No Oppo Supporters Geelong defeated by Richmond in PF by 19 points

[Catman]

Operating on very little sleep, so my apologies if this is all over the shop.

The overriding feeling is one of that was a waste. The whole damn season. 11-1 at the bye, two games clear on top, then go 6-7 for the remainder of the year and miss out on a GF place has to render the season a failure. And this is probably unfair on what has been achieved this year, but in the heat of the moment it feels like an incredible opportunity lost and these golden opportunities don't come around very often. This was the best chance to win a flag since 2013, and like that year we threw it away. Large parts of this season eerily mirrored that year, and unfortunately the finals series was pretty much a carbon copy.

Did we overachieve in the first half of the season? I generally dislike the term, because you can only perform to your ability IMO. To lose just the one game was beyond any of our wildest expectations, but it set the season up, well it should have. To not only lose more games than we won in the second half of the season, but to not string consecutive victories together at any stage is a massive indictment.

On to the game, and honestly I couldn't fault the effort. And to see so many of the young players have an impact, while guys who have had their colours lowered in previous finals campaigns perform very well was refreshing. 21 pts up at HT, the game on our terms, we couldn't have been in a better position. I knew Richmond would have momentum, too good a side not to, but we were completely overwhelmed in the midfield after half time. I don't have the stats with me, but I'd love to know the Inside 50's after half time. We looked cooked physically and were running on fumes for much of the last quarter.

The first half was almost faultless. The response after the Richmond burst early was fantastic and it was little Gryan doing the damage, he had a hand in everything. The midfield were well on top, with TK, PFD and the skipper having a huge influence. To be honest, we should have been further in front at HT. 3.6 for the quarter, and there were some very gettable goals missed, no more than Blicavs woeful shot only 30m out. Had we managed to be at least 5 goals up then who knows, it's a different ball game. The defence was rock solid, and the game was on our terms.

The second half we were overrun, particularly in the midfield. Surely Danger was injured, as he was a passenger for that entire second half. When we were under the pump, it was concerning we were operating with Parfitt and Narkle - who both were good I thought on the night, in the centre square.
We'd been so assured and controlled with our ball use, but as the pressure increased it fell apart and players started making mistakes. And started turning the ball over in dangerous positions where Richmond slingshot up the ground. And the constant forward pressure didn't give a chance to settle and slow the play down. In the last quarter we looked out on our feet and basically treading water. For the hard work they put in, it was painful to watch such an chance slip away.

It's times like these I hate having so much emotional investment in sport. This will hurt for a long time. Not just last night, but the season as a whole. An utter waste.

 

[maryjames]

That 3rd quarter we got smashed in the middle..

Was danger in the forward line at that stage?

 

[AlcoaCat]

Richmond were mighty and we tried hard. Pity that blitz and others missed gettable shots when we had momentum, but such is life. Can anyone stop the Tigers in the granny? I doubt it.

 

[Shell]

I really cgaf who wins tbh. Good hard game dont make me bored granny.

 

[mcwilrob]

I thought Scott’s presser was good. Measured. Fact is we were not good enough tonight. We made costly mistakes. We needed Hawkins

I thought he came across as arrogant & smarmy actually...

 

[steady2]

Tigers have been the best team for the better part of 2 years now so I didn't expect us to win. But It's pretty flat after being up at half time and hope we held it, just couldn't stop their momentum, but let our scoreboard advantage go too quickly It was always going to be a battle once we lost to Pies and Hawkins went out.

I wonder though if we should have played Blivcas on Lynch, you know our best Full back?

I thought Blitz would be on Lynch, but I'm guessing that in the absence of Duncan and Clark Scott wanted extra drive from the mid-field. I thought Blicavs should have been sent back there though. Scott's thinking seemed to be that if supply is cut off and we play our own game it won't matter, in hindsight I would suggest wrong, but we didn't lose because of Lynch, he was on the receiving end, it was their half-backs and mid-field that got their game going.

