Autopsy Cats lose 4th straight to GWS by 4 points.

[Kobe Gryant]

Based on the last few weeks I have very little faith in the MC at the moment. Instead of Hardie [37 disposals, 1 goal], Mannagh [15 disposals 3 goals] or even Stevens [28 disposals 1 goal] I bet we see Parfitt [26 disposals] and O'Connor back in...

We won't play Stevens.

I'm one of the few fans of his on here, and even I can see that he'd be gassed in a quarter at AFL level.

There's talent there, but he needs another summer to get rockhard fit before we see him in the AFL side.

He's coming from a much lower base than even a typical draftee off the ACL in his bottom age year where he blew out a bit - so it's not his fault - but it's the reality of where he's at right now.

With Bruhn, Clark, & big Toby in a similar category, we can't afford to be carrying that many players who still need to build their tank.

Mannagh will come in for Dempsey I'd say as he's looking tired lately (can't blame him, he would've never played this much footy in a row) and I personally doubt Parfitt gets back in.

With Clark supposedly sore, there is a spot there...but I think we're much more likely to bring Bowes into the 22 than bring Brandan back in.

CS made a statement of sorts there, and he would've been looking for more than what Parfitt delivered IMO in terms of a recall.

As strange as it sounds, I honestly reckon Hardie is the more likely of the two this week.

MOC might get back in, but it would be the Touhy for mine, who while looking solid at times, is incapable of backing up week to week these days.

Smokey would be Humphries, who would be great to see get a debut, perhaps in place of Mullin, while Guthrie, Danger, & Rohan will be all be held off until the Sydney game at minimum for mine.

I'd say we're planning around that a bit, as we're going to need to be at our absolute best to keep that within 5 goals the way we're going.

 

[Mr Meow]

Not really sooks. Geelong won 7 games in a row playing with a lot of energy and flair. We are now playing zero energy and no flair. Geelong has a mixture of experience and inexperience so we are not exactly babes in the woods. Fans should be disappointed. We played a seriously depleted GWS team at home in a major milestone game for a legend of the club and we were blown off the park early.

A series of close losses derails a season - confidence, form, energy saps. With the horrible NT trip in between. Some of that perhaps carried over into this match and then it becomes a self fulfilling prophecy. You just can't lose the clutch games over and over. Sometimes you need to be able to even steal one you don't deserve (especially at home) to buy yourself a lifeline.

Without being over dramatic we have failed to grab that lifeline 3 of the past 4 weeks. It's a long way back now, not so much mathematically but purely from a mindset perspective. Same thing sort of happened in 2023.

 

[Catsace]

A series of close losses derails a season - confidence, form, energy saps. With the horrible NT trip in between. Some of that perhaps carried over into this match and then it becomes a self fulfilling prophecy. You just can't lose the clutch games over and over. Sometimes you need to be able to even steal one you don't deserve (especially at home) to buy yourself a lifeline.

Without being over dramatic we have failed to grab that lifeline 3 of the past 4 weeks. It's a long way back now, not so much mathematically but purely from a mindset perspective. Same thing sort of happened in 2023.

I guess now at 7-4 we're better placed than 5-6 last season, but we're now needing to get a couple of unexpected type wins to get back the losses at home. It's just that feeling we left the points on the table at K.P with periods of uncompetitive footy, as for a reasonable part of those games we were OK. But again like Terry Wallace said in that year of the Dog doco, a close loss after being down a long way gets you SFA in the scheme of things. You get no points and drop games against sides you're in direct competition against. Tigers will not be easy next week, and it would be a huge mistake if our mindset somehow thinks that. Then after the bye, God help up against Sydney. Then again maybe with how ordinary we are at K.P now, it's a bonus it's up there.

 

[juzcat]

Thats all true but its still not acceptable when you consider the premier this year will be an average team because the league standard is crap. We are missing an opportunity.

hv u watched sydney?


Sent from my SM-S928B using Tapatalk

 

[CatToTheFuture]

He did take a pack mark, from which he kicked a goal, the only of our key forwards to do so tonight.

Almost as if we named too many talls and they didn't have the space to work with.

