Thoughts on Sydney game

[ezbian]

Well where do you start?

That was very ordinary indeed.

It's easy to have a crack at the same old things like Charlie Gardiner and his kicking, but the problems are starting to become far deeper than that.

Our midfield tonight looked second rate. They were gallant last week and smashed against Hawthorn also. Too many blokes standing flat footed. Nobody able to get a clearnace just ordinary.

Ling is in career worst form for mine and just looks all at sea. He has had little to no impact on most games this year, and is performing well under the level we expect from him. When we don't have the footy gee he looks slow.

Milburn also had a dog of a night. He has struggled across half forward for mine, and needs to go back to defence or have a run through the middle.

Tenace looks ordinary. Take some risks boy. He is in the side to use his pace and break some lines, just not doing enough. Back to the two's for a spell for mine.

Egan had his worst game for the year, and needs the support of Tommy back soon so he can regain confidence on the third forward.

Yes we have injuries, but we are not getting enough from too many.

I also thought the coaching was a disgrace tonight. We were getting slaughtered in the middle, and yet they seemed to leave the same strucutre in place. Any danger of running Gary or Chappy through there. Send Jimmy or Ling forward. Mooney was clearly too good for Richards, yet the coaching staff refused to isolate Mooney in the forward 50 on his own. To me it was obvious that things weren't working, try something different, don't just keep the same structure!

Lots of bad signs and a tough run ahead. We need some blokes back quick!

 

[Kegs44]

Well where do you start?

That was very ordinary indeed.

It's easy to have a crack at the same old things like Charlie Gardiner and his kicking, but the problems are starting to become far deeper than that.

Our midfield tonight looked second rate. They were gallant last week and smashed against Hawthorn also. Too many blokes standing flat footed. Nobody able to get a clearnace just ordinary.

Ling is in career worst form for mine and just looks all at sea. He has had little to no impact on most games this year, and is performing well under the level we expect from him. When we don't have the footy gee he looks slow.

Milburn also had a dog of a night. He has struggled across half forward for mine, and needs to go back to defence or have a run through the middle.

Tenace looks ordinary. Take some risks boy. He is in the side to use his pace and break some lines, just not doing enough. Back to the two's for a spell for mine.

Egan had his worst game for the year, and needs the support of Tommy back soon so he can regain confidence on the third forward.

Yes we have injuries, but we are not getting enough from too many.

I also thought the coaching was a disgrace tonight. We were getting slaughtered in the middle, and yet they seemed to leave the same strucutre in place. Any danger of running Gary or Chappy through there. Send Jimmy or Ling forward. Mooney was clearly too good for Richards, yet the coaching staff refused to isolate Mooney in the forward 50 on his own. To me it was obvious that things weren't working, try something different, don't just keep the same structure!

Lots of bad signs and a tough run ahead. We need some blokes back quick!

Completly agree. We were just pathetic, and although certain players names who have played bad keep popping up (Charlie, Slade) problems run way deeper. We just arent a good football side ATM. We had very few players who could hold there head up. I cant believe how bad we can play, and i dont reli know how to put it, but I'm shattered and angry as hell at the same time

 

[Gogeelong]

We rely on players that are injury prone
KING never on the ground and if so not in form. How long has it been since he played well?
HARLEY, PLAYFAIR, KINGSLEY more often than not are injured
OTTENS is suspect by the time he finds form he is injured
What are the chances of getting them on the ground at one time?

We need a Barry Hall type player in our side ONE POWER PLAYER with grunt. Even one more MOONEY would be enough.

 

[ezbian]

It can't be as simple as adding some personnel back to the side.

We are just playing an ordinary brand of footy.

Sam Newman (as silly as he can be) has a real point at the moment. Geelong is living proof that if you get it in quick to one on one's in the forward line you put the opposition under pressure. So if your forward line is lacking key personnel wouldn't it make even more sense to get the ball in quick to let them compete against there direct opponents rather than 2,3 or 4. I just want us to start moving the footy again. I can understand the game plan against the doggies, because they hurt you so much going the other way. But now it is time to snap out of it. Play on at all costs, take some risks.

Another problem is that we had 3 forwards who contributed in Chappy, Gaz and Moon's.

Really deflated with them at the moment.

