Review Geelong defeats Blues by 26 points at MCG - Rd 17, 2021

[catstragic]

I did not think Holmes would play seniors this year, thought he was way too slight and coming from a fair way back. I'm glad to say I was wrong. Have thought after the Hawthorn game that barring injury he is a 200 game player. He is probably not best 22 this year but I think he ahead of Clark. He looks as if he is very coachable, works hard off the ball, runs both ways and is brave. On yesterdays effort he should keep his spot but I thought the same after the Hawthorn game. if he remains injury free there is a lot to look forward to after a couple of full pre seasons.

Assuming he can avoid the injury curse he has all the tools needed to be a quality player.

 

[Trent the flight Steward]

30 years ago players actually played their position on the ground so there was no congestion. Watch round 6 or 7, 1989 cats v hawks, the way footy should be played.

I like sav as a player, but he's confidence looks shot, and he's not a lead up centre half forward like Cameron has being this year, that works in with hawk and Rohan, I'm not sure sav understands where, when to lead and provide seperation for our other fwds, whilst Cameron is out. We had so many inside 50s yet never looked threatening to blow the game away. I think we would have been better to leave hawk deepest, I thought he sacrificed his game as sav had the matchup.

I thought we were just going all day and thankgod the blues can't kick and Stewart and Tuohy.
I thought we played a bit selfish, took the wrong option too often.

I also saw danger in the last qtr give up and not chase Walsh, even though the games over, danger should set the example, he just let Walsh follow up and get the easy handball feed and run past the man on the mark, it was like it wasn't his problem leave it to someone else.

Holmes was v good - great kick to Bews.

Close back to his best too. Criticism of Stewart is absurd. Kolo is a tortoise .. please can we at least look at someone else? Sav was a failure but is a coach favourite like Dal.

Weitering is a star and was always going to be able to match Hawkins, who got the ball a few times but drubbed his disposal.

Criticism of the modern game is ludicrous - for congestion see games 40 years ago. The game on 7 now is amazing. Shorter 4s and 16 players will not and should not be accepted by the fans.

 

[CabWesty]

This week has actually done us some favours in terms of ladder.
Port goes down to Melbourne.
St Kilda towels up Brisbane. Hipwood out for season.
Cats into 3rd.

I know there were people who were complaining about us relying on other teams results, but you make your own luck.

Now to see what happens with Doggies v Swans.

And the Swans beat the Doggies. All of a sudden we're only out of 2nd by percentage. 3 of the top 5 lost this week.

 

[bombersboy]

I didn't watch the game, but that goal he kicked, you can see the explosive power he has.... And mark my words, he will fill out nicely. He looks like Dangerfield potential, not saying he has that level, but he has that sort of upside. You can tell from limited vision of his highlights, that he has massive upside.

Holmes has a boys upper body but he looks quite solid already through the thighs. A couple of pre seasons and I agree, he could be a bull.

 

[bombersboy]

Hawk has always found it hard to get frees.. Maybe it’s a ‘you‘re a big guy, suck it up’ thing.
Plus he does mouth off to the umps a bit... but less these days.

He got 1 free yesterday. Prior to that the last one was in primary school.

 

[My Tilly]

I did not think Holmes would play seniors this year, thought he was way too slight and coming from a fair way back. I'm glad to say I was wrong. Have thought after the Hawthorn game that barring injury he is a 200 game player. He is probably not best 22 this year but I think he ahead of Clark. He looks as if he is very coachable, works hard off the ball, runs both ways and is brave. On yesterdays effort he should keep his spot but I thought the same after the Hawthorn game. if he remains injury free there is a lot to look forward to after a couple of full pre seasons.

Spot on.
All I said was the kid is miles off it and 1 minute later, he kicked a goal and I have copped s**t for the rest of the day for it. Led by a certain moderator as well.
I am in full agreeance. I rate the kid. Never said he is a dud or won't make it but if you watched the match on Saturday, he was no where to be seen in the last quarter. Bob's up in the last 5 minutes with a great goal and and is now best 22.

Holmes, Clark, Simpson are showing tremendous qualities early on but they still a long way off it. Close has come leaps and bounds in recent weeks as he too was hovering around that 22nd spot in the team.

 

[Chinacats]

In his defence he doesn’t have the experience to take advantage of a matchup like that , I don’t mind that we keep playing him …and I suspect he will be a better player than what has been shown this year in the near future.however, I will question the MC if he plays in the finals , I just don’t think you can carry players once we get to that point .

The future has arrived with Sav. 2-3 years ago when he was 19-21 fans kept saying wait 2-3 years. Well he is 23 in 2 weeks . So the 2-3 years are up. He actually looks worse! Shouldn’t be playing but no doubt will…

 

[Pollywaffle]

The future has arrived with Sav. 2-3 years ago when he was 19-21 fans kept saying wait 2-3 years. Well he is 23 in 2 weeks . So the 2-3 years are up. He actually looks worse! Shouldn’t be playing but no doubt will…

Confidence going for goal is shot
Needs some serious tutoring in kicking technique. Kicks like an ex rugby player. Does he have a rugby backgound?
leap has deserted him since his leg break so almost ineffective as a ruck.
No footy nouse
Not looking good...

