Our Premiership Window

[manboob]

Cats: the case for the defence

Nice little read here about the cats flag defence, nothing too new.

http://www.smh.com.au/afl/afl-news/cats-the-case-for-the-defence-20100220-omt3.html

 

[Grizzly_82]

yeah nice to know we have the right mentality for 2010, and finally read why Mooney was kicked out of the leadership group.

 

[manboob]

Yeah Mooney needs to pull his head in. I'm sure his remarks were a bit off the cuff but still there are 21 other blokes he need not speak for. If Pods kicks 6, Hawkins 5 and Mooney 4, this arvo all we be forgiven.

 

[Grizzly_82]

forgiven? stats like that and I'll end up going to the TAB straight after the game

 

[Mighty Ablett]

I think this is our last chance to win a flag
I know there is all these rumours about if Ablett is going
or not, but i can tell you 100% he has already signed 100%
and cooney is a massive chance. Geelong players know
this so i hope it doesnt effect out team harmony. I'm not one
of those tools, Brad Hardies wife is my massages me and this is coming straight
from Guy Mckenna who is good friends with Brad. 100% not bullshit.

 

[AcidFiend]

McKenna tells a mate who tells his wife who tells you during a massage..



Yeah forgive me if I'm not counting you as a 100% reliable source.

 

[David the Cat]

I think this is our last chance to win a flag
I know there is all these rumours about if Ablett is going
or not, but i can tell you 100% he has already signed 100%
and cooney is a massive chance. Geelong players know
this so i hope it doesnt effect out team harmony. I'm not one
of those tools, Brad Hardies wife is my massages me and this is coming straight
from Guy Mckenna who is good friends with Brad. 100% not bullshit.

Given Guy Mckenna's statement in the paper this morning, either you are talking through your arse, or he's a bare-faced liar.

I suspect the former.

 

[witsend]

Given Guy Mckenna's statement in the paper this morning, either you are talking through your arse, or he's a bare-faced liar.

I suspect the former.

Yeah...the entire resources of the Australian Football Media can't get a scoop, but some moron getting a rub n tug has the scoop!

 

[David the Cat]

Yeah...the entire resources of the Australian Football Media can't get a scoop, but some moron getting a rub n tug has the scoop!

Hahahhahahhahaha GOLD!

 

[Mighty Ablett]

Yeah...the entire resources of the Australian Football Media can't get a scoop, but some moron getting a rub n tug has the scoop!

I'd put a wager on that Gary will not play for Geelong next
year if you want to be a sick c...!

 

[witsend]

I'd put a wager on that Gary will not play for Geelong next
year if you want to be a sick c...!

Wow a 50/50 bet...what are the odds?

 

[Vegas.]

Why is it that the people with the mad connections are also the ones that cannot properly construct a sentence? Seems to be a common theme.

 

[Rosso]

If that was the last thing she said to you during the massage, as a Geelong supporter, that would not indicate a "happy ending".

 

[Vdubs]

I'd put a wager on that Gary will not play for Geelong next
year if you want to be a sick c...!

the chances of either of your assertions are zilch

 

[TigerHunter]

I love the fact your main core of super skilled players are in the age bracket of 24-28. As long as developement continues, you guys are set to be the best or close to it for a number of years to come.

Especially like Byrnes (think he could be elite) and having met Stokes a few times, i hope he is set for a good year.

Its a good change to watch a professional side at work.

 

[JUBJUB]

Especially like Byrnes (think he could be elite)

#1 on the 101 things you thought you'd never see posted on Bigfooty

 

[witsend]

#1 on the 101 things you thought you'd never see posted on Bigfooty

It's up there with "Is that the piano-accordion player's Lamborghini?"...

 

[TigerHunter]

#1 on the 101 things you thought you'd never see posted on Bigfooty

Coming from my perspective as a tiger supporter for 20 years, anyone who can hit a target by foot is already 90% of the way to being elite

Seriously though! I know Shannon's history, theres not alot of faith in the lad by many. I hope he backs up last year anyway.

