Opinion This year’s Geelong team is different…

[goyoucatters]

There's still no way you can be certain that we'll be able to bring it in finals. But that game against the Dees is all you need to have watched all year to know that we're clearly different.

And the difference is actually pretty dramatic, when you consider where we were. More than that, it's all geared in the right direction to be better for longer when it really matters.

Keep this list fit and firing and the end to the season could be very different as well.

We. Are. Geelong.

 

[Seeds]

I remember last year when certain posters said we couldnt move the ball on more quickly cos our older players couldnt handle the faster game plan.

Selwood looks a far better player when he is delivering and recieving quick hand balls on the overlap. It actually gives his game speed that covers for his lack of foot speed as he ages. same with guthrie, duncan, atkins menegola and now even danger.

that handball play down the ground that delivered close the goal in the second qtr was exactly whst the doctor ordered.

 

[goyoucatters]

that handball play down the ground that delivered close the goal in the second qtr was exactly what the doctor ordered.

As a snapshot of how our game has changed, it was very compelling. To be playing that kind of football in the second quarter (rather than when you're chasing the game in the last) is a massive adjustment in how we've been operating.

 

[BlakeyNoFlakey]

What we've seen is not only a change in our gameplan but the rise of some young players who have delivered so far this season beyond expectations. Last night's win against Melbourne was exciting, but it doesn't mean the flag is ours. Let's see them bring it in the finals where it counts.

 

[catempire]

 

[Farmer2Goggin]

The personnel mostly looks more solid across the board. Cameron has given us a huge lift (now that he's fit), Stengle has been fantastic, and 'The King' has been everything his name suggests. Atkins' injection into the mids group looks crucial and Close has been generally showing plenty of improvement as well. If Sels and Danger can finish the year strongly (and Parf can stay on the park), I think we can compete around the ball with the better mid groups.

Zuth has ticked up as well, Toma is still immense, and Blitz/Duncan/Guth (and even Rhys) have provided stacks of solid output. Smith and Tuohy have again been really strong, and Stewart has worked really well off the reliability of so many of the other dependable defenders.

Most of all, though, I've been stoked to see us genuinely playing a less measured style of footy for so much of the time. I believe our best football has shown a greater desire to chase and win it back, rather than simply holding defensive 'shape'. And, having won it back more often, our willingness to then go quickly has significantly improved, which is just what a dynamic forward group like ours wants to see.

Added to that, the shift to taking the ball out of the front of the stoppage much more often is another huge factor in our improvement for mine. It's the key area where Melbourne completely embarrassed us last year. So I'm really hoping to see an extension of these aspects of our game style into the end of this season. The Dees coasted to a flag with a serviceable forward line, based on having their defensive intent and their subsequent springboard to offence completely right. So if we can generate a similar quantity and quality of forward entries to them over the course of a game, I back our superior forward set-up to offer the hope of better capitalising on the comparable supply.

So while I rate the improvement in the output of certain players, I think the alterations to our game plan are our biggest point of difference this year. Without these, we'd simply be making up the numbers yet again. With these tweaks in place, we might just be in there with a show.

Right on the money as usual goyoucatters

I think the potential weakened midfield is becoming a strength with Atkins and Guthrie doing some very heavy lifting with great support from Blitz & co.
We might get our wish of less reliance on Selwood and Danger after all - that can only be a good thing. Stanley must stay injury free and be raring to go in September.

I had two other concerns - the 3rd tall forward and composition of our defence.
With Rohan back I think he is the best 3rd forward option - competes well in the air and bring phenomenal pressure. If he's injured perhaps we look at Neale or Sav but that's not a like for like obviously.
I think the defence composition depends on who we play. Blitz is too valuable in his current role so if we need a 3rd tall defender then Kolo plays with SDK and Henry as the other talls. Kolo is a great stopper but if he plays it's imperative we have support around him for a quick handball release when he gathers a groundball ( that's his achilles heel so we need Duncan, Stewart , Gola, Smith , Bews,Tuohy around him )
I think most contenders will have at least 3 tall forward threats so that may have to be the structure we go with.

That win will give us a lot of confidence but with 7 in a row and a tough draw coming up we need to stay focused as top 4 isn't a certainty.
We look alright when we play 4 quarters though.

 

[goyoucatters]

I think the potential weakened midfield is becoming a strength with Atkins and Guthrie doing some very heavy lifting with great support from Blitz & co.
We might get our wish of less reliance on Selwood and Danger after all - that can only be a good thing. Stanley must stay injury free and be raring to go in September.

