The Geelong Forwards

[RegHickeyStand]

I never saw them in the first quarter. The reason: the ball never got there. Never went over the centre.

I wondered 25 minutes in how many goals our forwards would have had if we had the ball in our forward half this long. 6 goals? 7? About that. Collingwood forwards fumbled, missed, turned over. Then they got it and kicked a goal. Thats how it works: struggle struggle fumble, then get and bang!!

But its got to be down there, and we couldn't get it down there. At all.

Remember this when you are tempted to malign our forwards. The Collingwood forwards had plenty of chances to mark the ball and they were eventually good enough to do just that. When our midfielders finally got the ball over the centre and into the 50 we expected out talls to mark it every time and got pissed when they didn't. Then the ball went down to Collingwoods half for the next 15 minutes. Our midfielders doing their bit with dinky 10 metre passes to some guy who gets gang tackled or drops it under pressure. A thing of the past now.

 

[alfy!]

Re: The Geelong Fowards

Yeah, our midfielders got soundly beaten (bar Ablett) and couldn't deliver anything but scrappy bombs into the forward line, and that was one of the key reasons why we were beaten.

 

[_Me_]

Re: The Geelong Fowards

I never saw them in the first quarter. The reason: the ball never got there. Never went over the centre.

I wondered 25 minutes in how many goals our forwards would have had if we had the ball in our forward half this long. 6 goals? 7? About that. Collingwood forwards fumbled, missed, turned over. Then they got it and kicked a goal. Thats how it works: struggle struggle fumble, then get and bang!!

But its got to be down there, and we couldn't get it down there. At all.

Remember this when you are tempted to malign our forwards. The Collingwood forwards had plenty of chances to mark the ball and they were eventually good enough to do just that. When our midfielders finally got the ball over the centre and into the 50 we expected out talls to mark it every time and got pissed when they didn't. Then the ball went down to Collingwoods half for the next 15 minutes. Our midfielders doing their bit with dinky 10 metre passes to some guy who gets gang tackled or drops it under pressure. A thing of the past now.

totally disagree

pods has not shown anything in a big game at the g

sj has done nothing in a final, for a long time

chappie was hurt, could not kick from 40 m out

moons, had a bad day

stokes did not mark, shephard, be accountable

byrnes always gets junk time goals

forwards were shite

 

[alfy!]

Re: The Geelong Fowards

Well we all know what to think about your opinions and 'facts', _Me_. We simply don't listen to the dribble you put out.

 

[_Me_]

Re: The Geelong Fowards

Well we all know what to think about your opinions and 'facts', _Me_. We simply don't listen to the dribble you put out.

how about you deal with the points above, rather than your stalk crap

or is it your assertion that the forward line is our greatest weakness

 

[MightyMark]

Re: The Geelong Fowards

Agree that our mids were woeful, but our forwards weren’t just starved of opportunity, Mooney's first 2 attempts at the ball ended with him staring at the umpire waiting for a free, it wasn't until the second term when he finally decided to just go for the ball which ended up with a mark and a goal. Pod's was out positioned, Stevie J couldn't get a clean position and Stokes barely even attempted an over head mark. To spite the lack of opportunity our forwards showed an alarmingly low rate of intensity.

 

[nohairandfair]

Re: The Geelong Fowards

An area that needs a look at is defensive pressure from the small forwards.

The grand total of 1 TACKLE from the Byrnes/Stoke's combined effort just doesn't cut the mustard.

Note:
The Mooney/Pods combination also only yielded 1 tackle.

 

[kanyewest]

Re: The Geelong Fowards

Agree with nohairandfair. They may have lacked chances or whatever, but they also didn't apply the pressure we needed. When it did go in our forward line, one of the reasons it didn't stay there is because we just let the Pies run it out.

This may be a coaching thing too because I think we were really zoning off rather than going with a forward press. In any case, I can remember at least 3 Pies goals coming in the first 15 minutes from Geelong turnovers in our forward half. Bring back Rooke! Missed him last night, no doubt.

 

[Boxhead_31]

Re: The Geelong Fowards

An area that needs a look at is defensive pressure from the small forwards.

The grand total of 1 TACKLE from the Byrnes/Stoke's combined effort just doesn't cut the mustard.

Note:
The Mooney/Pods combination also only yielded 1 tackle.

Stokes has gotten into a bad habit of running forward of the play all the time, and when the time comes to put defencive pressure on he goes to ground way to easily.

He needs to get back to what got him into the team in 07 being a crumbing FP who puts extreme pressure on in the forward line

 

[maximus steel]

Re: The Geelong Fowards

To me it appeared to be reminiscent of Carlton V Geelong, pace through there midfield and lack of defensive pressure destroyed us. Other thing is they appeared to have loose men every where around and hanging off the ball, not sure if this was because of better work rate or if we got sucked into the ball to much.

 

[OldStyle2007]

Re: The Geelong Fowards

Stokes has gotten into a bad habit of running forward of the play all the time, and when the time comes to put defencive pressure on he goes to ground way to easily.

