Preview Rd9 St Kilda v Geelong Sat 14th May 2022 @ Colonial 435 pm

[cats_09]

If you want to be upset at anyone be upset at Narkle for being rubbish in the first half and being good in the second as he is most likely to get dropped for Stephens if anyone

Maybe could have given C. Guthrie a weeks rest/managed treatment, though that could easily be coming up

Opens up a spot in the middle

 

[SkittleCats]

You can but it makes no sense to be upset at a player playing defence or forward when you want a midfielder in.

His position is irrelevant, he just needs the game time, i dont understand why that is so hard for people to understand? 2E isnt exactly a wingman, but there he is selected on the wing. Zuthrie isnt exactly a defender, but there he is selected in a back pocket. Mark O'Connor isnt exactly a footballer, but there he is, selected in our team...again. You could leave Stephens in at any position between half back and half forward and it would be better than not playing him at all.

Stop talking about positions like it actually matters.

 

[CatToTheFuture]

No strobe lighting CatToTheFuture

My kind of party

 

[cats_09]

Who would have thought that on a Thursday night where neither Dahlhaus or Higgins was selected in the 22 that we'd have such an active preview thread

 

[catempire]

Because he is a useless waste of space?

I was calling for him to be dropped three weeks ago but he has been good since returning to defence. Should stay there now.

 

[Gunf]

I was calling for him to be dropped three weeks ago but he has been good since returning to defence. Should stay there now.

Yep i think Shark as a mid has been proven to not be worth it but as a defender he is very good

 

[cats_09]

I was calling for him to be dropped three weeks ago but he has been good since returning to defence. Should stay there now.

He was looking lost in the midfield this year, but definitely more comfortable down back and played some good football over recent weeks

There's going to be some tough decisions to be made when we start getting a few players back

 

[foxdog50]

I struggle to get the hype. He plays alright in the VFL but can’t figure out how it translates at AFL level.

Could end up as one that falls between the cracks.

His only played what 4 games? I'm not sure if you can say how he cant translate to AFL after only playing that many games...

Evans does need for example 4 , 5 games in a row to get a bit of continuity to get the feeling he belongs out there...

People expect most players to show what they can be like within there first game or 2.
I can remember O'Connor first game, most on here thought he be delisted at the end of the year

 

[BotsMaster]

Cooper Stephens will be the next Chris Judd

 

[David the Cat]

The suggestion Coops is going to leave because he's not selected is a henny penny reaction if ever I've heard one....didnt anyone see him take a moment alone gripping his Cats jumper..kissing it and cleafly emotional he has got to wear the jumper he's followed all his life.

He's not going anywhere.

 

[Goggin Our Best]

I was looking at Miers heat maps just before - he's had 79 disposals at an average of 15.8 across his 5 games this season, only 19 (less than 25%) of those disposals have been in the forward 50

I'd rather see him playing closer to goal & be that small forward target we've seen in recent years, but it's not his role at the moment

In the 1st half last week - did he get one single possession - did he apply 1 tackle - he was like a dog running at a beach - he just came along for the hell of it

Getting back to this weeks game - i will be pleasantly surprised ( like i was last week ) if we win - Miers - Narkle ( chasing isnt his forte ) - Geel have got because of injuries a weakened team at present and are thus very beatable

It would be a good win to go 6-3- because how i see it Melb are $1.01 chance for the flag - but Geel ( with all its players available ) are as good as any of the other 16 teams in the comp

 

[GeelongFTW]

Who do we reckon will be sub?

 

[CatsDoItBetter]

Very disappointing to see Stephens out as I said last week they needed to give him a block of games. Heartbreaking to see how much last weeks game meant to him and he can’t follow it up.
A block of games would give him a base to know what he needs to work on to play every week. To go through a few highs and lows of the game and fitness would be of huge benefit.

 

[catempire]

Who do we reckon will be sub?

“This week they’ll switch roles with Knevitt getting an opportunity within the starting line-up, while Stephens will be Geelong’s medical substitute.”

 

[year of the cat]

Tight selections in a strengthened team, Zuthrie earned another game and a mid was likely to make way for the captain.
Only he and Knevitt stand out as candidates.

True but I’d have either dropped Miers or gone the other way, starting Stephens in front of Knevitt.

 

[St Francis of Kardinia]

Ok positive post after my Stephens disappointment - not sure any of us saw Knevit getting two games a month ago. Stephens will get more games (still think this week should be one of them) - but a month ago if you offered me two Knevit and Stephens a promising debut I would take it

At least it’s the start of the kids abs although I like Dahl as a player more at least miers has a future and we haven’t gone Dahl or Higgins

Narkle gets another go and I hope he takes it - he could kick 3


On iPhone using BigFooty.com mobile app

 

[standupand]

Maybe could have given C. Guthrie a weeks rest/managed treatment, though that could easily be coming up

Opens up a spot in the middle

This would've been my preference too. Give the new guys a run of a few games for their confidence. They deserve to feel like they belong out there. And use the opportunity to manage some of the likes of C. Guthrie and Duncan. I know Scott mentioned that the main thing for Cooper and Knevitt was to know that they played well enough to have earnt another game, but that for many of those younger players they will benefit more from training than actual games. But if you look at guys like SDK and Holmes and how the first handful of games they looked quite nervous or a bit lost, but how quickly belief comes just with having the continuity of a few games. We know they'll make mistakes. But I think players learn a lot more from the mistakes knowing that it's ok and they'll soon have the chance to prove they can get things right.