Totally agree that our mids group looks the strongest it has for some time. Not just rolling out the skipper and Danger as 'the answers' is making a massive difference. Atkins has been immense and Guth is proving very tough in there this year. Mix in the briliant job Blitz does both winning it himself and neutralising contested situations for a much more accountable feel overall. And we've now taken down two supposed contenders in recent weeks without Parf, who is still the player I most want around the ball when we're getting beaten.

And I'm absolutely in the 'Stanley stays' camp as well. His want has been so much better over the course of the entire season this year and it makes all the difference to his game. He's building cohesion with that mids group and contributing genuine pressure without the ball. Best season from him in the hoops by a fair distance so far.

I had two other concerns - the 3rd tall forward and composition of our defence.
With Rohan back I think he is the best 3rd forward option - competes well in the air and bring phenomenal pressure. If he's injured perhaps we look at Neale or Sav but that's not a like for like obviously.
I think the defence composition depends on who we play. Blitz is too valuable in his current role so if we need a 3rd tall defender then Kolo plays with SDK and Henry as the other talls. Kolo is a great stopper but if he plays it's imperative we have support around him for a quick handball release when he gathers a groundball ( that's his achilles heel so we need Duncan, Stewart , Gola, Smith , Bews,Tuohy around him )
I think most contenders will have at least 3 tall forward threats so that may have to be the structure we go with.

Rohan is streets ahead of Neale and Esava as the third tall option for mine. Despite the hype for our #17, Gary actually crashes way more packs than him. And then hits the ground with speed to burn and a genuine desire to bury as many unsuspecting opposition players as possible. Kicking for goal is absolutely no contest either (at least against Rata). The new game style suits him much better as well, and truly gives him a better shot at standing up in the heat of finals. He's a lock as well, I believe.

And I think this defensive group can absolutely get it done, provided the supply from midfield is stemmed and they're not contending with mountains of clean, quick entries. The ball use on the way out is challenging for a couple of them, I admit. But, as you note, seeing more of the likes of Tuohy, Duncan and even Isaac helping out back there massively improves the probability of clearing the area effectively and then taking possession/getting a contest further upfield.

That win will give us a lot of confidence but with 7 in a row and a tough draw coming up we need to stay focused as top 4 isn't a certainty.
We look alright when we play 4 quarters though.

Massively important to play out every game, as you say. Pretty easy to see that three of our four losses this year come from games where we were clearly on top at times but just didn't play well enough for long enough. If we can bring really committed efforts with the 2022 game plan throughout the rest of the year, I think we absolutely look good enough to threaten 'the best'.

 

[Selfield]

We're flag favourites according to the media but the lid is still firmly on for mine.

 

[CatToTheFuture]

Hard to tell, we haven't even played the best team in the comp yet.

We don't get to play ourselves

 

[Mad_Hatter]

We're flag favourites according to the media but the lid is still firmly on for mine.

Can't agree, have yet to play anyone currently sitting above us on the ladder.

 

[Phipppppa]

Does seem to be shaping up as past years.

Average start
Amazing middle
Ok finish
Awful finals

Let’s hope it’s not the case. There’s so many players on our list who deserve a flag.

 

[Phipppppa]

We're flag favourites according to the media but the lid is still firmly on for mine.

The flag favourite changes every week. I don’t pay attention to it.

 

[juzcat]

Big improvement in 2 areas.
1. Game plan already discussed.
2. The no of above average good ball users and field kicking to support the game plan has increased

How would you rate our ball users?

Elite: Hawkins, Jezza, Stengle, Close, Duncan, Tuohy, Stewart

V. Good: SDK, Guthrie, Smith, Selwood, Narkle, Rowan,

Average: Menegola (Sometimes v good), Bews, Henry?, Stanley, Blitz, MoC, Dangerfield, Cooper S, Miers.

Below Average: Kolo, Parfitt,


3. Better balance in mid field. Losing Danger and Parfitt a massive blessing in disguise

Sent from my SM-N975F using Tapatalk

 

[Seeds]

Big improvement in 2 areas.
1. Game plan already discussed.
2. The no of above average good ball users and field kicking to support the game plan has increased

How would you rate our ball users?

Elite: Hawkins, Jezza, Stengle, Close, Duncan, Tuohy, Stewart

V. Good: SDK, Guthrie, Smith, Selwood, Narkle, Rowan,

Average: Menegola (Sometimes v good), Bews, Henry?, Stanley, Blitz, MoC, Dangerfield, Cooper S, Miers.

Below Average: Kolo, Parfitt,


3. Better balance in mid field. Losing Danger and Parfitt a massive blessing in disguise

Sent from my SM-N975F using Tapatalk

Bews, blitz, moc and miers are below average. also you cant have two options above average and only one below. Average means aversge.

selwood is average.

smith is same as menegola who is same as dangerfield. they are sometimes terrible and sometimes elite.

