Playing angry?

[Catsace]

No question Geelong's players are an immensely proud group, to have achieved all they have in the last five seasons entitles them to that mindset.

Just wondering though, what is it with Freo in particular that raises the hackles so? Just seems that of all clubs, Freo have absolutely nothing whatsoever with which to bait any Geelong player with, i mean Geelong has won more flags than Freo have even won finals matches! Surely a annoying pissant like Ballantyne could just be dispached, hell even Pavlich can be with a reference to how many premierships a particular Cats player has played in. There'd be little need to answer back much more, as that it the comeback that should rightfully shut up any little sod like a Ballantyne.

Just such a pity that Geelong allow meaningless empty words from a bunch of failures to put them off their game so much, and this of some of Geelong's most experienced players. It would be akin to James Packer getting upset if i started hanging it on him about money!....he'd know there's nothing i could say that would change anything.

Maybe because it was Round 1, the extra emotion...Geelong probably somnambulated a touch over the pre-season and couldn't wait to get into the real thing. But to some extent i could understand getting upset if it was Collingwood or Hawthorn baiting them, they at least have some ammunition. But Freo fire total blanks. Their trophy cabinet has the contents of a hot air balloon, and any mouth they give could be let down just as quickly by merely indicating that Geelong has won three modern Flags. The equivalent of pointing to the scoreboard essentially.

 

[marshhhhh]

I'd be fairly confident that what Ballantyne was coming out with was more personal rather than football based insults.

 

[AM]

How quickly people forget. St Kilda - SJ/Baker - Lyon. Join the dots.

 

[Catsace]

How quickly people forget. St Kilda - SJ/Baker - Lyon. Join the dots.

True, and maybe these taunts are personal as well. Can never know what is said on the ground...But just with so many cameras and umpires around...surely Geelong can just resort to the 'Sticks and stones may break my bones, but names will never hurt me' approach. And a retort emphasizing Freo's lack of anything success-wise should also hit the spot a bit.

But Lyon probably has found Baker Mark II...along with a few other Shockers like Crowley et al.

 

[marshhhhh]

Crowley seems to have pulled his head in to me, which has changed my opinion of him.
I put Ballantyne ahead of the likes of Milne and Didak. He's a blight on the game.

 

[Turbocat]

Its a combination of a lot of things

Being less than !00% is a planned state at this time of year but being like that creates frustration when being beaten or being caught out doing stuff that normally doesn't happen.

The pride all at Geelong must have in their own status

The natural belligerent characteristic found in any great footballer , a willingness to take up the fight an not walk away.

and probably , top it of with a natural loss of edge that this side most have lost. Did any kid let us down? No. So the experienced guys were a little off..and who can blame them. Is it the sign they are slightly on the wrong side of the hill? We will see.

Not every game can be played like its life or death , yet for other clubs to beat Geelong its almost like that. A Freo loss at home would seem far worse for them but it wouldn't sit well losing to , and taking crap from , a side they don't respect.

 

[Catsace]

Not every game can be played like its life or death , yet for other clubs to beat Geelong its almost like that. A Freo loss at home would seem far worse for them but it wouldn't sit well losing to , and taking crap from , a side they don't respect.

Agree wholeheartedly with that. The gusto what a side displays with a win over Geelong is palpable, witness Essendon last year, Adelaide in 2010, and the Blues in 2009-2010. Guess Geelong is the big prize, and one who sides will pull out all stops to try and knock over.

Will be interesting if Freo frank this win over Geelong, or resort to the typical whimsical Freo that bars up against the Eagles in a Derby, then turns their toes up against the Dees or Richmond next game. It's Geelong's ability to keep presenting for the contest and stay successful that is a shining light....one off barring-up efforts are not the foundation of a successful culture.

Still hope Geelong focuses their anger at the ball in future though....

 

[joe444]

Will be interesting if Freo frank this win over Geelong

Gerard Whateley is on Big Footy?

 

[muttweed]

We had a lot of players out of form.

That's the main and only reason we lost.

Scarlo didn't lose us the game by himself. We played like absolute shit.

And I'm surprised we were so close!

Take what you will out of the game, but I think we'll be huge this year.

 

[Catsace]

Gerard Whateley is on Big Footy?

Frank.....ergo consolidate, affirm, prove it was no fluke etc.

Will be interesting to see if they do follow up next week or spend a week in orgasmic celebration over beating us.

As for the Cats, there's enough shown last night to still give me a lot of confidence for the coming season. Even if we lose next week to a hot Hawks outfit, few may realise Geelong managed to top the ladders in 1980 and 1992 after being 0-2 start.