 

[Vegas.]

Coming from my perspective as a tiger supporter for 20 years, anyone who can hit a target by foot is already 90% of the way to being elite

Seriously though! I know Shannon's history, theres not alot of faith in the lad by many. I hope he backs up last year anyway.

He will never be elite for this very reason, he quite often misses.

However if he produces a year similar to 09 with a few improvements, he will be a more than handy player once again. His performance in the GF (especially the 4th quarter) was sensational.

 

[Claude Balls]

If this year is our last chance then it figures we'll slide significantly next year... A possible 2011 line up looks pretty good though. More areas of decline than improvement but good nonetheless:

B: Hunt - Scarlett - Drum/Gillies
HB: Enright - Taylor - Mackie
C: Corey - Bartel - Kelly
HF: Varcoe - Hawkins - Stevie J
F: Chapman - Mooney - Ling

R: Blake - Ablett - Selwood

Int: Ottens, Rooke, Byrnes, Duncan/Hogan

_______________

Players who should theoretically improve 5-10%

Players who whose form should remain constant

Player whose form will prob decline 5-10% through injury interruption or just miles in the legs

Players who might possibly even retire, or else surely will decline by 10+%

Unknown quantities

IMO The problem is the pink players. They comprise a large and valuable part of the team (particularly Scarlett, Chappy and SJ) and could decline collectively by only 5%, or as much as 15-20%. They'll hardly be at geriatric stage, so they may well still be playing great football, just like countless players before them at the same age. But you never know.

It's also not given that Ablett will still be with us, and the likes of Gillies/Drum/Hogan etc may not have come on as we hoped. Then again they may have come on even stronger, as might any other darkhorses currently lurking on the list.

 

[Pure_Ownage]

If this year is our last chance then it figures we'll slide significantly next year... A possible 2011 line up looks pretty good though. More areas of decline than improvement but good nonetheless:

B: Hunt - Scarlett - Drum/Gillies
HB: Enright - Taylor - Mackie
C: Corey - Bartel - Kelly
HF: Varcoe - Hawkins - Stevie J
F: Chapman - Mooney - Ling

R: Blake - Ablett - Selwood

Int: Ottens, Rooke, Byrnes, Duncan/Hogan

_______________

Players who should theoretically improve 5-10%

Players who whose form should remain constant

Player whose form will prob decline 5-10% through injury interruption or just miles in the legs

Players who might possibly even retire, or else surely will decline by 10+%

Unknown quantities

IMO The problem is the pink players. They comprise a large and valuable part of the team (particularly Scarlett, Chappy and SJ) and could decline collectively by only 5%, or as much as 15-20%. They'll hardly be at geriatric stage, so they may well still be playing great football, just like countless players before them at the same age. But you never know.

It's also not given that Ablett will still be with us, and the likes of Gillies/Drum/Hogan etc may not have come on as we hoped. Then again they may have come on even stronger, as might any other darkhorses currently lurking on the list.

I will agree injuries are a potential to hurt us, we all know. But I think we can cover that if we need be. It would help if a few youngsters come on though.

 

[Big Fozza]

I will agree injuries are a potential to hurt us, we all know. But I think we can cover that if we need be. It would help if a few youngsters come on though.

with our development team i would be surprised if there wasn''t a standout within our younger players that stands out in the next couple of years. i could throw up a few names but history shows that you just don''t know...

my bet is that though in 2012 we will be talking about the ''next big thing''

 

[Belisarius]

If this year is our last chance then it figures we'll slide significantly next year... A possible 2011 line up looks pretty good though. More areas of decline than improvement but good nonetheless:

B: Hunt - Scarlett - Drum/Gillies
HB: Enright - Taylor - Mackie
C: Corey - Bartel - Kelly
HF: Varcoe - Hawkins - Stevie J
F: Chapman - Mooney - Ling

R: Blake - Ablett - Selwood

Int: Ottens, Rooke, Byrnes, Duncan/Hogan


Excellent format to easily access where the group maybe going. Have a few different ideas - but generally I am with you.

