Do we need to be reading this?

[Deep North]

It's kind of scary reading this stuff so early in the year. I know we should be confident of a good year, but most people I know who are non-Geelong fans have put down the glasses already. A mate who's usually a very cool, analytical head (and Sydney supporter and over 50) reckons we should go through undefeated.

I can't believe that anyone would think any team at this stage of the year is much above equal 16th.

It feels like a settup.

http://www.realfooty.com.au/news/news/cats-put-fear-into-bookies/2008/02/16/1202760672055.html

 

[FoxC]

It's kind of scary reading this stuff so early in the year. I know we should be confident of a good year, but most people I know who are non-Geelong fans have put down the glasses already. A mate who's usually a very cool, analytical head (and Sydney supporter and over 50) reckons we should go through undefeated.

I can't believe that anyone would think any team at this stage of the year is much above equal 16th.

It feels like a settup.

http://www.realfooty.com.au/news/news/cats-put-fear-into-bookies/2008/02/16/1202760672055.html

It's akin to some our club's supporters saying that we will go through the season undefeated, and will claim the next five flags and so on. It's certainly uncalled for, however confident in our abilities we are. Don't forget that yesterday we played at home against a team that finished third from bottom last season, had a dozen of their best senior players out and under a new coach. We were blessed on the injury front last season, and a knee here or hamstring there to some of our best players could certainly wreak havoc on the campaign. And that's not counting on improvement and determination from other teams to unseat us. You only need to look at how cocky the Eagles were after their flag in 2006. It's time to put the lid back on I say.

 

[winty]

It's kind of scary reading this stuff so early in the year. I know we should be confident of a good year, but most people I know who are non-Geelong fans have put down the glasses already. A mate who's usually a very cool, analytical head (and Sydney supporter and over 50) reckons we should go through undefeated.

I can't believe that anyone would think any team at this stage of the year is much above equal 16th.

It feels like a settup.

http://www.realfooty.com.au/news/news/cats-put-fear-into-bookies/2008/02/16/1202760672055.html

I can't find anything wrong with us, the fans, reading something like that. The only concern would be if the players were to read it and let it get to their heads. But, if last year was any guide, that won't happen.

The thing I liked the most out of that article was Bomber's quote "It's only one game fellas" and the fact that he wasn't entirely pleased with the game. To me that shows that we're not just going to rest on our laurels this year, which IMO is a very good sign.

Another good quote I read recently is that the team have pretty much said they will not look back on 2007, unless it is to learn a lesson.

 

[The Casey Cat]

It's kind of scary reading this stuff so early in the year. I know we should be confident of a good year, but most people I know who are non-Geelong fans have put down the glasses already. A mate who's usually a very cool, analytical head (and Sydney supporter and over 50) reckons we should go through undefeated.

I can't believe that anyone would think any team at this stage of the year is much above equal 16th.

It feels like a settup.

http://www.realfooty.com.au/news/news/cats-put-fear-into-bookies/2008/02/16/1202760672055.html

I too have mates who claim they are pretty much resigned to Geelong dominating again unless they suffer catastrophic injuries. I won't be getting cocky about it but I can see where they are coming from.

They are still very young considering how experienced they are and so many players are pushing for selection they see no reason complacency or poor form should creep in. There is tonnes of improvement in guys like Hawkins, Mackey (maybe not tonnes for him but he can get better), Byrnes, Blake, Lonergan and Selwood plus Chapman would likely kick 50+ goals if he played 20 games.

Good position to be in for us.

 

[burto]

lol don't be so boring. we're ****ing awesome enjoy it while we can!

 

[boulos]

Thats a really well written article, well done on the win.

 

[nananana catman]

The Lid is off!!

 

[cats2rise]

I think we need to be confident in our own abilities. Obviously going over the top is not needed, but we need to enjoy it. It could be another 44 years before we taste success. Enjoy it, live it, love it.

Cats 2008.

 

[cancat]

It's kind of scary reading this stuff so early in the year. I know we should be confident of a good year, but most people I know who are non-Geelong fans have put down the glasses already. A mate who's usually a very cool, analytical head (and Sydney supporter and over 50) reckons we should go through undefeated.

