Round Two Loss

[ezbian]

Well back to earth with a thud.

Few Passengers out there tonight. Plenty of opportunities. But same old problems up forward.

Playfair / Mackie - Nowhere ( expect to see Gardnier and or Johnson rushed back next week)

Foxtel Camera work Horrific

Byrnes, D.Johnson, Ottens, Tenace: Admirable Efforts.

At least it gives us an understanding of where we are at, but will need to improve dramatically to push the Dees.

Better for the run: Harley, King (fitness will continue to grow)

Occasional glimpses of good footy, I just don't think they took their chances enough and ran and carried the ball. Took too long for ball to get inside 50, effectively giving Cox too many opportunities to fill the hole.

 

[donkster]

I'd say Playfair might have had a bit more of it if the delivery to him was better.

Our delivery into the forward half was atrocious tonight, how many times I saw the ball bounce at the feet or go over the head of our players was just ridiculous.

The skill-level all-round was definitely down, I don't know what it is, but when we travel we just seem to lose something.

 

[cats56]

I thought H was o.k. early but drifted out of the game.
Mackie clearly need's to build up but will be o.k. in time.
Hunt was o.k. but some indifferent kicking didn't help.
Harley and Dash clearly needed a hit out.
Kingy is doing his pre-season now. Give him another couple of weeks.
Kel started o.k. then struggled.
Enright's role didn't suit. Is much better as a creative player.
Ablett was well held by Chick.
Kingsley presented well but generally too far from goal.
Byrnes and Tenace were very good.
DJ continues to improve.
Otto was o.k. and is still going through a learning process.
Overall West coast used the ball and the spaces better.
Moons, SJ and Charlie's return will help. Also Ricco's experience in bursts will be handy.

 

[scottywiper]

Shame about Wojcinski, love to watch him play with his pace.
Looks like he'll be out for some time.

 

[donkster]

I thought H was o.k. early but drifted out of the game.
Mackie clearly need's to build up but will be o.k. in time.
Hunt was o.k. but some indifferent kicking didn't help.
Harley and Dash clearly needed a hit out.
Kingy is doing his pre-season now. Give him another couple of weeks.
Kel started o.k. then struggled.
Enright's role didn't suit. Is much better as a creative player.
Ablett was well held by Chick.
Kingsley presented well but generally too far from goal.
Byrnes and Tenace were very good.
DJ continues to improve.
Otto was o.k. and is still going through a learning process.
Overall West coast used the ball and the spaces better.
Moons, SJ and Charlie's return will help. Also Ricco's experience in bursts will be handy.

I think Mackie missed the pre-season weight training

Hunt's innaccuracies in the backline cost us quite a bit.

From what it sounded like on the TV it doesn't seem that Wojcinski's injury is going to be that serious.

 

[Ruddiger]

Good game Cats. Real teams don't flood and enjoyed most parts of the game.
Tenace was quite impressive - definitely one to watch.

 

[vicpride99]

I thought the effort last night was shocking. King was killed in the ruck and ablett was towled up. Only positive was Byrnes. Really dissapointed especially with King who may be underdone but it seems we have been saying this for 3 years now.

 

[catempire]

So disappointing. Came back to the same old problems when things go wrong:

1. We don't have star forwards. What does that mean? Our midfield MUST deliver the ball to them in an effective manner. Kicking the ball either over the forwards head or having it bounce in front of them (both of which happened far too often last night) are unacceptable and will be a severe impedement to us beating good teams.

2. Kicking for goal. Last week we kicked very well. The reasons were that our shots from goal were from high percentage areas of the arc and the ball was mainly in the hands of players who use it well. Take Ottens last night. He led twice to the dead pocket and missed twice. I hardly saw West Coast lead there all night. Players like Ablett, Mackie, Chapman and Riccardi who are great kicks for goal didn't get enough of it and the ones who did can't be relied on as much.

3. We didn't run the ball. This would be sending Bomber spare. When we win we move the ball quickly, we kick long and we don't get sucked into a stop-start style of game. There wasn't enough run last night so the ball went into the forward line too slowly (and with poor delivery - see point 1) which made it easy for them to sweep the ball away when the ball hit the ground.

