Review Cats roll Eagles eventually by 43 points.

[Mr Meow]

Thankfully midfield link man will not be his role in a big final, so we are all good.

It'd be nice if he got out of the way of those chains altogether so the likes of Duncan can execute. Are you happy with Duncan at the moment by the way?

 

[Mr Meow]

I think he needs to assess better - the short passes or handballs are fine when they are on but he needs to raise his eyes as well and assess longer options
That's bloody hard to do but I think that's what we expect in the long run.

Agreed. I would rather him actually go for the 40-50m option if he has to. You've summed up my point better in that I have reservations about him trying "cute" link up disposals around half back/centre. It would've been the same if Bews tried to do that stuff. It suits the more polished types.

 

[frggr]

Gave up 2 goals from disposal errors. That handball to H Reid (and goal) was average

He was just getting Reid used to what he can expect next year

 

[The Casey Cat]

Stengle playing like that makes us a much more dangerous proposition.

It does. But Close playing as he did undoes a lot of it. Nice if they could both be average to good.

 

[Mr Meow]

It does. But Close playing as he did undoes a lot it. Nice if they could both be average to good.

Most teams would kill for their output this season.

Stengle: 2.4 goals/goal assists and 5.8 score involvements per game.

Close: 1.8 goals/goal assists and 5.3 score involvements per game.

That is average to good.

 

[Baudolino]

It's a bit disappointing to me that Mullin's kicking technique still hasn't gotten any smoother with time. He continues to look incredibly awkward and stilted, just as he did in his first games a few years ago. Traditionally Irish imports to Australia have been good kicks (see: Tuohy), but it doesn't seem like Oisin has that in him.

 

[catsfootyfan89]

Most teams would kill for their output this season.

Stengle: 2.4 goals/goal assists and 5.8 score involvements per game.

Close: 1.8 goals/goal assists and 5.3 score involvements per game.

That is average to good.

Would you say Brad Close has taken a forward step this season? Or a backward step? The eye-test tells me backward, but I'd be interested to see how his stats stack up against last year.

 

[Mr Meow]

Would you say Brad Close has taken a forward step this season? Or a backward step? The eye-test tells me backward, but I'd be interested to see how his stats stack up against last year.

Backwards but not by nearly as much as we've surmised on this board.

He is definitely the one that cops it most when he stuffs up (which admittedly he did a handful of times against WCE, so it is the perfect time to bash him).

2024 Close: 2.0 goals/goal assists, 5.3 score involvements, 9.4 effective disposals, 2.4 tackles per game.

2025 Close: 1.8 goals/goal assists, 5.3 score involvements, 8.8 effective disposals, 1.8 tackles per game.

We have to remember, Mannagh has been a permanent fixture this season and Dangerfield was permanent forward, so all of our other general forwards numbers have gone down a little.

 

[Hinkley29]

It'd be nice if he got out of the way of those chains altogether so the likes of Duncan can execute. Are you happy with Duncan at the moment by the way?

Mullin is a low possession player right now, it doesn’t feel like he is getting involved in our chains much at all. In these midseason games we want him involved so that he continues to learn how he can best use his attributes. Do I want him involved in the most important chain of the season? Probably not, but I would say that about a few players.

How is Duncan travelling? He is going well. I think the MC have managed him well, and have probably learnt from what happened last year when he fell off a cliff at the back end of the season. Do I think he can keep this up for 15 rounds? Probably not, but if he is kept fresh and distributing the ball like he is right now he is another good option. The key to his performance is how well is he kicking the ball, which correlates closely with how well is physically. When he hit the wall last season his kicking fell away, so I reckon the club will be keeping a very close eye on the facet of his game, if it starts to go south they will react accordingly.

 

[Mr Meow]

Mullin is a low possession player right now, it doesn’t feel like he is getting involved in our chains much at all. In these midseason games we want him involved so that he continues to learn how he can best use his attributes. Do I want him involved in the most important chain of the season? Probably not, but I would say that about a few players.

How is Duncan travelling? He is going well. I think the MC have managed him well, and have probably learnt from what happened last year when he fell off a cliff at the back end of the season. Do I think he can keep this up for 15 rounds? Probably not, but if he is kept fresh and distributing the ball like he is right now he is another good option. The key to his performance is how well is he kicking the ball, which correlates closely with how well is physically. When he hit the wall last season his kicking fell away, so I reckon the club will be keeping a very close eye on the facet of his game, if it starts to go south they will react accordingly.

Agreed. I hope we don't cook Duncan's goose by overplaying him, sending him off with 2 months of abuse for the club's mismanagement. Let's see if the club learned anything from last year.

He had a late introduction to the seniors this season but he'll need a few weeks off here and there when appropriate.

 

[catsfootyfan89]

I didn't watch the game in full - did Smith likely earn the three brownlow votes?

 

[Hamingja]

Mullin is the quintessential Chris Scott

Chris Scott

Age

49

Ht

182cm

Wt

89kg

Pos.

Fwd

Career

Season

Last 5

D

16.6

4star

K

11.2

4star

HB

5.4

4star

M

5.1

5star

T

1.6

4star

G

0.4

3star

No current season stats available

D

13.2

4star

K

10.2

4star

HB

3.0

3star

M

2.2

3star

T

2.8

5star

G

0.4

3star

chess piece. He has the power and the pace to be shuffled around as a tactical pawn.

I have never understood people that think he is just suddenly going to win the footy or turn into prime Tadgh Kennelly rebounding off half back.

He does not have the footy nous for that and has not been programmed for that since arriving at Geelong. His ceiling is Mark O'Connor

42

Mark O'connor

Age

29

Ht

189cm

Wt

88kg

Pos.

