Who else is loving our new game style?

[Seeds]

I havent enjoyed a geelong vs hawthorn match that much in years. Yes we didnt show up at the start, we ran out of chase, we were woeful in front of goal and the umps robbed us blind. But damn, it felt like I was watching geelong play football again the geelong way. The ball movement was a thing of beauty. Seeing some of those chains of handballs made me excited again.

its a really pity we didnt try to play this style when all our mids were at their peaks. talent wise we are just a middle of the road side now and will be for many years. But if we employ a style of play like we have in the past couple of weeks I will be proud and happy. with this game style we will win games we probably dont deserve to. And more importantly, football will be fun again.

it feels like geelong may finally be coming back. i hope.

 

[PhatBoy]

Yeah I’d much rather lose but tick an aesthetic box

 

[FredLeDeux]

Yeah I’d much rather lose but tick an aesthetic box

It's a moral victory

 

[Micksy]

Yeah I’d much rather lose but tick an aesthetic box

You keep rolling out those false dichotomies. I'm sure someone will fall for it.

 

[PhatBoy]

You keep rolling out those false dichotomies. I'm sure someone will fall for it.

How is it a false dichotomy to essentially say ‘I couldn’t give a * how we look I give a * whether we win or lose.’

 

[PzBlinky]

Your second paragraph sums it up for me. This needed to be an option last year - or better yet, 2019-2020 (though I think last year really culminated in that slow, controlling football we're used to). Easy for me to say in hindsight but it does feel we would have been better served with a more aggressive style then.

Yes, it's a more enjoyable style to watch - but more importantly, it would've given us a better way to take on the Tigers, Dees etc. Fingers crossed this more attacking style carries over into the next generation.

On a side note, I don't think the system was the problem with yesterday's loss. Too many players had shocking games, some of the tackling was absolutely pathetic, and there was a "low energy" vibe compared to the Hawks.

 

[Down at K Park]

It's a definite improvement to watch. That slow chip, chip style was boring af.

 

[fpm84]

Much better to watch but the counter to that is that our backline has looked extremely vulnerable at times, perhaps partly due to the gameplan and partly due to personnel (lost the calming influence of Taylor/Hendo in successive years, Blicavs spending less time there, 5-gamer SDK given a key role).

 

[Seeds]

Much better to watch but the counter to that is that our backline has looked extremely vulnerable at times, perhaps partly due to the gameplan and partly due to personnel (lost the calming influence of Taylor/Hendo in successive years, Blicavs spending less time there, 5-gamer SDK given a key role).

I think thats largely personel. Taylor and hendo have not been replaced. Henry also down on form a bit this year compared to last year. bews season has been delayed as well. Plus the midfield just gets older each season and this is giving the opposition easier entries Regardless of game plan when we dont have ball in hand.

im not seeing many turnovers caused by our fast ball movement. We have been pretty slick with it. The goals against have come from losing the contests (and in the case of yesterday hawthorn players diving and ducking 25 metres out from goal)

 

[Seeds]

Yeah I’d much rather lose but tick an aesthetic box

I focused on the "enjoyment factor" rather then the "it would of helped us win finals in previous seasons factor" cos i didnt want to get accused of being negative. Something that you accuse me of often. I wanted to focus on the positivity of it.

and football is an entertainment industry. The whole point of it is to entertain. Its not just about winning and losing. In fact winning is only of value for a supporter if it entertains. If its something you can be proud of. Entertaining game style certainly helps with that.

 

[PhatBoy]

I focused on the "enjoyment factor" rather then the "it would of helped us win finals in previous seasons factor" cos i didnt want to get accused of being negative. Something that you accuse me of often. I wanted to focus on the positivity of it.

and football is an entertainment industry. The whole point of it is to entertain. Its not just about winning and losing. In fact winning is only of value for a supporter if it entertains. If its something you can be proud of.

Look I actually do like watching us play when we are high scoring and quick moving but if I have to choose between that and losing, and being ugly but winning I will still take winning every time

 

[FredLeDeux]

I focused on the "enjoyment factor" rather then the "it would of helped us win finals in previous seasons factor" cos i didnt want to get accused of being negative. Something that you accuse me of often. I wanted to focus on the positivity of it.

and football is an entertainment industry. The whole point of it is to entertain. Its not just about winning and losing. In fact winning is only of value for a supporter if it entertains. If its something you can be proud of. Entertaining game style certainly helps with that.

