Review Geelong defeats GWS by 35 points and get into a Prelim.

[Drunkcat]

That may be a bit hard, he's currently in Ireland

Would not matter if he was here he still would not play

 

[Jhye Clark 13]

And I'd be replacing Parfitt with Constable.

 

[cats_09]

Melbourne aren't that good.

Their forward line is hardly scary apart from Pickett - smalls trouble us - and we have a stronger midfield. I don't think Gawn scares Stanley either.

It's their defence that gets the job done and makes the rest of their team appear better then they are.

A defensive forward on Salem and make Lever and May accountable.

Sav, Hawkins, Cameron and Rohan could trouble them with the right delivery.

That's the key - high bombs like we saw against Port won't get the job done

We played with better method and thought on Friday night - need to do the same against Melbourne

 

[Chinacats]

Pity we don’t have a small zippy forward that scores goals. Cameron torched them on the deck in their D50. Out of all the small forwards we’ve brought in and moved on none of them score goals. Unbelievable. That’s a systemic & method problem I think.

 

[Wish Wellingtons]

Narkle should sub. Simpson to HF, Duncan to roll into the middle.

Duncan did not look to be moving very well. Not sure he is ready for the middle.

 

[Jimmy Yamazaki]

An interesting stat.

With Rata in the team, we're 12 wins and 2 losses.

Without Rata in the team, we're 5 wins and 5 losses.

Needless to say, we need to keep him in.

 

[Baggins15]

Their forward line is hardly scary apart from Pickett - smalls trouble us - and we have a stronger midfield. I don't think Gawn scares Stanley either.

Fritsch worries me, but we at least have enough tall options in D50 to make him accountable. Need to try and force lots of high entries, as Henderson or whoever plays on him will fare much better in aerial contests as opposed to trying to go with him on a lead.

We don't really have a suitable matchup for Pickett other than Bews I think, but given he's seemingly taken on greater link-up duties this season, it's not as if we can just park him on Pickett the whole night (as we've done in the past to contain other smalls such as Betts).

 

[Live in hope]

Holmes’ kicking technique is fine. Watch him at VFL level and he’s quite tidy. Just hasn’t yet adjusted to the pace and pressure of the elite level.

It’s not bad (let’s be clear, we’re not talking about Tenace) - it’s just not great. And indeed AFL level is where that is more obvious. It is at that level the confidence in technique comes to the fore.

To my eye (and as some others have observed) it’s a bit ‘loopy’ - I suspect it’s the ball drop/timing. Happy to wear the flak on this, and hopefully be proved wrong.

 

[Jhye Clark 13]

Fritsch worries me, but we at least have enough tall options in D50 to make him accountable. Need to try and force lots of high entries, as the likes of Kolo and Henderson will fare much better in aerial contests as opposed to trying to go with him on a lead.

We don't really have a suitable matchup for Pickett other than Bews I think, but given he's seemingly taken on greater link-up duties this season, it's not as if we can just park him on Pickett for most of the night (like he's done against other smalls in the past such as Betts).

Atkins to Pickett. Bews to Spargo.

Blicavs takes Brown
Henry takes Fritsch
Henderson takes McDonald

Leaves the worst player in the league in Kolodjashnij without a suitable match up again.

I think they'll play Higgins and move Duncan to the midfield.

 

[Drunkcat]

An interesting stat.

With Rata in the team, we're 12 wins and 2 losses.

Without Rata in the team, we're 5 wins and 5 losses.

Needless to say, we need to keep him in.

Wow they are Carey like stats Sav must better than i thought he is

 

[Drunkcat]

Atkins to Pickett. Bews to Spargo.

Blicavs takes Brown
Henry takes Fritsch
Henderson takes McDonald

Leaves the worst player in the league in Kolodjashnij without a suitable match up again.

I think they'll play Higgins and move Duncan to the midfield.

IF we could swap Stewart for Kolo to have the injury everyone would be happy

 

[Jhye Clark 13]

IF we could swap Stewart for Kolo to have the injury everyone would be happy

Or Kolodjashnij to Fritsch and leave Henry as the intercept defender.

 

[Drunkcat]

Or Kolodjashnij to Fritsch and leave Henry as the intercept defender.

Henry can do what ever Henry wants he is the in form backman

 

[Baggins15]

Atkins to Pickett. Bews to Spargo.

Blicavs takes Brown
Henry takes Fritsch
Henderson takes McDonald

Leaves the worst player in the league in Kolodjashnij without a suitable match up again.

I think they'll play Higgins and move Duncan to the midfield.

Yeah blanked and forgot about Henry, my bad. Feel like we probably need to free him up for the Stewart intercept role. Though Henderson played on Fritsch back in Round 4 from memory and struggled to contain him (kicked three).

