Analysis The Rebuilds of Geelong and Richmond and their Future Prospects

[sr36]

It won't last. I think we all know that but it's really a great achievement to hang around for as long as we have.

Collingwood have done it too. Been up and about for the best part of two decades now. Been some bleak years but they tend to challenge again fairly quickly.
Obviously Sydney who have virtually turned over their entire 2012 premiership team and are at it again.

A team like Richmond, you just know they will go missing for a very long time.
I mean the there are red flags right now.

Cats have just simply been the best run club by a big margin. I think there was another flag or two for the taking of Scott had have responded quicker to Richmond's success and soed up the ball movement quicker rather than sticking to the style that made you so dominant at home but Notas good at the wider space of the G.

 

[Grrr]

I've held the opinion that Nankervis has been underrated for his influence during the 3 Richmond premierships 2017-2020. He just looks a bit less effective to me at times this year. Like you said, he can still play to a decent level at times. But I'm not sure if he's going to be one of those ruckmen playing at 34 and I'd like to see Ryan given a chance - either at Naismith or Nankervis expense pretty soon.

He's an old fashioned lion heart, and no most likely not there at 34, and I hope someone takes his place, but I don't think it will be Ryan. At 23 whilst a reasonable ruckman, he has no core strength and gets easily moved by any player with bit of grunt. If he has the spring of likewise lean ruckman not such a problem, but he doesn't.

He is not a bad mark on the lead out of full forward though and a good straight kick, which is where we will see him next game I would think.

 

[Sttew]

Nankervis has been very good this year, beat Grundy and Marshall. Even against Gawn he had 18 disposals and 7 marks, and one beautiful clanger. The hitouts weren't a complete domination either, 26 to 18 with Naismith getting 9 as well.

Nankervis is a gun. Good choice as captain too

 

[Mr Meow]

Cats have just simply been the best run club by a big margin. I think there was another flag or two for the taking of Scott had have responded quicker to Richmond's success and soed up the ball movement quicker rather than sticking to the style that made you so dominant at home but Notas good at the wider space of the G.

Yes and no. We really didn't have a necessary mosquito fleet forward line and second elite KPF (also a running machine) until 2022 to make such a style work. Duncan as a deep lying playmaker wasn't possible until Smith was recruited and Holmes was picked up to give us strong wingmen full of run.

Quick ball movement would just see it returned at express speed where we had very old/slow KPDs. In fact early in seasons Scott did try for more attacking game plans with quicker transitions but we were sliced apart, and didn't get a hold of games until playing more conservatively.

If Miers had developed earlier as a creative link man, and the 2022 versions of Stengle/Cameron/Holmes/SDK/Close arrived in 2019, I have no doubt Geelong would have netted two more flags playing the style they did in that premiership year. As with that side which batted much deeper across the wings/flanks we could've rolled the dice on Atkins and Blicavs as defensive midfielders to support the ageing Dangerfield and Selwood, except those two still would've been closer to their peak.

 

[sr36]

Yes and no. We really didn't have a necessary mosquito fleet forward line and second elite KPF (also a running machine) until 2022 to make such a style work. Duncan as a deep lying playmaker wasn't possible until Smith was recruited and Holmes was picked up to give us strong wingmen full of run.

Quick ball movement would just see it returned at express speed where we had very old/slow KPDs. In fact early in seasons Scott did try for more attacking game plans with quicker transitions but we were sliced apart, and didn't get a hold of games until playing more conservatively.

If Miers had developed earlier as a creative link man, and the 2022 versions of Stengle/Cameron/Holmes/SDK/Close arrived in 2019, I have no doubt Geelong would have netted two more flags playing the style they did in that premiership year. As with that side which batted much deeper across the wings/flanks we could've rolled the dice on Atkins and Blicavs as defensive midfielders to support the ageing Dangerfield and Selwood, except those two still would've been closer to their peak.

Not sure if I agree. Speedsters help the tigers brand, but the pies played it well in 2022 with slow wingers and not much quality in terms of small forwards - one of whom was slow.

I think the tigers got pretty lucky as it took clubs a while to have enough faith in the style to drill the patterns for long enough for it to work. Bucks set up to give it a go at one stage, but pulled the pin when it didn't immediately work.

 

[Mr Meow]

Not sure if I agree. Speedsters help the tigers brand, but the pies played it well in 2022 with slow wingers and not much quality in terms of small forwards - one of whom was slow.

I think the tigers got pretty lucky as it took clubs a while to have enough faith in the style to drill the patterns for long enough for it to work. Bucks set up to give it a go at one stage, but pulled the pin when it didn't immediately work.

It wasn't just speed, but running power and skills.

Our ball use (speed/precision/threat) and territory gains improved significantly once Miers became a linkman and we had Cameron, Stengle, Close, Holmes, Smith, Zuthrie and SDK in the side. Equivalent players before were Ratugolea, Ablett (class but slow), Henderson, Menegola, Dahlhaus, Simpson, Taylor and Parfitt.

That is a serious upgrade in speed, agility, endurance, skill and decision making.

In 2023 we were too unfit and decimated to make it work, while a few older players also declined.

In 2024 the template so far has been able to go back closer to 2022.