The AFL competition is neither an industry, nor an entertainment industry, it is a sporting competition (limited parts of which work better if they are run like an industry), and as in any sporting competition the essential element is the contest, ie the winning or losing.

 

[cats_09]

It's a moral victory

Maybe the AFL should implement a new points system after matches - still the 4 points, but now it's 3 points for a win & 1 point for the team which looked more stylish

 

[PzBlinky]

Look I actually do like watching us play when we are high scoring and quick moving but if I have to choose between that and losing, and being ugly but winning I will still take winning every time

100% agree with you. Sadly, recent reality's been "ugly but winning... until finals, which was horrifically ugly and losing."

That's why the newer, more aggressive style - when executed well - has been more enjoyable to watch. Who knows if they'll stick to it - and they may not even get it right this season - but at least we'd be going into September with a point of difference to the last 2-3 years (if we make it that far).

 

[FreddyTwoShoes]

I havent enjoyed a geelong vs hawthorn match that much in years. Yes we didnt show up at the start, we ran out of chase, we were woeful in front of goal and the umps robbed us blind. But damn, it felt like I was watching geelong play football again the geelong way. The ball movement was a thing of beauty. Seeing some of those chains of handballs made me excited again.

its a really pity we didnt try to play this style when all our mids were at their peaks. talent wise we are just a middle of the road side now and will be for many years. But if we employ a style of play like we have in the past couple of weeks I will be proud and happy. with this game style we will win games we probably dont deserve to. And more importantly, football will be fun again.

it feels like geelong may finally be coming back. i hope.

Agree - some of those handball chains were actually breath-taking, and they're happening much more regularly this season.
I'm on-board with the new style, and if nothing else - it gives us a chance to go into finals (hopefully) with a fresh approach.

 

[Seeds]

Agree - some of those handball chains were actually breath-taking, and they're happening much more regularly this season.
I'm on-board with the new style, and if nothing else - it gives us a chance to go into finals (hopefully) with a fresh approach.

Yep breathtaking is the word I would use too. its not just that we are attempting a fast handball style, but we seem to be extremely good at it. Some of those handball plays looked like they were straight from the 2007 finals series.

 

[CatToTheFuture]

I havent enjoyed a geelong vs hawthorn match that much in years. Yes we didnt show up at the start, we ran out of chase, we were woeful in front of goal and the umps robbed us blind. But damn, it felt like I was watching geelong play football again the geelong way. The ball movement was a thing of beauty. Seeing some of those chains of handballs made me excited again.

its a really pity we didnt try to play this style when all our mids were at their peaks. talent wise we are just a middle of the road side now and will be for many years. But if we employ a style of play like we have in the past couple of weeks I will be proud and happy. with this game style we will win games we probably dont deserve to. And more importantly, football will be fun again.

it feels like geelong may finally be coming back. i hope.

We absolutely did not have the forward line to support this style when our mids were at their peak so it would not have worked

 

[catempire]

To me there are two considerations for style. One is the one Seeds focuses on, the aesthetics, and the other is what style does for the contest and the chances of winning.

Watching Blight-era footy was exhilarating for the reasons we all know but it was also demoralising getting to the big stage and failing repeatedly. That’s where style must stack up with results.

One of the things I have enjoyed about the Scott era is the attempt to take the sub-elite playing group, look at the dominant league playing style and to devise a way to beat the odds. This was the genesis of the 2020-2021 style which sought to starve the chaos/pressure sides of their oxygen. It wasn’t pretty but I enjoyed the intellectual and tactical side of it.

This new style has run into early problems. It can be fun to watch but it’s awful to see average defenders (and elite ones cough Tom Stewart) get exposed when the ball comes quickly into our D50. I’ll enjoy seeing Scott and the coaches try to devise a way to address that. But with the cattle we have it will be a struggle.