It's a long season and Geelong more than most sides know what they need to do. I am certain the anger shown last night and reactions to the niggles will be worked on in coming weeks.

 

[David the Cat]

Not condoning Scarlo's action...it was stupid and unprofessional...and more to the point...way too blatant!!!

I can only think though that Ballantyne said something that evoked the Scarlett response. I wouldn't mind betting it was family orientated.

You have to take that stuff on the field ( those of us that played a bit will have copped it....the things said about my sister/mother over the years!!!! ) so I was amazed at Scarlo's reaction. It sure hit a raw nerve.

Interesting the WA newspapers have a poll asking what Scarlo should get.......one option is "a medal"

 

[Reginald Perrin]

I'd be fairly confident that what Ballantyne was coming out with was more personal rather than football based insults.

I can only think though that Ballantyne said something that evoked the Scarlett response. I wouldn't mind betting it was family orientated.

Where do these assumptions come from? Ballantyne wouldn't know enough about Scarlett's personal life to make anything other than a general comment that all professional footballers can laugh off.

From my perspective at the game, Geelong set the tone with Chappy and Stevie J leading the charge. Even my favourite Geelong player, Joel Corey, was "overly enthusiastic" in some of his tackles which is out of character for him.

You can't blame Ballantyne for every incident where Geelong played like they were on the angry pills.

 

[CatAttack84]

Where do these assumptions come from? Ballantyne wouldn't know enough about Scarlett's personal life to make anything other than a general comment that all professional footballers can laugh off.

From my perspective at the game, Geelong set the tone with Chappy and Stevie J leading the charge. Even my favourite Geelong player, Joel Corey, was "overly enthusiastic" in some of his tackles which is out of character for him.

You can't blame Ballantyne for every incident where Geelong played like they were on the angry pills.

Are you kidding me? Or are you really naive?
A player doesn't need to know jack. Here's an example, albeit a sad one: "You guys are soft, tell your Mrs to come see me after the match, and I'll show her a real man"

Cheesy? Of course. Sounds like Rocky III? Yep, it does a bit. My point is it doesn't need to be specific, it's just got to be "wrong", enough to be really disrespectful to get someone's attention. Add in the fact that he's been hacking at every player in front of the backman's eyes, it gets a little too much.

Now, that's still no excuse to punch someone in front of millions of national viewers, but hey, people are people. Sport is an emotional roller-coaster with all the trimmings. Plenty of other AFL players have come out and applauded that the victim deserved, as silly as it was.

Suggest you watch the very start of the game without bias, and tell me who started the rough stuff. Come on, let's be serious. Geelong on angry pills from the get-go, I think not. Fremantle playing at home does this to all clubs.

 

[Reginald Perrin]

Are you kidding me? Or are you really naive?
A player doesn't need to know jack. Here's an example, albeit a sad one: "You guys are soft, tell your Mrs to come see me after the match, and I'll show her a real man".

You're the one being naive. If a professional footballer can't let something like that go they shouldn't be playing. In order to really get under the skin of a person playing at AFL level you would have to know intimate details of their life and bring that into play somehow. Like I said, I doubt Ballantyne knows enough about Scarlett to have made such a comment.

Suggest you watch the very start of the game without bias, and tell me who started the rough stuff. Come on, let's be serious. Geelong on angry pills from the get-go, I think not. Fremantle playing at home does this to all clubs.

I was at the game, where you get a better idea than watching the telly. I've also watched the full game as broadcast on Fox and I'm in the middle of my stop/start review. I'm confident that my assessment is right.

Perhaps Chris Scott believed that Fremantle still cracked when put under physical pressure, but the tactic seemed to rattle Geelong more than Fremantle.

 

[CatAttack84]

Yes, of course I'm naive, because you must be right, correct?

I'm glad for you being confident in your assessment, despite you basing it all on something as vague as "I doubt Ballantyne knows enough about Scarlett to have made such a comment". Fair assumption. They've played a few matches together, and foot ballers know other footballers. Had to be the "Third Man" right? Seeing your team mates pestered isn't enough in your first game of the season, away from home, in a hostile crowd.

Once adrenalin kicks in, all that prep goes out the window. Everyone in sport knows that. 90% of the time you can keep your emotions in control, but there's always that 10%.

Thanks for sharing with us.

 

[Grizzly_82]

You're the one being naive. If a professional footballer can't let something like that go they shouldn't be playing. In order to really get under the skin of a person playing at AFL level you would have to know intimate details of their life and bring that into play somehow. Like I said, I doubt Ballantyne knows enough about Scarlett to have made such a comment.



I was at the game, where you get a better idea than watching the telly. I've also watched the full game as broadcast on Fox and I'm in the middle of my stop/start review. I'm confident that my assessment is right.