Like, why did we name 4x marking targets at the narrowest ground in the league?

 

[CatToTheFuture]

Don't worry, seriously........you'll beat my team next week at GMHBA Stadium and all will be ok again.

I wouldn't totally lock that in.

 

[CatToTheFuture]

It's the funny thing this season (and probably past seasons), but players who are managed, rested or starting as sub, are suddenly a lot better than were rated a week earlier after seemingly disappointing games

The more you don't play the better you get, therefore Hardie, who has never played is the best option available

 

[CatToTheFuture]

The big thing with Knevitt isn't endurance whatsoever, it's his size.

He'd be a top 5 runner at the club, alongside Dempsey who's a similar story.

I've said it before, he'll be a midfield version of Zuthrie from a career trajectory POV.

Exciting early, then everybody jumps off the bandwagon, and then in year 4 or 5 he comes good as he's finally physically big enough to play his role at senior level.

He's an inside/outside mid, who's now become an outside/inside mid in our VFL side off the back of his lack of size, but still giving him an avenue to impact with his endurance on the outside.

He's doing okay there, but it's not where he ends up in the long-term IMO. He's a young player (like many before him) where we're trying to add strings to his bow.

If Clark is sore/suspended, I'd love to see him get a crack this week. Will make it IMO, it's just going to be a slower burn than some would like.

I know a few are off Knevitt but I think he's a bit of a unique player that we don't really know how to use.

He's not quick and doesn't accumulate, but he runs all day, takes great contested marks, and is a decent kick and set shot. I also think he's generally done ok at senior level so maybe one of those guys who plays better up a level.

If we can find a role that suits him he could really add something. I think if he had a dozen or so games in the seniors fair chance we'd see him do something and it'll give us an idea that would change our whole structure for the better. I just don't think you can pigeon hole him

 

[Lunchtime]

I wouldn't totally lock that in.

Nah no way, you're being too generous. We will struggle next seek against the Cats.

 

[Lunchtime]

Ominously watching the game last night, the Tigers finally put their most dangerous and talented players forward (Dusty and Bolton), and no surprise they kicked a few goals between them. Last year the aforementioned two and Cotchin also kicked a bunch, and we were beaten by 5 goals. The way Geelong's playing now, and how we are really whiffing it at K.P now, there's no guarantee this is an easy four points. I'd be much happier if Dusty and Bolton play high up the ground like they did rather ineffectively for much of this season.

Very difficult to win at GMHBA Stadium. Very skinny ground. Richmond haven't been there since 2017. Cats should win next week.

 

[CatToTheFuture]

Nah no way, you're being too generous. We will struggle next seek against the Cats.

We should win but it won't be a smashing I think

 

[Stokey]

18-12 GWS's way. Often a lopsided count doesn't indicate crooked and lopsided umpiring, but tonight it was a pretty fair indication of who the umps wanted to win.

The amount of times Conway was just thrown out of the ruck or just held on to. No such thing blocking or holding the man when it comes to us.

 

[BigCat1]

I mean there is still a lot of good in that for large parts of games we can dominate most teams. That’s a big positive. We have lost 3 games now by a kick and there has been some bad luck in that.

The bad is there is a pattern in the way we absolutely get torn apart for large periods and some things are not working.

1. All aspects of the midfield from clearences to spread. If not for C Scott working around it at a break we’d be in all sorts. The talent is just too thin. Clearly we are trying things as it’s like Russian roulette in there at the minute. Every game either Clark, Parfitt, Bowes, Guthrie, Bruhn or Axe are banished or injured.
2 The absolute inability to compete in the air both down the line and inside 50. Ive never seen so many intercept marks taken by the opposition. It’s infuriating when you have the small fwds we have
3 The Duncan experiment isn’t working. He doesn’t want contact and he’s turning over as many chances as he is creating and he sure as hell ain’t defending.
4 Just the lack of physical aggression by the large majority of our younger players coming through. It’s alarming when things “ain’t on our terms” as C Scott likes to say.

 

[foxdog50]

I'd probably rest Conway anyway. Can see Nankervis rag-dolling him in the ruck next week in a similar vein to Briggs tonight otherwise.