In terms of the better matchup for Pickett, Bews and Atkins are like-for-like I think. Atkins the better tackler and more likely to stick with him, but more vulnerable than Bews in situations where Pickett is the one applying the pressure (a sometimes overlooked aspect of his game, he's one of the better small forwards in the comp at doing this).

 

[Spearman]

even those campaigners omit TG II
just crap, populist, lazy reporting

 

[nohairandfair]

Melbourne aren't that good.

Their forward line is hardly scary apart from Pickett - smalls trouble us - and we have a stronger midfield. I don't think Gawn scares Stanley either.

It's their defence that gets the job done and makes the rest of their team appear better then they are.

A defensive forward on Salem and make Lever and May accountable.

Sav, Hawkins, Cameron and Rohan could trouble them with the right delivery.

Oliver and Petracca will win it for them. With Dangerfield and Selwood running on fumes at the moment, it's a concern.

 

[Heckler]

Take-Aways

Cats kept improving as the game went on...slowly working their way back to form.
Danger nursed his hand early but lifted in Q4 when GWS threatened
Tuohy showed the value of a running, long kicking defender.
Zuthrie looked steady and able to maintain a defensive role
Homes is shaky by foot... did just enough to keep Dahlhaus out
Hendo is down on confidence... needs to be slapped to regain aggression'
Atkins is a worry down back... perhaps a tagging role may suit him better?
Rohan kept spoiling teammates... should be given a role to spoil Lever next week.
Kolo is a liability... keep as medi-sub only.

 

[catters078]

I wonder if Melbourne float playing Hibberd. He has a touch more size should they need some depth against our talls.

If they are one short down back for size and as a result one of our key bigs start damaging they also may need to move MacDonald back.

Will be so key for Esava and Rohan to threaten early

 

[Chinacats]

Yeah blanked and forgot about Henry, my bad. Feel like we probably need to free him up for the Stewart intercept role. Though Henderson played on Fritsch back in Round 4 from memory and struggled to contain him (kicked three).

In terms of the better matchup for Pickett, Bews and Atkins are like-for-like I think. Atkins the better tackler and more likely to stick with him, but more vulnerable than Bews in situations where Pickett is the one applying the pressure (a sometimes overlooked aspect of his game, he's one of the better small forwards in the comp at doing this).

I wouldn’t even bother talking about who plays on their forwards as they are bog average. Tommy McDonald hasn’t touched it for about 8 weeks! It’s the other end. If we have the talls as the weapon to make may & lever accountable. Who is gonna represent us on the deck? Charlie Cameron touched them up on deck. Dees weakness is on the deck in their D50. If our talls bring it to ground then…..who’s gonna get the job done on deck?

 

[Chinacats]

I wonder if Melbourne float playing Hibberd. He has a touch more size should they need some depth against our talls.

If they are one short down back for size and as a result one of our key bigs start damaging they also may need to move MacDonald back.

Will be so key for Esava and Rohan to threaten early

A very good call that one. I suspect they want Lever free or on Rohan. Allir rag dolled Rohan a couple of times. So that is where they’ll try to Manipulate it.

 

[Pure_Ownage]

Melbourne aren't that good.

Their forward line is hardly scary apart from Pickett - smalls trouble us - and we have a stronger midfield. I don't think Gawn scares Stanley either.

It's their defence that gets the job done and makes the rest of their team appear better then they are.

A defensive forward on Salem and make Lever and May accountable.

Sav, Hawkins, Cameron and Rohan could trouble them with the right delivery.

Our forward line beats theirs for scoring power and our midfield should break even. I agree its all on if we can break down their team defence and if good stanley shows up and doesnt let gawn boss him.

 

[Pure_Ownage]

Oliver and Petracca will win it for them. With Dangerfield and Selwood running on fumes at the moment, it's a concern.

They are big no doubt but if Danger Selwood Guthrie Duncan Menegola and Smith (plus Higgins when he goes in there) can all play at or near their best we can best them. Probably need duncan to play a lot of midfield minutes this week

 

[feelinfeline]

Homes is shaky by foot... did just enough to keep Dahlhaus out

Okay, I'll bite. Just enough: lol!

 

[00VicWard001]

To not pick him ..if he is fit...would be a huge admission of poor recruitment.

I don’t think they care anymore about looking like they made a mistake. The eye is on the prize of a premiership. Higgins was expected to come in for O’Connor and try and have that passing skill in the back half. Instead they went with Holmes.

 

[00VicWard001]

They are big no doubt but if Danger Selwood Guthrie Duncan Menegola and Smith (plus Higgins when he goes in there) can all play at or near their best we can best them. Probably need duncan to play a lot of midfield minutes this week

They managed him on his second week back. You’d expect him to crack right in this week. This is pretty much the premiership game for the Cats. Win this and they next one will be much easier.