 

[Seeds]

The AFL competition is neither an industry, nor an entertainment industry, it is a sporting competition (limited parts of which work better if they are run like an industry), and as in any sporting competition the essential element is the contest, ie the winning or losing.

if this was true we would not have finals and every team would play each other an equal amount of games with the team on top at the end of the season declared the premier.

In fact, if what you say is true we wouldnt even have wins and loses. Instead we would simply tally up the points for vs points against at the end of the season and the team with the highest percentage would be declared the winner. Because thats what determines the best team.

finals, an uneven fixture, and wins and loses all exist because they make the game more entertaining. its an entertainment industry.

the competition would also not exist if it wasnt for the money people pay to see it. And they pay to see it because it entertains them.

 

[Seeds]

To me there are two considerations for style. One is the one Seeds focuses on, the aesthetics, and the other is what style does for the contest and the chances of winning.

Watching Blight-era footy was exhilarating for the reasons we all know but it was also demoralising getting to the big stage and failing repeatedly. That’s where style must stack up with results.

One of the things I have enjoyed about the Scott era is the attempt to take the sub-elite playing group, look at the dominant league playing style and to devise a way to beat the odds. This was the genesis of the 2020-2021 style which sought to starve the chaos/pressure sides of their oxygen. It wasn’t pretty but I enjoyed the intellectual and tactical side of it.

This new style has run into early problems. It can be fun to watch but it’s awful to see average defenders (and elite ones cough Tom Stewart) get exposed when the ball comes quickly into our D50. I’ll enjoy seeing Scott and the coaches try to devise a way to address that. But with the cattle we have it will be a struggle.

Good post. I disagree with your conclusions however.

our weakness has been losing contests and failing to chase once we do. It has not been from turnovers caused by our new game style exposing our defenders On the rebound. I cant even think of a single turnover from last weeks game that caused a goal .Im sure there were some but none come to mind.

and stewart was best on ground on monday. Im not alone in thinking this.

and even if you were right (i dont think you are) you have ignored the fact that covering extra for a poor defence makes it even harder for the fowards. Fowards find it much harder to kick goals if the ball is moving in slowly. Its a big reason why the fowards have failed in finals.

 

[catempire]

and stewart was best on ground on monday. Im not alone in thinking this.

Correct. You have many many deluded friends who refuse to see the mistakes he makes.

 

[Seeds]

Correct. You have many many deluded friends who refuse to see the mistakes he makes.

At least you are consistent.

Maybe you miss all the fantastic things he does in winning back the ball from the opposition and converting it into attacking options that way more then make up for the few mistakes?

 

[Seeds]

We absolutely did not have the forward line to support this style when our mids were at their peak so it would not have worked

we have exactly the same foward line as we did last year.

and weaker foward lines benefit even more from fast ball movement then stronger ones.

hawkins, menzel, dangerfield, motlop, stanley would of benefited enormously from it.

as would of rohan, danger, hawkins, sav.

 

[CatToTheFuture]

we have exactly the same foward line as we did last year.

and weaker foward lines benefit even more from fast ball movement then stronger ones.

hawkins, menzel, dangerfield, motlop, stanley would of benefited enormously from it.

as would of rohan, danger, hawkins, sav.

Our mids were not at their peak last year. They were still going pretty well but the push for our midfield was years ago

 

[Turbocat]

I havent enjoyed a geelong vs hawthorn match that much in years. Yes we didnt show up at the start, we ran out of chase, we were woeful in front of goal and the umps robbed us blind. But damn, it felt like I was watching geelong play football again the geelong way. The ball movement was a thing of beauty. Seeing some of those chains of handballs made me excited again.

its a really pity we didnt try to play this style when all our mids were at their peaks. talent wise we are just a middle of the road side now and will be for many years. But if we employ a style of play like we have in the past couple of weeks I will be proud and happy. with this game style we will win games we probably dont deserve to. And more importantly, football will be fun again.

it feels like geelong may finally be coming back. i hope.

I think we have left it too late to change our style. Our best players are not as capable as they once were and our backline is fragile. The 666 change has refreshed the need for dominant rucks and centre clearances and we are probably chasing our tail along with several others responding to Melb. Having said that, id rather have flaw expossed trying to play offensive footy than play a style to protect and cover weaknesses.