 

[cats_09]

The future has arrived with Sav. 2-3 years ago when he was 19-21 fans kept saying wait 2-3 years. Well he is 23 in 2 weeks . So the 2-3 years are up. He actually looks worse! Shouldn’t be playing but no doubt will…

When we question he's current form we're told
- he's still young & only 21... Not sure where the idea he's 21 has come from but seen it a bit lately. Cameron somehow aged 2 years after signing with us but Ratugolea is getting younger

- he's new to the game and needs time to develop... He's been playing the game for 10 years and 5th year on our list, so at what stage does he stop being "new to the game"? Also not sure why he can't develop in the VFL

- talls take time to develop... No disagreement, but surely there's nothing wrong with wanting to see progression along the way


I also feel like issues/concerns that were raised in previous years are still evident, such as his footy understanding/nous, disposal by both hand & foot and especially his goal kicking

Not sure anyone is expecting him to be the finished product at this stage, but surely the questions we're asking aren't unreasonable

 

[Chinacats]

When we question he's current form we're told
- he's still young & only 21... Not sure where the idea he's 21 has come from but seen it a bit lately. Cameron somehow aged 2 years after signing with us but Ratugolea is getting younger

- he's new to the game and needs time to develop... He's been playing the game for 10 years and 5th year on our list, so at what stage does he stop being "new to the game"? Also not sure why he can't develop in the VFL

- talls take time to develop... No disagreement, but surely there's nothing wrong with wanting to see progression along the way


I also feel like issues/concerns that were raised in previous years are still evident, such as his footy understanding/nous, disposal by both hand & foot and especially his goal kicking

Not sure anyone is expecting him to be the finished product at this stage, but surely the questions we're asking aren't unreasonable

Absolutely spot on!

 

[Vdubs]

When we question he's current form we're told
- he's still young & only 21... Not sure where the idea he's 21 has come from but seen it a bit lately. Cameron somehow aged 2 years after signing with us but Ratugolea is getting younger

- he's new to the game and needs time to develop... He's been playing the game for 10 years and 5th year on our list, so at what stage does he stop being "new to the game"? Also not sure why he can't develop in the VFL

- talls take time to develop... No disagreement, but surely there's nothing wrong with wanting to see progression along the way


I also feel like issues/concerns that were raised in previous years are still evident, such as his footy understanding/nous, disposal by both hand & foot and especially his goal kicking

Not sure anyone is expecting him to be the finished product at this stage, but surely the questions we're asking aren't unreasonable

You always make completely reasonable and appropriate points, and surely the MC agrees with you; but... I am still comfortable at this stage that he plays again over the next few weeks. Some things yesterday were good. He is way off what we hope he could be, and hearing CS talk about his lack of preseason, and previous injuries, I feel that they are pretty sure he is worth persevering with in the senior team.

 

[Pure_Ownage]

Esava is a work in progress but he showed why he should be ahead of Stanley. Stanley was outplayed by a very young ruck and made seriously dumb decisions. Save grassed a few he could've taken but there were plenty of others who struggled to hold onto marks. His follow up work was great and he presented consistently. It's like people expect him to completely dominate just because he's playing on an undersized defender and ignore the fact Carlton were flooding numbers back and it was a really tough night for her forwards.

They were both awful. But one is 23 and might improve the other is going on 31 and is unlikely to. So esava should get picked ahead of stanley but id rather we had a good enough no1 ruck that we didnt need to pick either of them.

 

[Pollywaffle]

Not sure why they don’t give Fort a run.
Couldn't hurt to see whether he can contribute something more than Stanagolea.

 

[James1970]

Why not

Not how you wear a mask, Tommy...get real, or get off the train.

 

[cats_09]

Not how you wear a mask, Tommy...get real, or get off the train.

Wore it better than a good number I see on the train

 

[standupand]

I did not think Holmes would play seniors this year, thought he was way too slight and coming from a fair way back. I'm glad to say I was wrong. Have thought after the Hawthorn game that barring injury he is a 200 game player. He is probably not best 22 this year but I think he ahead of Clark. He looks as if he is very coachable, works hard off the ball, runs both ways and is brave. On yesterdays effort he should keep his spot but I thought the same after the Hawthorn game. if he remains injury free there is a lot to look forward to after a couple of full pre seasons.

The number 9 suits him. Has a bit of Turner as well as a bit of Kelly about him. Who knows whether he keeps his spot up to finals this year, but I can imagine him making a career for himself in that jumper.