Field kicking is not our strength. Although its not really a weakness anymore either due to also having a number of elite.

 

[DanA]

Big improvement in 2 areas.
1. Game plan already discussed.
2. The no of above average good ball users and field kicking to support the game plan has increased

How would you rate our ball users?

Elite: Hawkins, Jezza, Stengle, Close, Duncan, Tuohy, Stewart

V. Good: SDK, Guthrie, Smith, Selwood, Narkle, Rowan,

Average: Menegola (Sometimes v good), Bews, Henry?, Stanley, Blitz, MoC, Dangerfield, Cooper S, Miers.

Below Average: Kolo, Parfitt,


3. Better balance in mid field. Losing Danger and Parfitt a massive blessing in disguise

I agree with the points though I think that's generous on the kick rating.


For me:

Elite: Hawkins, Duncan, Stewart, Touhy
V.Good: Guthrie, Selwood, Cameron, Rohan
Good: Smith, Stengle, Close
Ave: Menegola, Atkins, SDK, Narkle, Danger, Stephens,
Below Ave: Zuthrie, Blicavs, Miers, Bews, Stanley, O'Connor, Higgins
Poor: Kolo, Parfitt, Dahl


*I could see SDK, Blicavs and Stanley as good for their position but relative to average AFL player they are below average kicks

 

[Pollywaffle]

Bit more mongrel has helped as well as stuff mentioned previously
Have noticed some softer players have HTFU

 

[Seeds]

Can Hawkins perform vs other big players like May and can he perform in big finals games, has not done it for a few years in finals

He had a 8 mark and 5 goal final last year against gws. The season before he had a 4 goal and 9 mark game in a final.

 

[feelinfeline]

I like the steely look in the eyes of C. Guthrie, Tuohy, Blicavs and of course Sel. Not to mention Atkiins, Henry, De Koning, Holmes--I could go on. They are clearly focused on the end goal.

It's now or never for this team. Then again, I thought that last year and the year before and the year before. But surely this is their last chance.

The key is to win the first final. If we lose it again, my hopes will plummet.

 

[goyoucatters]

The Cuthrie chasedown tackle on the broadcast wing during the third quarter was another vivid snapshot of what has changed in 2022. A whole bunch of players are showing a hunger (and a poise) we've never seen from them before.

So it might have started with Aldi. But I think we're beginning to make it our own now...

 

[cats_09]

The Cuthrie chasedown tackle on the broadcast wing during the third quarter was another vivid snapshot of what has changed in 2022. A whole bunch of players are showing a hunger (and a poise) we've never seen from them before.

So it might have started with Aldi. But I think we're beginning to make it our own now...

View attachment 1448954

Is that the one where he impacted the kick and Zuth took an intercept mark?

 

[goyoucatters]

Is that the one where he impacted the kick and Zuth took an intercept mark?

That's the one. The tackle itself (not the chase, though) is 'included' in the package of intercept marks from the game that the club has posted on Twitter.

A chase like that one is not something that I've normally associated with Guth. The fact he chose to chase, made up the ground, and laid the tackle perfectly was really impressive. It's that sort of pressure affecting disposals and turning the ball over (even if it's another kick downfield) that is part of making us much more formidable right now.

And then the capacity to take it back the other way with some pace and precision, of course.

 

[dazbroncos]

I posted this eslewhere but fits here too...


This team has a team centric hardness and skill level the likes of which not seen since 2011.

We have had more explosive teams, more star laden teams and teams with more individual higher ceilings... but this lot the last 9 weeks is different.

Anywhere anytime feels more real.

The lid is still on. Never mind that - but this lot is a bit different.

Its further from a team full of a champions than ive seen in a long time.

I always remember Lingy talking about the love and care they had for each other as teammates... and I reckon that is back in a big genuine way.

Go Catters

 

[catstragic]

New game style is basically made for finals. Built around grinding contest after contest until we get it clear, with lightning ball movement when in possession. Best chance at a GF win in a decade.

 

[And_ROOS]

Finals is where I judge this team. Everything else is irrelevant. We have had great seasons where we finish 1st and bottle finals.
Seasons where we are comfortably in 2nd and 3rd and bottle finals.

This team is more fun to watch this year. And we have shown we can beat strong teams without Stewart which is massive because last year that wasn't the case.

But until we bury the finals bottlers tag, the lid is well and truly staying on.

 

[standupand]

The big difference I noticed in this team from Sat night was how well our midfield were doing the simple things.

So often in the past few years I've just thought our skills especially by hand just haven't been up to scratch. Even when we were winning.

But the number of lightning quick precise handballs through traffic, with vision, under serious pressure, to running teammates on Sat has me thinking this year may be a bit different.

Let's hope we see it at that time of the year.