What are we going to do about it.

[tayls]

Ok i've read all the posts, it was weak, we should have won, at least Nathan went ok, we have injuries.

What i want is solutions. What is going to be done, what should be done.

At this stage i think it would be good not to make the finals a good kick up the bum and a real motivation for next year. But what needs to be done for next year.

Do we keep Thompson - yes.

Do we trade for a key forward - no

Get back in the draft and get a new crop of exiting kids al la 99ish

Get rid of some assistants - maybe.

Get rid of some players - mmmm

I would like to hear what people think we need to do to win a PREMIERSHIP not just make the eight.

I'm interested to hear peoples honest opinions, dont bag people for them please as they are only opinions i dont want an abusing post just constructive meaningful ideas.

Cheers
Go Cats

 

[catempire]

My thoughts:

1. We need to inject something new into the coaching department. Opposition clubs have worked out a lot of our plays and our players and we need some fresh ideas and motivators. Suggestions: New midfield/forward coaches and a new strategy for kick ins (it was pathetic on Saturday).

2. Our recruitment strategy should be to get players who have the following attributes, in order of preference:

a. ability to handle pressure (this is what finals football is about)
b. quality ball handling and decision making
c. leadership material

We still have a young list comparatively. It's possible that we'll have no veterans on our list next year so to go back to a youth policy could set us back on the premiership clock. We need to be balanced in our recruiting with a combination of experienced players and kids.

3. Bomber Thompson needs revitalising. I've suggested before that he may have done all he can with the club, but I now think he just needs some fresh ideas. Perhaps he can send himself on a fact-finding mission of sorts. Speak to Barassi, Blight, Jeans, Walls, etc. - learn something new from those who have been there and won premierships.

 

[tusk]

Let's be honest here....We will never will a flag with bomber at the helm. He has done a brilliant job and DOES deserve another year to prove me wrong.

But from what I've seen all year Thompson is a reactive, slow coach.

Why would you play the All australian full back at CHB for the last few minutes of a season shaping game and have Rooke playing on the man who obviously was going to win the game in Robertson. He could have at least put Dasher on him. Blind freddie could see that was one move that needed to be made.

This for me just sums up Thompson's whole season in the coaches box.

Obviously there are issues with the team and it's structure but Thompson needs some brain's trusts up there that actually have a clue, cause I'm pretty sure he doesn't!

 

[tayls]

Good points catempire, i think we must keep our first round draft pick.

New assistants needed, i agree, maybe replace, Lovell and McCartney. McCartney has done well but as you said an injection of new ideas and enthusiasm.

On the list of qualities in recruits add, hardness at the ball, always a good one to have.

 

[tayls]

Why would you play the All australian full back at CHB for the last few minutes of a season shaping game and have Rooke playing on the man who obviously was going to win the game in Robertson. He could have at least put Dasher on him. Blind freddie could see that was one move that needed to be made.

I do agree with that, i couldn't believe Scarlett was not on Robertson. He will be coach next year, but pressure will be on.

 

[catempire]

I do agree with that, i couldn't believe Scarlett was not on Robertson. He will be coach next year, but pressure will be on.

And so it should be. He's had enough time, he now has the list but he's clearly still lacking something.

I hope he proves me wrong.

 

[Cat_Mancini]

If in 12 months if we find ourselves in this situation then I tHink Bomber position should be reviewed. I think he is the right man but sometimes coaches can grow tired and messages go stale.

 

[NakedDeadGuy]

I'd like to see Cam Mooney step up and volunteer to make CHF his own next year. The year he got injured preseason was the one I thought he was going to breakout, and after a couple of years playing mostly as either the 3rd tall down back or loose man ruckman he has confidence in his own ability. Can take a contested mark, generally kicks well and has the x factor about him. He hasn't gone overboard with the aggression and seems to be able to control that part of his game. While Henry has come along this year, I see him as no more than a workhorse type, don't think he has the ability to be a matchwinner - which I think Cam does. As one of the older and more experienced players, I just reckon it would be fantastic for him to step up and show some leadership, by god we need SOMEONE to stand up and try to grab the game by the balls and show his mates the way.
It's an easy excuse, but in reality the injury fairies haven't been good to us this year. It seems barely a week has gone by without at least 2 forced changes, continuation is highly underestimated. I think we have shown that when we are able to get something near our best team on the ground, we are certainly competitive with any other side. I just hope that they can successfully manage those longer term type players over summer, so they are able to get the benefits of a full preseason and maybe just a little better luck during the season wouldn't hurt.
I'm not a fan at all of set rotations - eg ruckmen comes off at the 16 minute mark - if the bloke is playing well, keep him there unless he's too stuffed. Jimmy Bartel has hinted that he's no fan, I wish we would pick our onballers and leave them there unless they're doing no good, in which case bench em. Playing Ablett and Chappy in the guts has robbed our forward line, I'd hope next year these 2 would be more permanent inside the 50. A lot of our stoppage work is pretty unruly, seems that there is no real 'plan' and it's a case of she falls where she lies - like you see in 3rds football. Delivery to the forward line is haphazard, I'd like to see SOME method introduced and adhered to - footy is a bloody simple game, doesn't have to be too intricate a plan but at the moment it's like they're just making it up as they go along.
I suppose you could say that our plans may have been rooted by player unavailabilty, but that's just the game. Also find it interesting that last year there were a number of media articles about how much the boys loved Creswell and attributed form to him - seen nothing about Lovell.

