Next week

[Partridge]

Yeah, we need to include another small forward. Perhaps one of Selwood, Tenace or Prismall will be dropped to include Djidi?

No way. This is the problem. The young guys are not given enough chances when guys who don't perform - Ling and company - never get dropped. I would retain all 3 of Selwood, Tenace and Prismall for a while yet. All three actually use the ball ok and have leg speed. Something Ling, Corey and others do not have.

 

[Gogeelong]

I agree
We have too many players that are not up to scratch.
This is not a knee jerk reaction, simply the truth
I would rather play Selwood, Dji, Tenace and Prismall than any other midfielder and crumbers as they are our future,

 

[WE Are Geelong]

Yep, its not just leg speed though..its quickness in the mind to dispose of the footy properly in some sort of intuitive way...until the senior guys start doing this with some run and cohesion and desire to play serious footy as a team...we wont progress this season. Our guys seem like they have been trained to be fitter this year...but not play any differently...if thats the case we will reap the reward due such stupidity.

Since the first half of the NAB Cup game against Richmond (that was Feb..now its April)...we havent revisited that style of fast moving first option footy. Until we start playing like that again...expect a season just like the last...of hanging onto the footy too long...the days of getting the footy and smelling the roses are gone forever.

 

[thejester]

Is there any statistical proof that Hunt has super disposal? It strikes me that, much like half of the team, he's just coasting off his 2004 performance.

 

[grantyc77]

Out: Harley In: Witch's Hat (might be more effective)

You are an idiot

 

[Rustybugles]

Out: Harley In: Witch's Hat (might be more effective)

Cruel but amusing - As Tim Know-all Watson said (at least three times!): 'It would be difficult for Geelong to draw any positives out of yesterday's game'.
Harley should not have been playing.

 

[Partridge]

Cruel but amusing - As Tim Know-all Watson said (at least three times!): 'It would be difficult for Geelong to draw any positives out of yesterday's game'.
Harley should not have been playing.

I actually don't mind Tim Watson - he knows the game and he doesn't get taken in by all the bullsh*t like most of them do. I listened to his comments on the replay and although it hurt I agreed.

 

[crosby123]

You have to get your brain around the thought that whoever didn't play today is the magical fix for next week. This is a TEAM game, and a team has balance. You can't replace Hunt with Tenace or Prismall?? Hunt often takes the premier opposition small forward, earns by far the most rebound 50s and sets up many plays. Who cares about one fricken game?? Get it into your head that the TEAM performed badly as a TEAM. Swapping one or two players from 1 bad performance wont fix $hit!

So we should just leave the team as it is, despite its horrible performance? You're saying that because it was so bad we should make no changes? That's ridiculous.

 

[BlueNWhite]

For those bagging harley, get a life. It was a terrible move by Thompson to put him on B.Johnson, who gave him a bath the last time they were matched up. Harley is not suited to playing on super-quick defenders and he had to compensate for Scarlett having an absolute shocker.
There were positives out of yesterday's game.
+ Nathan Ablett played one of his best games to date. He demanded the pill, the midfielder's looked to him and he looked in control when the ball hit the deck and he was forced to use his ground skills. Bearing in mind the amount of games he has played, we should be quietly happy with his game yesterday.
+ Selwood looked good, had some beautiful disposals, did get caught out a couple of times but hey, not a bad game for a first gamer.
+ Bartel looked great, ditto Chappy, GAJ worked hard before cramping badly in the last quarter

On the flip side
- Ling - terrible game and capped it all off by receiving a free kick, short sideways no look handpass to a player directly under the pump, turnover, goal. Thanks for coming Cameron, you've really contributed.
- Scarlo had a dirty day
- Ottens, shocking game
- Our midfielders delivery to the forward line was woeful

 

[martyk]

Is there any statistical proof that Hunt has super disposal? It strikes me that, much like half of the team, he's just coasting off his 2004 performance.

In 2006 he averaged 17-18 disposals, at an error rate of 2.2. This is the best in the team. He just gets criticised heavily by the media because of his over confident approach to his game at times.

 

[martyk]

So we should just leave the team as it is, despite its horrible performance? You're saying that because it was so bad we should make no changes? That's ridiculous.

Your an idiot and have no understanding of the game. I'm tired of trying to explain this to you. Dropping established players after one bad performance??? Come back when you have a clue...

 

[C4[2]Yo`DooR]

Battle of the Out-of-Form Captains.

Harley vs. Whitnall

 

[catswhiskers]

Martyk. In a day where there were other positives I was very disappointed with Hunt yesterday. I had suspicions he was being overrated so I had a good look at his work off the ball as well as on. When the game breaks down and a set play option is not available he gets very flustered. He cannot see long targets at kick ins - the doggies kicked so well on occasions yesterday they demanded a player run to the space the kick was sent to. Hunt can't see these options. His handball is suspect when under pressure. I've said this elsewhere but he also seemed to spectate when clearly he had to run to close down options. Couldn't figure it out or does not have enough run in the legs?

If Rooke becomes available I think Josh needs time in the twos.

But there were positives in particular the big forwards (bar Ottens) were lively and give hope. And remember we kicked something like 3-8 I think in the middle of the game when it was to be won. We didn't convert and they missed none or near none. The doggies are quality . plenty of other sides will be chasing backsides as well when they meet them.

 

[martyk]

Martyk. In a day where there were other positives I was very disappointed with Hunt yesterday. I had suspicions he was being overrated so I had a good look at his work off the ball as well as on. When the game breaks down and a set play option is not available he gets very flustered. He cannot see long targets at kick ins - the doggies kicked so well on occasions yesterday they demanded a player run to the space the kick was sent to. Hunt can't see these options. His handball is suspect when under pressure. I've said this elsewhere but he also seemed to spectate when clearly he had to run to close down options. Couldn't figure it out or does not have enough run in the legs?

