Preview Geelong Season Preview

[Hood007]

The problem is when a team loses a Grand Final it spawns myths - and they grow pretty quickly. If the coaching staff lost focus, then absolutely that's their fault, however I don't see winning 15 on end as being a bad thing going into a Grand Final. In recent history Carlton in 1995 and Brisbane in 2001 were able to get the job done despite this theoretical monkey. If, as a result of this we had players carrying injuries, then they shoudn't have been picked, full stop. There were and never are excuses.

It's not a myth.

By being too concerned with having the equal best season ever and winning every game at any cost, by the time we got to the GF we were underdone mentally and physically as opposed to Hawthorn who were cherry ripe.

Some would say that strategy harmed us.

Fast forward to '09 and the club was prepared to forego a couple of games to ensure the fitness of our players was at it's peak.

Hence the attitude of some poeple not caring about winning a McClelland trophy...

 

[InnocentBystandr]

Football is a learning game.
The brains trust learned from '05, and again in '06, and '07, '08, '09. This is a new season, and hopefully they have learned from all those years enough to keep ahead of what St K, Hawthorn, Dogs etc have learned.

We have a great team on the field, and a great team in the coaches box!

Seriously! Who else would you want to be supporting!

 

[Sttew]

Best 22
FB: Andrew Mackie, Matthew Scarlett, Darren Milburn
HB: James Kelly, Harry Taylor, Corey Enright
C: Jimmy Bartel, Joel Selwood, Joel Corey
HF: Paul Chapman, Cameron Mooney, Travis Varcoe
FF: Max Rooke, Tom Hawkins, Steve Johnson
Fol: Brad Ottens, Gary Ablett, Cameron Ling
Int: Mark Blake, Shannon Byrnes, David Wojcinski, Josh Hunt

And don't forget: Hogan, Stokes, Drum, Gillies, Posiadly, West, Lonergan.... It reads bloody well

 

[jim boy]

Varcoe and Lonergan weren't injured though.

Varcoe had had a virus that week, and on reflection, shouldn't have played.

 

[Grizzly_82]

hindsight is a wonderful thing....

 

[NEMINI]

If, as a result of this we had players carrying injuries, then they shoudn't have been picked, full stop. There were and never are excuses.

Going on that reasoning Paul Chapman shouldn't have played in last years GF ... thankfully you weren't selecting the side.

 

[AidanNelson2009]

Geelong's 2010 season - Where will we be ?

Will Geelong make the top 4 in 2010 ?
Can we go back - to - back and win our 3rd flag in 4 years ?

In my opinion, Geelong will finish 3rd this year, with Hawthorn top and Western Bulldogs second. This may well be Geelong's last shot at the flag, but let's hope not.


Your thoughts ?

 

[Turbocat]

Top posts Claude and Partridge

The why we won in 09 and not in 08 is an interesting subject because it probably gives an insight to our 2010 season. There is always a tendency to write history with the clarity of rear vision. Certainly some of the outcome can be attribute to the GFC's astute approach but without a doubt there more at play than just player management

Its now become part of the mantra that we learnt from 08 , that we rested players rather play them etc , all in order to have them right at the right time. Certainly several player had weeks out after the Saints game , I suppose my question is how much was planned and how much was forced upon them?

It wasn't that long ago that in-game rotations were a rarity , that players thought its was beneath them to be off the ground. Perhaps just like so many other 'norms" , ones idea of the best 22 always being played is also an old idea that doesn't fit modern footy , that the stress of modern footy means that it would be conducive to rest a player 1 week in 6. This is all fine and good until the individual is told he is out of the side. I wonder how Geelong would have gone about convincing players to rest if everyone was fit and firing , when losing ones spot may well mean you do not easily come back in. Its ingrained at an early age to get in the side and then stay in the side , a spot is to hard to earn to then voluntarily give it up. Stokes did that this year but I think it was probably as a result of 08 and not ever wanting that outcome again.

Anyway , I think after the Saints game there were so many sore that this was not an issue.Having lost the game , there was no streak to protect this helped Geelong. I wonder if we had of won , would we still have had 7 odd changes the next week?

And even after we did "mange" players is 09 I still don't think we went into the finals Cherry Ripe We played several players less than fit , just as we did in 08. In fact one might say that Johnson , Ottens and Chapman where far more key players than Stokes, Chapman and Varcoe , one could argue we were just as vulnerable to criticism of playing unfit players in 09 , as we did in 08 or 07.

I think the mindset thing you have touched upon had a crucial contribution. Winning the Hawks game in (R17?) and several other tight games allowed us to evolve our playing style. No longer did we have to play attribute football. , when it was either on or off , hot or cold. We got accustomed to close games , about winning when playing ordinary and winning with injured players.It rebuilt the believe that when the going gets tough we would not be found wanting .I'm sure to some extent, a reminder of what it was like to to lose also played its part. A reminder of how quick one can lose face and how quick the ride could be over, is not such a bad thing. This meshed with the rock solid believe in themselves meant they were better prepared for tough close finals games whether the ball bounced our way or not.

Another factor that grates on me is our opposition. I have no doubt that the Hawthorn side where the the wrong club for us to meet in 08 , probably just as we we were for StKilda in 09 and the Bulldogs in nearly every finals I can remember. The Hawks history of success against us probably meant more than any club Hawthorn always thought they could beat us. I think we were probably ready for a defeat and they happy to oblige.

So on to this year , I see more of 09 but maybe with a touch of 07. Our side is probably close to its zenth , there is hardly a weakness to be found and we have several young & hungry guys we hope can come in and add to our group. I can see a blend of the flat out scoring machine of 07 mixed with the composed , experienced group of 09. If we have a good run with injuries I see no reason why we can have another very exciting and winning season.

 

[Vdubs]

Varcoe had had a virus that week, and on reflection, shouldn't have played.

He also did an ankle. But Stokes' injury was more severe and costly, specially with Wojo and Byrnes sitting in the stands. Varcoe helped get us into the 08 GF with a great game vs the Dogs.

 

[cat in sydney]

Going on that reasoning Paul Chapman shouldn't have played in last years GF ... thankfully you weren't selecting the side.

Was Chapman carrying an injury into the GF though? He seemed to play the PF very well, and pulled up fine from what I heard.
It was SJ who had the real issues after the PF, and played like it in the GF.

 

[Vegas.]

Was Chapman carrying an injury into the GF though? He seemed to play the PF very well, and pulled up fine from what I heard.

Yep, while Chappy is pretty much a walking injury towards the end of the season, he was 'fine' until he copped a huge corkie in the GF. There is some excellent slow-mo footage of him landing and realising he was in a bit of strife. Clearly not enough strife to slow him down.

 

[macarzabitrusty]

Season Preview

http://australian-rules-football.suite101.com/article.cfm/2010-afl-season-preview-geelong-cats

"A second flag in 3 years was a just reward for one of the greatest teams the game has seen. But do they still have the hunger to claim a third?"

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[bigcatman]

Geelong: Team Preview 2010

Ins: Marcus Drum (Fremantle), Daniel Menzel (Central District), Mitchell Duncan (East Perth), Allan Christensen (Geelong Falcons), Nathan Vardy (Gippsland Power), Josh Cowan (North Ballarat Rebels), Jeremy Laidler (promoted rookie). Rookies - Jack Weston (Gippsland Power), Ben Johnson (Geelong VFL), James Podsiadly (Geelong VFL), Jesse Stringer (Port Adelaide Magpies).

http://sportal.com.au/afl-team-preview-display/geelong-team-preview-87803