He needs to get back to what got him into the team in 07 being a crumbing FP who puts extreme pressure on in the forward line

Time is well and truly up for Stokes, and byrnes too I think

Pies don't have any forward pockets - just all midfielders. Everyone plays on the ball and everyone plays forward

Next year Menzel and Duncan need to take over from Byrnes and Stokes. We can't carry those guys any more

As for Pods, he did well when the ball was kicked to him properly. He can really take a mark and crunch the pack, that guy. Obviously missed his shots but game was over by then

Mooney... What do you say. He had much more ball kicked to him than Pods in the first half but was fairly ineffectual. He just doesn't seem to want to jump at the contest, and whenever he bodies up against his man he gets rid of the bloke but always spills the ball and marks it 1/10 times. His kicking is wonky. I don't know. We don't have anyone else

Hawkins: what is with his jumping? He doesn't get that high off the ground, always mis-times his jumps so that he is almost back on the ground when the ball is passing just over his hands. He needs a good season next year or there'll be massive question marks

SJ: rubbish. When was his last "big game" performance?

Chappy: seemed to be injured

 

[RegHickeyStand]

Re: The Geelong Fowards

The game was over by quarter time. But lets extend that to midway through the second quarter.

I would say Collingwood had the ball driven in and around the inside 50 a several of dozen times. Scrappy handpasses, ball gets, fumbles, mark attempts etc. We got the ball down our end, what, 2 or 3 times for brief moments in that period. The ball was effectively in their half for 80-90 percent of the time in the first half.

If you reversed it, we would have got the goals. Any decent team would have got goals if the ball was in their half for most of the game.. What Collingwood did was their midfield killed us and kept the ball in there. They were too fast.

I saw Stevie J throw himself into the game when he got the chance. Same with Mooney and Pods. They didn't do much good, but they did not get much opportunity. I'm talking the first half. Game over after that.

 

[RegHickeyStand]

Re: The Geelong Fowards

Yeah, our midfielders got soundly beaten (bar Ablett) and couldn't deliver anything but scrappy bombs into the forward line, and that was one of the key reasons why we were beaten.

This is perplexing me. I said it last night, and nobody wanted to listen. If Ablett was so good, what did he achieve as a midfielder, when it was our mid filed that got killed from the get-go. He certainly kept the statisician busy with disposals, but what did these disposals lead to?

I saw Wojo motor down the ground a couple of times and look very threatening. Ablett seemed less intent on taking on Collingwood and more intent on racking up possessions. I can see where Bomber is sometimes critical of his play. It doesn't always add to Geelong's overall play.

In a nutshell, how can their midfield kill us by so much and keep the ball in their end so llong, and yet we have the gun midfielder racking up possessions? Something doesn't add up.

 

[geelong_crazy26]

Re: The Geelong Fowards

byrnes and stokes should not be in our best 22 nest year as they will always struggle in big games.

mooney is passed it and should go

hawkins needs to harden up and play more like a max rooke than a school girl

podsiadly should be better next year for the expereience

johnson needs to apply more defensive pressure

 

[Vdubs]

Re: The Geelong Fowards

byrnes and stokes should not be in our best 22 nest year as they will always struggle in big games.

mooney is passed it and should go

hawkins needs to harden up and play more like a max rooke than a school girl

podsiadly should be better next year for the expereience

johnson needs to apply more defensive pressure

Stokes gone, Byrnes+/-
Mooney not hungry, needs to be made earn his spot next year IF he has re-signed
Not possible. Like asking Ling to do a Wojo. In fact if Max is gone next year, wonder if Ling can reinvent himself as a Max like forward. Hawkins just needs LUCK with preseason and injury.
Pods-not sure. PO will need to convince me he will be what we need next year. Supply is critical. Everything was under pressure yesterday
Dog is annoying. Maybe also needs some Mackie therapy if he continues to be undisciplined

 

[noclashjumpers]

Re: The Geelong Fowards

Mooney does need to go. Not necessarily because he's not up to it or playing particularly badly, but because him staying will stunt the development of Hawkins.

Pods will be be here for 2+ years at a guess, longer that Mooney anyway, so Hawkins needs to be told "YOU ARE A CHF!!" leave him there along with Pods in the square.

The hope being that, by the time Pods has had enough, Brown will be up to playing regular senior footy .....partnered with Hawk.

I just can't see how Mooney fits into that picture.

 

[Partridge]

Re: The Geelong Fowards

Stokes has gotten into a bad habit of running forward of the play all the time, and when the time comes to put defencive pressure on he goes to ground way to easily.

He needs to get back to what got him into the team in 07 being a crumbing FP who puts extreme pressure on in the forward line

That will not happen. He doesn't need to work hard, because he was recalled to the senior side this year after embarrassing the club in a huge way, and even worse, after not doing anywhere near enough to justify a recall.