 

[tayls]

I'd like to see Cam Mooney step up and volunteer to make CHF his own next year. The year he got injured preseason was the one I thought he was going to breakout, and after a couple of years playing mostly as either the 3rd tall down back or loose man ruckman he has confidence in his own ability. Can take a contested mark, generally kicks well and has the x factor about him. He hasn't gone overboard with the aggression and seems to be able to control that part of his game. While Henry has come along this year, I see him as no more than a workhorse type, don't think he has the ability to be a matchwinner - which I think Cam does. As one of the older and more experienced players, I just reckon it would be fantastic for him to step up and show some leadership, by god we need SOMEONE to stand up and try to grab the game by the balls and show his mates the way.
It's an easy excuse, but in reality the injury fairies haven't been good to us this year. It seems barely a week has gone by without at least 2 forced changes, continuation is highly underestimated. I think we have shown that when we are able to get something near our best team on the ground, we are certainly competitive with any other side. I just hope that they can successfully manage those longer term type players over summer, so they are able to get the benefits of a full preseason and maybe just a little better luck during the season wouldn't hurt.
I'm not a fan at all of set rotations - eg ruckmen comes off at the 16 minute mark - if the bloke is playing well, keep him there unless he's too stuffed. Jimmy Bartel has hinted that he's no fan, I wish we would pick our onballers and leave them there unless they're doing no good, in which case bench em. Playing Ablett and Chappy in the guts has robbed our forward line, I'd hope next year these 2 would be more permanent inside the 50. A lot of our stoppage work is pretty unruly, seems that there is no real 'plan' and it's a case of she falls where she lies - like you see in 3rds football. Delivery to the forward line is haphazard, I'd like to see SOME method introduced and adhered to - footy is a bloody simple game, doesn't have to be too intricate a plan but at the moment it's like they're just making it up as they go along.
I suppose you could say that our plans may have been rooted by player unavailabilty, but that's just the game. Also find it interesting that last year there were a number of media articles about how much the boys loved Creswell and attributed form to him - seen nothing about Lovell.

Thanks for your opinion.
Moons at CHF, good idea. Maybe a Hamill type player.
Whats the deal with Lovell, is he any good?


I reckon Tenace should become a tagger to teach him how to play in the midfield. And get him in the game more.

 

[ecleftic]

We need a general - a James Hird/Mark Riccuito type someone who can play mid-field and go forward and take the strong marks when we need it. It's the one thing we lack that other teams have. Someone who, when the game's in the balance refuses to give up and inspires his teammates.
Buddha was a player like that and I think Gary, SJ or Jimmy B can be but they still need a fair bit of development. Buddha was an awesome player and I'm sure he could instill in these players the exact qualities of confidence, desperation and hardness that can make them our generals.



Go CATS!!

 

[ablettjnr]

We need a general - a James Hird/Mark Riccuito type someone who can play mid-field and go forward and take the strong marks when we need it. It's the one thing we lack that other teams have. Someone who, when the game's in the balance refuses to give up and inspires his teammates.

His name is Cameron Ling. Make him captain.

 

[ecleftic]

His name is Cameron Ling. Make him captain.

Sorry no, Lingy is not the man. He's a good honest, hardworking player and he loves the club but it's not enough because he doesn't take the game by the scruff of the neck and change outcomes. I also think he tends to panic a bit and I wouldn't like to see him as captain.



Go CATS!!

 

[Skeptic]

What u need to do is sack Kent Kingsley...

Ur way too good a club to be using the "he's the best we have" logic in the forward line.
If you don't have a dominant forward, than adopt a WCE style forward line... with Chapman, Ablett x2, Ottens dropping in, and Ling + Riccardi etc dropping in for a rest... there's enough talent there to kick goals.

How long are you going to persist with KK when he still cannot make FF his own?

 

[ablettjnr]

What u need to do is sack Kent Kingsley...

Ur way too good a club to be using the "he's the best we have" logic in the forward line.
If you don't have a dominant forward, than adopt a WCE style forward line... with Chapman, Ablett x2, Ottens dropping in, and Ling + Riccardi etc dropping in for a rest... there's enough talent there to kick goals.

How long are you going to persist with KK when he still cannot make FF his own?

