Preview 2023 Pre-Season discussion

[Jumping Jack]

Cats will have plenty of cap space. There’s a few blokes out of contract and we’ll get a deal done if TDK wants to join SDK.

Tuohy Stanley Ceglar out of contract from memory. Recall there being others …. Smith?

List and cap management has been elite.


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[Kitcat]

I mean we could get it done with a R1 (if he has a really good year it might cost that and a player) but that would leave us with no picks until the 90s.
The question is whether hes worth that-the ruck merry go round will be on so there will be cheaper trade options (ala lloyd meek last yr).
Its more whether we should get TDK not whether we can.

We need a young ruckman, he looks like a good bloke which is an essential attribute for the club (and me and I expect for a lot on this board) as culture is a difficult thing to build but easy to lose, we could offer a future first as we want to be in this draft, a lot depends on how he goes this season, but I expect the club will be looking at developing his potential, as Carlton don’t get the best out of their talent.
Plus it helps in keeping SDK.

 

[Pure_Ownage]

Any specifics as to why? People go mute whenever I ask this question.

CHAWKTS said he was showing something... Not one specific as to what though.

At least he said a few things that Dempsey actually had done... and if he is taking strong contested marks willy-nilly and kicking goals on Stewart then maybe there's more of a chance of us finding a spot for him than I initially thought this year.

What i like about tanner is his footy IQ, i know thats an overused cliche but he doesnt look rushed with the ball, makes good decisions, very smart footballer. Thats a transferable AFL trait that i rate. If im proved wrong i will wear it but i think he will do very well with us.

For the record the little of what i saw of dempsey in the vfl last year-while he didnt have an afl ready body he seems to have a similar footy iq.

What will make it harder for dempsey is our three small fwds are very critical to the side and young and i cant see him getting their spot, and while hawk is out that spot is more likely to be filled by a tall fwd/ruck option (such as neale). So that only really leaves rohans spot. Yes dempsey could take it but rohans defensive pressure helps the side a lot so thats an area dempsey would need to convince the coaches of.

Conversely we have a lot of key midfield types over 30 (danger, guthrie, duncan, blicavs, smith, tuohy plus menegola) compared to the young small fwds. And so i think holmes and bruhn (who are our 2 most blue chip mid prospects imo) have an easier route into the side (in the short term) than dempsey does. That said i do think dempsey is good enough and if hes patient for a year or two and improves he is a good chance to make it.

 

[Pure_Ownage]

Cats will have plenty of cap space. There’s a few blokes out of contract and we’ll get a deal done if TDK wants to join SDK.

Tuohy Stanley Ceglar out of contract from memory. Recall there being others …. Smith?

List and cap management has been elite.


Sent from my iPhone using BigFooty.com

Of the older guys blicavs menegola hawkins stanley tuohy ceglar rohan are all ooc.
The first 4 are free agents.
Obviously blitz will stay but some of the others might retire and it will open up cap space as will sav likely going.
So it gives us room to target free agents and value trades.

 

[Farmer2Goggin]

I mean we could get it done with a R1 (if he has a really good year it might cost that and a player) but that would leave us with no picks until the 90s.
The question is whether hes worth that-the ruck merry go round will be on so there will be cheaper trade options (ala lloyd meek last yr).
Its more whether we should get TDK not whether we can.

Let’s see how Conway develops this year- could surprise if he manages to improve his endurance…….

 

[CHAWKTS]

What i like about tanner is his footy IQ, i know thats an overused cliche but he doesnt look rushed with the ball, makes good decisions, very smart footballer. Thats a transferable AFL trait that i rate. If im proved wrong i will wear it but i think he will do very well with us.

For the record the little of what i saw of dempsey in the vfl last year-while he didnt have an afl ready body he seems to have a similar footy iq.

What will make it harder for dempsey is our three small fwds are very critical to the side and young and i cant see him getting their spot, and while hawk is out that spot is more likely to be filled by a tall fwd/ruck option (such as neale). So that only really leaves rohans spot. Yes dempsey could take it but rohans defensive pressure helps the side a lot so thats an area dempsey would need to convince the coaches of.

Conversely we have a lot of key midfield types over 30 (danger, guthrie, duncan, blicavs, smith, tuohy plus menegola) compared to the young small fwds. And so i think holmes and bruhn (who are our 2 most blue chip mid prospects imo) have an easier route into the side (in the short term) than dempsey does. That said i do think dempsey is good enough and if hes patient for a year or two and improves he is a good chance to make it.

https://resources.geelongcats.com.au/photo-resources/2023/01/16/dec96271-fc3e-4eb9-8086-9fb4850c7fd6/Ollie-Dempsey-in-action-at-Geelong-Cats-training.jpg?width=2128&height=1200

not sure if this photo link works - but from the main article on geelong cats today. The photo hit me in terms of how young he looks!! Makes me feel both very old and a little sad making comments about a boy!! But shows he still has lots of development to come physical maturity wise (backing up the draft story of a late grower). Saw he has put on 2cm and 6kg since drafted which suggests might keep developing for 1-2 more years.

