Opinion Will the Fremantle win prove to be 2007 Richmond win re-visited?

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King Cold

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Nov 9, 2011
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Watching that game really reminded me of the round 6 2007 win over Richmond in a lot of ways.

Not just the way we played, but the fact that it seemed to really be a turning point for the group, the moment when we finally realised that we've been underperforming with such a talented list.

The difference being that this time around, it took until the 2nd last round of the season for it to happen, and the highest we can finish is 7th. If the Bulldogs could do it from 7th there's no reason why we can't given we're far better and far more talented than that Bulldogs team was.
 

Landgraft

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I love the optimism, but don't think so. The Richmond win galvanised a group on the cusp of becoming something, the Freo win was (to me anyway) mostly a statement from an established group that they are not finished yet.

I would love a flag, but I'll settle for a good ride through some high quality finals and kill some teams hopes in the process.
 

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Catsace

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It's a big 'if' but i am hoping Geelong's players do take something from the fact that they have strongly competed with the Tigers twice, and on the second occasion had chances to win the match at their 'Fortress G', and also nearly knock off the Hawks despite in the second match playing quite a cruddy game of footy. A lot need to go right, and Geelong this season in particular has not put together a sequence of good performances over what will need to be six weeks of footy.

But there's still that thing in the back of my mind that i reckon Geelong at their best is good enough to challenge all sides, and the glimpses of that footy this season makes me think that they are at least as well equipped as the Dogs to challenge for a Flag. If nothing else at least they put the hammer down and kept it down against Freo...although the Dockers hit the post a few times from quite easy shots that could have got their score a bit higher. In saying that Geelong also flubbed a few late ones from close in.

It's at least something to believe could be, but it would be a huge turnaround for the players to deliver.
 

ThatsjustDappa

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Absolutely not

We just steam rolled a s**t team, but a young s**t team who are tired at the end of their season.

I don't think we can read anything at all out of it
 

Goggin Our Best

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Nup - a good win youd take any day of the week

But that game just reinforced 2 things - Geel are very hard to beat at home - and The Cats are a great wet weather side - and have been for a long time

I wouldnt mind a wet Sept - both the 09 and 11 flag deciding games were ideal conditions for Geel

Ive never forgotten what Shane Crawford said after the 08 GF - We( Hawthorn) got the conditions what we wanted - a fast track - he knew how good Geel were in the heavy going
 
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The key difference is that we had a team which had 20 blokes who were completely in their prime, experience and age-wise, plus Joel Selwood and Nathan Ablett. In particular, we had a bunch of 22-23yo players who were on the cusp of something and ready to absolutely explode.

Here, we don't have that. There's a broader spread of experience and talent - there's a lot more players with low talent ceilings in our side now, and a few absolute stars. Let's not get too far ahead of ourselves.
 

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Spazz Cat

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I think they could be similar.
Like 2007 we were a bit lackluster and that flogging showed what could be achieved if everyone contributed and played as a team.
On Saturday we were the most even as a midfield group for years. Maybe we'll learn something and keep it going.
 

00VicWard001

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It's a big 'if' but i am hoping Geelong's players do take something from the fact that they have strongly competed with the Tigers twice, and on the second occasion had chances to win the match at their 'Fortress G', and also nearly knock off the Hawks despite in the second match playing quite a cruddy game of footy. A lot need to go right, and Geelong this season in particular has not put together a sequence of good performances over what will need to be six weeks of footy.

But there's still that thing in the back of my mind that i reckon Geelong at their best is good enough to challenge all sides, and the glimpses of that footy this season makes me think that they are at least as well equipped as the Dogs to challenge for a Flag. If nothing else at least they put the hammer down and kept it down against Freo...although the Dockers hit the post a few times from quite easy shots that could have got their score a bit higher. In saying that Geelong also flubbed a few late ones from close in.

It's at least something to believe could be, but it would be a huge turnaround for the players to deliver.
In support of King Cold , the current teams players were the ones who needed to see that they still had that killer instinct. They’ve seen that they can grind and can never be counted out, but they really had to know that they could demolish if they had the chance.

Melbourne did it during this season as part of their hot streak and everyone said they were premiership contenders. Geelong did it in 2011 against the Pies and launched into the finals on fire.

Yes, the players in 2007 realised that they were something special after the Richmond game, but a lot has to be said for dragging yourself up a mountain for a season and hitting the peak just at the right time to roll down the other side with ridiculous momentum.
 

00VicWard001

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Nup - a good win youd take any day of the week

But that game just reinforced 2 things - Geel are very hard to beat at home - and The Cats are a great wet weather side - and have been for a long time

I wouldnt mind a wet Sept - both the 09 and 11 flag deciding games were ideal conditions for Geel

Ive never forgotten what Shane Crawford said after the 08 GF - We( Hawthorn) got the conditions what we wanted - a fast track - he knew how good Geel were in the heavy going

You’re talking about ‘Geelong’ as a team. Not the individual players.

Virtually the entire team has been replaced from 2008, so Crawford’s comments can not apply. That’s like saying the Lions team from 2004 are had a reputation for being a physical team and the 2018 team carries that legacy. We have some good wet weather players, as does every other team.

Likewise, CS mentioned at the start of the year that GMHBA stadium is not really a fortress for the cats, beyond the fact that it’s a familiar ground to us. The younger and newer players in the team have not earned their stripes making it a fortress. It’s a fortress in reputation and history alone.
 

cynical

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thrashing a young team at home at the end of the year is meaningless

this week will likely be the same result
 

cynical

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Are you ever happy? Serious question

I'm a pretty happy person, thanks for caring.

Our test came against Richmond and Hawthorn, we were mediocre in both games.

Beating a lowly Freo at home does not change that fact, we can beat GC by 200 points and it still wont matter.

Our next important game is the first final.
 
Nope.

We got away with s**t yesterday - over possession and short handballs to team mates close by under pressure - that Tigers, Hawks et al punished us for.

It worked yesterday as the pressure I refer to was fleeting and short lived and they dropped their heads and we outworked them.

Dont get me wrong, it was a great win and I luved watching every second of it. And the positives for it mean we have more confidence and it lifted the heads of some of the 10-22 players that have struggled. And thats a good thing.

But it ain't a turning point or Rd6 2007 moment. I can't say id care terribly if it sent Freo to the bottom of the "s" curve in the AFL toilet for 10 years however.

I did correlate it a little to Tim Lane's " the days of domination are over" in that we were struggling a but V the Doggies when he dropped that one and then we went bang. Kinda like yesterday where we were on par with them and then detonated.

GO Catters
 
I'm a pretty happy person, thanks for caring.

Our test came against Richmond and Hawthorn, we were mediocre in both games.

Beating a lowly Freo at home does not change that fact, we can beat GC by 200 points and it still wont matter.

Our next important game is the first final.

Lost by 1 point and 11 points.

Lost by 18 points and 3 points.

Hardly mediocre. But in the grey, overcast and dreary GFC supporter existence you reside in, im surprised you rounded up the way you did.

GO Catters
 

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