Opinion Our Game Plan

[Smedtsy]

I was merely stating that Scott isn't going mad at the players or their performances but rather the terrible umpiring and the errors they make against Geelong.

What I'm saying is why would he be mad at the umpires if he isn't that concerned with our "poor performance" anyway?

 

[Jhye Clark 13]

What I'm saying is why would he be mad at the umpires if he isn't that concerned with our "poor performance" anyway?

Of course a competitive man like Scott wants to win every match he plays, but it's all about the bigger picture.

 

[romeoh]

The Garry Lyon theory sounds completely bonkers to me. The training cycle theory a little more credible.
ps where is Footscore?

 

[Jhye Clark 13]

The Garry Lyon theory sounds completely bonkers to me. The training cycle theory a little more credible.
ps where is Footscore?

I think Footscore received a little ban.

 

[romeoh]

I think Footscore received a little ban.

Thanks for that

 

[maxy87]

What a shame that Footscore is on sabbatical when a thread purpose built for him appears...

I've been on this line of discourse for most of the year - probably not as optimistic as some but I definitely believe there has been a fairly large emphasis on management and development this year. It was always going to be a tough ask matching 2011 and in some respects I think we've had to accept a "dip" in overall performance in order to:

a) get as many junior players as close to 50 games as possible; and

b) ensure that the remainder of the best 22 which is disproportionately clustered in the 27-33 aged category are managed to perform at their best late in the year.

Obviously, the plan would be to win enough games to make the 8 and generally we have been able to do that. It hasn't been easy, especially coping with the loss of Ling and Ottens and having Varcoe, Menzel and Vardy unavailable. In addition, Wojcinski and Simpson have been unavailable for much of the year.

When you look at (what I believe to be) the key reasons for our perceived decline, it does make sense that the workload and perhaps gameplan are being managed:

a) contested possession / clearances - due primarily to senior players with self preservation in the back of their minds and the placing of youngsters in positions of responsibility (ie T Hunt, Stringer, Duncan) which can be hit and miss. We could also use Simpson to help West but he's been injured.

b) spread - comes down to speed yes (which we lack without Varcoe patrolling the flanks) but also is largely attributable to work rate. Heavy training can have an impact on this and may also explain how disorganized and weak our press has been at times.

c) skill errors / turnovers - when you're not quite in peak shape or are young and not used to pressure, skill errors become more prevalent, especially when trying to play millionaire footy through the corridor.

Last Friday was the first indication that things are starting to come together for us. I admit it was a relief but I had a feeling the wheel would turn sooner or later. 10-6 isn't excellent by any means, but sometimes close ones don't go your way and we could well have been 12-4 and looking much better. Fact is, we are on the back straight and things are sermingly coming together now rather than falling apart (like 2010). We will make the finals and how far we can go remains to be seen but I reckon we can give it a big crack.

And all the while we gone some way to developing around 10 youngsters that will form part of the nucleus of our plans for a 2014/15 assault.

Go Cats

 

[cancat]

I'm not too sure whether any of you guys listened to the Triple M pregame talk on Friday night prior to the Cats Vs Bombers game,
but Gary Lyon was saying he heard from somebody closely associated with the GFC, that the cats had nearly purposely played in 2nd gear up for most of the season right up until the bombers game where they deliberately targeted that game to hit their straps in the lead-up to the finals. Simiarly to how we approached the 2009 premiership. In the last few rounds of that year, it looked like we had lost our mojo losing a few games towards the end of the season. Lost to carlton from memory and also the dogs in the final round? Then all of a sudden the next week we played the dogs again in the first final remember and won the game and somehow looked a different team than the week before.
Anywayz, not too sure if any of you guys heard it but it was a interesting discussion on Triple M.
It would be awesome if it was true.
We did smash the bombers.
Gonna be real interesting to see how we go against the crows this coming weekend.
If we destroy them as well, there could be a bit of truth to this.
Like i said, it seemed like we did a similiar thing in 09.
We clearly were a different team once the finals started.
If we come out and belt the crows this weekend, i am going to start getting excited bcos
when we are on song i reckon we can beat anyone anywhere.
Anywayz, dare to dream.

It would be nice to believe this is all true. It has been hard to believe how a triple premiership side could play so badly even with players dropping out. The good signs were there against the Pies, just didn't execute very well. Essendon as good as we have been all year. But realistically, we need top 4 for flag contention.

 

[David the Cat]

I think Footscore received a little ban.

again??

