Should we just hand the Cats the 2018 Premiership now?

[Jimmy Yamazaki]

Why not?
Last year Prelim final finished 2nd in H&A season. Can’t go one better with young players more another season of experience? Really like Stewart Kelly Parfitt and few others. Dan Menzel is awesome up forward, Cats were never going to trade him.

It's the exact same Geelong that gets overrated by the media every year that froths over our stars. Nothing's changed it's the same Geelong over the past 6 years it's just a new year + Ablett and false hope.

 

[gillo94]

Probably good reason not to give them the flag in Round 2, though, would you not say?

Give them a half a season. First game J Selwood, G Ablett & P Dangerfield played together. Still very good numbers
J Selwood 29 disposals 1 goal
G Ablett 35 disposals 1 goal
P Dangerfield 31 disposals 2 goals

These 3 are capable of such numbers most weeks. What other 3 mids in any team in the comp is that tough classy & dominant?
Tommy Hawkins had a poor game but will get going soon. Dan Menzel is pretty much putting good goal numbers each week. Cats can afford keep either Dangerfield or Ablett forward as each week also capable of chipping few goals upfront.

Just a matter of time.

 

[Headless]

Give them a half a season.

I will if you will.

 

[gillo94]

It's the exact same Geelong that gets overrated by the media every year that froths over our stars. Nothing's changed it's the same Geelong over the past 6 years it's just a new year + Ablett and false hope.

Cats made a Prelim last year and 2nd on home and away year. If Danger didn’t get suspended might have won a second Brownlow. Gary Ablett always gets referred to as the Master and so he should. He strengthens Cats team. Both Dangerfield & Ablett are 2 in a generation type mid and Joel is an A grader himself.

Cats can make another top 2 finish and go one better and score home final. Can be done. Has enough class to do so. Should have listened to Triple M today. They are in a good place.


Cats youngsters should be enough for most Cats to get excited over. I don’t even support Cats and I’m excited watching them.

 

[Scotland]

Today was the sort of game you'd get excited about if it was a final, but it was Rd 2 against Hawthorn.

If Geelong are relying on DangerAblettWood or whatever they're called to drag them over the line (or not even) this early in the seasons alarm bells will be ringing.

 

[azyboy]

We didn't have Tom McDonald, Jack Viney or Dom Tyson and it took Gawn to miss 15 meters out directly in front for you to win, it's not as simple as "They'll be fine".

Taylor was gone from before quarter time and we were a rotation short. We ran out of legs. Just like the Hawks today. As I said. They’ll be fine.

 

[Leviathan Pie]

lol wut?

 

[PP34]

No. Their defence is far too suspect.

Obviously they’re missing Henderson and Taylor so them being there when it matters will help. But in Taylor’s case he’s getting on in age and certainly isn’t the player he used to be.

Their forward line is still a bit of a mess too. The fact that Chris Scott continues to throw Danger down there for long stretches, taking him out of his best position says a lot about their forwards. Dangerfield is more than handy up forward but I think it’s far too early to be relying on him down there. He’s still young and in his prime. Keep him down there for short bursts.

 

[azyboy]

Melbourne were lucky to get over Brisbane.

Brisbane aren’t as bad as people make out. They’ve been competitive in both games so far this year. Gold Coast flogged Carlton. North thrashed WB. Port beat Sydney in Sydney. Freo beat Essendon. You take your wins regardless of the opposition. Geelong have played two pretty good sides and could be two and zip or zip and two. But they do have talent, they have a shite load of games at home and some key ins to come back. There’s upside. They’ll be fine.

 

[Nightrain]

As long as C Scott is at the helm I think we can all rest easy. Lets hope he hangs around long enough to see out Dangerfield and Ablett's retirement.

I'd be more worried about Port to be honest. Big win yesterday and I feel they will only get better.

 

[azyboy]

No. Their defence is far too suspect.

Obviously they’re missing Henderson and Taylor so them being there when it matters will help. But in Taylor’s case he’s getting on in age and certainly isn’t the player he used to be.

Their forward line is still a bit of a mess too. The fact that Chris Scott continues to throw Danger down there for long stretches, taking him out of his best position says a lot about their forwards. Dangerfield is more than handy up forward but I think it’s far too early to be relying on him down there. He’s still young and in his prime. Keep him down there for short bursts.

I’m not worried about their back line to be honest. I’m not sure what evidence your basing Harry not being the player he used to be. There hasn’t been a drop off that I’ve noted.

