Review Cats into ANOTHER PRELIM (14 of 18) after beating Lions by 38 points

[Vdubs]

IF Hawthorn get over Adelaide, that's one match up we may not need to worry about

Is Dear any good?
I thought Lewis was a better player.

 

[cats_09]

Is Dear any good?
I thought Lewis was a better player.

They omitted Lewis to keep Dear in the team

Beyond that, not too sure who's the better prospect for Hawthorn

 

[Mr Meow]

They omitted Lewis to keep Dear in the team

Beyond that, not too sure who's the better prospect for Hawthorn

Lewis was good before the continued injuries. He's struggled a bit this year.

Dear is raw but has much greater potential to rip a final apart in 2025 IMO. They still have Gunston and Chol who can do that anyway, but I'd say Dear is a miss.

 

[And_ROOS]

Lewis was good before the continued injuries. He's struggled a bit this year.

Dear is raw but has much greater potential to rip a final apart in 2025 IMO. They still have Gunston and Chol who can do that anyway, but I'd say Dear is a miss.

He got on a hot streak end of last season, but this season hasn't really hit anywhere near those heights due to injury etc and has been subbed out of games a lot.

Lewis has struggled just as badly as Dear, guess it depends on how important having another taller forward to go with Chol and Gunston is for their structure.

Lewis did kick 4 goals in the VFL against Brisbanes 2s so maybe thats enough for a recall.

 

[Pure_Ownage]

I like Fort, but he wouldn't even be a good KPF at VFL level, let alone AFL.

The worst thing you can do after a big QF loss is over-react. Most sides that lose the QF go on to win the semi-final at a reasonably good clip.

Yes but since the pre finals bye top teams lose the advantage (admittedly gc didnt have a bye but essendon is like a bye)

 

[Play it Sam]

Don't write Adelaide off - Crows will revive and big bodies be too strong at AO for the Dawks, although they only beat them by 14 points over there a few weeks ago. Also it's to be remembered the Suns absolutely poleaxed Brisbane when they last met.
A few interesting nights ahead for us.

 

[cats_09]

 

[And_ROOS]

I like Fort, but he wouldn't even be a good KPF at VFL level, let alone AFL.

The worst thing you can do after a big QF loss is over-react. Most sides that lose the QF go on to win the semi-final at a reasonably good clip.

Issue for Brisbane is they haven't really corrected their forwardline since they lost Hipwood who was structurally important and allowed Morris and Lohmann to get off the chain.
And with Cameron in an absolute slump, Ah Chee being average since about Rd 12, and Day not really contributing since moving from the Suns where he barely played since 2020 it means their forwardline is badly exposed.
And in the 2 games since Hipwood has been out injured Lohmann and Morris weren't great against Hoks and us. And even then they only JUST got over the Hawks and that required massive games from Dunkley, McCluggage, Rayner and Ashcroft.


Whatever they decide to do against the Suns, they need to replace or at least have someone mimic what Hipwood was bringing to their f50 or Collins and Andrew will have a field day back there and then Noble, Powell and Rioli will have the easiest day coming out of half back like how Stewie/Henry/Zuth controlled the air and Stewie, Zuth and Miers had a field day with the rebound 50s.

And thats before they have to wonder how they replace Neale.

I still think the Lions are good enough to make the PF where they will then give Collingwood an easy entry into the GF, I just think these injuries along with some poor form has come at the worst time and they are going to need some players to absolutely play out of their skin this week to be a chance.

 

[Play it Sam]

Secret is he didn't take kindly to being called Bambi. So we have BF to thank?

 

[dudusmaximus]

Mullin to Newcombe.
MOC to Moore.

MOC to Moore or maybe Ginnivan?

J Henry to Gunston.

COS to Dear.

SDK to Chol.

Expect Worpel to miss some sitters. Isaac Smith had to miss one after the siren to grease the skids

 

[And_ROOS]

Don't write Adelaide off - Crows will revive and big bodies be too strong at AO for the Dawks, although they only beat them by 14 points over there a few weeks ago. Also it's to be remembered the Suns absolutely poleaxed Brisbane when they last met.
A few interesting nights ahead for us.

That was a wild game, heaps of momentum swings. Just looking through the stats for the match and its going to be interesting because in that game Will Day was in the Hawks top 3 players, and Rankine was in the Crows top 3 players and both gone for the season.
Hawks midfield has done a better job covering for Day than Crows did covering for Rankine against the Pies.
I thought Fogarty would be "the guy" for them and be their forward spark, especially when others like Keays went missing. But the Pies got their match ups and planning spot on.
Crows/Hawks feels like it will be a close match.

As for the Suns/Brissie that was at the Suns home ground and Brissie have a really good record at the Gabba against the Suns but then the Suns don't appear to have any injuries heading into this week and Lions from that team that copped that spanking will be without Starcevich, Neale and Hipwood.
This is the game I worry could be a bit of a blow out.

Just on the QF, I was surprised that some players had the ball a lot less than I realised.
Holmes felt like he had 30 disposals but had 23, Danger felt like he had 26+ but only had 19 and Bowes felt like he had 25+ but only had 16.
Reminds me of games we had last season where we had a lot of players with 18-24 possessions and all were very efficient, and we had weeks where no one would get 30+ meanwhile our opponents would have 2 or 3 guys on 30+ and didn't hurt us.