No doubt Hunt had a terrible game yesterday, as did most, but keep watching. I'm afraid that stats don't back up your argument, if you bother to look at them you will see how valuable he is. The Bulldogs get the ball out of defense with NUMBERS not pin point long kicks... they have numbers of 3 or more running the ball out of half back nearly every time, and its very effective. When Hunt was kicking out, our players were slow and not presenting... that is his fault??

His last game against Brisbane at TD(NAB), he was the only player hitting targets in the first half and was probably our best in the first half before he got injured.

You people are so bloody obvious, after each loss you look for a scapegoat and blame, blame, blame... Both Harley and Scarlett neary 200 games each were far worse than Hunt.. Get your fricken heads out of the sand.

 

[JUBJUB]

My team for this week

B:Milburn Scarlett Enright
HB: DJ Megan Tenace
C: Wojcinski Bartel Selwood
HF: Chappy Mooney Mackie
F: Djerrkura NA J Hunt
Foll : Ottens Corey Jr
Int: Blake,Prismall,S Hunt,Varcoe
Em: West,Callan,Byrnes

OUT : Harley [dickie hand],Ling [dickie brain],Gardiner [dickie head]
IN : Djerrkura,S Hunt,Varcoe

* Callan in if DJ is unfit
* Varcoe in if S Hunt is unfit

 

[year of the cat]

It is pretty obvious that our backline, formerly one of our strengths, is now just ordinary. We would have the least run out of defence of any team going around I would think. We need to be playing guys like Wojcinski, Djerkurra down there to add run. Milburn, Harley and Egan are slow. You compare our tall defenders with other teams and ours are less mobile. Cornes, Waite, Bock, Hunter are all key backmen that are mobile and can attack. They represent the modern backman - Scarlett is another but whose attitude is representative of the general apathy that has pervaded our team.

We need to introduce the quicker small types to get that run because we sure aren't getting it from our established back players.

 

[joaey]

Dickie hearts JUB - about 90% of the team.

 

[martyk]

We need to be playing guys like Wojcinski, Djerkurra down there to add run.

We need to introduce the quicker small types to get that run because we sure aren't getting it from our established back players.

Don't forget the other side of the coin for defenders.. Acountability. Wojcinski is the most unaccountable player in our team. He runs around in a dream and forgets about his man. Believe it or not, this is the reason he has been dropped several times... most people love the guy for running with the ball, but don't take into acocampaigner his flaws.
Djerkurra in defense?? Your bloody kidding. Playing in defense requires more skill than many think.. They are the only players (other than taggers) who are primarily responsible for an opposition player, and are also expected to set up plays / hit running targets etc, etc.

Trust me... our defenders are the very least of our problems.

 

[thegerman]

For those bagging harley, get a life. It was a terrible move by Thompson to put him on B.Johnson, who gave him a bath the last time they were matched up. Harley is not suited to playing on super-quick defenders and he had to compensate for Scarlett having an absolute shocker.
There were positives out of yesterday's game.
+ Nathan Ablett played one of his best games to date. He demanded the pill, the midfielder's looked to him and he looked in control when the ball hit the deck and he was forced to use his ground skills. Bearing in mind the amount of games he has played, we should be quietly happy with his game yesterday.
+ Selwood looked good, had some beautiful disposals, did get caught out a couple of times but hey, not a bad game for a first gamer.
+ Bartel looked great, ditto Chappy, GAJ worked hard before cramping badly in the last quarter

On the flip side
- Ling - terrible game and capped it all off by receiving a free kick, short sideways no look handpass to a player directly under the pump, turnover, goal. Thanks for coming Cameron, you've really contributed.
- Scarlo had a dirty day
- Ottens, shocking game
- Our midfielders delivery to the forward line was woeful

This isn't a bad post, but again on Ling. Who was he playing on, tagging ?? West. Who didn't have a blinder like other times against us, so was Ling useful in that ???

I think so.

The rest is spot on, delivery yet again is terrible. Ottens and the like had no chance. We need a quality midfield coach, we were at our best with one, yet we haven't used one for 3 years and look where we have gone.

I'm waiting for Kelly to come back into the fold, I believe he will get back to his form in 2003/4.

 

[martyk]

The rest is spot on, delivery yet again is terrible. Ottens and the like had no chance. We need a quality midfield coach, we were at our best with one, yet we haven't used one for 3 years and look where we have gone.

We have never kicked well to our forwards, with the current list anyway. We have relied on small forwards for years to kick our goals. Its nothing new. Our midfield have never been good kicks, apart from Riccardi in recent times.

Teaching an established AFL midfielder how to kick you say?... good luck.. I've mentioned before that having a good spearing kick is more in the talent category.. in other words you can't teach it. This is a current issue with drafting for speed and athletic ability over skills (Tenace / Byrnes / Wojac). It's biting us in the ass real bad right now!!

 

[thegerman]

My team for next week:

DJ Scarlett J Hunt
Enright Egan Wojak
Tenace Bartel Djerrkura
Chappy Nath Mackie
Jnr Mooney Gardiner/Varcoe

Rucks: Ottens Corey Ling

Bench: Selwood, Prismall, Hank, S Hunt



After the game in the two's, and I know this will irate some people, but SJ is definitely worth a look.

Ottens has to ruck, simple. Why go with a second rate ruck in Blake when we can still have a forward line and a quality ruck ?? This has bemused me from day one. Get Otto into the ruck, give us first use of the ball for once.
Let Mooney and Ablett do their stuff up forward. I believe if Mooney is left alone in front of goals he is unstoppable, especially when he doesn't try to whack everyone.