Hope we learn from this. We've got Port in a couple of weeks and it will be a similar task again, maybe tougher. Just got to learn these points because we make these mistakes time and time again.

On a positive note, I really loved the game from Byrnes - a shining light!

 

[donkster]

...Riccardi who are great kicks for goal didn't get enough of it and the ones who did can't be relied on as much...

Bit hard to get the ball when you aren't in the team.

We did miss him though, I reckon, there's these sorts of times where our disposal to a forwards goes astray and an experienced player like Riccardi chips in with his pin-point accuracy and brings some confidence back into the team.

 

[JUBJUB]

Players like Ablett, Mackie, Chapman and Riccardi who are great kicks for goal didn't get enough of it and the ones who did can't be relied on as much.

What game did you watch last night ?
Ricco was a late withdrawal and Egan took his spot.

 

[della]

awful effort last night and it just shows that we r a very good even side but when u don't have a forward option who can take a mark it will hurt u in the long run, our skills were pathetic, we lack run, our shots at goal were awful but the forward line is a joke and i can't see us winning a flag with the current setup, yes we will be competitive etc but we al want to see us a win a flag and i can't say i am confident of that at themoment, i am sicking of going interstate and watching us play like ********, lets see how we go the next 3 weeks cause it aint getting easier.

della!

 

[donkster]

i don't think you can blame the forward line, as I stated earlier the delivery to them was very poor, how many times I saw Henry Playfair running into half-forward and the ball bouncing at his feet in the first quarter was too numerous.

 

[Turbocat]

For mine, I hate losing.I hate losing to them.I hate losing inter-state.
If I look at the sides performance level headed however there were quite a few positives amungst that losing performance.
Our backline which was so good last year has a new addition. Johnson was very good and should keep his spot.We still need a third tall and Egan is a long way from being that player but he will be worth it in the end Im sure, but at the moment he is costing us goals.
Tenace improved and by the end of this year will be a top line player for us.
Byrnes top stuff.Ottens continues to play well although I wish they would open up the other pocket for him.He is a good shot but even the best would have found it hard from those set shots
Harley was a long way off his best,Playfair gave us little,Mackie the same King is still struggling to have an influence, Kelly looked like he just wanted the game to be finished,Hunt was too cute.It can only get better.

 

[catempire]

Bit hard to get the ball when you aren't in the team.

We did miss him though, I reckon, there's these sorts of times where our disposal to a forwards goes astray and an experienced player like Riccardi chips in with his pin-point accuracy and brings some confidence back into the team.

What game did you watch last night ?
Ricco was a late withdrawal and Egan took his spot.

Yes, thanks guys, I did notice that . I meant that by his absence we were hampered because he uses the ball so well.

 

[ezbian]

To all who said we haven't moved the footy fast enough SPOT ON.

Look at all the great sides of the last decade, there midfielders take chances and run ahead of the ball to create opportunities for the forward line. As we know Geelong's inside 50 stats are great, but when it comes in so slow it doesn't mean squat. Get it in quickly to Ottens and even Kinglsey one out and things become a whole lot more dangerous.

There is no denying playfair gives his all, but some of the delivery problems he has are caused by his inability to run to the right spot. He is not a natural forward (yet) and it will take time. He has improved his kicking out of sight, and he to will benefit from more run.

It has always amazed me that when a side is down by a few at 3 quarter time and their coaches tell them to take some chances and run with the footy, how they sometimes can give it a shake. Geelong had all the early running in the early stages of the last quarter and could not convert, it makes you wonder why it takes three quarters to take those risks and break lines.

 

[Altum Volantes]

Tenace is a talent ain't he?

Is it just me or could he look a bit like Bruce Doull in a couple of years time?

 

[JUBJUB]

Tenace is a talent ain't he?

Is it just me or could he look a bit like Bruce Doull in a couple of years time?

Long grey hair and a big bald spot ?

 

[Altum Volantes]

Long grey hair and a big bald spot ?

Looked a bit thin on top yeah, but I've watched the tape and I think it was just his headband.

So he's lucky then