I am coming to the view that for him (and Mitch and Toby in particular) a year in the VFL will actually be better for their development and long term success. Frankly same could be said for Tanner and Ollie H who are just a year older (although more physically developed). I would rather them have “2nd year blues” (really just a levelling off relative to hype!) out of the spotlight in what I think will be a good VFL side in 2023.

From the look of this photo he and the others are 2-3 years off the rapid climb toward peak (5-7 years away). Patience (for me) needed

 

[Pure_Ownage]

Let’s see how Conway develops this year- could surprise if he manages to improve his endurance…….

I agree...i like conways traits but he needs a tank. 2024 and onwards is his time.

Look even if conway is bankable you need 2-3 rucks on a list-stanley and ceglar might be gone by 2024 and blitz will be pushing 33 so we will be still needing to bring in another ruck to support conway anyway. A ruck like tdk who can also play fwd and in another positions might be good because they can give us a 1-2 punch without blocking conways path long term.

 

[Phipppppa]

Does anyone know when open trainings are starting back up again?

 

[Drunkcat]

What i like about tanner is his footy IQ, i know thats an overused cliche but he doesnt look rushed with the ball, makes good decisions, very smart footballer. Thats a transferable AFL trait that i rate. If im proved wrong i will wear it but i think he will do very well with us.

For the record the little of what i saw of dempsey in the vfl last year-while he didnt have an afl ready body he seems to have a similar footy iq.

What will make it harder for dempsey is our three small fwds are very critical to the side and young and i cant see him getting their spot, and while hawk is out that spot is more likely to be filled by a tall fwd/ruck option (such as neale). So that only really leaves rohans spot. Yes dempsey could take it but rohans defensive pressure helps the side a lot so thats an area dempsey would need to convince the coaches of.

Conversely we have a lot of key midfield types over 30 (danger, guthrie, duncan, blicavs, smith, tuohy plus menegola) compared to the young small fwds. And so i think holmes and bruhn (who are our 2 most blue chip mid prospects imo) have an easier route into the side (in the short term) than dempsey does. That said i do think dempsey is good enough and if hes patient for a year or two and improves he is a good chance to make it.

This will not be good enough for D BRIDGE a few have tried but it is never enough.

 

[Harry Taylor 7]

Can confirm that TDK is very much is the crosshairs of Geelong's list management team. They've liked him for some years and before SDK was drafted.

The Cats actually made a significant play for Curnow (as a couple of other clubs did). What that had the benefit of doing though was it blew Curnow's asking price sky high after the Blues had already re-signed Walsh and McKay to significant longer term deals. And it's widely known that the Blues also have a few other fat contracts they need to sit under their cap. So what that does is place them under a large amount of cap pressure to retain the likes of TDK and I think we're seeing that already with TDK's manager putting off contract talks until later this season ........ we all know how that normally plays out and it's a handy stalling tactic by players.

All I know is that there's TDK and one from another club who are the primary two targets at other clubs coming out of contract. The connection with a brother at Geelong / the family spending most of their time down the surfcoast / and the lure of the coastal lifestyle will all help. TDK is spotted very regularly on the surfcoast.

unsure of SDK, but TDK goes for the blues himself before he was drafted there. that could mean that he sacrifices pay for his childhood club. time will tell.

 

[Jumping Jack]

unsure of SDK, but TDK goes for the blues himself before he was drafted there. that could mean that he sacrifices pay for his childhood club. time will tell.

Pretty sure the whole family were Carlton - including SDK. But I think the pull of all being together and being based on the coast might have just as much appeal. Players lose the love for the environment pretty quickly if they're not getting games, and see large chunks of money being paid to other players on the list. Things have changed in the last 5 years - these younger kids coming through are very impatient and they know they've got to make the most of it while they can. Loyalty is still a factor, but nowhere near what it was in years gone by.

Would be more confident if the old man didn't keep wearing a Carlton top around. Maybe it's putting out some show of support for TDK

 

[goyoucatters]

Im not sure he ever really played half back for the falcons so it might just be a case of needing time to learn that spot.
We do have a lot of over 30 mids (hello danger duncan guthrie menegola blitz smith) who will go in the next 2-3 years but i agree bowes bruhn and clark and holmes will be preferred in there ahead of him.