D/M

Career

Season

Last 5

D

13.2

3star

K

8.1

3star

HB

5.1

4star

M

4.4

4star

T

2.3

4star

MG

174.8

3star

D

12.4

3star

K

8.9

4star

HB

3.5

2star

M

4.5

4star

T

1.6

3star

MG

199.8

3star

D

10.4

3star

K

4.8

2star

HB

5.6

4star

M

3.8

4star

T

2.0

4star

MG

67.4

1star

MKII.

 

[Hamingja]

I thought his disposal was poor

That was the concern I had him with him all last year in the VFL. The height, athleticism and footy smarts are all there. The strength will come with a couple of pre seasons. Until last night I don't think the disposal has been glaring at AFL level. Better system and you usually have an easy out to a Stewart, Humphries or Guthrie. Eagles might be 1-11 but the commentators did mention they were #1 for forward pressure in the AFL so it was a different test under pressure. Hopefully improves with experience.

 

[Hamingja]

why is our defence so leaky now. anyone at the ground did we have a loose?

I live interstate so only watch on tv but we seem to have been super aggressive and press the extra man up to the contest / ball carrier all year. If you lose that 2-1 it is an easy goal out the back and there are a couple of defenders, looking at you SDK, that are very poor at killing that contest with a weak sauce punch.

 

[Mr Meow]

I didn't watch the game in full - did Smith likely earn the three brownlow votes?

He had a massive first half and then was clamped down on. Still okay the second half, but it muddied the BOG waters.

It's hard to see who else would get it though. Miers and Stengle excellent but I imagine get 3 votes incredibly rarely as small forwards. Holmes was brilliant in some aspects but he had a bunch of forgettable kicks.

My guess is:

3. Smith
2. Holmes
1. Baker

 

[catempire]

No flag because of that game?

Drama queen alert

Things I didn’t say for $1000…

It’s funny, you can actually list ahead of time the posters who will cry in response to any criticism of the club. Always gives me a giggle.

 

[catempire]

It's a bit disappointing to me that Mullin's kicking technique still hasn't gotten any smoother with time. He continues to look incredibly awkward and stilted, just as he did in his first games a few years ago. Traditionally Irish imports to Australia have been good kicks (see: Tuohy), but it doesn't seem like Oisin has that in him.

Go by outcome, not looks. His kicking is excellent for any player, let alone an import.

 

[Hinkley29]

He had a massive first half and then was clamped down on. Still okay the second half, but it muddied the BOG waters.

It's hard to see who else would get it though. Miers and Stengle excellent but I imagine get 3 votes incredibly rarely as small forwards. Holmes was brilliant in some aspects but he had a bunch of forgettable kicks.

My guess is:

3. Smith
2. Holmes
1. Baker

It is this point of the season that “hype” players start getting an inordinate amount of votes.

The umps read the papers and follow the news, and they know that Bailey is considered a favourite right now. So they start noticing him more at vote time, then the borderline calls for votes goes his way. It is self fulfilling, and happens most seasons. It is why winning vote tallies have gone through the roof over the last 10 years - more media coverage = more self fulfilling vote choices = higher overall winning vote totals.

The umps don’t want to look like idiots so they vote with the prevailing group-think of the day.

So that is a long way of saying that Bailey will likely have gotten 3 votes against WC, and will probably continue to do so from now on if his form is around the mark.

 

[Hinkley29]

Things I didn’t say for $1000…

It’s funny, you can actually list ahead of time the posters who will cry in response to any criticism of the club. Always gives me a giggle.

If you don’t want posters to read the wrong thing into your cryptic posts then be more overt with what you are trying to say.

Rather than expect people to be mind readers how about you explain yourself better.

 

[catempire]

If you don’t want posters to read the wrong thing into your cryptic posts then be more overt with what you are trying to say.

Rather than expect people to be mind readers how about you explain yourself better.

Cryptic? Hahahahahahah.

Yes call me David Astle.

 

[Hinkley29]

Cryptic? Hahahahahahah.

Yes call me David Astle.

Go and read your post again in context. The context being that it was in the first 10 posts of a GAME REVIEW THREAD.

In that context should it not be reasonably assumed that your post was intended as a reaction to the game that just occurred? If that was not your intention then explain yourself better.

but yeah, I am the clown. Keep giggling…..

 

[kickazz]

And so often either kicking high over the target, or misreading the ball, running under it and missing the mark.

I wonder if the worst surface in the AFL had anything to do with that.

Players trying change their velocity too quickly often lost their feet. So that kick that is too high, normally you brake a little bit harder?

 

[catempire]

Go and read your post again in context. The context being that it was in the first 10 posts of a GAME REVIEW THREAD.

In that context should it not be reasonably assumed that your post was intended as a reaction to the game that just occurred? If that was not your intention then explain yourself better.

but yeah, I am the clown. Keep giggling…..

Can a Coleman be won in one game?

A Brownlow won in one game?

That is the context

You really have to contort yourself to draw the conclusion you did.

 

[catswhiskers]

I think he needs to assess better - the short passes or handballs are fine when they are on but he needs to raise his eyes as well and assess longer options
That's bloody hard to do but I think that's what we expect in the long run.

This is part of Mullins education. Having experienced the heat and being able to view end to end vision of his work he will get better in the decision making / reaction side of things.
First bit roles....then defence ......then tagging....now in the guts against lesser teams.

Makes sense to me. GFC have plans for that lad.

 

[Hinkley29]

Can a Coleman be won in one game?

A Brownlow won in one game?

That is the context

You really have to contort yourself to draw the conclusion you did.

Then what was the point of your post in a game review thread?

I would have thought that the point of posting in a game review thread was to react to the game. Your post was your first post after the game.

You have been around these parts for a million years, I thought you would have figured out the structure of threads by now. Apparently not.

But go ahead, show your true colours and post another clown emoji.