Review Geelong whip Eagles by 93 points to secure Top 4 spot

[CatToTheFuture]

But really 2023 and moreso 2024 we already say the decline of our veterans. Sure the big three - Cameron, Stewart and Dangerfield - may drop off a little but one of those only plays half a season anyway and the other two have run hot and cold in 2024. The rest have already reached their "geriatric guy just holding on" stage.

So in theory plenty of players 26 or younger could keep improving to give you a net gain in performance. Especially consistency. It's not guaranteed but it's not a silly idea either. Especially if Smith comes over and hits the ground running. All you need is a couple more to breakout and the team is in a good place.

Yeah it's far enough out anything could happen, but Dangerfield and Stewart being in form was basically an on/off switch for us this year. There's a fair degree of risk there

 

[catters05]

So now that David King thinks we are going out in straight sets, I feel more optimistic about finals.

 

[Vdubs]

I wouldn't over think it. They kicked 2 goals to half time and we went into injury prevention mode

And 2 missing on bench rotations

 

[Badtemperedbadger]

We need the dogs or carlton to lose tomorrow so the late game isnt a dead rubber for freo.

If GWS beat dogs by literally a few points or more we can’t get second.
Ideally we need dogs to win, Freo to win by about three goals or more and we can finish second.
Potentially we can also finish third so need GWS and Port to lose (Port by three plus goals) otherwise we’re travelling to port or GWS for our first final if only one of GWS or Port win.
Personally I would rather finish fourth.

 

[Vdubs]

So now that David King thinks we are going out in straight sets, I feel more optimistic about finals.

Interesting we used to be smashed up in first quarters for several finals, now our first halves are great, but we die in 3rd quarters

 

[Mr Meow]

Yeah it's far enough out anything could happen, but Dangerfield and Stewart being in form was basically an on/off switch for us this year. There's a fair degree of risk there

That's why I don't project too much, there's a million variables at play for every single club each season. You've picked out whether the form or fitness of Dangerfield or Stewart holds up, but:

-What if Bowes and Bruhn bring their best form of 2024, but apply it to 80-90% of games instead of 35%?
-What if Holmes improves kicking/decision making and cements himself as an actual star of the competition?
-Can Dempsey become an A grader?
-Will Conway's body hold up?
-Will Henry become a sharp shooter again and put it all together?
-Will the older Henry have a career best season?
-Will SDK reach his AA potential? Zuthrie another step up to join him?
-What will Neale look like with 20 games under his belt?
-Will Clark's body and composure advance enough to make him a competitive terrier who doesn't get brushed aside?
-Are there more surprise packages?
-Will Smith transform our midfield? Is Holmes ready to move inside next to him and give us a new dynamic duo?
-What moves will Scott make to optimise the group?
-Can Cameron have a Hawkins 2022 type mega season at full forward?

So many factors.

 

[Kobe Gryant]

Will Smith transform our midfield?

 

[BigCat1]

Leaving at half time the past two weeks is looking sicker and sicker.

Actually makes me annoyed.

Deep down I know we aren’t a premiership team but we’d also beat all these interstate teams at home. What a riddle

 

[CHAWKTS]

That's why I don't project too much, there's a million variables at play for every single club each season. You've picked out whether the form or fitness of Dangerfield or Stewart holds up, but:

-What if Bowes and Bruhn bring their best form of 2024, but apply it to 80-90% of games instead of 35%?
-What if Holmes improves kicking/decision making and cements himself as an actual star of the competition?
-Can Dempsey become an A grader?
-Will Conway's body hold up?
-Will Henry become a sharp shooter again and put it all together?
-Will the older Henry have a career best season?
-Will SDK reach his AA potential? Zuthrie another step up to join him?
-What will Neale look like with 20 games under his belt?
-Will Clark's body and composure advance enough to make him a competitive terrier who doesn't get brushed aside?
-Are there more surprise packages?
-Will Smith transform our midfield? Is Holmes ready to move inside next to him and give us a new dynamic duo?
-What moves will Scott make to optimise the group?
-Can Cameron have a Hawkins 2022 type mega season at full forward?

So many factors.

Good post.

To be fair I think we go into next year in same or better position that this year…

The players we either lose or wont impact (2E, Duncan, Hawkins, Rohan) frankly didn’t really help us get top 4 this year - and all have better (2024 version) replacements. Blitz might fall off that cliff or slide down and could be like 2E/Duncan from 2024 - useful but not essential.