 

[Biggy_Boy]

I'm not too sure whether any of you guys listened to the Triple M pregame talk on Friday night prior to the Cats Vs Bombers game,
but Gary Lyon was saying he heard from somebody closely associated with the GFC, that the cats had nearly purposely played in 2nd gear up for most of the season right up until the bombers game where they deliberately targeted that game to hit their straps in the lead-up to the finals. Simiarly to how we approached the 2009 premiership. In the last few rounds of that year, it looked like we had lost our mojo losing a few games towards the end of the season. Lost to carlton from memory and also the dogs in the final round? Then all of a sudden the next week we played the dogs again in the first final remember and won the game and somehow looked a different team than the week before.
Anywayz, not too sure if any of you guys heard it but it was a interesting discussion on Triple M.
It would be awesome if it was true.
We did smash the bombers.
Gonna be real interesting to see how we go against the crows this coming weekend.
If we destroy them as well, there could be a bit of truth to this.
Like i said, it seemed like we did a similiar thing in 09.
We clearly were a different team once the finals started.
If we come out and belt the crows this weekend, i am going to start getting excited bcos
when we are on song i reckon we can beat anyone anywhere.
Anywayz, dare to dream.

That's crap. Difference between this year and 2009 is that we won 13 straight games at the start of 2009 which pretty much sewed up our place in the top 2. From that point we could drop games as we managed our players up until finals.

This is the complete opposite. We've been playing poorly all year and for us to even be a chance to play finals, we are under immense pressure to step it up and beat some tough sides in the coming weeks. Even if we were to totally shift gives and play like the Geelong of last year, we would have to win every game for the rest of the year to even be in contention for top 4 and due to poor percentage, even then it would probably be unlikely.

If we start playing well now, we'll really rue dropping games to mediocre sides like Freo and North earlier in the year and not capitalizing in close games like the Sydney and first Collingwood game.

 

[David the Cat]

Not sure North are mediocre....frankly I thought they were superb against us, and have shown plenty of late. They might upset the apple cart a bit as the season goes on.

 

[Jhye Clark 13]

Looking good so far, the intensity a certainly lifted and they seem more organized as a team and willing to play for each other.

 

[vinum coupe]

Something has changed MD. There is no doubt.
Organised is the definitive word. They all knew where to be again yesterday.

And there is something to be said for "Geelong needs to feel challenged"
It happened again in that last quarter.

They got challenged and lifted.

Friday is going to be very, very interesting.

 

[Jhye Clark 13]

Something has changed MD. There is no doubt.
Organised is the definitive word. They all knew where to be again yesterday.

And there is something to be said for "Geelong needs to feel challenged"
It happened again in that last quarter.

They got challenged and lifted.

Friday is going to be very, very interesting.

Big game Friday in more than 1 way. Looking forward to it and quietly confident if we bring that same attitude and intensity we'll come away with the win.

 

[vinum coupe]

I've been thinking about it a little more. And I think the reason our tackling has lifted is because they are all getting to the spots they are meant to. And consequently know where their team mates are.

So rather than putting the arms in the air and looking like they are creating pressure they are actually committing to laying a tackle.

I am still not sure they are good enough. Friday will tell the tale. But at least they have started looking like a team again.

 

[you pick one]

I've been thinking about it a little more. And I think the reason our tackling has lifted is because they are all getting to the spots they are meant to. And consequently know where their team mates are.

So rather than putting the arms in the air and looking like they are creating pressure they are actually committing to laying a tackle.

I am still not sure they are good enough. Friday will tell the tale. But at least they have started looking like a team again.

I reckon their hunting in packs again and backing them selves to win the contest,thats when we look and play our best footy.

 

[Turbocat]

The addition of Walker has helped our forward pressure. Now we can all see Walker has a nice frame to build on, in 2-3 years he could be a fair chunk of trouble for other sides but atm he is only a bit bigger then Brown.
So why has he added to the stats so comprehensively. Attitude? Youthful vigor? Actually having a fit player ready to put his body on the line? Add Sherrinham, Duncan... and suddenly the older bloke dont feel they have to carry the can by themselves. The young guys go hard cause they want to keep their spot , they want to make the most of their chances.

To compliment this the olders have probably been playing rainy day football. Im not talking wet weather , im talking saving it up for a rainy day. I heard it said by more than one ex player that toward the end you start to count how many games you can really go full on with reckless abandon , experience teaches that type of game takes longer and longer to get over. Well after the Pies game it was now or it would be time for a broom.

