Analysis Geelong Cats are preliminary finals chokers: Some hard truthes.

[Ricketz]

Some of the posts here show the pain of losing.

I was at the game, and have watched some of it on replay. Some of the extreme criticisms are way off. For a start, anyone who really thinks we finished 'level' with Adelaide is kidding themselves about what the Crows did to prepare for finals. They didn't need to win their last two games - by then, they were frying bigger fish with selection and training.

In the game itself, there's a massive magnifying effect caused by the scoring system: a tiny instant in which mistake gets made becomes six points. And when it's six points that you could have got, there only have to be 3 or 4 mistakes and the game is gone.

So, at the risk of feeling disloyal to players who killed themselves: Adelaide's first two goals came from very basic mistakes from Harry Taylor - a dropped mark, and kicking into the player. Bang, turnover; bang bang, goal. Would Harry would have made those mistakes if he had been playing in defence all year? Hard to say - but if you say that, you have to say also that we might not have beaten Sydney if we hadn't had the flexibility to cover Tom Lonergan's late withdrawal.

Getting worries about our bottom six and our bottom ten and over-reliance on Danger and system and the fact that X or Y hasn't become an 'a-grader' or that our coaches should be moved on or flogged in the market square or replaced by Sam Newman don't reflect what happened in the prelim final. IT's fast, it's a matter of millimetres, and the result reflected the fact that we played the best team in the comp, on their home ground, when we'd played the week before. At some stages, we looked tired. They looked like a team that had been on the Gold Coast when we'd been smashing ourselves against Sydney.

Causes of the skill errors we made that cost goals? Some speculation: does the sheer intensity of Joel Selwood and Chris Scott mean some players are too wound up when they take the field?

At times in the really hot contests, and the Adelaide pressure was phenomenal, it looked like players were trying to do something prearranged, rather than do what they had to to get the ball on their terms. Do players become scared of making a mistake or afraid to do something not in the plan?

Was the weight of the retirement of Mackie and Lonergan too great for them and their mates in defence - we just didn't look as settled and organised as we usually do, although kudos to Adelaide for not allowing that.

Maybe the Cats read BigFooty and worry about what Cynical will say?

I agree with those posters who ask whether the emphasis on versatility has gone too far: some guys who could be outstanding in specific jobs don't reach that status because they can't do a range of things well (Menegola, Blicavs, Kolo, Cam Guthrie, Thurlow). But in fact the player who can be elite in two different roles is very, very rare; being elite in one should be enough.

I'm not convinced we need massive changes of personnel among players or coaches, although I'm more relaxed about Menzel leaving than I would have thought possible a year ago; but I really, really hope Motlop stays, and stays in a way that lets him sort out injury and any other issues he might have. He tried his guts out, and was clearly in our best two or three, even though he was heckled and jeered by (Cats) supporters regardless of what he did.

Great post!

 

[Reg Hickey]

Maybe. Or maybe they simply are best fit for that position at that given time? I never agreed with Murda in defence, Blitz on a wing Kolo on a wing although he's shown a little bit there. Harry has also shown plenty up forward. With Mack and Domsy gone Harry goes back and hopefully Buzza gets some continuity up forward.

If we can get our 2 smalls in Mcarthy and Gregson cranking and the utensil can keep his hammies from twanging we might be able to build a formidable pressure forward line. If we get stringer and Ablett it will be very dynamic and dangerous.

I do worry about the backline though. Kolo should go back and we play utensil ona wing/fwd flank for his run and pressure acts pushing into the forward line. Hopefully Gardner is ready to take the big step into Domsys shoes, he's got big boots to fill so hopefully the kid is ready to step up.

This! This is what I'm excited about. I reckon we could play at least four of Cockatoo, Ablett, McCarthy, Gregson and Smith in the forward line at any point in time, alongside Hawkins and one of Menzel/Stringer/Buzza, and it would be an unbelievably dangerous attack with heaps of forward 50 pressure. Add in Danger swapping forward a few times a game allowing Ablett to have a run on the ball, and we'd be a completely different team.

I also agree with the point others have made about versatility - it seems to be overrated at our club. I hear Chris Scott complaining about lack of continuity in the team due to injuries, yet Harry Taylor was fit all year and still couldn't get continuity in a position. Stanley gets a game because he can play ruck AND forward, but that seems to overlook the fact that he's s**t at both. We need a settled back six, a settled forward six, and a strong multi-dimensional midfield. We have the cattle for that, we just need a good run with injuries (a MASSIVE part of Richmond's success this year) and the coaching team having the cojones to back in a structure.

 

[jezza1435]

What's a truthes?

 

[bellpark]

This! This is what I'm excited about. I reckon we could play at least four of Cockatoo, Ablett, McCarthy, Gregson and Smith in the forward line at any point in time, alongside Hawkins and one of Menzel/Stringer/Buzza, and it would be an unbelievably dangerous attack with heaps of forward 50 pressure. Add in Danger swapping forward a few times a game allowing Ablett to have a run on the ball, and we'd be a completely different team.

I also agree with the point others have made about versatility - it seems to be overrated at our club. I hear Chris Scott complaining about lack of continuity in the team due to injuries, yet Harry Taylor was fit all year and still couldn't get continuity in a position. Stanley gets a game because he can play ruck AND forward, but that seems to overlook the fact that he's s**t at both. We need a settled back six, a settled forward six, and a strong multi-dimensional midfield. We have the cattle for that, we just need a good run with injuries (a MASSIVE part of Richmond's success this year) and the coaching team having the cojones to back in a structure.

The more I think about it, the more I think someone like Buzza or Stanley may have to become Centre Half Back. Gardner too green, we seem to be heading for a smaller forward line, so second big forward not as likely and possibly in that model you only play one real ruck. So, something like Stewart FB, Buzza/Stanley CHD and Harry 3rd tall.

 

[David the Cat]

On their own paddock yes; elsewhere different story

you could be talking about Geelong with that observation....

 

[Sticksman]

you could be talking about Geelong with that observation....

For sure. I'd be reasonably confident of beating Adelaide on our paddock again. Meeting them at the MCG would be close to 50-50 IMO. Anyway it's all conjecture.