 

[GeelongFTW]

Wore it better than a good number I see on the train

Still inexcusable especially on PT (if it was after the game say that's just optics really) . The afl should warn or even fine him (and others off) I reckon

 

[standupand]

You always make completely reasonable and appropriate points, and surely the MC agrees with you; but... I am still comfortable at this stage that he plays again over the next few weeks. Some things yesterday were good. He is way off what we hope he could be, and hearing CS talk about his lack of preseason, and previous injuries, I feel that they are pretty sure he is worth persevering with in the senior team.

I thought Sav's game was pretty good on Saturday. It wasn't a day for key forwards and he did some impressive things in the conditions. Early mark and goal, good second efforts one in the 2nd which led to a goal, another in the 4th where he wheeled around through traffic and delivered a decent ball inside 50. He'd like his time again with his attempt that slipped through his fingers. But apart from that, competed well in the air all game.

 

[Vdubs]

I thought Sav's game was pretty good on Saturday. It wasn't a day for key forwards and he did some impressive things in the conditions. Early mark and goal, good second efforts one in the 2nd which led to a goal, another in the 4th where he wheeled around through traffic and delivered a decent ball inside 50. He'd like his time again with his attempt that slipped through his fingers. But apart from that, competed well in the air all game.

Same here, as did CS.

 

[Ratcat]

I think it's to our advantage to retain Sav, his aerial threat to the opposition is bound to draw defenders, this opens up pathways for the smaller players from the spill. His attack on the ball is pretty intimidating at ground level too and his pace from a centre bounce is very impressive.
He's definitely a weapon oppositions need to watch which is to our alround advantage.

 

[Farmer2Goggin]

I think it's to our advantage to retain Sav, his aerial threat to the opposition is bound to draw defenders, this opens up pathways for the smaller players from the spill. His attack on the ball is pretty intimidating at ground level too and his pace from a centre bounce is very impressive.
He's definitely a weapon oppositions need to watch which is to our alround advantage.

Raw , young with plenty of talent albeit coming off a broken leg and interrupted preseason. I hope the prodigious leap comes back.
There's a couple of areas to work on that would make a huge difference.
I'd really like to see him in more contests by reading it better and getting in the right position - he's great when he's in the contest , just need more of it.
He also needs to deal with the mental side of set shots - he's a good field kick but his ball drop and routine in set shots reeks of a confidence issue.
He's a work in progress but if it clicks he'd be a ripper.

 

[Turbocat]

Why not

After no goals...something tells me next time he drives.

 

[Turbocat]

Higgins best game for us last night. Haven't looked at the stats but he had 4 kicks that actually looked dangerous. Bad game for Esava. Didn't manage to take advantage of his size or simpler role. Letting the Smith ball go without competing for it was the lowlight, the ball that went straight through his hands and falconed the blues player was also ugly- was a beautiful kick to advantage that should be held 8/10. Lucky to walk away with a win IMO. Carlton looked much more dangerous for most of the night, they just couldn't kick straight. Our forward line looked much better in the final quarter when CS capitulated and moved Esava downfield. I am a fan of Esava but has been at best a sideways year for him so far and the lack of improvement in his goal kicking routine is a serious concern. Can't remember the last time he took a set shot that didn't look like he was kicking the ball with his eyes closed. Weird thing is his field kicking is pretty decent for a big guy.

If that was Higgins best game ...then that shows how poor to average he has been this year. Pedestrian. So far ..not worthy of shinning a 36 year old 4GA boots. He needs to be more influential.

 

[standupand]

After no goals...something tells me next time he drives.

Might have got instructions to avoid the 'highway' and took it too literally. Still thought he was good even if nothing to show for it in the goals column. Annoyed me how the commentators kept saying it was a 'masterclass' by Weitering whereas it was mostly the delivery that was a bit off to Tomahawk and he otherwise won the contest pretty easily.
Covid issues aside, love seeing things like this - enjoying the trip to the game with his daughter as one of the people. What a champ!

 

[Turbocat]

Might have got instructions to avoid the 'highway' and took it too literally. Still thought he was good even if nothing to show for it in the goals column. Annoyed me how the commentators kept saying it was a 'masterclass' by Weitering whereas it was mostly the delivery that was a bit off to Tomahawk and he otherwise won the contest pretty easily.
Covid issues aside, love seeing things like this - enjoying the trip to the game with his daughter as one of the people. What a champ!

There is no doubt that Hawk struggle against him he is a quality defender. I think big strong defenders tend to negate him a bit.. do not think he often has to play against someone who matches his strength.

I hope it burns Tom a bit...and he demands more from those upfield. He should have jumped into Rohan for getting in his way... Rohan would not have done that to Lockett ..and lived to have the kick. The team need to take care of Tom better ..its not good for them letting Hawk get burned. Its happened too often in Scotts time. No doubt Weitering is a top player but Geelong made it easier for him. If he wants to play off Hawk like that then get someone standing next to Hawkins to disrupt the close.

The fact is if Cameron had been playing, if it had been a dry day etc...I think he could have got 1 or 2 goals.