 

[Kobe Gryant]

He should be a regular now, Miers isnt keeping him out based on performance, nor is O'Connor. But here we are, with both Miers and MOC still in and Stephens gets dropped after a week. He has probably been hearing that line for the last three years and it's bullshit. Our list management is awful when it comes to anyone under 28 years of age.

Why should he toil away in the VFL gaining nothing when he could be playing in the AFL and actually developing at almost any other club?

The recruitment train might continue but you dont let kids like Stephens jump off at the next station while keeping plodders like Miers in the team, and that is after the Linc and Clark experience.

Linc had injury troubles his entire time here and saw an opportunity to start fresh with his best mate Lachie Neale. At 25 years old and his footy career at a bit of a crossroads I can’t exactly blame him. Things weren’t working out and he needed a change.

Clark again, completely different situation. Bad blood with a coach who’s since been moved on, and some bad habits which the club weren’t happy about. It was a pretty simple ultimatum, stop eating fast food and apply yourself in the gym and you’ll get a game. He couldn’t take the criticism and again, wanted a fresh start. Good on him. Personally I wouldn’t want a bloke like that in my footy side regardless of talent, but that’s just my opinion.

It’s a completely different situation with Stephens. Still a baby in footy terms, never really been fully fit and even when he has been Covid has ruined any chance of him staking his claim. While I’d rather see him in the starting 22, calls that he’d request a trade are ludicrous. He’ll get more than his fair go if he continues to do what the coaches ask of him, and if he doesn’t, then that’s no loss to us. Because again, you don’t want blokes like that anyway. We're trying to win premierships, that's the goal of sport. You don't do that when guys crack the shits at missing a game here and there.

It’s amusing how we take the ‘sky is falling’ view whenever our youngsters aren’t given the red carpet treatment. It’s happened with Constable, Narkle, Clark and now you’re trying to do it with Stephens. I don’t agree with everything the GFC does, but no player yet has come back to hurt us after being let go. I’ll take the clubs judgment over my own or anyone on Bigfooty in these situations.

I mean seriously, the club see the players train, how they eat, how they take criticism, how they study opposition etc…we see none of that, but some of us think we know better than they do. It’s laughable when you think about it.

 

[Finknottle]

The selectors got it right. This looks like
the best lineup this year. Some real midfield depth. Stewart and Zach Guthrie

39

Zach Guthrie

Age

25

Ht

188cm

Wt

84kg

Pos.

Def

Career

Season

Last 5

D

11.0

3star

K

5.8

2star

HB

5.2

4star

M

3.3

3star

T

1.8

4star

MG

90.0

1star

D

7.0

1star

K

4.0

1star

HB

3.0

2star

M

1.0

1star

T

1.0

2star

MG

90.0

2star

D

10.4

3star

K

3.8

2star

HB

6.6

4star

M

2.0

3star

T

1.6

4star

as mobile backs and the two Irishmen playing more up the ground.

 

[David the Cat]

The selectors got it right. This looks like
the best lineup this year. Some real midfield depth. Stewart and Zach Guthrie as mobile backs and the two Irishmen playing more up the ground.

They might play O'Connor on Higgins and try to render him ineffective. He is an important avenue to goal for the Saints.

 

[Finknottle]

Cooper Stephens will be the next Chris Judd

Yeah nah. Judd was something else, won his first Brownlow at age 21, played only 1 game in the WAFL before making his debut for West Coast, went on to become a 6 time All-Australian. Will be happy if Stephens can become a solid midfielder and help Geelong push towards more finals.

 

[Pure_Ownage]

Because we've had such a good strike rate in the past at keeping rookies who've been on the list for years and barely been given a game despite showing potential.

Cooper is way different to those because hes been injured and barely available. I want him in this week too but stop panicking about him wanting a trade its way too early for that.

 

[Pure_Ownage]

Who do we reckon will be sub?

Stephens.

 

[Chinacats]

I would have given Stephens another full game on what he showed last week.

Yes especially on the quick deck. He is not overly fast but has a quick first stride or two and is young enough to hunt the opponent.
Evans could be cooked with Stengle emerging. Narkle against speedy saints a worry with his defensive traits.

 

[Finknottle]

Narkle over stephens is ridiculous narkle doesnt work hard enough.

At least stanley is back.

All this Narkle bashing has become a boring cliche. I see several times a game where players don't bother chasing, stay down instead of make a contest but they don't get called out. Have a close look at Tomahawk and Cameron next time they play. You seem to be able to cut them some slack, take the good with the bad. While seeing his faults, start looking at Narkle's positive's and the considersble upside he has.