Gee if we rest Conway next week, his new nick name can be called Tampon...
In for 1, out for 3

 

[Generalissimo]

The absolute inability to compete in the air both down the line and inside 50

Makes the continued absence of Knevitt even more bewildering. He's very competitive in the air and very good at taking contested marks on the wing.

 

[BigCat1]

This is a Match Committee that preferred O'Connor over Jordan Clark to the point he left for more opportunity, they dont deserve their defenders. Tell me why we wouldn't be a better team with Holmes and Jordan Clark in our midfield right now. And while you're at it, tell me what possible logic could rationalise making Bowes the sub tonight.

Whatever your view is on Hardie, he slots straight into a position of incredible need right away. On that basis alone, he is worth trying. You cannot argue that our bottom 5-6 are in anyway contributing more than what we may get from playing Hardie now, you also cant argue that Hardie isnt doing enough at VFL level. If the MC has formed a view on Hardie that is keeping him out, that says more about the incompetence of the MC and less about Hardie.

We were a team that was genuinely contending and Clark wasn’t up to it at that time. He also wasn’t fit enough or professional enough. Good sides (or good businesses) need selection integrity. There were multiple incidents. He even said that again in a recent SEN interview and it was well reported at the time.

Geelong have always made ppl earn their spot for the large part. Clark didn’t want to wait.

Let’s not re write history. We wanted to keep him. Yep he could always play but he also plays the most cushiest role in the AFL. The Bailey Dale, Nic Newman, Jayden Short, Houston, Whitfield role where you don’t even actually know who your opponent is. We have Mitch Duncan doing that.

Bowes being the sub is a harder question to answer.

 

[catempire]

Almost as if we named too many talls and they didn't have the space to work with.

Like, why did we name 4x marking targets at the narrowest ground in the league?

Given how much he rucked and how little Blicavs did it’s clear that was the reason.

 

[standupand]

One of the key moments in this game was in the 3rd.

An uncharacteristic fumble from Stewart leads to another gws goal.

It came shortly after one that had been given up by poor manning in our d50.

Stewart was very demonstrably unhappy with the manning up error, berating his fellow defenders for failing to provide cover in an area that he had left open behind him by going to another attacker.

Poor communication all round, it looked like.

But it must still have been on Stewart's mind when he made that fumble shortly after. A costly one as it turned out as he was in a position otherwise to set up another entry of our own at a time we were desperate to wrest back the momentum.

He goes to the bench. Words with the coach? Likely. It was a leadership issue. A tough thing to get right.

 

[CatToTheFuture]

Given how much he rucked and how little Blicavs did it’s clear that was the reason.

Yeah I haven't watched it yet just expressing my continued shock they went in that tall

 

[catempire]

Yeah I haven't watched it yet just expressing my continued shock they went in that tall

Plenty of teams have played and do play three talls.

 

[fpm84]

Plenty of teams have played and do play three talls.

Exactly. Sydney play McDonald, Amartey and McLean.

Port and GWS sometimes play four talls:

Dixon, Marshall, Finlayson, Georgiades.
Hogan, Riccardi, Cadman, Brown.

 

[catempire]

The problem wasn’t playing three talls, it was playing three talls, none of whom deal with the high long ball well and that’s pretty much all we gave them all night.

 

[standupand]

Exactly. Sydney play McDonald, Amartey and McLean.

Port and GWS sometimes play four talls:

Dixon, Marshall, Finlayson, Georgiades.
Hogan, Riccardi, Cadman, Brown.

However Stengle and Close look more likely to take marks inside 50 right now.

 

[CatToTheFuture]

Plenty of teams have played and do play three talls.

Successfully at Kardinia Park?

 

[Gavin Excell]

This year was always going to be a development year for the young midfield and new ruck set up.
Winning 7 straight obviously raised hopes to a level that's probably not realistic

Having said that I see signs in the younger chaps that they'll make it in time.

Be good to make the finals for development purposes but its not as if we are a genuine challenger.

I suspect the club will give Hawkins every opportunity until he himself makes the call.