He did play some good games. At first. But it was back to usual pretty soon after. And a kid like Mitch Duncan, who was showing a lot of promise, had to make way. Great for team morale.

What did Stokes deliver under finals pressure? Nothing. Again. He's great when the pressure's off and things are going well (2nd half v West Coast in Round 22, 2nd half v Freo last week). But when it matters, he's a seagull.

Cannot get this useless, lazy, overrated hack out of the side (and hopefully club) soon enough.

 

[OldStyle2007]

Re: The Geelong Fowards

I agree Partridge. I was getting really angry watching him wait for balls to spill 10 metres over the back of the pack rather than run to where he was sposed to be

That thing in the first quarter where Stokes ran to goal square, Chappy was going to slot it from 45 metres but adjusted his kick to kick it to Stokes. With Maxwell running straight at Stokes, all he had to do was either shepherd it thru or mark the ball and mark it or get a free kick. He....... jumped out of the way???? And let Maxwell tap it through?????

His constant falling over and lying down watching while play is going on around him. Halfhearted attempts to chase. Cheating on his man and running to the back of pack or to the goal square and always taking the low percentage option....

I really hate it and can't understand how the match committee could have let this sort of caper go on for so long?!

 

[LG UniT]

Re: The Geelong Fowards

byrnes and stokes should not be in our best 22 nest year as they will always struggle in big games.

Didn't watch Shannon's fourth quarter efforts in the 09 Grand Final ay?
How quickly some supporters forget...
He was a key factor to you guys winning that game.
Don't be so quick to write off someone clearly in your teams best 22.
His disposal efficiency/goal kicking accuracy is one of the best at Geelong.
Fact not opinion.

 

[SJ]

Re: The Geelong Fowards

I agree Partridge. I was getting really angry watching him wait for balls to spill 10 metres over the back of the pack rather than run to where he was sposed to be

That thing in the first quarter where Stokes ran to goal square, Chappy was going to slot it from 45 metres but adjusted his kick to kick it to Stokes. With Maxwell running straight at Stokes, all he had to do was either shepherd it thru or mark the ball and mark it or get a free kick. He....... jumped out of the way???? And let Maxwell tap it through?????

His constant falling over and lying down watching while play is going on around him. Halfhearted attempts to chase. Cheating on his man and running to the back of pack or to the goal square and always taking the low percentage option....

I really hate it and can't understand how the match committee could have let this sort of caper go on for so long?!

Don't blame Stokes for that. Chapman should have had a shot and Stokes was a sitting duck under that kick with the much taller Maxwell coming back.

 

[SJ]

Re: The Geelong Fowards

Mooney does need to go. Not necessarily because he's not up to it or playing particularly badly, but because him staying will stunt the development of Hawkins.

Pods will be be here for 2+ years at a guess, longer that Mooney anyway, so Hawkins needs to be told "YOU ARE A CHF!!" leave him there along with Pods in the square.

The hope being that, by the time Pods has had enough, Brown will be up to playing regular senior footy .....partnered with Hawk.

I just can't see how Mooney fits into that picture.

I'd agree with this. Time to get a structure in place for the future. Hawkins permanent forward please. Each game in the ruck is just one less he is gaining in experience as a key forward.

 

[Hoffy95]

Re: The Geelong Fowards

Don't blame Stokes for that. Chapman should have had a shot and Stokes was a sitting duck under that kick with the much taller Maxwell coming back.

He should've had a shot but either way Stokes' effort was pretty bad.

You either jump forward at the ball and guarantee front on contact and a free kick or you shepherd the ball through.

Stokes was unable to do either.

Overall it was wrong of Chapman not to shoot, but poor by Stokes in what should've been a formality.

Double blow really and probably the moment of the game where I knew things were not going to happen for us (besides Leigh Brown's doosra).

 

[SJ]

Re: The Geelong Fowards

He should've had a shot but either way Stokes' effort was pretty bad.

You either jump forward at the ball and guarantee front on contact and a free kick or you shepherd the ball through.

Stokes was unable to do either.

Overall it was wrong of Chapman not to shoot, but poor by Stokes in what should've been a formality.

Double blow really and probably the moment of the game where I knew things were not going to happen for us (besides Leigh Brown's doosra).

I had an almost side-on view to that incident and the ball dropped far too short for Stokes to shepherd it through against Maxwell who had the momentum.

 

[OldStyle2007]

Re: The Geelong Fowards

I had an almost side-on view to that incident and the ball dropped far too short for Stokes to shepherd it through against Maxwell who had the momentum.

I too had side-on view and can't agree. The ball went passed Stokes, not dropped in front of him

He jumped out of the way, and didn't put his body on the line to shepherd or mark it

How can you defend that?

 

[Hoffy95]

Even if the shepherd wasn't on, he had the easiest of free kicks (or even an uncontested mark) if he jumped forward at the ball and in Maxwell's direction.Front on contact has been consistently paid all year even if very minimal.

Maxwell wanted it WAY more and really made something out of nothing. That was pretty much the theme of the night.