Hunt - probably an accurate assessment especially after a major knee op. However in context he will be replacing Harley. I think that is a plus. Harley was only so-so as a player last season. The bonus is that Hunt is by far our best kick in option - and this will help Geelong get out of the defnsive 50 better. Improvement to team performance - 0 to + 10 %

Scarlett - star but can he continue to do the incredible job he does week in and week out for another season ? From a 'realistic perspective' - you would have to say, sadly we have seen the best of the greatest full back we have probably ever had at the club. But I reckon, all the same, he will have a really good season - and perform at his usual high standards. Prediction - No change in performance.

Drum/Gillies - spot on. I have seen so little of both - I can have no confidence that either will come on. However I am willing to back the drafting team at GFC and the reports I read (mainly on this site) - that say Gillies has shown enough so far to be still seen as a ' potential' senior regular. Maybe this season ? Drum being a first round draft pick means he must have shown some potential and therefore worthy of a punt - but no idea how the 'boy goes'. My guess is, given Geelong's recent drafting record, that one of them will make - as ClaudeBells suggests.

Enright was brilliant last year and it is hard to see him having another year like that. Even good players can have one stellar year. Would expect him to drop 5 % - and still be a complete gun in his role.

Taylor - agree again. I think he will improve for 2 reasons. He will be stronger physically from another pre-season and he just has more experience playing on gun forwards and learning how he best works in with the rest of the back line. He surely will be more confident + 5-10 % improvement on the cards.

Mackie - hard one to assess IMO. Can't see him declining, and can see him either staying where he is or even improving a bit. Last 2 years have been pretty good. 0 to + 5 % improvement.

Corey - another really hard one to assess. He has been such an incredibly consistent player for the last 5 seasons it is hard to see him dropping in his performances - but it happens to all players as they age. is this the year ? My guess, if injury free, he will run out the season as he has done over the past seasons. No change in performance.

Bartel - agree. Too consistent. Near the peak of his career. Might even have a better season than last year. Prediction - no change.

Kelly - I think he is an underrated player at GFC. Would love to see him on the ball sometimes. Not a gun but a very good footballer. Has had injury concerns over the past few seasons. If he can have an injury free season he will perform well. prediction - 0 to + 5 % improvement.

Varcoe - agree. In fact a fair bit of Geelong's ability to keep improving as a team must come from the younger players - and Varcoe has shown glimpses that he could be an very good player - and a very damaging player. he is just not in the game for long enough periods to be considered a good player IMO. He is young and I believe he will improve as he grows in confidence and has another good pre-season under the belt. Prediction + 5-10 % improvement.

Hawkins - I expect another pre-season, a Premiership medal and his good form late in the last season to be a foundation for improvement. It is quite conceivable that if the 'kid' gets some real confidence and self belief - he could be the most improved senior player on the list. I expect a + 5-10 % improvement.

Stevie J - It is hard to disagree with the assessment above. And this stems largely from a fear of injuries catching up with him. Remember how he started the '09 season. He was proverbially on fire. For awhile I thought it likely he would more likely decline that maintain his performances. However it is still quite possible he will be fitter for the finals this year - and have more impact when it counts. On this very selective basis I expect a 0 to + 5 % improvement.

Chapman - hard to disagree - just because of injuries and age. Even injured in the GF he was a gun. No where to go but down from there. Geelong can only hope the decline is slow. Decline by - 5 %.

Mooney - also hard to disagree with CladeBells. If he can play more out of the square it may help keep him in the game more but overall I would expect a - 5 % decline.

Ling - the stayer. Agree again - has been a great servant of the club and deserves his chance to captain the club IMO. However must surely start to decline as he gets slower (if that is possible ?). I think that is his secret - he is so 'deceptively slow' - he confuses his direct opponents. He in someway defies the laws of sport - but nearly always gets the job done for the team. I reckon he cannot get slower - but by my logic, if he can - this must be a good thing. So my prediction - No change.