 

[Partridge]

I thought the heavy training load or htl was supposed to prevent this happening come finals

It’s a feeble pathetic excuse and has been for some time.

 

[mcwilrob]

He’s hurting & emotional
Not sure what people want him to say

Owning some responsibility for questionable coaching decisions (or non-decisions) would be a good start. Follow that with not being an arrogant twat trying to needle journos who ask legitimate (hard) questions.

 

[CatToTheFuture]

Question to the people potting hawkins

Why are you not outraged on the elbow to Miers. Min free for of the ball high hit, from a thug, what it did was allow the tigers to rag doll and get into Miers head

The hypocrisy here astounds me.

It was insufficient force surely. What i don't like is BT and the commentary crew hanging out a 19 year old kid to dry for falling over when he clearly was hit in the head.

 

[Johnny_Dogg4]

commiserations for the loss
you almost had them, stupid turnovers in the 3rd gave back the momentum.

why was there so much space between the arcs ? in a prelim final that shouldnt happen. the tigers won the game because of the empty space in their forward half

 

[winty]

Another final lost at the selection table IMO. I'm sure the match committee goes to the selection meetings each Thursday night with a bunch of magnets and a shoe horn. I'm staggered how we have young key forwards like Buzza and Fort waiting in the wings who would've been adequate replacements for Hawkins, yet we try to shoe horn another defender into the side by naming a defender at full forward. Same with Duncan. He gets injured, and instead of naming another midfielder like Constable or even Scooter, we shoe horn another defender in to play on the wing. People might say "But they're young and might've been overawed by the occasion", but we don't know until we put them in that situation, do we? They might have stood up like Miers did and actually made a contribution, unlike Blicavs and Henderson. It was embarrassing watching Blitz shank shots from 25m out and dropping chest marks deep in defence last night. The bloke was the living image of that classic phrase "Looks like Tarzan, plays like Jane".

If the rumours are indeed true about Constable wanting to look to play elsewhere in 2020, can anyone really blame him? There were numerous chances for him to be elevated to the seniors in the 2nd half of the season, and his form certainly warranted it. Instead he had to sit back in the stands and watch a defender be shoehorned into a spot he should have been in and rack up less than a dozen fumbly, ineffective touches playing on the wing.

 

[Landgraft]

My avatar isn't as sarcastic anymore.

Sometimes things don't work out, no matter how hard you try or how good you are. And this years team was just one competitor of a very even group.

 

[foxdog50]

Anyone woke up this morning still feel sh!t

 

[Gavin Excell]

Game was like our season. Great first half then ran out of puff and had an ordinary second half.
Made the tigers look pretty ordinary for a half of footy but really good teams take their chances and we didn’t and they were always going to come after us and take theirs.
We missed Hawkins, Duncan and Clark-who knows-might have been different but as it is Richmond are a good team and were too good for us last night. Blicavs needed to play on lynch.
Players tried hard but tired. Ah well. Exceeded most people’s expectations this year so thank you to the team. Still feels disappointing and we are not that far off it, but we are just not quite good enough.
Can’t see them beating the tigers but -Go pies!
Ps the long wait for the trains at flinders st on Friday night after the games have been pretty ordinary too!

That's a good summary

I dared to dream at half time and made a comment gameday thread first ten mins of 3rd qtr would be crucial. Sadly I was right.

But in the (not so) cool light of the morning, I'm accepting that Richmond at the moment are simply better than us. Cats gave it a genuine crack but at the end of the day, are just a tad below the Tigers.

That by the way, is almost the perfect GF prep for them. Blow out a few cobwebs, and get into their groove second half. In horse racing parlance, they'll be better for the run and will win it for sure.

 

[FredLeDeux]

My avatar isn't as sarcastic anymore.

Sometimes things don't work out, no matter how hard you try or how good you are. And this years team was just one competitor of a very even group.

We played close to our best.
We forced them to play close to their best.
Their best was - and is - better than our best.
That's what happens in footy matches.
It's why they are played.
Namely, to see which team is the best.


PS, but we came pretty close to hijacking them.

