Geelong weakness/improvement

[DanA]

Last year (structurally speaking) I would have said we had thrre major weaknesses:
In order:
1. Backline run & carry
2. Forward pressure
3. Midfeild class

It would seem fitness was a major part of all 3 weaknesses but we have also seen Wojak & Mackie lift the backlines run & carry while Varcoe & SJ have improved forward pressure, jnr has been a major part of Geelong improvement in the midfeild along with better ruckwork from Blake.

What are Geelongs current weaknesses? What do they need to improve to become a better team?

I can't see anything.

Of course certain players can improve foot skills, N.Ablett can take more marks, Enright give away less frees, but they are more micro improvements. I can't see any macro improvements that we can implement in to our side.

Any suggestions?

 

[cats2rise]

Our midfield is kicking goals which is a major asset to us. Our forward line is the weakest part of our team, and its good to see Ling, Bartel, Ablett etc kick goals when Nath/Mooney are not kicking 5 or 6 between them.

 

[Mooney_d'King]

Basic skills and decision making when the pressure is on. We experienced the return of the evil and dreaded half-back "long-bomb to nobody" on the weekend. I always get nervous then pissed off when they do that.

 

[DanA]

Our midfield is kicking goals which is a major asset to us. Our forward line is the weakest part of our team, and its good to see Ling, Bartel, Ablett etc kick goals when Nath/Mooney are not kicking 5 or 6 between them.

So you saw midfeilds goals as our biggest problem last year?

Fair call

I can see some problems comming up in the future in our forwardline; Hawkins will eventually push someone out which will either change our structure, which IMO is ideal now with 2 talls and Ottens occasionally resting forward, SJ creating play, while Varcoe & Stokes pressure opposition. The 6th forward pushing up the ground (Chapman).

Adding Hawkins will either change that or push out N.Ablett. Both seem undesirable options to me.

 

[DanA]

Basic skills and decision making when the pressure is on. We experienced the return of the evil and dreaded half-back "long-bomb to nobody" on the weekend. I always get nervous then pissed off when they do that.

Yeah I agree with that. We could do with a Gilbee who can direct play and act as a quarterback and kick goals from outside 50. There is only one Gilbee though, the closest we have is Josh Hunt.

 

[someday-somehow]

one word....disposal

 

[haywood jablome]

Main weakness: Disposal and bombing balls into the forward line.
Other weaknesses: Forward line inconsistency, which is alright atm because our midfielders are helping out.

 

[crosby123]

Footskills. Especially delivery inside fifty (Gaz, Mackie, Bartel, Chapman, Mooney, Stokes, SJ excepted)

 

[crackerjacks]

Agree with the gilbee type player but think our forward pressure is our bigest asset at the moment it gives our on ballers time to get down there hence reason why thy are kicking goals also, i would give n ablett a run on the ball he reads the play well and could create oportunities up forward ?

 

[Linx]

The main improvement is FITNESS. We would have won about 2-3 more games last year had we been half fit. Getting rid of Loris Betalochi (spell?) was the best thing we could have done. Also the injection of Gablett in the midfield, improvements of Bartel to superstar status and Nablett up forward and having quality draft picks come through like Hawkins, Selwood and Varcoe.

 

[PoidaCat]

Our weakness was our Inside 50 entry and our mental stability. Which we are improving on.

 

[Masss#10]

You need a class foward...no-one rates mooney and n. ablett

 

[fishman]

The main improvement is FITNESS. We would have won about 2-3 more games last year had we been half fit. Getting rid of Loris Betalochi (spell?) was the best thing we could have done.

Completely agree with this. Seems they are running all day now and seem mentally fitter as well.

 

[CF]

You need a class foward...no-one rates mooney and n. ablett

no we have no class forwards, that's why we have kicked more score than any other team and have a 150% on the table. Mooney is in the top 10 goal Kickers for the season. Come back when you have a clue.

 

[Linx]

You need a class foward...no-one rates mooney and n. ablett

If by class you mean superstar like a Pav, Brown etc then we don't have one. But no one in the competition has the combined talent of Geelongs forward 6.

Mooney
Nablett
S Johnson
Chapman/Stokes
GAblett/Varocoe
Ottens/Hawkins

 

[DanA]

You need a class foward...no-one rates mooney and n. ablett

Mooney - 84 mark, 27 goals, 9 frees against
Barry Hall - 78 marks, 22 goals, 23 frees against

If you don't rate Mooney, you must reall think Barry Hall has been is playing like a bag of shit then.

