Analysis What can we take out of the first month of footy?

[Tyzza_07_09_11]

Four wins, two of them very lucky, two of them quite convincing.

What can we take out of the first 4 games?

We haven’t been in great form, we’ve been overusing the handball most of the time (often butchering chances), however there have also been many positives, namely second tier midfielders performing well, our forward set up looking good most of the time and our defence as strong as ever.

Our young/new players have been playing well, many above expectations, which is a huge positive, and Menz and Hawk are performing down in the forward line.

We could easily be 2-2, however we have been able to get the four points in all four of our games… is this a sign of a great team as they always say it is?

What have been the positives? The negatives? And what do we most need to do to become a true premiership contender this year?

 

[lionbear]

The North game we would have lost last year so clear improvement there.

I liked the contributions today from players not named Dangerfield or Selwood.

Think it will become clearer in the next 2 weeks where we are at, St Kilda and Collingwood are two games we would have lost last year and been very poor, not saying win or loss decides the resultm but the effort needs to be there that was not last year.

All in all, great start and we are in a position where if we are in top form come September anything can happen.

 

[Bobby_]

We can probably only take away our finishes at this stage.
We've also had a good run with injury to key personnel so far.

The next month will be very interesting.
St Kilda and Collingwood have been bogey teams. If we beat both, we probably go 8-0 but one gets the feeling we are going to lose to one or both though.

 

[Vdubs]

Positives
*16 points
*Games into PARSONS and PARFITT
*Fit forwards in Hawkins and Menzel
*A fit Motlop finding form
*Brilliant 4th quarters- we must be fit.
*Zac Smith finding form
*Henderson continuing preinjury 2016 good form
*Dangerwood getting help from Duncan, Menegola, GHS, Guthrie
*Touch wood- minimal injuries

Negatives
*Suspensions to Menegola and Parsons

Going Forward
*Owaat-Massive challenge coming off the Hawks game. Our record after these games is abysmal, and St. Kilda have what it takes to beat us.

 

[James1970]

What have been the positives? The negatives? And what do we most need to do to become a true premiership contender this year?

Just playing a game against a Top 6 side would be a wonderful start, let alone winning it.

We've been really blessed so far this year with alot of luck, meeting teams on the slide, or badly dealt with injury at the wrong time.

Even our next four games are against sides outside the Top 8 - so we could very well be 8-zip without really knowing where we hang.

We'll get a better idea from the block-buster group of games starting Round 9 - Dogs, Port then Crows.

But even then, we've got those games all at home, then a week's break before heading to Perth.

Good fortune runs in waves - I hope we can ride it out, then have the strength to overcome when it starts to falter.


Player wise, it's been pretty good to see improvement in the kids, while the standard of the pensioners has held on so far.

My only worry is Lonners down back - he's been serviceable, but not sure he'll be able to see out the year. He still has the smarts, but looks a yard off the pace. Could well be a Milburn situation come finals if there's a full team to choose from.

 

[Cronin]

No.1 - Quicker ball movement, which has improved our forwardline.

No.2 - A more even spread of contributions from our players, though the two superstars are still doing their thang.

No.3 - younger players are coming through better than expected.

No.4 - where to play Harry Taylor is still an issue.

 

[SkittleCats]

• Our fitness is excellent, we would be 2 - 2 but for our ability to run out games better than Melbourne and North.

• Adjustments, especially in the midfield, have reduced the reliance on Dangerwood. They are still vital (obviously), but when you have Menegola, Duncan, Motlop, and Guthrie taking the heat off them it makes a big difference. Scooter to come in still will only help even more.
• Menzel has revolutionized our forward line.
• Not playing all three of Blicavs/Stanley/Smith makes a difference.
• 2E has added an interesting dynamic to our defense, though he seems to be working his way into his football at Geelong and will only get better. Loved his intercept marks today.
• Henderson has become elite. Dodged a Frawley sized bullet on that one, thanks Hawks!
• "Kids" are having a good start to the year. Parfitt, Stewart and Cockatoo have really contributed over the last 4 weeks.

The challenge ahead will be what we do with Domsy? Do we drop him and move Taylor back to defense and play Black? Or play Stanley at CHF with Taylor moving back. Kolo to come in adds an interesting dynamic to that equation as well, but i think Lonners time is coming to and end in this team.

I think we need to keep an emphasis on speed, tackling pressure, and quick ball movement by hand. So i hope whatever we do we keep the team balanced as it somewhat is now. I'm really encouraged by what we have seen so far but some work to do to consolidate and set up the rest of the season.

 

[CatRiot]

Should be premiership favourites?!