I can't believe that anyone would think any team at this stage of the year is much above equal 16th.

It feels like a settup.

http://www.realfooty.com.au/news/news/cats-put-fear-into-bookies/2008/02/16/1202760672055.html

The journos always need an angle. Today it was 'Cats are as good as last year'. Our first loss will see the 'Premiership hangover' headlines.

 

[Copernicus]

Just the usual preseason hyperbole. We looked pretty good, but there were plenty of lapses, too, not to mention we were up against a lot of rookies and youngsters for Melbourne.

Great signs, no doubt, but hardly time to be calling the season ours already.

 

[LifeSpan-Void]

I think the club itself has put far too much time into "keeping it real" for articles like this to get to them very much, 2006 is a season they won't forget in a hurry even while basking in the afterglow of 2007. This sort of writing puts we, the fans, in danger of getting too bigheaded about the recent success and domination that the team has shown. Sadly, some of us are already cocky about our prospects in 2008.

 

[jim boy]

I don't think the team is cocky at all, but they would be confident. Their will be a couple of doses of hard cold reality dished up during the season which will keep them on their toes.

However at the moment, the Cats are only team at the moment that can really claim to be 'a genuine premiership contender'. By mid-season their will be at least two more teams.

 

[And_ROOS]

We have some great depth this season, and while i think undefeated is out of the question i think top 2 is expected of this group. We are in our Premiership window and anything other then contesting the flag this year would be a let down. How can anyone even consider thinking otherwise?

 

[TheTimeCometh]

haahahah!! "diss"!!!!!!!

 

[CF]

premierships are not won in February

 

[TheTimeCometh]

it's the win we had to have.

 

[Hinkley29]

As a lifelong Geelong fan, I know how difficult it is to allow yourself to be confident. We have a history of having entertaining, but inherently flawed teams, and as fans we know this better than anyone. However, I don't think there is anything wrong with being thought of as premiership material at this stage of the season. This is the best Geelong team I have ever seen and I am determined to enjoy the ride, rather than worry too much about outside stuff.

Without sounding cocky, does anyone else here think that we should be better this year than we were last year? A number of players, you could reasonably expect improvement from, or contribution levels greater than last year (Stokes, Prismall, Mackie, Chapman, Kelly, Rooke, Hawkins, Wojak, Blake, Gamble, etc) and you would not expect many, if any of our guys to go backwards.

The other big thing when comparing last year with this year was that the big question mark on last year's team was how well we would preform in big games when the pressure was on. This is now no longer an issue, as we have got the premiership monkey off our backs. The only time we really looked beatable last year was in the prelim final, which was a game that we played well below our best. Credit to Collingwood as they put us under enormous pressure in this game, but the majority of our problem in this game IMO was that we played scared and and looked as if we were petrified of losing. With the confidence from winning it all last year under our belts, if we played the same team in a similar game this year, I think we would approach the game in a totally different fashion and be a much better team. The premiership IMO is a very positive thing for this team for the confidence it gives us, rather than being a detriment because of complacency. I don't see this team having a premiership hangover at all.

The only reason we will not be better than last year is injuries, which to a large degree we can't control (although changing medical and fitness regimes last year certinaly worked wonders for the Cats). The rest of the comp can see this, and is rightly worried about how we could possibly dominate this year. Look at it this way, if you were a fan of any other team, and you objectively analysed Geelong as a side, would they scare you more than any other team in the comp? Too right they would. It is just that as Geelong fans who have lived through our history, it is hard for us to see this and be overly confident.

IMO, this is a potentially golden era for the Cats, so be confident and enjoy the ride. We have had enough near misses following the Cats, so we should enjoy this while it lasts.

 

[forrrestGump]

We have some great depth this season, and while i think undefeated is out of the question i think top 2 is expected of this group. We are in our Premiership window and anything other then contesting the flag this year would be a let down. How can anyone even consider thinking otherwise?

injuries to key players will influence the year
if otto, johnson, mooney, scarlett and egan play 75% of year we are ok
any injury to these blokes and the team balance can go askew