We have lost the last three, and only beaten Brisbane and North who look like being in the bottom four. Things need to change and FAST.

Melbourne, St.Kilda and Collingwood in the next three. With the way we are playing at the moment we would be doing well to be 4 & 4 after 8.

 

[ezbian]

We need a Barry Hall type player in our side ONE POWER PLAYER with grunt. Even one more MOONEY would be enough.

We need a clearance King. Sam Mitchell. Ottens and Blake got first use, but there was nobody there to get it out.

 

[geelong_boy]

The game was lost in the second quarter. Smashed in the contested ball during that quarter. After our kick-ins we looked so stagnant, no run out of defense. Scarlett's error crucial. Lucky the Swans kicked badly. Charlie presents well but needs to improve on his kicking. Alot of players below their best. What I'm writing probably makes no sense, just really pi$$ed off atm.

 

[music_2000]

I think you guys didn't do too bad. I just think Roosy changed our gameplan for obvious reasons and we dominated the middle. the old style of flooding the swans just isn't going to cut it. anyway best of luck against the demons (i think you are playing them) next week I know Ablett will step up to the mark.

 

[Mr_Cat_Man]

Without a doubt i think it was a game our guys need to observe cause we were as flat as a tack. No energy no risk taking and as Bomber said after the game very safe. I got that feeling when Sydney began to get on top we were looking to minimise the damage rather than take the game on. Only in a little spurt where got back to 12 points did we look like the side we all know. For mine the most frustrating thing was delivery into the forward ine Mooney was pretty much marking anything and why they did not isolate him in the square and simply kick it to him is beyond me. Ling aint no defender I think when Goodes was forward Milburn should have been there and Linga should have been pushed forward. ATM Mooney is our option up forward I think the level of passion and maturity warrants him playing a fair portion of the game at least in the present as a forward.
The midfield was beaten hard last night and I think Riccardi is the man to bring in there hopefully when the game pace dies a bit to add some leadership and just general presence. Ottens and Blake were ok and I think will improve. We will come back this is perhaps a consequence of being up for so long and now finding it difficult to maintain and even cover some of the players who are out.

 

[catempire]

This is pretty much my first post since Saturday night’s game. I thought (for a change) I’d settle down and compose my thoughts after the game instead of shooting from the hip when I’m still angry after the loss.

I believe there are 3 key reasons to why we lost on the weekend and in the past few weeks.

The biggest reason is slow movement of the ball. When we are undermanned in our forward line as we’ve been in the past few weeks, it is a time more important than any other to give our stand in forwards the best possible chance of getting the pill. Players like Nathan Ablett, Lonergan, Gardiner and Mackie aren’t top line key position players so they need heaps of space and very good delivery to make the most of their chances. Once the opposition has the time to flood back players such as these aren’t going to be effective at all. We must move the ball faster into the forward line. Take risks!

The next biggest reason is the performance of our midfielders in the clearances. Simply not good enough. We need to put our best extractors in at centre bounces (Bartel, Corey and Ling) and tell them to do what they do best. No more playing Ling at full back or Corey at half back. Play them where they can hurt the opposition. They are quality players who need to be put where we most need them. We can’t keep wasting them in the backline.

The third reason is the missing key personnel. Mainly I speak of Kent and Playfair. We have been crying out for better forward targets than we have had for the past few weeks. Say what you will about them, but these two are the best we have as presenting leading forwards. We need them back in there asap.

Other random observations:

Charlie – FFS, please stop going to ground! You can lead and take a few marks and get cheap goals from other players’ hard work as much as you like but you won’t get my respect if you keep going to ground in a contest.

Prismall – infinitely unlucky. He’s actually a player who could be very useful at the moment. Hard running, good user and not been around long enough to go into his shell and play 15m kick to kick football which is costing us at the moment.

Ottens – mark of the year. Lock it in. Queue up. Keep it up Bradley.

Slade – please watch many, many tapes of Jarred Rooke to get an idea of how to play tough, accountable football that doesn’t cross the line and cost your team.

 

[Healy]

I don't think you are right. Will is playing very ace and is my favourite player. I think some of the others are playing bad. NOT WILL. He is great. Even my dad thinks so.

C'MON THE MIGHTY CATS GET IT ON!