Stewart is developing nicely and I can see so much of a combination of Scarlett and Enright in the way he plays. Throw in Hendo and Kolo and you have more than handy talls. Tuohy is a star, Bews kicked on last year and with C Guthrie, they are three good smalls. Z Guthrie is coming along nicely considering he still has the body of a 14 year old (God knows how he found himself opposed to Roughie).

I do have concerns about the forward line. Menzel is a clever footballer who has started the year well but has some well known defensive deficiencies. Hawkins doesn’t look as threatening as previous years and needs to do more. Cockatoo is living on potential and is yet to show anything of substance. Haven’t seen enough consistently of Gregson and McCarthy while Parfitt is a second year player and inconsistent.

They haven’t got the balance right yet with Danger and Ablett playing forward. There’s no system or structure that I can see as yet.

Most of all they’re ruck stocks are a concern. Smith and Stanley have played on the best two players on the ground in R1 and R2 respectively.

 

[underthestars]

Dangselab will get them into finals again no doubt, but the goals at each end are a long ways away from the centre.

 

[Roddy]

They certainly know they have the unholy trinity in green in their corner to help drag them over the line when they need it...

 

[beta_condition]

Give them a half a season. First game J Selwood, G Ablett & P Dangerfield played together. Still very good numbers
J Selwood 29 disposals 1 goal
G Ablett 35 disposals 1 goal
P Dangerfield 31 disposals 2 goals

These 3 are capable of such numbers most weeks. What other 3 mids in any team in the comp is that tough classy & dominant?
Tommy Hawkins had a poor game but will get going soon. Dan Menzel is pretty much putting good goal numbers each week. Cats can afford keep either Dangerfield or Ablett forward as each week also capable of chipping few goals upfront.

Just a matter of time.

Yet where smashed in the middle by a team with one elite midfielder, plenty of teams with significantly better midfields than Hawthorn

 

[Sprout]

Vintage gillo

 

[gillo94]

Yet where smashed in the middle by a team with one elite midfielder, plenty of teams with significantly better midfields than Hawthorn

Which midfield trio is better, right now?

Tom Mitchell is a good player but don’t say his better than either of the 3 especially P. Dangerfield right now. 3 multi all Australias, B&F’s, club leaders. MVP’s etc etc etc etc etc. Mitch Duncan, Lachie Henderson, Harry Taylor & Scott Selwood still to return.

 

[rdhopkins2]

Will there be a Royal Commission if the holy trinity fail to protect supporters from missed flag abuse?

 

[JackFlash]

I believed last year Cats should have won the premiership but fell short.

Cats have improved their list. Patrick Dangerfield, Joel Selwood, Gary Ablett superstar trio. Really which team can even come close to matching that? Add Mitch Duncan, Nakia Cockatoo, Mengegola to that centre line and Tommy Hawkins up forward who can stop that? Not to forget young guns Kelly, Brandon Parfitt. What AFL young player wouldn’t be confident playing alongside P. Dangerfield, Joel Selwood, Gary Ablett & Tom Hawkins? Can any team match them or will Cats just have a dominant season?

I forgot about this thread, just had a fabulous laugh. I'm a Cats fan, but even i know Geelong will be battling it out down among the bottom six in 2018. Ruck strength is poor, defence is absolutely hopeless, the dynamic trio doesn't work and then you have a huge injury toll before round three, plus the fact the list has no depth...

 

[Whiskers]

Our issue is list management. We continually recruit/retain injury riddled players, been happening for years and has caught up with us.
Now I feel it’ll be too hard to catch up even when we get players back. Can’t just wait on getting players back because we will get fresh ones waiting.

We now have to manage Ablett/Cockatoo/SSelwood/Menzel/Gregson/McCarthy even if they are ‘fully fit’ we can’t always play them.
It’s just not possible for us to have our best side out there, and to win a flag you need luck with injuries. Our luck would have to be extreme!

In saying all this I’m still glad we recruited Ablett as hypocritical as that seems. I love watching him play and the matches he does play he can be the difference.

 

[Roovolution]

Has anyone answered ‘no’ yet?

 

[Astro_]

Lucky to not be 0-3

 

[Benny78]

May as well. But we should wait because it will offend a lot of clubs

 

[Benny78]

I forgot about this thread, just had a fabulous laugh. I'm a Cats fan, but even i know Geelong will be battling it out down among the bottom six in 2018. Ruck strength is poor, defence is absolutely hopeless, the dynamic trio doesn't work and then you have a huge injury toll before round three, plus the fact the list has no depth...

It's not about how bad we are. We're as good as any of the s**t that's going around currently.

 

[sobrave]

Bottom 4 list without the unholy Trinity

 

[Kingfish73]

Still will dominate at home. But squeeze into 8 my prediction