If hes got good closing speed and aggression (why i suspect he does) i wouldnt be surprised to see him as a lockdown small defender in the vfl..bews will be 30 this year and we dont have an obvious replacement in that position (now that atkins is a mid not a defender) so that could be his way into the team.

Will certainly be interesting to see. Showed some really promising signs in the early stages last year. His precise left foot coming off the half-back line could be devastating if he can put it all together.

IWWT.

 

[CHAWKTS]

Does anyone know when open trainings are starting back up again?

24th jan in the morning is the next one I think

 

[allrighty]

We need a young ruckman, he looks like a good bloke which is an essential attribute for the club (and me and I expect for a lot on this board) as culture is a difficult thing to build but easy to lose, we could offer a future first as we want to be in this draft, a lot depends on how he goes this season, but I expect the club will be looking at developing his potential, as Carlton don’t get the best out of their talent.
Plus it helps in keeping SDK.

SDK is a future captain IMO

 

[Kobe Gryant]

https://resources.geelongcats.com.au/photo-resources/2023/01/16/dec96271-fc3e-4eb9-8086-9fb4850c7fd6/Ollie-Dempsey-in-action-at-Geelong-Cats-training.jpg?width=2128&height=1200

not sure if this photo link works - but from the main article on geelong cats today. The photo hit me in terms of how young he looks!! Makes me feel both very old and a little sad making comments about a boy!! But shows he still has lots of development to come physical maturity wise (backing up the draft story of a late grower). Saw he has put on 2cm and 6kg since drafted which suggests might keep developing for 1-2 more years.

I am coming to the view that for him (and Mitch and Toby in particular) a year in the VFL will actually be better for their development and long term success. Frankly same could be said for Tanner and Ollie H who are just a year older (although more physically developed). I would rather them have “2nd year blues” (really just a levelling off relative to hype!) out of the spotlight in what I think will be a good VFL side in 2023.

From the look of this photo he and the others are 2-3 years off the rapid climb toward peak (5-7 years away). Patience (for me) needed

Agree with the VFL side comment. If we can keep a relatively healthy list we should have a good mix of youth and experience running through there every week. Should hold us in good stead and I'd expect a pretty high ladder position considering the talent in that side. Plus the added intel from the arriving Casey coach, who have had a good system for a number of years.

I'd honestly say this is our deepest list since the dynasty years and the best youth we've had since the early 2000s. It's an unbelievable time to be a Cats supporter at the moment!!

 

[Jhye Clark 13]

Does someone have access to this?

Geelong Advertiser

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www.geelongadvertiser.com.au

 

[Shadow89]

Does someone have access to this?

Geelong Advertiser

No Cookies

www.geelongadvertiser.com.au

Partner's uni library account to the rescue!


"Man-mountain Shannon Neale has firmed as most likely to slot in alongside Jeremy Cameron in Geelong’s forward line to start the season as star veteran Tom Hawkins continues injury rehab.
The Cats face the rare scenario of starting the 2023 campaign without either of Hawkins or the retired Joel Selwood, the great full-forward only just ramping up his fitness after off-season foot surgery.

Geelong is not short of options to pair with Cameron upfront, with recruit Ollie Henry and swingman Esava Ratugolea capable of playing out of the goalsquare, while qualifying final hero Gary Rohan remains a marking target.

But 203cm giant Neale could get first crack after training alongside Cameron and Rohan in the early stages of pre-season.

The West Australian, 20, played as the focal point of Geelong’s VFL side for most of 2022 and provided a strong marking target, while pinch-hitting in the ruck when needed.

He made his AFL debut in round 11 against Adelaide and showed a willingness to fly for his marks.

Neale was then subbed on for Rhys Stanley against Port Adelaide in round 19 and played in the ruck for the second half of that game.

“(Neale has) got a great opportunity at the moment with big Hawk working through his rehab. He is getting some experience with Jeremy Cameron and Gary Rohan and the bigger guys down there and being the main target, along with our big fellas,” Geelong head of development Matthew Egan told the club website.

“He came back from pre-season in ripping shape and into his third year at the moment he is free to go, he is getting a lot of the training in.

“(He is) an amazing athlete, his ability to play tall and he has developed his body so he is strong enough to play on anyone but he can also get right up the ground and play sort of a third hybrid tall as well.

“It’s an exciting place he is in, his markings are really strong and he dominated some games in the VFL (last) year, so he’d be looking to progress as best he can this year and he is in a really good place at the moment.”

Egan also said top-10 draftee Jhye Clark was spending some time training at half-back, as well as his customary position as an inside midfielder."

