sleep over it.

If him playing back frees up Nas to play midfield then it’s not the worst thing in the world.

Good points ARR.
Agree to disagree though, I prefer him playing wing and being the disposal from HB to HF where he has vision for the majority of the ground in front of him.
Either way, I hope he can turn it around - I really like the bloke and he's just infectious anytime he speaks for the club with his enthusiasm.
Still think hes an important piece.

 

[BucketsandBanger]

The fact we can’t even fully enjoy this NAS glow up is the most StKilda thing ever.