The Path Ahead

[Maximus76]

Whilst I will never stop supporting Geelong - I am at the lowest point I have ever felt supporting this club. The sad thing is that 54 points up (at home) on the weekend I still didnt have faith that we could finish it off.

The way I see the short term future of Geelong is this:

1. We will keep fighting and miss the eight - probably finish somewhere between 9-11 position, as we always do so we dont get any good draft picks

2. Steven King will keep talking about playing even though he is clearly past it. He will keep building up hope but will never deliver

3. Bomber will stay with Geelong into next year 2007, lets face it - there is no one else ready to coach (dont say Budda) and I sure dont want some rookie coach comming in to start all over again - we missed the opportunity to get wallace a couple years back.

4. At the end of the year we will try an recruit/trade but again come back with nothing big.

5. We will all hear great stories about how good we're going during the preseason - harley, king, etc.. are looking good and ready for bumper season

6. Half way through next year we will realise that we aint a contender and the wheels will really start to fall off.

7. End of 2007, we will have missed the finals or just made it but are pretty much an also ran.

8. Bomber will be sacked for a rookie coach - sumich, harvey, blah blah blah

9. Frank will retire

10. Cook will move on

11. 2008 - we will start the process again.. and hope this time when we do have a sniff in the finals (Prelim V Bris, Semi V Sydney) we will take our chances.

Great teams dont roll over and die - Great teams dont "try really hard" they win at all costs- we are not a great team...

Mark down "Saturday 3rd June 2006" as the day we started the process all over again.

Anyway - thats my opinon on what lies ahead for us.

 

[Mr Sensitive]

maximus i desperately want to have a go at you, but the fact is I agree with you. The rebuilding process starts again with Geelong and I won't be suprised if it ends in more heartbreak. As long as players like Ling and Kelly are carried through matches, regardless of performance and imbeciles to continue to worship the ground they walk on then Geelong will always be stuck in this cycle of disappointment.

 

[cocka2]

Well for peace and mind I think you should go and barrack for a great team.
Considering how hard you take it to heart.
Go and barrack for Adelaide or West Coast before we see your car stopped on top of the West Gate Bridge!

 

[The Hulkster]

The rebuilding process starts by playing as many kids as we can now to see if they have got it, ie Callan, Blake, N Ablett, Varcoe etc. Finish bottom 5 pick up Hawkins and another key position one of Gumbleton, Hansen, Thorpe or Sellar.

Maybe trade a few and stock up in the super draft.

 

[Maximus76]

Well for peace and mind I think you should go and barrack for a great team.
Considering how hard you take it to heart.
Go and barrack for Adelaide or West Coast before we see your car stopped on top of the West Gate Bridge!

Sorry mate but unlike many "supporters" I wont clap my team off after that crap...should I just be happy that everyone had a good time and nobody got hurt?

Give me your scenario - I bet it will be full of Hope and "it'll be alright" - the same crap our club keeps throwing up year after year.

I think we have a poor history because we have many supporters who love to clap, cheer and defend mediocrity - I put you in that club.

 

[The Hulkster]

Sorry mate but unlike many "supporters" I wont clap my team off after that crap...should I just be happy that everyone had a good time and nobody got hurt?

Give me your scenario - I bet it will be full of Hope and "it'll be alright" - the same crap our club keeps throwing up year after year.

I think we have a poor history because we have many supporters who love to clap, cheer and defend mediocrity - I put you in that club.

Couldnt agree more, we must not accept mediocrity anymore. Club and supporters included.

Anyone who clapped off that team on Saturday have no idea.

 

[kriso182]

Couldnt agree more, we must not accept mediocrity anymore. Club and supporters included.

Anyone who clapped off that team on Saturday have no idea.

I wanted everyone to walk out of the ground when they got with a couple of goals to make a statement. That what they were putting up was crap! Im sick of fans clapping us off after losses!! Too many oldies in the brownlow stand, although I saw some young girls clapping too. In defence for them (only a slight one) I think they may have been clapping Mooney for 100 games.

 

[Cats!!]

we missed the opportunity to get wallace a couple years back.
quote]

And thank-god we missed him. wallace isnt anyhting special and im more happy with bomber then what i would be with wallace.

 

[Maximus76]

we missed the opportunity to get wallace a couple years back.
quote]

And thank-god we missed him. wallace isnt anyhting special and im more happy with bomber then what i would be with wallace.

