Positives of 2012

[thejester]

People have mentioned the kids getting games and looking pretty comfortable so I'll throw out another in a similar vein: the VFL team. Last few years we've been a very young side that's been inconsistent, showing flashes of brilliance (beating North Ballarat etc) but ultimately falling short of finals. Still a way to go yet - need to beat Box Hill this week to cement our place - but hard not to feel upbeat given it's still a young team that's been missing some of it's most experienced players.

 

[Footy Smarts]

People have mentioned the kids getting games and looking pretty comfortable so I'll throw out another in a similar vein: the VFL team. Last few years we've been a very young side that's been inconsistent, showing flashes of brilliance (beating North Ballarat etc) but ultimately falling short of finals. Still a way to go yet - need to beat Box Hill this week to cement our place - but hard not to feel upbeat given it's still a young team that's been missing some of it's most experienced players.

Good call and I think Knights deserves some credit here. That was a very sneaky acquisition by us. If you look through the Essendon team it was his years that a bunch of their good players developed. Because he pissed off blokes like Lloyd and was never really accepted into the club he was judged very harshly. I couldn't imagine that another club would have a coach of his quality as their reserves coach.

 

[Claude Balls]

The biggest positive is undoubtedly the young chaps. Essentially we are in serious transition (up to 8 sub-30/40 gamers at times) yet still on track for finals. This would not be possible if said young chaps weren't talented.

Taking a look at a likely side for next year, assuming a few retirements (I love making hypothetical best 22s):

Guthrie - Lonergan - Mackie
Enright - Taylor - Murdoch (eh?!)
Kelly - Bartel - Christensen
Varcoe - Hawkins - Duncan
Menzel - Vardy - Stevie

Simpson, Selwood, Boak (too cheeky?)

Int. Smedts, Motlop, T. Hunt, West

Emerg: Stringer, Hyphen, Brown

I reckon that side is good enough to make finals next year. Most of the experienced guys should have plenty left in the tank, unlike Joel Corey this year for example, and the younger guys will be approaching 30 games. Essentially it's looking quite possible that we could consistently make finals in the years that we are theoretically 're-building'.

Plenty of pace too - there's a fast guy on almost every line.

 

[Belisarius]

The biggest positive is undoubtedly the young chaps. Essentially we are in serious transition (up to 8 sub-30/40 gamers at times) yet still on track for finals. This would not be possible if said young chaps weren't talented.

Taking a look at a likely side for next year, assuming a few retirements (I love making hypothetical best 22s):

Guthrie - Lonergan - Mackie
Enright - Taylor - Murdoch (eh?!)
Kelly - Bartel - Christensen
Varcoe - Hawkins - Duncan
Menzel - Vardy - Stevie

Simpson, Selwood, Boak (too cheeky?)

Int. Smedts, Motlop, T. Hunt, West

Emerg: Stringer, Hyphen, Brown

I reckon that side is good enough to make finals next year. Most of the experienced guys should have plenty left in the tank, unlike Joel Corey this year for example, and the younger guys will be approaching 30 games. Essentially it's looking quite possible that we could consistently make finals in the years that we are theoretically 're-building'.

Plenty of pace too - there's a fast guy on almost every line.

I too like to dream of the side in a year or two.

I think the backline is fine except Smedts takes Murdoch's HBF position. Murdoch to the bench.

I would probably replace Vardy with Brown - but replace West with Vardy as the second ruckman.

I would also like to see Kersten get a run as well. I also reckon Scarlett will be in the backline for 2013 season.

Yes include Boak - we need him to start creating a more dominant midfield to supply a raging forward line.

If we went outrageous, left field - Harry Taylor to CHF and Hawkins to FF - and Walker to CHB.

Speed, class and a lot of potential. If half these young guys we have in the VFL/AFL are half as good as many think they are - we are still going to be a decent side. If they live up to the Great Expectations - well we are in for a very good ride indeed.

We still have Scarlett the glue that holds the backline together - Big Tick

We have quite a bit of leg speed. THunt, Motlop, Murdoch, Varcoe and Smedts.

We still have some experienced class players - Selwood, Kelly, SJ, Taylor, Enright, Scarlett, Bartel, Lonergan, Mackie and Varcoe. That is quite a few.

We add Boak to the midfield - and that I think would make a significant difference, we get back some X factor in Menzel - and Motlop has a bit of the X factor about him as well.

The average age significantly goes down and you would think the main part of the transition would be over. The fast bleeding is over and hopefully we can cover the slow loss of players due to retirement from here on in. No one would really expect a team made of 40 % of players with an average of 20 games is going anywhere fast. It is not ideal to have so many low gamers in the same team.

Look at North - great one week - poor the next. It takes time to build a team. And I reckon we will still make the finals even though we are playing so many kids. That would be a good effort. Win a final - even better.

Then sometime between 2013-4 we will be a serious contender again - all going to plan.