 

[Stocks_go_Up]

Lets not kid ourselves we are playing average at best... Lots of areas to work on which is good and we should be happy with the 4 wins - however lucky we have been. Taylor forward is still a mess - I think hes confused... The real test will come vs a top 4 side like Adelaide, West Coast, GWS.. Then we will be able to judge our team and chances of success come end of year.

 

[jazzee]

I don't think the club, or anyone, thinks we're playing amazing footy.

But we're solid. Not getting blown away when playing average quarters, and finishing games out really well. When we're on, we are on as well as anyone bar maybe Adelaide and GWS.

I'm genuinely excited by the new blokes coming up. Remember last year when we wanted to crucify Wells etc? Parsons, Parfitt, Cockatoo, Menegola. All looking likely.

I'm a touch worried with most of our goals coming through Hawk and Menzel.

 

[iameviljez]

No.1 - Quicker ball movement, which has improved our forwardline.

No.2 - A more even spread of contributions from our players, though the two superstars are still doing their thang.

No.3 - younger players are coming through better than expected.

No.4 - where to play Harry Taylor is still an issue.

We say that, but Dangerwood still pretty much single-handedly won us the Melbourne and North Melbourne games.

 

[fpm84]

On top of the ladder with seven games at KP to come.

The two teams that have given us the most grief in recent years - Swans and Hawks - are 0-4 and long odds to make the finals.

We could not be in a better position as it stands.

 

[iameviljez]

If I had three things that urgently needed fixing at the start of the year, it'd be:
Ball movement out of defence: We seem to have fixed this, thanks largely to a bearded Irishman and assumedly the coaching staff. Both times we played Sydney last year, our stagnant ball movement was awful to watch and did Hawkins no favours. Massive tick.
Midfield backup for Dangerwood: We are still massively over-reliant on Dangerwood when the crunch comes. This week was better but the last two were pretty ordinary in this regard. Duncan has been superb and may even be leading the B&F.
Get a CHF: This has been truly abysmal - to the point whereas we've actually looked best with no second forward at all. I think we can all agree that Harry doesn't look like a forward's butthole (figuratively, though I assume also literally as well), Stanley is so inconsistent he might as well change his name to "Brownless" and Black isn't the answer, but what's least-worst is anyone's guess.

So... One and a bit out of three for me.

 

[you pick one]

Simon Lloyd can coach.

 

[iameviljez]

Simon Lloyd can coach.

POTY contender

 

[candiehappy]

one gets the feeling we are going to lose to one or both though.

it depends on who the "one" is ...

 

[Seeds]

Nothing except we aint hawthorn yet. Still a show this year. Nothing changes until the prelim.

 

[Farmer2Goggin]

Kudos to the Football Department for the planning that has gone into 2017 , we are clearly a different side to 2016 in terms of game style and personnel.
Only Round 4 but we are yet to lower our colours and still seem to have improvement in us.
So much to like :
> Playing only 2 of Smith/Stanley/Blitz allows us to play an extra mid and play Blitz in his best role
> Taylor up forward is a WIP but our defence looks so much better with one less , slow playing tall
> Much quicker ball movement make s us very dangerous as our forwards relish space and are very good one on one players
> Once again we are a fast flowing , high scoring outfit with a functional forwardline
> Midfield depth looks much better
> Brave enough to play kids who have delivered
> Seem to be selecting on form again rather than reputation
> We seem to be a happy , tight group who are playing for each other again

Great start , long way to go

 

[Cronin]

We say that, but Dangerwood still pretty much single-handedly won us the Melbourne and North Melbourne games.

True.

 

[Sttew]

16 points

+ Demonstrated ability to score quickly, particularly in the 3 & 4 quarters;
+ Emerging genuine young talent - Parsons, Parfitt & Menegola;
+ A KPF, Tom Hawkins, in his prime;
+ Return to form of Mitch Duncan;
+ The team's ability to consistently score big; In 4 rounds this year we have averaged 121.75 points per game. In the first 4 rounds in 2016 we managed 97.25 / game.

 

[maryjames]

Cats top of ladder Hawks bottom .. awesome take on the year so far.

 

[ekel92]

*We have found two absolute future guns
*Tuohy has fitted in seemlessly, how good was his chasedown tackle yesterday!
*Duncan and Menzel are becoming A graders of the comp
*Hawkins is in the best shape of his career and his back problems are a thing of the past

 

[Sttew]

Simon Lloyd can coach.

Very good communicator too

 

[FredLeDeux]

Very good communicator too

He communicates via ESP with one infamous poster on this board.
At least, that's the poster's explanation for the little voices in his head.

 

[Cataholic]

That Hawthorn are s**t?

Surely the best revelation of all!