Perhaps Chris Scott believed that Fremantle still cracked when put under physical pressure, but the tactic seemed to rattle Geelong more than Fremantle.

Glad you know everything , going to be very happy to see the angry little hobbit get a few weeks for that gutless elbow... But of course you'll come back here and defend it.

Maybe just stick to your own board .

 

[CatAttack84]

Glad you know everything , going to be very happy to see the angry little hobbit get a few weeks for that gutless elbow... But of course you'll come back here and defend it.

Maybe just stick to your own board .

(gives Grizzly an AFL-like pat from behind) Cheers.

I think that what Reginald fails to understand is that in a discussion you give an opinion, and others gives theirs. What you don't do is just assume you're right, and all others are wrong. Sadly he has failed to make this realization.

I am also extremely happy that disgrace to AFL copped his 2 weeks. Makes Scarlett's 3 weeks almost worth it. At least Scarlett's was out there for all to see face-to-face. Ballantyne needed to get the cheap shot. Shows what sort of worm he is, definitely not a man.

 

[Reginald Perrin]

I think that what Reginald fails to understand is that in a discussion you give an opinion, and others gives theirs. What you don't do is just assume you're right, and all others are wrong. Sadly he has failed to make this realization.

I gave you my opinion, you suggested I should reconsider. I said I was comfortable sticking to my position. If your self esteem is so poor that you think that means you're wrong that's not really my fault.

(I am also extremely happy that disgrace to AFL copped his 2 weeks. Makes Scarlett's 3 weeks almost worth it. At least Scarlett's was out there for all to see face-to-face. Ballantyne needed to get the cheap shot. Shows what sort of worm he is, definitely not a man.

Chappy got plenty of cheap shots in too, its just that none were focused on by the media.

 

[Catsace]

Time for Geelong (and us on our board) to give what i would like to be the three-finger salute. Just an indication to Freo players in particular that that's how many flags we have in the last 5 seasons....the gold emblem tells them we're reigning Premiers, and Ballantyne standing next to Scarlett or Chapman is as close to a Premiership he'll see.

Silly that Geelong players got sucked in by bluster and empty trash-talk....like say Brian Scalabrine jaw-jacking Kobe Bryant.

I guess it's just 1st game of season tensions being released. Am more sure after a couple of days to think about it, that we'll see much less of this aggro at the man in future.

 

[marshhhhh]

I also believe last year a comment was made along the lines of "raping someone's mother".

You don't need to know anything about a person to make such a comment like that either, but it's still very much crossing the line.

Disappointing from Scarlett, even if I would have liked him to knock his head clean off his shoulders.
Deserves his 3, hobbit gets 2, justice is done.

 

[GFC123]

It's interesting, we've had the wood over Freo in recent times and we have been the most successful club in the last 5 years, so Freo have nothing on us, but for them to get us angry and get under our skin was very suprising, i've never seen the Cats play with such poor discipline, so many 50 meter penalties and just getting pulled into Ballantyne's crap.

 

[ATSAM]

Having a go at family and or women is unacceptable and I am sure that what ever that Freemantle player (doesn't deserve to have his name mentioned)who is now banned for two weeks, said it was pretty awful. Players like Scarlett don't lose their cool that easily.
And don't forget that other Freemantle player who broke Lings jaw and there was another one who took out Ablett in front of the social club at Geelong.
Scum always have been and remain so. Ask about their new Coach who took a job when he knew that the incumbent was still there.

 

[Reginald Perrin]

Players like Scarlett don't lose their cool that easily.

Interestingly On The Couch focused on how poor Scarlett's tribunal record is, especially early in the season.

I suppose all the players he was suspended for striking said something really bad about his family.

 

[tek87]

Just to reassure u ross lyon conspiracists, I played against hayden ballantyne as a junior, and he was the same then. Thats just him loathe or love it

 

[Nankervis brothers]

Interestingly On The Couch focused on how poor Scarlett's tribunal record is, especially early in the season.

I suppose all the players he was suspended for striking said something really bad about his family.

You want to defend your man, and fair enough. But don't put your head in the sand completely.

It says a lot that three AFL players 'tweeted' their sympathies for Scarlett's hit, despite it being an obviously unacceptable response on Scarlett's part. Show me another example in the contemporary game of a player hitting someone and players from other clubs risking the wrath of their own club by actually endorsing said actions.

Make no mistake, Ballantyne is a serial pest and repeat offender who is clearly much hated among AFL players. What he has to say on the field, along with the constant behind the play niggle, must go well and truly beyond the pale.


By the bye, the cowardly hit on Ling epitomizes Freo's tactics against Geelong.