Success in 2004

[vicpride99]

They often say that you need to take a couple of steps back to go forward. And well after 3 years of rebuilding I think Geelong must go forward in 2004 if they want to deliver on what they have been promising us for the last 3 years. I look back at 2000 and bombers first year as a coach and see we finished 5th on the ladder. Now you would say yeah you have done well come back next year and get even further. Well under the team we had in 2000 it was never going any further in my mind.

Players like Houlihan, Mensch, Stoneham, and Jason Mooney crowded the forward line. It was an experienced forward line with talent but not enough to deliver a flag, but enough to make the 8. It was not a great line but a solid one that had experience Houlihan 22, Mensch 28, Stoneham 32 and Jason Mooney 27.

The midfield had some good players with talent. Hocking 32, Kilpatrick 28, Ricardi 28, and Stienfort showed a bit. But the point was would it deliver a flag or even a real crack at one then no. It was looking dated and old.

The Backend was experienced and was very good. McGrath was always solid in the back half. Graham was one of the best full backs in the game in 2000. And Sholl was a never crack under pressure player. And don’t forget Sanderson.

Overall I think the point of this thread is to show you that anyone can be a top 8 side. And I think the Geelong has done something with guts. Stay down a couple of years and come back up and be real contenders. I mean real contenders top 4 stuff with a real crack at a flag.
Clubs like Fremantle and saints have done the same and will have success in the future. Other clubs like Richmond will fail and already have because they refuse to take a risk.

Well done Geelong I’m sure you will be a good-great quality team next year.

 

[ScouseCat]

Considering the list Mark Thompson inherited at the end of the 1999 season, Geelong over-achieved to make the finals in 2000. Perhaps it was due to first year coach, perhaps luck... we weren't a great side but things went our way and we made the eight.

In 2001 we had an absolute shocker, finishing off the year on a very ordinary note, losing our last 5 games badly. In 2002, nobody expected us to do anything which enabled us to sneak under some team's guards, winning 11 games but falling just short of making the finals. This year we had some bad luck with King and Harley injured at the start of the year, and never recovered from a bad start.

Originally posted by vicpride99
Well done Geelong I’m sure you will be a good-great quality team next year.

We're heading in the right direction with regards to building a quality list, but I think we're a couple of years away from seriously challenging for a flag. Still, you never know what can happen if you have some luck, just look at Sydney this year.

 

[MrCatMan]

I've said it before. Our backline is top notch and can hold itsellf against any backline in the comp. This alone will mean we will not get flogged (too often). Where we need to develop is in our ability to deliver to kicking fwd(s).

i.e. our team should be able to have the confidence that if we make leads that the ball will come to where it advantages our fwds.

Our delivery has been poor (as well as our confidence up fwd). This is basic team work stuff that will improve out of sight with one or two choice trades. My personal fantasy is Lappin and Rawlings. Two other dependable players will probably do as well. These players will not be a silver bullet, the rest of the midfield and fwd line will need to continue their great work.

Teams win premierships not stars. (I'm still bitter about '89, 92, 94 & 95).

We had the "team" in '97 but were denied a premiership due to a poor final 8 system and the 'colbert' mark.

We are on the way back. Thompson will coach us in a GF. Can we win it? Do we have the heart of Hathorn in '89 or Brisbane in '03? That's the hard question.

MrCatMan

 

[TheNextBigThing]

R:E

Denied a premiership, don't talk crap in the first final you played us, 2nd VS 7th, and we defeated ya. Don't come out and say it was unfair we played at the MCG because in the 90's we always played at the G and during the year you defeated us there. So you can only blame yourself for not winning the first final and getting a week off and a home preliminary final.

 

[Sammy D]

I think if we had a choice we would have preferred Sat/Sun avro instead of playing you Friday night which was your 'forte'

 

[ScouseCat]

Originally posted by MrCatMan
We had the "team" in '97 but were denied a premiership due to a poor final 8 system and the 'colbert' mark.

I wouldn't say we were denied a Premiership in 1997, rather we didn't have any luck when we needed it in the finals.