I can see no real reason why the players named in your side CB could not make the grade. Some could be very, very good players for us. It will take time however.

 

[Claude Balls]

Yes it's great fun indeed, the old best 22 in years to come. I love dropping in to my folks' house and seeing a few scribbled 22s on the kitchen table that my Dad has been working on, no doubt trying to impress upon Mum just how good we are still going to be!

Anyway, taking a bit of predictive liberty, as you have done suggesting Taylor to the fwd line, Walker to defence etc, I will stand by my placing of Murdoch on the half back line. He is actually 20 years old already, having been recruited from the SANFL, and with his attributes (left footed and fast) he is simply too tasty a prospect to not slot into the half back line. Plus, I felt Smedts played his best game for the club in the forward half on Sunday, so I'm not convinced he should start in defence at Murdoch's expense, even though he is a talented first round draft pick.

Still not sure about Brown. Vardy in for West, and Brown to FF sounds good, although I still don't believe he will be strong enough for a KP position any time soon.

Taylor to the fwd line would be great, although it seems Josh Walker is a natural forward (according to the VFL experts), so that might rule that one out. Plus, Taylor is also great down back...

Would also like to see Kersten at some point, though I doubt he'll be a regular next year. He wouldn't come in for anyone I've listed in my predicted 22, unless he starts dominating in the 2s next year.

Anyway, bottom line for me is that I think we're capable of making finals consistently while we are 'rebuilding'. I don't think we will seriously contend again while Scarlett and Enright are still around, or while they are still AA quality, so reaching the summit again might depend on Wells unearthing a few more yet, or the young chaps I haven't listed in my 22 coming good also.

Either way, Geelong looks like making a mockery of all those clubs that bottomed out shamelessly in order to get top draft picks. None of those clubs have won a premiership, unless you count Collingwood, which tanked in '05 for Pendlebury and Thomas.

 

[Belisarius]

Yeah all fair calls based on we have seen of these youngsters.

I would not mind getting some pace into the backline with THunt down there instead of Wojo or JHunt.

We will see where Murdoch ends up - running off half back or more a winger.

I do not think we are Premiership material this year - but some finals actions I do forsee this year. That will help set us up for the 2013 season. The VFL wins the GF and a heap of youngsters get to know a bit about winning and finals.

There have been quite a few different reasons why we have not been able perform at our usual high standards this season so far. I do think however if Simpson, Smedts, Guthrie, Motlop, Bundy, Duncan, THunt and Murdoch a further season and a half, another pre-season - they will start to blossom.

We get back Varcoe and Menzel - and that is a pretty good side - even though largely inexperienced. Add Boak into the midfield and we could be in the top 4 next season - given a better run with injuries.

The fun is that for sure some other youngster like Brown, Kersten, Horlin-Smith, Walker, Stringer, etc could still prove to be a better player than the ones we have selected as most likely to make it - players.

So if Scarlett goes one more season I reckon he will go out in a final for sure. Maybe even a GF. I think we will be stronger next season than this one. Just so many kids to trial and test in the seniors over the next 18 months - while we try and get games into other younger players the Club has already selected as future players.

 

[Partridge]

I do not think we are Premiership material this year - but some finals actions I do forsee this year. That will help set us up for the 2013 season. The VFL wins the GF and a heap of youngsters get to know a bit about winning and finals.

There have been quite a few different reasons why we have not been able perform at our usual high standards this season so far. I do think however if Simpson, Smedts, Guthrie, Motlop, Bundy, Duncan, THunt and Murdoch a further season and a half, another pre-season - they will start to blossom.

Agree with this, based on current form this season. Would dearly love to be wrong and see the team catch fire from here on in, but we'll see what happens.

Having said that, even if we fail to make the top 4, there's no reason why we couldn't completely ruin a few other clubs' seasons. While getting invaluable big game experience into the kids. That's enough to look forward to for the time being.

 

[year of the cat]

Having said that, even if we fail to make the top 4, there's no reason why we couldn't completely ruin a few other clubs' seasons. While getting invaluable big game experience into the kids. That's enough to look forward to for the time being.

Beating Hawthorn in the first final only to go out the next week I'd almost take this year.

 

[rocker_oz33]

Even though the team is not playing that well and dont look that good at this point in time.There only one game away from the dorks on the ladder i think 2 or 3 games away from the crows who have being playing well under sando.And are ahead of richmond who have maybe better mid-feild spead than the cats.Bar the crows game the cats have played well V the top sides and not lost by all that much.

 

[The rabbi]

Agree with this, based on current form this season. Would dearly love to be wrong and see the team catch fire from here on in, but we'll see what happens.

Having said that, even if we fail to make the top 4, there's no reason why we couldn't completely ruin a few other clubs' seasons. While getting invaluable big game experience into the kids. That's enough to look forward to for the time being.

