Analysis Perspective

[dazbroncos]

Quite simply no supporter can have too much to complain about in this golden era. 3 flags after waiting 44 years and after the pain of the 4 grand final defeats in 6 years many supporters thought they would die before seeing another premiership,myself included. Spare a thought for the Saints,Richmond,Melbourne and Western Bulldogs supporters who after decades are still waiting and craving for that holy grail. Yes the era is over and the last 2 finals series has suggested that but we have a young list with a great leadership group and good honest coaches who can help develop the next crop of younger players.Most importantly the club has built a great culture of values which will hold in good sted in the years to come.

Welcome and great post.

I have no issue with us losing and am extremely proud of the clubs efforts. And as you say, Tigers, Blues, Saints, Dogs all seeking any relevance at all.

We will be back and strong as always. Will we win? Who knows - but we will give it every good shake we can I feel.

Imagine this last 4 weeks with a proper list to choose from ( no injuries)

Go Catters

 

[Vdubs]

Welcome and great post.

I have no issue with us losing and am extremely proud of the clubs efforts. And as you say, Tigers, Blues, Saints, Dogs all seeking any relevance at all.

We will be back and strong as always. Will we win? Who knows - but we will give it every good shake we can I feel.

Imagine this last 4 weeks with a proper list to choose from ( no injuries)

Go Catters

Agree with you Daz about your imagining, but I'm really convinced now that some of these who were N/A for September have been iffy all their careers, and we should not rely on their availability.
Simpson- I love Dawson, popular character, and could have been awesome, but his back is now a HUGE ongoing concern.
Bundy- another back issue to a young gun, it can't be great for life, let alone footy, to have had 2 ops already.
HMc- what more needs to be said? Was always one selection I questioned given his NM history, but we all thought "Ottens", and we know that worked, but H can not be relied upon at all, it seems, body wise.

SJ, Mots, Kelly, Taylor, Mackie- these guys all seemed to be injured and that is just bad luck, they have good track records, but our days of relying on Kelly and Mackie in defence should also be numbered.

 

[Badtemperedbadger]

Took you a while to figure out, but correct.

Continuing games to developing players Brown, Simpson, Murdoch, Caddy, Guthrie, McCarthy, GHS.

Newbies Kersten, Bews, Burbury, and Hartman.


Gee facts prove you wrong again Parts, and to make it worse your arrogance belongs on another board.

 

[Badtemperedbadger]

tim may not be able to read chris scotts thoughts but his thoughts are projected out there on the field, on team selection night, moves made on gameday etc, these are a direct result of the mind of chris scott

unless his lost his mind? if thats the case then chris scotty has lost the plotty?

Tim, who is Tim!

 

[Moneypenny]

Having two sides from top four go out in two is a pointer to how even the comp is becoming.

I can see this happening more in the next few years than has happened in the recent past.

Freo's exit highlights what happens when injury hits at the pointy end. I raise again what I have said in the past :
Christensen is our mid field talisman and after Sellwod our most important mid. More than that though, his ability to win his own ball and receive on the outside lights up the rest of the kids / forwards.

Simpson playing injured and then going down was a killer. Watching Lobbe being taken apart by Sandilands reminded me of how good Simpson was while fit last year and for a couple of games this year.

Just those two would have made the game on Friday a contest all night.

Quoted for truth. If Bundy ever gets a run at it without injury, I am very confident he will be spoken of very very highly in the future. I think something that Bundy has that not many others have, including some of the >28y.o. players is that you know he will try his guts out even in the face of defeat, and has often displayed on-field leadership qualities that really, really get the team going. We were sorely missing more players willing to go with Tom, Josh and Joel on Friday night, and Allen would have been a great addition to the late charge.

 

[Whit3y]

Tim, who is Tim!

Tim May was an offspinner capable of maintaining good flight and accuracy over marathon spells, and a tenacious tail-end batsman

 

[kickazz]

We won't make it past a EF with this gameplan we run anyway, it's garbage in finals.

The gameplan really seems to make things hard for ourselves, doesn't it?

 

[Jimmy Yamazaki]

The gameplan really seems to make things hard for ourselves, doesn't it?

We seem to play the opposite on whats required to win finals which is surely proven now for many years.

 

[Badtemperedbadger]

Tim May was an offspinner capable of maintaining good flight and accuracy over marathon spells, and a tenacious tail-end batsman

Carry on.......
Still the basis of the argument put forward by your mate Tim is pie in the sky stuff.

 

[Partridge]

Gee facts prove you wrong again Parts, and to make it worse your arrogance belongs on another board.

I'm only arrogant to posters I have no respect for.

 

[Partridge]

I just don't subscribe to the theory that only Geelong has older veteran players. It seems most other best 22's still in it has a good smattering of older players. Maybe Port is the exception.

That's a different question Daz. No doubt at all other sides have veterans. I'm struggling to think of one where every single veteran plays seniors every week though. That's the difference.

 

[Badtemperedbadger]

I'm only arrogant to posters I have no respect for.

Wrong again Parts.
You act this way because time and time again you have no argument to defend.