 

[St Francis of Kardinia]

Will be interesting viewing to see how up for grabs the starting 22 and game plan is- a certain spirit of regeneration and dare which felt new in 2022 appeared a turning point- will be interesting if we try consolidate being number one side under premiership formula of last year- or we again go back to the drawing board and let the best 23 version of the team manifest

Out of the GF 22 (with Selwood and Holmes cancelling each other out) I’d love to see games into Parfit, Neale, Bruhn, Bowes, Henry, Clarke, Simpson - that’s not including others that may surprise

If I had to create a list of players who are most fragile in our 22 I’d say the below (Miers only because I have Stengle and close above- he was excellent in finals)

O’Connor
Zuthrie
Rohan
Kolo
Touhey
Smith
Miers
Atkins

 

[D BRIDGE]

This will not be good enough for D BRIDGE a few have tried but it is never enough.

Correct.

 

[Farmer2Goggin]

Partner's uni library account to the rescue!


"Man-mountain Shannon Neale has firmed as most likely to slot in alongside Jeremy Cameron in Geelong’s forward line to start the season as star veteran Tom Hawkins continues injury rehab.
The Cats face the rare scenario of starting the 2023 campaign without either of Hawkins or the retired Joel Selwood, the great full-forward only just ramping up his fitness after off-season foot surgery.

Geelong is not short of options to pair with Cameron upfront, with recruit Ollie Henry and swingman Esava Ratugolea capable of playing out of the goalsquare, while qualifying final hero Gary Rohan remains a marking target.

But 203cm giant Neale could get first crack after training alongside Cameron and Rohan in the early stages of pre-season.

The West Australian, 20, played as the focal point of Geelong’s VFL side for most of 2022 and provided a strong marking target, while pinch-hitting in the ruck when needed.

He made his AFL debut in round 11 against Adelaide and showed a willingness to fly for his marks.

Neale was then subbed on for Rhys Stanley against Port Adelaide in round 19 and played in the ruck for the second half of that game.

“(Neale has) got a great opportunity at the moment with big Hawk working through his rehab. He is getting some experience with Jeremy Cameron and Gary Rohan and the bigger guys down there and being the main target, along with our big fellas,” Geelong head of development Matthew Egan told the club website.

“He came back from pre-season in ripping shape and into his third year at the moment he is free to go, he is getting a lot of the training in.

“(He is) an amazing athlete, his ability to play tall and he has developed his body so he is strong enough to play on anyone but he can also get right up the ground and play sort of a third hybrid tall as well.

“It’s an exciting place he is in, his markings are really strong and he dominated some games in the VFL (last) year, so he’d be looking to progress as best he can this year and he is in a really good place at the moment.”

Egan also said top-10 draftee Jhye Clark was spending some time training at half-back, as well as his customary position as an inside midfielder."

Wow , that really gets the juices flowing
All those attributes and still only a kitten at 20 years of age , Neale and SDK could be our bookends for the next incarnation of this great team.

 

[BIGANT]

 

[jim boy]

With Daisy Pearce quitting playing, she should be joining the coaching panel soon - no idea what her role will be though.

 

[Pure_Ownage]

View attachment 1588565

Stanley and ceglar off the track this week (old age management?) Would be the only reason rata in ruck as he is a defender.

Very happy with clark and knevitt news.

 

[Pure_Ownage]

Wow , that really gets the juices flowing
All those attributes and still only a kitten at 20 years of age , Neale and SDK could be our bookends for the next incarnation of this great team.

If neale signs.

 

[Gunf]

Will be interesting viewing to see how up for grabs the starting 22 and game plan is- a certain spirit of regeneration and dare which felt new in 2022 appeared a turning point- will be interesting if we try consolidate being number one side under premiership formula of last year- or we again go back to the drawing board and let the best 23 version of the team manifest

Out of the GF 22 (with Selwood and Holmes cancelling each other out) I’d love to see games into Parfit, Neale, Bruhn, Bowes, Henry, Clarke, Simpson - that’s not including others that may surprise

If I had to create a list of players who are most fragile in our 22 I’d say the below (Miers only because I have Stengle and close above- he was excellent in finals)

O’Connor
Zuthrie
Rohan
Kolo
Touhey
Smith
Miers
Atkins

Out of all the ones you listed as fragile i would only really have O'Connor/Rohan/Touhey and Smith as fragile the later 3 due to age.

Kolo Atkins Zuthrie and Miers all proved towards the end of the year and especially in finals that they are the opposite of fragile and others would need to push them out.

I could see us rotating a lot of older players this year and them actually accepting (lets be real before last year most would rather die than rest) it easier compared to before last year with the monkey that is the GF win off the back which could see plenty of games for the kittens and fringe player to make a case for themselves.