Interesting article from the Advertiser yesterday

[conanthelibrarian]

Bomber's boys find goal-kicking balance

17May07
EVERYONE in the football world is aware of the fitness problems that plagued Geelong's 2006 campaign.
The evidence of not being able to run out four quarters of footy is down in black and white when you examine the Cats' scoring performances last year.
They kicked 77 goals in each of the first and second quarters last year, before falling away to kick 72 and just 64 in the final two terms.
Their opponents went the other way _ steady at 74 goals in each of the first two quarters, before booting 67 in the third and a massive 78 in the last.
After a massive pre-season, the results are already starting to show on the scoreboard for Geelong in 2007, even though we are only seven rounds in.
A look at the scoring spread so far this season reveals a far more balanced Geelong side.
The Cats are applying the pressure early in halves, and then consolidating.
They have outscored the opposition 35 goals to 20 in the first quarter this year, and 35 goals to just 17 in the third.
The Cats have lost just one first term for the year _ the round five game against the Kangaroos _ and won a total of 19 or 28 quarters so far.
Although not to the same extent as the first and third, the Cats are outscoring their opponents in the second quarters (29-23) and fourth (28-24) as well.
The fourth quarters so far in 2007 have remained Geelong's lowest scoring for and highest scoring against.
But it doesn't necessarily mean they are not running out games properly.
They have kicked at least five goals in all but two final quarters. In the games they didn't, they booted 1.9 against Melbourne in round three and 1.5 the following week against Hawthorn.
In both of those games the opposition kicked 3.0 and 2.7 for the term, so they were hardly hefty defeats.
A further reason why final quarters have been less score-heavy is because Geelong matches this year, except for Hawthorn's game in round four, have been all but over by three-quarter time.
Whether they were up or down, the margin has been five goals or more in six of seven games this season.

Don't know if it means much in the scheme of things, but I found it interesting reading.

 

[hbk_aus]

The subject title is an oxy-moron in itself...