Gotta love the title of this article. Sorry cat fans but you're slowly finding out that ottens is not the answer to your forward line problems. Ben Graham was a much better forward.
Cats go from Brad to worse
05 March 2005 Herald Sun
Mark Stevens
THIS time last year Geelong was on the brink of the Wizard Cup final. Now, coach Mark Thompson doesn't know where his Cats stand.
GEELONG 2.4 8.6 13.8 15.13 (103)
HAWTHORN 3.1 6.3 10.5 15.7 (97)
Goals: Geelong: H Playfair 3 J Kelly 2 D Milburn 2 C Ling P Riccardi S Byrnes J Rooke K Kingsley C Enright P Chapman B Otten. Hawthorn: M Williams 7 H Miller 3 R Ladson N Lonie L Hodge S Beaumont L Brown.
Best: Geelong: J Kelly C Ling M Scarlett H Playfair K Tenace. Hawthorn: M Williams S Mitchell J Thurgood H Miller L Franklin.
Injuries: Nil.
Reports: Nil.
Umpires: T Parnell D Sully C Donlan C Kanalinos. Crowd: Approx 3000 at Optus Oval.
Geelong rolled Hawthorn by a goal in a practice match at Optus Oval yesterday, but Thompson wasn't jumping for joy following his team's first win of the year.
"If you looked at our form and the way we're playing, you wouldn't say we're a great side at the moment," Thompson said.
"I know we've got some good players who can potentially play well, but they haven't really done it this year."
Boom recruit Brad Ottens was disappointing in attack and forward Kent Kingsley had a dirty day, leaving Thompson with headaches.
Ottens missed a shot at goal from 20m directly in front in the first term and sprayed another kick out on the full from 45m in the second.
He finished with one goal, but was beaten by Danny Jacobs when not trying his luck in the ruck.
Thompson said he was unhappy with what he had seen of the Ottens-Kingsley union.
"It hasn't worked. They haven't worked together yet that well," he said.
"We probably thought that Brad Ottens' best form would be in the second half of the year. It's Kent working with Brad and it's Brad working with Kent -- and the rest of the team working with a new person there."
One positive in attack for the Cats was Henry Playfair, who took five marks at centre half-forward and kicked three goals in the first half before heading to defence.
Hawthorn kicked the last five goals of the contest and was deep in attack when the siren confirmed a 15.13 (103) to 15.7 (97) scoreline.
With Mark Williams finishing with seven goals and Harry Miller showing glimpses of brilliance, losing coach Alastair Clarkson was far happier than his Geelong counterpart.
"Our trouble over the first couple of games is we haven't been able to score enough goals, and it was pleasing to be able to kick 15," Clarkson said.
Although Clarkson has hinted Williams could spend more time in the midfield, he might be having second thoughts after the small forward's heroics yesterday.
Miller finished with three goals, including a solo effort in the final term that produced the biggest roar of the game.
Cats go from Brad to worse
05 March 2005 Herald Sun
Mark Stevens
THIS time last year Geelong was on the brink of the Wizard Cup final. Now, coach Mark Thompson doesn't know where his Cats stand.
GEELONG 2.4 8.6 13.8 15.13 (103)
HAWTHORN 3.1 6.3 10.5 15.7 (97)
Goals: Geelong: H Playfair 3 J Kelly 2 D Milburn 2 C Ling P Riccardi S Byrnes J Rooke K Kingsley C Enright P Chapman B Otten. Hawthorn: M Williams 7 H Miller 3 R Ladson N Lonie L Hodge S Beaumont L Brown.
Best: Geelong: J Kelly C Ling M Scarlett H Playfair K Tenace. Hawthorn: M Williams S Mitchell J Thurgood H Miller L Franklin.
Injuries: Nil.
Reports: Nil.
Umpires: T Parnell D Sully C Donlan C Kanalinos. Crowd: Approx 3000 at Optus Oval.
Geelong rolled Hawthorn by a goal in a practice match at Optus Oval yesterday, but Thompson wasn't jumping for joy following his team's first win of the year.
"If you looked at our form and the way we're playing, you wouldn't say we're a great side at the moment," Thompson said.
"I know we've got some good players who can potentially play well, but they haven't really done it this year."
Boom recruit Brad Ottens was disappointing in attack and forward Kent Kingsley had a dirty day, leaving Thompson with headaches.
Ottens missed a shot at goal from 20m directly in front in the first term and sprayed another kick out on the full from 45m in the second.
He finished with one goal, but was beaten by Danny Jacobs when not trying his luck in the ruck.
Thompson said he was unhappy with what he had seen of the Ottens-Kingsley union.
"It hasn't worked. They haven't worked together yet that well," he said.
"We probably thought that Brad Ottens' best form would be in the second half of the year. It's Kent working with Brad and it's Brad working with Kent -- and the rest of the team working with a new person there."
One positive in attack for the Cats was Henry Playfair, who took five marks at centre half-forward and kicked three goals in the first half before heading to defence.
Hawthorn kicked the last five goals of the contest and was deep in attack when the siren confirmed a 15.13 (103) to 15.7 (97) scoreline.
With Mark Williams finishing with seven goals and Harry Miller showing glimpses of brilliance, losing coach Alastair Clarkson was far happier than his Geelong counterpart.
"Our trouble over the first couple of games is we haven't been able to score enough goals, and it was pleasing to be able to kick 15," Clarkson said.
Although Clarkson has hinted Williams could spend more time in the midfield, he might be having second thoughts after the small forward's heroics yesterday.
Miller finished with three goals, including a solo effort in the final term that produced the biggest roar of the game.