No game plan works without maximum commitment , fitness , form and talent. Its not the last criteria we have lacked most of the year.

 

[Skerret]

I think a key difference between this year and last is we haven't won the close ones, bar Hawthorn. Last year we just about won them all. Had we beaten Sydney and Collingwood (the first time we played them) we'd be right in it.

 

[fpm84]

I think a key difference between this year and last is we haven't won the close ones, bar Hawthorn. Last year we just about won them all. Had we beaten Sydney and Collingwood (the first time we played them) we'd be right in it.

Not to mention Freo in round 1 - they kicked 4.1 to 3.5 in the last quarter and we dominated play...

 

[David the Cat]

A lot of the improvement comes down to one word....aggression....

I thought Geelong actually bullied Adelaide, making them just a little hesitant. The tackling was at times absolutely ferocious.

Geelong, in a way, actually mirrored the way Scott played. IT was the "hardest" Geelong performance for a long time.

Hawthorn should be prepared for the same.....expect a bruising encounter.

I think we are a show.

 

[footscore]

I think Footscore received a little ban.

yeh, too much cursing in my slang and a couple of the usual suspects enjoy dobbing me in to the mods so I get handed the infamous card.

Watch that 4th quarter closely and the press we apply is amazing.
The 3rd quarter was fluked by Adelaide, they kicked three goals though Callinan, Dangerfield & Sloane who threw the football on the boot and kicked 3 very arsy goals with the assistance of a 3 goal lead but no doubt they were working a little harder than us in that quarter.

And for those who don't believe Christensen is fast...watch this goal
http://www.smartreplay.afl.com.au/?...02&eventType=Goal&seek=6746&videoQuality=high
I often get into debates with supporters who feel he doesn't have extra gears and isn't as quick as the likes of Beams, Cotchin, Dangerfield and others but he's very fast when he wants to be and would be good to see him use it a little more often by putting the footy under the arm and exploding more often than not

 

[Senatorguesty]

yeh, too much cursing in my slang and a couple of the usual suspects enjoy dobbing me in to the mods so I get handed the infamous card.

Watch that 4th quarter closely and the press we apply is amazing.
The 3rd quarter was fluked by Adelaide, they kicked three goals though Callinan, Dangerfield & Sloane who threw the football on the boot and kicked 3 very arsy goals with the assistance of a 3 goal lead but no doubt they were working a little harder than us in that quarter.

And for those who don't believe Christensen is fast...watch this goal
http://www.smartreplay.afl.com.au/?...02&eventType=Goal&seek=6746&videoQuality=high
I often get into debates with supporters who feel he doesn't have extra gears and isn't as quick as the likes of Beams, Cotchin, Dangerfield and others but he's very fast when he wants to be and would be good to see him use it a little more often by putting the footy under the arm and exploding more often than not

No doubt he's quick.
I've made the call that I think within 3 years he will be our best midfielder, he has it all.
Awesome skills, particularly by hand, elite vision, hes fast, can take overhead marks, wins his own ball yet can run and spread with the best, kicks goals, has a great tank....
Seriously will be a superstar for years the kid, we all bemoaned Ablett leaving but we have his replacement running around in the 28 jumper....

 

[Jhye Clark 13]

No doubt he's quick.
I've made the call that I think within 3 years he will be our best midfielder, he has it all.
Awesome skills, particularly by hand, elite vision, hes fast, can take overhead marks, wins his own ball yet can run and spread with the best, kicks goals, has a great tank....
Seriously will be a superstar for years the kid, we all bemoaned Ablett leaving but we have his replacement running around in the 28 jumper....

Just think what we may have seen from him this season without the shoulder injury and head knocks.
He looked better in 2011 but that's to be expected I suppose.

I think he'll blossom after another big pre-season and have a really big 2013.

 

[Senatorguesty]

Just think what we may have seen from him this season without the shoulder injury and head knocks.
He looked better in 2011 but that's to be expected I suppose.

I think he'll blossom after another big pre-season and have a really big 2013.

Nothing to add except I agree.
Injuries has hurt him a little this year, although expect him back towards his best as the year goes on and add Menzel and Vardy to Bundy who will be raring to go round 1 next year.

 

[Jhye Clark 13]

Nothing to add except I agree.
Injuries has hurt him a little this year, although expect him back towards his best as the year goes on and add Menzel and Vardy to Bundy who will be raring to go round 1 next year.

An exciting future certainly awaits.

There are some boys in the VFL who may surprise a few too.

 

[Jhye Clark 13]

not a bad call at the moment.