 

[MrCatMan]

I stand by what I said. We had a great team in '97, the final 8 sucked back then (otherwise why did the AFL change it?).

If we went into the same series with todays rules, we would never have played at Adelaide!!!!

Go Cats.

 

[TheNextBigThing]

R:E

It was actually a Sunday Night Game and if we used the final 8 system we do now you would have lost to the Bulldogs.

 

[catattack]

Re: R:E

Originally posted by TheNextBigThing
It was actually a Sunday Night Game and if we used the final 8 system we do now you would have lost to the Bulldogs.

Oh, really? That's crap, what form do you have to back that statement up with?

Geelong was the best team in 1997. In the regular season we defeated both the eventual grand finalists. We were ripped off big time in the Finals, and to tell me that playing the Kangaroos under lights at their home ground was a home ground advantage to Geelong is ridiculous.

But moving on, with the faults in the problematic draw, we had to travel to Football Park. Very rewarding for finishing 2nd spot. We only lost eight points, and the ponderable like the Colbert mark and the disallowed goal to Geelong can really come into play.

Had have the draw been less fickle, we would not have had to play the Roos under lights at the MCG, and travel across to Football Park. I have no doubt that the 1997 Premiership would be Geelong's.

 

[TheNextBigThing]

R:E

Your teling me to back a statement up and then you come out and say you would have won the Flag under the current Finals System. That year we finished 7th, in the last round we lost to Collingwood who were s**thouse if you were any good you would have beat us and not have to worry about playing Adelade in Adelaide, you guys can only blame yourself. You had your chance in 89,92,94 and 95 but ya didn't take it.

 

[catattack]

In 1989, 1994 and 1995 we were not the best team in the league. 1992 was our only real chance IMO, and we blew that, embarrassingly. When we had to come up against the likes of the mighty Hawks in the 80's, the all-conquering Eagles in the 90's and then the Carlton 'Invincible' Cheaters in 1995 we really stood no chance.

In 1997 we were only 1.7% off being top spot! That year the competition was as even as anything in the top group.

You lost to Collingwood! Wow! We lost to Essendon that year in a later round; they weren't the best team in 1997!

But, if I am not wrong in 1997 you were without Carey for a good chunk of the season. There, you practically dropped half way down the ladder. By the time finals rolled around, the King was back in his best form, proving the one-man team of the 90's. So, that 7th place for you is misleading.

If the AFL had any brains, the final would have been played on Saturday afternoon at Waverley Park, but why not give the Roos an advantage before the game starts and play in at night at the MCG!!

 

[ScouseCat]

Originally posted by catattack
In 1989, 1994 and 1995 we were not the best team in the league. 1992 was our only real chance IMO, and we blew that, embarrassingly.

I think our best chance was in 1989 while our players were young and showed no fear. Hawthorn were the best team during that season, but come Grand Final day, they were there for the taking and unfortunately for us, we ran out of time.

In 1992, we were the best team during the home and away season but by the time finals came around, we ran out of legs. Ablett was injured 3 weeks before the finals and I doubt was 100% in September, Brownless was about to find out just how good a full back Ashley McIntosh was going to be and the Eagles were flying high at the wrong time for us.

As for 1994, we were not the best or even 2nd best side during the year, but we had a bit of luck in the finals and played the game of our lives just to get there, beating the Kangaroos with that Ablett goal after the siren.

And as for 1995, like Melbourne in 2000, it was a great effort for us to make another Grand Final but we were never going to win. Carlton had an awesome team back then and unfortunately, we didn't play well in the Grand Final which made the loss even worse.

The other year which I think we blew a huge chance was in 1991. We lost that semi final to Hawthorn by 2 points which could have put us into the Grand Final and with a week's rest. We had so many chances to win that game but kicked poorly in the last quarter and a half. As it turned out, that Preliminary Final took a lot out of both West Coast and Geelong. We would have suffered the same fate as the Eagles did had we beaten them, that is why that semi final loss was so disappointing.

But it's all in the past now, nothing we can do except reflect on what might have been. You have to take your chances when they are in front of you, and Geelong weren't able to do that.