Deflection again old boy
Funny because I read somewhere that a post whereby you stated people on here can't admit when they are wrong, always in relation you your supposedly factual posts.

Once again you have rubber stamped not only your arrogance but your ignorance as well.
Carry on as usual mate, I actually feel sorry for you that the world is such a horrible place.

 

[Badtemperedbadger]

That's a different question Daz. No doubt at all other sides have veterans. I'm struggling to think of one where every single veteran plays seniors every week though. That's the difference.

That's a different question Daz. No doubt at all other sides have veterans. I'm struggling to think of one where every single veteran plays seniors every week though. That's the difference.

Including Geelong

 

[Badtemperedbadger]

Facts:
The season now includes 2 byes
Only 2 players played all 24 games, Selwood, and Duncan.

Is Selwood a veteran ,not really. Duncan certainly isn't.



This means all other players had at least 3 games off, so essentially a week off every 7 - 8 weeks.
Pretty good I would think.

 

[Partridge]

Deflection again old boy
Funny because I read somewhere that a post whereby you stated people on here can't admit when they are wrong, always in relation you your supposedly factual posts.

Once again you have rubber stamped not only your arrogance but your ignorance as well.
Carry on as usual mate, I actually feel sorry for you that the world is such a horrible place.

It's quite simple and straightforward really.

If you have a go at me - and you do, all the time - then I'm going to have a go at you. That's straightforward.

Don't be confused, I'm not your 'mate', nor 'old boy' or any other consdescending bullshit you include.

 

[someday-somehow]

That's a different question Daz. No doubt at all other sides have veterans. I'm struggling to think of one where every single veteran plays seniors every week though. That's the difference.

Sydney, Freemantle and Hawthorn for starters - as long as they are fit.
OR at the end of the year when the top 4/2 spot is assured they rest players against lower ranked sides.

 

[Partridge]

Sydney, Freemantle and Hawthorn for starters - as long as they are fit.
OR at the end of the year when the top 4/2 spot is assured they rest players against lower ranked sides.

Sydney have one player who doesn't play every week - Ryan O'Keefe. Played the first 4 games, then was dropped, hasn't been back.

 

[Farmer2Goggin]

Pretty empty feeling knowing that our finals campaign is over before the PF stage, but in all honesty we were a step behind the top-4 in our guise as our recent 3 losses in 4 games shows. We won the opening five games with a win over the Hawks in that spell, and we were able to keep our nose in top-4 territory all H & A season, but the ledger shows defeats to the Hawks twice, Freo, Sydney and Port (all comfortably), and with some of our younger mids like Christensen and Motlop injured late, even if we won we'd have been mere fodder against the Swans in a PF.

We enter a phase now where we need to really work out what sort of talent inventory we have with many of our players drafted from '08 onwards. Starting with Mitch Brown, and including perpetually injured types like Cowan, Menzel (who we rightly should see for 2015, but he'd be almost unique to come back successfully from 4 knees) Vardy, Hamling, and a few others, there's a lot of younger players that really have very few games into them, and questions need to be asked. This is hurting our development, injuries notwithstanding. North for example suddenly now have a bunch of 21-24 year olds like the midfield combination, who have reached that big-body stage and have increased their pace and spread as time's gone on. Sadly in some sense for us, we still struggle to catch up with the ancient Harvey, who plays like he's 12 years younger than his age.

Our midfield hasn't got the young depth and fast legs it needs to match it with the powerhouses that are at the top of the table. Bartel, SJ and Kelly as our '01 class are at the end of the regular midfield road, and two of our best and fastest younger mids have been playing under duress or have suffered many knocks like Bundy and Motlop. Bews is one who must be given his shot next year as a backman/rotating mid, he's never done much wrong but seems to always be the first omitted. But for various reasons as another posted highlighted in a post a week or two ago, or age and game demographic sort of has a hiatus between Selwood and Motlop i think, a gap of about 2 1/2 years and also in the games tallies. Duncan is the one who has played the most games of our players drafted from '09 onwards, and you then have Christensen and Motlop, but it drops a bit after that. The latter two need to try and get fit, and Bundy worries me a bit as he's had many heavy knocks for a small bloke, and now has back issues. Guthrie and GHS are the best of the rest, but we need more coming through, and at this stage who we have on the list have played less than 30 games or so.

Murdoch and Smedts are sort of similar types, but mainly outside mids, who as yet are inconsistent and prone to having games of little to any influence. McCarthy, Hartman etc have played only a few games, and need to get into the mix if good enough. Great sides need great midfield depth, and as time's gone on the older ones have got older and have not been replaced with enough quality (and quantity) coming through. It is a development phase, and making top-4 doing this is pretty amazing. We've lost a bevy of Hall of fame quality players in the last few seasons, and they cannot be replaced immediately with players of the same quality. We just have to try and transition the new players in, and probably next year really start seeing who on our list can take us forward. As it is, there's several players with big question marks among the younger brigade, and we need to see if they are the ones to take us forward, or do we have a go at the draft and FA to see what we can do to try and upgrade. In any case, this pre-season and trade/draft period will be illuminating.