On the flip side to that, Neale had 32 and Ashcroft 30 and they might have really only had 10-15 possessions each that actually caused problems. They had it a lot and never really punished us.

 

[Seeds]

View attachment 2418113

You dont know how to read ruck stats???

 

[hoopla]

Lethal was on AFL360 last night trying to justify the umpiring decisions. He’s in the tiny minority. No conflict of interest at all.

 

[catsfootyfan89]

Lethal on AFL360 last night trying to justify the umpiring decisions. He’s in the tiny minority. No conflict of interest at all.

I would've thought after seeing the vision of Rayner getting in the umpire's face prior to those ridiculous decisions, the AFL would be investigating.

That little shit should cop a week ban. So unbecoming.

 

[iameviljez]

Issue for Brisbane is they haven't really corrected their forwardline since they lost Hipwood who was structurally important and allowed Morris and Lohmann to get off the chain.
And with Cameron in an absolute slump, Ah Chee being average since about Rd 12, and Day not really contributing since moving from the Suns where he barely played since 2020 it means their forwardline is badly exposed.
And in the 2 games since Hipwood has been out injured Lohmann and Morris weren't great against Hoks and us. And even then they only JUST got over the Hawks and that required massive games from Dunkley, McCluggage, Rayner and Ashcroft.


Whatever they decide to do against the Suns, they need to replace or at least have someone mimic what Hipwood was bringing to their f50 or Collins and Andrew will have a field day back there and then Noble, Powell and Rioli will have the easiest day coming out of half back like how Stewie/Henry/Zuth controlled the air and Stewie, Zuth and Miers had a field day with the rebound 50s.

And thats before they have to wonder how they replace Neale.

I still think the Lions are good enough to make the PF where they will then give Collingwood an easy entry into the GF, I just think these injuries along with some poor form has come at the worst time and they are going to need some players to absolutely play out of their skin this week to be a chance.

Lions 2025 smells a bit like us in 2013 - a very competitive team in a very even year, but just running out of soldiers and petrol tickets at the wrong time.

 

[cats_09]

 

[Tony Barber]

You dont know how to read ruck stats???

You dont know that Blicavs also started centre bounces........ wait for it...... on the wing. #runningpatterns

 

[Jumping Jack]

Lethal was on AFL360 last night trying to justify the umpiring decisions. He’s in the tiny minority. No conflict of interest at all.

I'd put the conflict of interest aside for one moment and think about whether Leigh Matthews should ever be given the microphone and allowed to talk about behind the play incidents. Sorry, but whilst the bloke might have been an outstanding player, he was lucky to ever be allowed back on the football field again after the incident I'm referring to. There were plenty of people at the time pushing for a criminal conviction.

Sorry Lethal - great player and coach but credibility is hanging by a thread.

 

[catsfootyfan89]

Since Ablett Jnr, who have been the most 'freakishly' talented players on our list?

I mean the types of players who can do shit that others just can't. The Betts / Daicos / Rioli types?

Dempsey is starting to look like he might join that list. That toe poke goal of his really was nuts.

 

[Seeds]

You dont know that Blicavs also started centre bounces........ wait for it...... on the wing. #runningpatterns

Well obviously yes (sometimes) given I quoted fort vs geelong ruck stats. Not fort vs blicavs.

 

[Heckler]

Here is more vision of Raynor flopping
Appears he flops at every opportunity
RAYNOR FLOPPING
Raynor needs a reputation for flopping
So umpires simply ignore his tactics
Just like Ginnivan for ducking at Pies

The week prior to the finals
AFL MRO Match Review Officer announced
Plan to crack down on Staging by trying to
Marry force of the contact with the reaction
so... According to statement above :-
You can exaggerate contact to draw attention
but player can't excessively exaggerate
Typical subjective AFL rule on Ump discretion

 

[winty]

It had to happen....

 

[Reg Hickey]

I'd put the conflict of interest aside for one moment and think about whether Leigh Matthews should ever be given the microphone and allowed to talk about behind the play incidents. Sorry, but whilst the bloke might have been an outstanding player, he was lucky to ever be allowed back on the football field again after the incident I'm referring to. There were plenty of people at the time pushing for a criminal conviction.

Sorry Lethal - great player and coach but credibility is hanging by a thread.

Fair call.

I'm just a little too young to have seen him at his peak. By all accounts a superstar. I only saw him at the end of his career when he was taking out behind posts and red-headed Cats 70m behind play. That remains to this day arguably the second worst act of thuggery in VFL/AFL history (or at least in the last 60 years).

 

[Cataholic]

I'd put the conflict of interest aside for one moment and think about whether Leigh Matthews should ever be given the microphone and allowed to talk about behind the play incidents. Sorry, but whilst the bloke might have been an outstanding player, he was lucky to ever be allowed back on the football field again after the incident I'm referring to. There were plenty of people at the time pushing for a criminal conviction.

Sorry Lethal - great player and coach but credibility is hanging by a thread.

Lauded as a tough guy but he was a coward.

It wasn't tough to king hit Bruns like he did, or to take flight when Hocking went after him.

Bruns reached out to him multiple times years later to catch up and talk it out, but Matthews gave him the cold shoulder every time.

I'm not aware Matthews has ever spoken to him since.

I have no respect for him at all.

 

[Jimmy Yamazaki]

Razor Ray said both the Lohmann and Raynor Frees was BS as the players flopped.