Kent has kicked over 50 goals. That's top 10 goal kickers this year. He is not the problem.

Ling IS the man for the job. That mark he took infront of Primus in whatever round that was earlier this year won us that game. That was captains stuff.

 

[ecleftic]

Ling IS the man for the job. That mark he took infront of Primus in whatever round that was earlier this year won us that game. That was captains stuff.

Not disputing that he has had some very good moments but they're too far and few between. Has he stood up and imposed himself and changed the impetus in any of our must win games? He didn't do it on Saturday that's for sure.


Go CATS!!

 

[Turbocat]

I say that before we cut our nose of to spite our face. Lets be assess of our standing. To me , we have made a good fist of what what we have been dealt over the last 6 years. We had some luck, good and bad but mainly we gone very close to maximing our choices. Could we have done better, yes but we could a heck of lot worse.
That being said , we still lack a couple of key factors in IMO.
Our midfield was drafted to play strong footy and when fit can do this as good as any. We are rarely beaten in the wet when we are up and going.We rely on effort, probably too much for my liking. Without guys with the full package we need this effort plus fittness to win.Although skilled our guys lack the pace to break the lines. As I see it we have only 3 possible players that can carry the ball through the lines .Bomber W, Tenace and Byrnes. All the other's have only average pace.
Our talls that we have drafted have been tall and light, for the most, guys who might take years to put enough meat on them to play the positions we need but considering how light they few actually fly for marks. Nice hands on lead is good but it takes good timing to lead well or you will put pressure on your kicking as you end up outside 50 far too often

So , I think what we should do is refine our draft paradigm. Put much more emphasis on pace with our on ballers l and KPP that can jump and kick 60M. I know this will have little immediate effect but I think when our list is fit and given a bit more time to season we will have a fine side worth of wearing the hoops

 

[scottydeewah]

Ruck Stocks - I think we should try and recruit Dean Brogan. You have your premiership Dean, come to Geelong, here is some coin, when you are not rucking you are in the forward line and when you are rucking Ottens can have a rest IN the goal square. If not the next best available ruckman. That way we can get King right, have half of next year off getting fit and having all the surgery and recovery time he needs.

Midfield Class - I think what we need is a total package midfielder. Ball, Dal Santo, Judd, Cousins, Roo, Lappin, Black, Cooney, Hodge...I am sorry but we just dont have a MIDFIELDER in this class yet. We need one! Ling is a workhorse, a great player but he just doesnt have the natural attributes that complement his relentless attack on the football. Kelly could be if he can regain his pre-leg-injury form, ablett and chapman are good but should spend a little bit more time forward. I have no idea where we would get such a midfielder, BUT we need one!

Game Plan - PLAY TO OUR FREAKING STRENGTHS! We appear to have changed our game plan of last year which saw us slowly and relentlessly beat teams down to some kind of attack at all costs mentality. Stick with what works!

Get Players Right - If our players are not ready until round 10 next year dont play them, play the freaking VFL side and who is fit. They will win 3-4 and then we run home.

 

[Partridge]

Midfield Class - I think what we need is a total package midfielder. Ball, Dal Santo, Judd, Cousins, Roo, Lappin, Black, Cooney, Hodge...I am sorry but we just dont have a MIDFIELDER in this class yet. We need one! Ling is a workhorse, a great player but he just doesnt have the natural attributes that complement his relentless attack on the football. Kelly could be if he can regain his pre-leg-injury form, ablett and chapman are good but should spend a little bit more time forward. I have no idea where we would get such a midfielder, BUT we need one!

I believe that Kelly, Bartel and Tenace were all drafted to be that class midfielder, but none have come up yet. Kelly is the one that I'm sick of the most. Has absolutely all the attributes to be a superstar except the most important - desire. They had big hopes on Tenace this year as well but again he has hardly improved at all. I agree with an earlier post, play Tenace and Ablett as taggers. Breaks any attention on them and forces them to run with the ball.

The basic problem is Thompson is way too soft on the players. If it were me I'd run them into the ground at training. A 6am training run on Sundays after a loss might wake them up. Players are far too pampered and protected now. Too many are in a comfort zone.

Here's step 1 - drop James Kelly this week. Make a statement that they don't automatically get a game because they played 3 good games in their first year.

 

[tayls]

The basic problem is Thompson is way too soft on the players. If it were me I'd run them into the ground at training. A 6am training run on Sundays after a loss might wake them up. Players are far too pampered and protected now. Too many are in a comfort zone.
.

Now i agree, most AFL clubs have cold water in the bay on a day after a game, or punishment sometimes at 6am. I had a mate who was down at Eastern Beach on Sunday doing recovery, there were 2 Geelong players, Sanderson and Harley, thats not to say others didnt do it but i would think they would have been more than that. Correct me if i am wrong please.