lachy
Norm Smith Medallist
We are at the mid-season break, and though not quite where we are at 6 and 5 we have a strong launching pad.
An honest appraisal is though we are close we are not quite a top 4 side at the moment, and I don’t just mean ladder position, top 4 is there on Preliminary Final Weekend. It may be personnel, however I believe it is fixing up a few issues with a little more consistency.
From a coaching perspective our game style stacks up. Our forwards are working well with Darcy and Trealor to add to the mix through there coming back soon. Reading negative comments about Spangher as our forward coach is frankly laughable, it we just too many gettable shots on goal.
It is not surprising that goal kicking is worse in this era of professional football. In the glory days of Lockett, Dunstall Lloyd, deep forwards were not expected to push back in team defence then work hard back forward. Fatigue is one issue. We do however have a few serial offenders who simply don’t take their time to set up and follow a basic routine on set shots.
Going forward this year there are not a lot of options, but however much Mc Neil has improved, he is a small forward who does not pressure like VDM and misses way to many gettable goals. Though he does not get enough of the football and lacks size at the moment I am not sure that we would not be better served by Dolan going forward.
We leak to many goals and have too many run ons against us. However, I am not sure this is down to our defensive structures. The vast majority of Geelong gaols were from turnover, NOT caused by pressure but by our own skills and decisions. These turnovers put the entire team defensive out of position presenting easy goals as part of a run on. Add this to the previously mentioned missing very gettable goals, it is clear why these run ons still occur. I think too many are traumatised from the 2021 Grand Final where it was simply poor defence all over the ground.
We have a couple of weaknesses down back, which given where most players down there come from is not surprising. JOD is not quiet there yet as a KPD, but we have a bit of a choice with the veteran Jones and the younger Buss to play this role. Will be interesting to see how the match committee go for the remainder of the year.
The 3rd tallish payer, the interceptor with good skills and some pace should be JOD ahead of Cleary.
Our running backs are an issue. Whilst JJ is coming to the end he and Baily Dale are very good in that role. Duryea, Bramble, Baker, Gallagher all provide run but their skills or decision making are a bit of a liability. Do we risk Jacques who is not quite ready?
We are in the hunt this year, hopefully we push forward and improve in our weaker areas enough to win it.
An honest appraisal is though we are close we are not quite a top 4 side at the moment, and I don’t just mean ladder position, top 4 is there on Preliminary Final Weekend. It may be personnel, however I believe it is fixing up a few issues with a little more consistency.
From a coaching perspective our game style stacks up. Our forwards are working well with Darcy and Trealor to add to the mix through there coming back soon. Reading negative comments about Spangher as our forward coach is frankly laughable, it we just too many gettable shots on goal.
It is not surprising that goal kicking is worse in this era of professional football. In the glory days of Lockett, Dunstall Lloyd, deep forwards were not expected to push back in team defence then work hard back forward. Fatigue is one issue. We do however have a few serial offenders who simply don’t take their time to set up and follow a basic routine on set shots.
Going forward this year there are not a lot of options, but however much Mc Neil has improved, he is a small forward who does not pressure like VDM and misses way to many gettable goals. Though he does not get enough of the football and lacks size at the moment I am not sure that we would not be better served by Dolan going forward.
We leak to many goals and have too many run ons against us. However, I am not sure this is down to our defensive structures. The vast majority of Geelong gaols were from turnover, NOT caused by pressure but by our own skills and decisions. These turnovers put the entire team defensive out of position presenting easy goals as part of a run on. Add this to the previously mentioned missing very gettable goals, it is clear why these run ons still occur. I think too many are traumatised from the 2021 Grand Final where it was simply poor defence all over the ground.
We have a couple of weaknesses down back, which given where most players down there come from is not surprising. JOD is not quiet there yet as a KPD, but we have a bit of a choice with the veteran Jones and the younger Buss to play this role. Will be interesting to see how the match committee go for the remainder of the year.
The 3rd tallish payer, the interceptor with good skills and some pace should be JOD ahead of Cleary.
Our running backs are an issue. Whilst JJ is coming to the end he and Baily Dale are very good in that role. Duryea, Bramble, Baker, Gallagher all provide run but their skills or decision making are a bit of a liability. Do we risk Jacques who is not quite ready?
We are in the hunt this year, hopefully we push forward and improve in our weaker areas enough to win it.