Blake - seriously hard to judge. My uneasy guess is that he will not decline in his performances and is more likely to improve (and he probably needs to, along with others, if Geelong is going to be a serious threat again this year). Prediction - + 5 % improvement.

Ablett - agree. Really cannot play much better - and therefore is IMO going to play at the same incredible standard or even drop back a bit. especially if contractual matters get inside his head. Prediction 0- 5 % decline.

Selwood - I think he will improve a bit. He is still young and only has 3 seasons behind him. Experience and the extra bulk will see a possible + 5 % improvement on his already high standards.

Ottens - who knows ? If he has a reasonably injury free year and plays most of the season, will probably still decline as age dictates but he will better than he has perhaps been for nearly a season and half. In other words, even if he individually declines, as long as he plays regularly and gets fit, the team will be better for his presence. Prediction - a + 5 % improvement in the team performance.

Rooke - has improved IMO over the past 2 seasons. Better role and less injuries and niggles I suspect. If he plays like he did in the GF - what more could we ask of him ? I suspect there will be no change this year - as he really works mainly from his intensity and attack on the ball. Cannot see that changing - so no change.

Byrnes - I was impressed with his improvement in his performances and his impact on the team last season. I think he will gain great confidence form that and his last quarter GF effort. I expect him to play as well as last year - maybe a bit more consistent and even in his performances may see a slight overall improvement. Prediction 0 to + 5 %.

Duncan/Hogan. Duncan - a complete unknown to me - but it seems one NAB game has a few supporters happy with his drafting. Unikely surely to play any significant role in the seniors this year. As for Hogan - did not mind the performances I saw last season. No reason why another pre-season and some senior footy under his belt why he would not press for selection. Very hard to predict if he will improve enough to be ahead of other likely top up players. I think he will improve by + 10 % - but am unsure whether this will be enough for him to make a significant improvement on the team's performances. He may will replace Stokes, or similar, but not necessarily be a player that brings an improvement to the team's performances. 0 % improvement in team's performance.

Not sure where that leaves Geelong re the other clubs and their improvement this year. I suspect we will improve overall a little bit but other dangerous clubs will improve more than we will probably. However I have faith that if we can finish top 4 - Geelong is a team capable of turning it on late in the season and when it counts. Injuries and internal issues I think will be the only things that interfere with GFC finishing top 4 with their list and experience this season.

Prediction - expect more H & A losses this season - but do not believe this necessarily signifies the run to be over. We will remain a dangerous side for a few years to come in the finals.

 

[AM]

Lappin said that with many players not resuming training until after Christmas the Cats are behind some other clubs in their conditioning but should still be OK by round one.

''We know that we're probably not going to be at our best in round one, but we still should have a really good team,'' Lappin said.

http://www.theage.com.au/afl/afl-news/underdone-cats-ready-for-season-20100303-pizv.html

 

[Partridge]

Not sure where that leaves Geelong re the other clubs and their improvement this year. I suspect we will improve overall a little bit but other dangerous clubs will improve more than we will probably. However I have faith that if we can finish top 4 - Geelong is a team capable of turning it on late in the season and when it counts. Injuries and internal issues I think will be the only things that interfere with GFC finishing top 4 with their list and experience this season.

Prediction - expect more H & A losses this season - but do not believe this necessarily signifies the run to be over. We will remain a dangerous side for a few years to come in the finals.

That's the most accurate part I've read in this entire thread. We don't know how fast players will decline, nor how fast younger players will develop.

It's all conjecture. Predicting who will be in the side in 2 years' time is fraught with danger, just go through our last few drafts and look at who was predicted to succeed. No one knows. For instance, who would have guessed that from the 1999 draft our best performing player (currently) in that group was pick 47 (Corey Enright). You seriously telling me there are 46 better players than Enright now? No chance, I doubt there would be 10.

I don't know why winning a premiership means suddenly we can't aspire to win more. The bulk of the side is in their prime, so why can't we continue to succeed?