Cannot like this post enough Catsace

You've nailed so many good points , especially about the midfield mix and the process of transitioning in newer players.
I was disappointed we didn't debut more or play newer guys for longer periods this Season . On reflection this may have been because we struggled to win games convincingly ( as evidenced by our % ) so we needed best line up as much as possible.

I just hope the straight sets exit will produce some serious reviews of where we are at :
> Do we have the best available Assistants? If not get busy hiring and firing
> Second half fadeouts - fitness or game plan ? Find out the cause and resolve
> Perpetually injured players - need to make some hard calls
> List Gaps - fill with best available
> List Cloggers - move them on

We are an amazing side but I think we have reached our tipping point and need a more ruthless approach in advance of 2015. Doing more of the same is not an option.

 

[someday-somehow]

Sydney have one player who doesn't play every week - Ryan O'Keefe. Played the first 4 games, then was dropped, hasn't been back.

They don't see him in their best 22 that's why - whether you or anyone else thinks otherwise is irrelevant.

 

[Partridge]

They don't see him in their best 22 that's why - whether you or anyone else thinks otherwise is irrelevant.

That wasn't the argument. You made the statement that all veterans play at Sydney, Hawthorn and Fremantle. They don't. Best 22 wasn't part of the discussion.

 

[FredLeDeux]

They don't see him in their best 22 that's why - whether you or anyone else thinks otherwise is irrelevant.

That wasn't the argument. You made the statement that all veterans play at Sydney, Hawthorn and Fremantle. They don't. Best 22 wasn't part of the discussion.

See s-s, he has got a sense of humour.

 

[Goggin Our Best]

I think Geelong need alot more run -starting from the half- back line

You watch Pt Adelaide - and i think they are the blue print of the future- theve made the prelim - and theve got Schulz ( whos honest thats all - good kick) as their key forward - if they had Hawkins - they could - and probably would dominate the comp- and win multiple flags - their defenders get the ball and take off

Id like to see next year - Guthrie and Thurlow on the the 2 back flanks - i think Guthrie is a better defender than onballer- that goal he kicked on the run - after a few bounces in the 3rd qtr of last years prelim - thats what Geelong lacks big time - even Harry Taylor - as good as hes been - you never see him grit the teeth - Bernie Quinlan style - and take off - and dash out of the backline - every thing is slow motion for the Cats

Watching the other finals - Geelong are so bloody slow

Also the midfield ( apart from Selwood) needs a major overhaul - try Schroeder - who ive allways liked - give McCarthy a try in there

Players like GHS Stokes - Bartel with there lack of leg speed - how do you juggle them around and fit them in and not get exposed

Geelong need a few Jared Polec types ( easier said than done) and its a while since theve had them

 

[Corio cat]

Cannot like this post enough Catsace

You've nailed so many good points , especially about the midfield mix and the process of transitioning in newer players.
I was disappointed we didn't debut more or play newer guys for longer periods this Season . On reflection this may have been because we struggled to win games convincingly ( as evidenced by our % ) so we needed best line up as much as possible.

I just hope the straight sets exit will produce some serious reviews of where we are at :
> Do we have the best available Assistants? If not get busy hiring and firing
> Second half fadeouts - fitness or game plan ? Find out the cause and resolve
> Perpetually injured players - need to make some hard calls
> List Gaps - fill with best available
> List Cloggers - move them on

We are an amazing side but I think we have reached our tipping point and need a more ruthless approach in advance of 2015. Doing more of the same is not an option.

Think that is really relevant. CS is the man but like the playing list turns over, so should the assistant coaches. New ideas new vision and hopefully giving strong healthy opinion is what we need to keep a longer serving coach and footy manager on their toes. We were blessed in 2011 with strong assistants...

 

[Vdubs]

I think Geelong need alot more run -starting from the half- back line

You watch Pt Adelaide - and i think they are the blue print of the future- theve made the prelim - and theve got Schulz ( whos honest thats all - good kick) as their key forward - if they had Hawkins - they could - and probably would dominate the comp- and win multiple flags - their defenders get the ball and take off

Id like to see next year - Guthrie and Thurlow on the the 2 back flanks - i think Guthrie is a better defender than onballer- that goal he kicked on the run - after a few bounces in the 3rd qtr of last years prelim - thats what Geelong lacks big time - even Harry Taylor - as good as hes been - you never see him grit the teeth - Bernie Quinlan style - and take off - and dash out of the backline - every thing is slow motion for the Cats

Watching the other finals - Geelong are so bloody slow

Also the midfield ( apart from Selwood) needs a major overhaul - try Schroeder - who ive allways liked - give McCarthy a try in there

Players like GHS Stokes - Bartel with there lack of leg speed - how do you juggle them around and fit them in and not get exposed

Geelong need a few Jared Polec types ( easier said than done) and its a while since theve had them

Agree with the run aspect.
Let's keep Taylor Hunt. And groom him to be what he was.

 

[_Me_]

Agree with the run aspect.
Let's keep Taylor Hunt. And groom him to be what he was.

Still need to move 4 on if we get frawley to have 2 picks
Stringer Cowan and who