Far enough CATS!! - thats IMO who I would like to see coaching us IF Bomber was given the ass (but its not going to happen now hes at richmond).

My main point is we need an experianced coach..not a rookie wannabe

 

[Partridge]

Sorry mate but unlike many "supporters" I wont clap my team off after that crap...should I just be happy that everyone had a good time and nobody got hurt?

Give me your scenario - I bet it will be full of Hope and "it'll be alright" - the same crap our club keeps throwing up year after year.

I think we have a poor history because we have many supporters who love to clap, cheer and defend mediocrity - I put you in that club.

Brilliantly said and totally accurate. It's great to see I'm not the only one who despises this way of thinking.

 

[Turbocat]

Firstly , I have never clapped of a losing side , I don’t just dislike losing , I despise it. But before deriding everyone that has acted in a certain manor I ask you to consider that not everyone reacts the same to the same situation. Just like when there’s a death in the family while some are balling their eyes out others are quiet and sullen and yet others try to support in warm and caring manor those that are feeling the worst.

The issue is, while Id never do it myself , there are some that feel that when the hour is at its darkest is the time when your support should be its strongest. Some outsiders sometimes confuse this with accepting mediocrity, its nothing of the sort. Its acting in a manor of support when their team, when our team needs it. People like these aren’t joy riders that jump on board when we are winning, they are there thru thick and thin and when times are at there thinnest, is when they are overt about their support. I was always taught that you’ll know who your mates are when you get backed into a corner and so it is with these supporters.

Frankly booing them off or clapping , is not my style. My inner anguish or anger is usually that strong I try to avoid contact with people. People have always thought of me taking losing badly or being childish or something but again , who are they to judge the way I feel. Ive sat there in Grand Finals , tied in knots , not being able to eat , watched Geelong lose too many unloseable games. People tell me don’t worry its only a game, and I say don’t worry its only a death. For those that say it doesn’t matter if you win or lose , I say then why do they have a scoreboard.

Can I ask does anyone honestly think that the players all felt jolly and full of good cheer after a result like that. I think you'll find that most players get the message loud and clear thru the following week without stickin it to them coming off after a loss. I just don’t buy that you lose from 60 points up because you have a big head. Apart from the Hawthorn game I doubt an overblown attitude has played a huge part in this losing streak, except maybe that their attitude went into how the preseason prepared us. I’m sure that they felt burnt after the Swans game but I’m not sure that they convinced themselves that they had to improve. I think one issue was that they really believed that they were good enough to go all the way.Did they tell themselves that they lost the Swans game thru badluck, temporary badplay or because they were not good enough.Anything than the latter and this attitude in itself may have been enough to convince all at the club to concentrate on management rather than improvement. Our problems are more than just mental. We lack fit sound bodies , we lack strong , quality talls that are legitimate targets and we lack a midfield setup that gives more centre breaks and that’s not just players but coaching as well

I think the current situation is more a slight hiccup than anything else. I feel it will be something that will be look back on that allowed us to prosper in the future. I hate losing that much , Id rather lose the battle , lose a few, trade a few players what ever but the next time we get there I want us to have the side to get the job done. We wont be done , till the war is won and If that means short term pain, fine , I can hack it , because nothing hurts like listening to the other side's club song being played at the end of a Grand Final!

 

[catswhiskers]

The path ahead is easier to see when you are in the S**T.
Hulkster and others can see it.
Now that 2006 is gone you don't wail about it, you get ready for 2007.
Not often does a club get a chance to look at the whole list and be able to make the needed changes to get back up. There's plenty of quality on the list but more is needed. Now is the time to remind those who are comfortable that the VFL exists and more importantly to play those younger ones who deserve their chance.

To stay in in 2006 - Nablett, Stokes, Byrnes, Callan, Blake, Others?
To come in for a good audition- Prismall as soon as he is ready, Spencer (he must play to find out if he can cut it) McCarthy (last chance), Koula, Bachelor and even Slade (again) and Grima if they can get a gig (Rookie). Varcoe will stay on the list anyway leave him in the magoos until he is not limping. This selection policy might cost games but it will improve the list.

Once a cat always a cat!! Stick together.

 

[Cats!!]

Also let steven king rest for the rest of the season like what collingwood did with josh fraser last year. Also make sure steve johnsons ankles are fine and let him become fit for next year.