 

[tiredcat]

I put our improvement down to lack of injury allowing a full preseason to all players and to Ottens in particular. Last year couldnt run onto the field without puffing now looks like ruckman again and is more than usefull down forward
G Ablett who I reckon had groin or op problems last year not allowing him to run at full pace or kick freely now showing what he can really do.

Getting Corey back to the middle where he belongs has improved our clearances. Forgive Joel his 9 stuffups and count his 11 tackles and 9 clearances and hardness at the contest against the crows.

Ling doing what he did best previously, shut down best opposition midfielder

Wojcinski back to form and running freely after missing a year

Kelly looking like a footballer again (Hasn't been run down once this year and is hitting targets) again after missing a year

Mackie looking like he has found a spot

Most players have improved and all seem to have great committment

May it long continue

I think we owe D Haines (fitness guru) and whoever his offsiders are plus whoever was responsible for recruiting him a big thanks

 

[MmkMrMackie]

I think one of our biggest problems last year was our clearances from the middle. People love to hate him due to his decision making, but Joel Corey, along with Jimmeh has been carving it up out of the middle.

 

[GeeCat]

Our forward structure was pretty woeful (if not, non-existant) over the past few years.

So, whilst alot of the rejuvenation of said forward line can be attributed to individual improvements (see Nathan) and various additions (a fit Dog, appearance of Tomahawk etc), there is still something to be said of the appearanace of a cohesive, working, logical forward structure this year.

Having Moons as an all-important glue guy and foundation at CHF, a more defined role for Nathan (and I guess Otto too), the expansion in rotating of small fowards (Varcoe & Stokesy's addition to Chappy and, to a lesser extent, Gazza)...etc. The result? More avenues to goal, which, amongst other things, plays a big part in securing the dubya's.

I wonder why they didn't think of it earlier..

 

[tiredcat]

Our forward structure was pretty woeful (if not, non-existant) over the past few years.

So, whilst alot of the rejuvenation of said forward line can be attributed to individual improvements (see Nathan) and various additions (a fit Dog, appearance of Tomahawk etc), there is still something to be said of the appearanace of a cohesive, working, logical forward structure this year.

Having Moons as an all-important glue guy and foundation at CHF, a more defined role for Nathan (and I guess Otto too), the expansion in rotating of small fowards (Varcoe & Stokesy's addition to Chappy and, to a lesser extent, Gazza)...etc. The result? More avenues to goal, which, amongst other things, plays a big part in securing the dubya's.

I wonder why they didn't think of it earlier..

Still gets back to injury, Mooney played as stopgap ruckman because of injury to King and Blake not ready.
2 back from long term leg injuries.
N Ablett not ready Garry struggling with injury and complete reliance on kingsley/Gardiner/Playfair as focal forwards with Ottens in out with groin problems and the aerobic capacity of a flea

 

[GeeCat]

Still gets back to injury, Mooney played as stopgap ruckman because of injury to King and Blake not ready.
2 back from long term leg injuries.
N Ablett not ready Garry struggling with injury and complete reliance on kingsley/Gardiner/Playfair as focal forwards with Ottens in out with groin problems and the aerobic capacity of a flea

Our structural problems were existant way back before any of the above excuses took place.

 

[cats2rise]

So you saw midfeilds goals as our biggest problem last year?

No way, not by a long stretch.

- Body Language
- The Coach
- Skills
- Basic footy smarts/brain
- The way we went about things off field
- Our Forward Line
- Bias selection towards people who needed to be dropped.

And others were all worse problems, but our midfield kicking goals this year has taken pressure off our forwards. Take Wojac for instance... He would have kicked about 8 goals this year I would think. Thats 8 less goals we need Mooney/Nathan to kick, resulting in less bad F50 entries.

 

[MrGFC]

no we have no class forwards, that's why we have kicked more score than any other team and have a 150% on the table. Mooney is in the top 10 goal Kickers for the season. Come back when you have a clue.

Took the words right out of my mouth

 

[gokatz]

Disposal is a bit of a problem area. It's a good thing it didn't cost us on Sunday, though.

 

[YOTC]

Kicking In from behinds. We suck against the Zone, so slow getting it out.

Decision Making under slightest bit of pressure. So often we want to handball it off when one player should take it under the arm and run then kick long (like Gazza did v Adelaide)