This is pretty much sums up how I am looking at season 2012 at the moment. I seriously do not believe that the Cats can win the Premiership this year. I was hopeful at the start of the year but injuries have taken their toll and you need to be able to put, somewhere near the best players on the list, on the park every week.

But yep, Partridge has pretty much summed it up for me and I am optimistic about the future.

 

[Farmer2Goggin]

This is pretty much sums up how I am looking at season 2012 at the moment. I seriously do not believe that the Cats can win the Premiership this year. I was hopeful at the start of the year but injuries have taken their toll and you need to be able to put, somewhere near the best players on the list, on the park every week.

But yep, Partridge has pretty much summed it up for me and I am optimistic about the future.

Agree with Rabbi and Partridge and yes , we can be very optimistic about our future.
We have blooded as many debutants as GWS , are playing a lot of kids picked up in the last 2 drafts and whilst we aren't firing on all cylinders we will play finals this season and get some valuable big game experience into the newbies. You would think that Varcoe, Vardy and Menzel will be good to go next season so that's extra quality we haven't had this season.
Scott has said his vision was about 2015 and we seem to be focusing on that by rebuilding and at the same time staying competitive - a great achievement if we can avoid the boom /bust cycle preferred by the AFL. Add to that 3 flags over the last 5 years and you'd say it's a damn good time to be a Cat.

 

[James1970]

Considering the events of today at Richmond, and the last few weeks at Carlton, the one big positive for 2012 we can all celebrate is the continued excellent culture that the club has built and instilled around the place. The change from fairly recent times is incredible.

 

[Jmac2225]

I don't think there is much to be negative about honestly. We weren't going to stay on top forever and our decline has began but it seems it will be a short lived.

It's exciting watching our contingency plan come to fruition and being confident that we will be too contenders again in a year or 2.

Really we aren't as hopeless as people make us out to be this year. We have only lost to 2 teams below us (Freo at home, kangas), beaten Hawthorn and run Collingwood and Sydney to the edge.

Unless we had some fantasy we were going to reign supreme forever I think this year is mostly full of positives.

The biggest negatives have been the injuries to Menzel, Varcoe and Vardy and the lost time and games these kids could have got into them.

 

[Belisarius]

I get caught up in the fantasy of the future. I keep looking at the kids to see if I can see 'something' that I think will see them turn into really good players. In fact that is one of the main reasons I read so many posts on this Board.

I suppose I just cannot see how many good raves abd assessments of our younger crew could all be wrong.

From what I have seen and read - I expect at least 6 of these guys to make it in the seniors for years to come -

Vardy, Simpson, Cowan, Schroder, Brown, Gillies, Guthrie, Horlin-Smith, Kersten, McCarthy, Murdoch, Smedts, Stringer and Walker. That is 14 players of which I expect at least 6 to come good. That is less than 50 %. So I reckon a fair enough ask.

Then we still have Bews, Hamling, Simpkin, Hogan, Burbury and Bathie that still might make it. A further 6 players on the list.

I have assumed that THunt, Duncan, Bundy, Motlop and Menzel - have all shown enough for me to accept they are definite senior players for us for another 5 years +. 4 young players who will probably get better over time.

So the positive news from this season is that there is a huge possibility that there are some really good players on our list that simply have not played enough VFL/AFL games to show us what they will become. And the younger established players are yet to fully hit their straps. In other words we have some real potential and the 2102 draft to come.

Add to this Geelong may yet get a player thru trading - like Boak.

So we have bright future ahead of us I believe.

Yes hard to accept we are playing poorly at present and do not look like a true finals competitor - but perhaps we just need be patient for a season or two to see Geelong emerge as a serious contender for a flag.

The more I watch footy - the more I accept it takes most players 50 games before you really start to see them shine. And we have so many yet to play 10 senior games let alone 50.

My best guess is Simpson, Brown, Guthrie and Smedts will be the next to establish themselves and get the senior game time to get those 50 games (4 players).

Then the second stringers will be Schroder, Murdoch, Stringer, the Hyphen and Walker (5 players).

Add back in Varcoe (24) and a traded for player like Boak (24), and you have a young side and the GFC is completely renewed for a decade.

I know other supporters would look at their own sides and see the same thing - but I reckon Wells and our culture are so good we are very likely to see a lot of young players actually make it. The dream becoming a reality.

 

[DanA]

I reckon the list is pretty healthy. Again it's the ruck division we'll have issues with.

FB: ?? ?? ??
HB: Guthrie Taylor ??
C: Motlop Christenson Varcoe
HF: ?? ?? ??
FF Menzel Hawkins ??
R: ?? Selwood Duncan
Int: West, T-Hunt

We've got others looking very promising but so far I think these players are pretty much nailed on as part of the team for the next 5-6 years. I think we've got the foundation of a good side, how good depends on the likes of; Murdock, Brown, Smedts, Hyphen, Simpson, Vardy, Stringer etc.

If we can peg a 22-23 y/o gun ruck men or if Simpson can come good, the future is looking pretty bright I reckon.