 

[Gavin Excell]

Anyone woke up this morning still feel sh!t

Flat yes but not angry like after the Collingwood QF disaster

 

[coylez]

Was Danger sent to play in the forward line in third when they got there run on? Was he injured? If he wasn't, that is unacceptable as blind man freddie could you told you they were going to push hard after half time.

 

[Willo_]

I'm done with financially supporting the club for a while. Life's already expensive enough without paying to see the same show every year.

We've got the players. Had the players. We just don't have a humble enough coach to make the necessary changes or selections.

I'm the same going forward for a bit, had been weighing it up just for the financial side of it alone anyway, but I work too damn hard for my money to keep paying the club to see the same frustrating show over and over

 

[Partridge]

Well, that and the fact they played their full back at.. full back. Scott continually choking with his final selections. Piss him off please, we need a new look desperately

I was wondering when Hardwick would pull the masterstroke of Grimes to a wing but for some reason it didn't happen. Grimes happens to be a gun too.

 

[steady2]

This. This is what cost us the game. And in the last season where Selwood, Ablett and Taylor were useful. You're an idiot, Tom.

Simplistic! Many are looking to blame. If Tom had played we might have done better, but we were destroyed in the third when they put the burners on and we were unable to get back to our game for the remainder, I don't think Hawkins could have made that much difference, but yes he was an idiot. We are not good enough, however we were not blown away and Miers, Atkins, Sav, O'Connor, Parfitt, Narkle etc all gained valuable experience, they will need to improve.

 

[ATSAM]

Tom Lynch is very good and has a couple of inches and 6kg on Taylor plus 7 years his junior.

In the end too much to ask of Harry tonight

So should Blicavs have been on him??

 

[00VicWard001]

Nah I was a Chris Scott defender. But it comes to a point where we need to make a change. Haven’t won 2 straight in the finals since 2011 and we’ve been simply embarrassing in the finals since.

Definitely have. It really was ours to win. When we implemented our game, we dominated. But no Duncan to pick apart their defence and no Hawkins to worry them meant that it was going to be uphill.

 

[00VicWard001]

Heartbreaking loss
A lot of players went missing in the second half
Danger, Guthrie, particularly
We really ran out of puff
Sadly, Ablett and Taylor are on their way out.
With Kelly going too, we need some new thoughts on 2020
I still believe that umpires should not be able to wear a teams colours. Doesn't look right
Next year we need to pull it together and trust a younger team
I don't know why they didn't put Rhys forward in the second half. He looked gased
Sad thing is I reckon had we won tonight we would have taken the flag
2020 team

Kolo Blicavs O'Connor
Henry Henderson Stewart
Tuohy Duncan Guthrie
Dahlhaus Hawkins Atkins
Parfitt Ratagolea Miers
???????? Dangerfield Selwood
Constable, Steven, Clark, Menegola

Leave our boy Blicavs at fullback
Please get a ruckman. Ryder, Jacobs, anyone, I don't care
Even give Abbott a go.

If we’re wishing and hoping - then its Cockatoo in the team too (not in the ruck position lol).

 

[steady2]

Maybe if the coach actually played the AA fullback on the the guy who kicked all those goals in the opposition? Maybe.... Maybe....

But Harris Andrews plays for the Lions! Blicavs was in the squad but did not make the final team, he is not an AA, yet. We did play a dual AA defender on Lynch, his name is Harry Taylor. However I agree that Blicavs should have been on Lynch, but the reason we lost was what happened in the third quarter when they put the burners on, we were not quite good enough. Kudos to Richmond they will be hard to beat.

 

[hoopla]

We played close to our best.
We forced them to play close to their best.
Their best was - and is - better than our best.
That's what happens in footy matches.
It's why they are played.
Namely, to see which team is the best.


PS, but we came pretty close to hijacking them.

I kind of think if the cats maintained their best for 4 quarters, they would have won regardless of how the tigers played. However, it seemed physically impossible for the cats to maintain their best in the second half for some reason. The west coast game may have taken a big toll.