Danger won’t be better but every chance he does the same as he has done for 3 years now - play very well in bursts. At some stage he falls off but I am not overly worried about next year and expect he will play forward a lot more. Stanly wont be able to do what he has done last few games all year but Toby (or back up) should be better.

And then if you were a betting man a lot of our best 22 for 2024 are on the upswing and should be better (Holmes, Dempsey, both Henrys, Bruhn, Humprhies, SDK, Scratcher) or at least no go backwards (miers, close, stengle, kolo, Jezza). then we add Smith.

So that is 14 of our best 22 who should get better either by a lot or a little. And our three champs don’t have to fall of the cliff. Before working out who the Dempsey/Humpries from 2024 or Holmes/SDK from 2022 will be

 

[Heckler]

Cats to finish 3rd at worst
Play Port at home or away
There are no easy games
Team in best form will win
Cats have double chance
All Cats need is a little luck
First Saints then Freo win

 

[Generalissimo]

He played alot better in the backline position than SDK has all year. Held his marks, attacked the ball and really shored up that defensive half as the General there.

He has his limitations. Sometimes his disposal is comically bad. But nobody in their right mind could accuse Blicavs of ball-watching, which is unfortunately a criticism SDK often leaves himself open to.

 

[BORIS332]

Duncan IS cooked, but I'll be giving him the chance to stand up in his last finals (I assume) and rekindle some kind of form, before I decide to take him out the back.
A somewhat in form Duncan changes our chances dramatically.

That's insane. He's been ordinary all year, you don't risk losing a final in the hope he finds form.

 

[Biggy_Boy]

Is there something to the fact we've gone to sleep at HT two games in a row now? Both games we looked a million bucks in the first half, and then ordinary the next. Didn't really mean much yesterday because we flogged them so severely in the first, and WCE are a poor side, but ultimately despite being so poor they beat us in the second half.

The Saints, a much better side, took advantage and enacted a 51-point turnaround after HT. Don't have the trip back from Perth excuse this week either.

 

[CHAWKTS]

Am I a bad person when I felt joy at a Port player having a medium term injury?

 

[CatToTheFuture]

Am I a bad person when I felt joy at a Port player having a medium term injury?

Yes

 

[CHAWKTS]

I agree but with SDK back I can’t see Blitz staying back (given Stanley I think has done enough to stay number 1 ruck?). Then the question is where does blitz play as I would much prefer a Danger/Stewart/Bruhn/Bowes rotation with Atkins and Holmes…Cant find room for Blitz inside.

In theory he should be great on the wing (with Dempsey on the other side). but I don’t think it has worked? They have played it a lot early in the season…

I thought Blicavs was done at times this year as a midfielder, but he looks much more settled and useful back home down back. Really important to have him, Henry and Kolo working in sync for the next 5 weeks.

 

[Mr Meow]

That's insane. He's been ordinary all year, you don't risk losing a final in the hope he finds form.

No he hasn't. Duncan's had a poor month, so the MC has to decide if they expect that to continue or for him to find the form he had before then.

 

[Hinkley29]

WC were probably the worst team in living memory at defending against a kick out.

It was laughable how easily we waltzed the footy out of defence after we had a kick in after a point.

There were occasions when there was a break in play and we still had players free on the open side of the ground.

If WC were giving any consideration to signing Schofield as coach their defensive forward setup should be enough to put a hard line through his name.

 

[Balardong]

The port trade had a number of different factors including wce panicking about sheezel and wardlaw (which shouldnt happen here). Reid is also a way better player than jhf.

On the rest if lawson tracks the way i think he will by 2026 i wouldnt give him up.
But we wont be able to get reid without giving up someone we dont want to.

Fwiw they would want 2-3 1sts humphries and neale and im not sure list wise that we can afford to give shannon up.
Id try to do it without trading either of those 2 but then you would need a 3rd/4th club involved.

Lawson and Nic Nat were poster boys for WCE on bus stops around Perth a few years ago. Funny how the wheel turns

 

[CatToTheFuture]

Lawson and Nic Nat were poster boys for WCE on bus stops around Perth a few years ago. Funny how the wheel turns

Oh my God I want to use that as my new profile picture. Might have to find a higher resolution shot of his face

 

[My Tilly]

Might have to find a higher resolution shot of his face

Just find one of Scarlett with short hair

 

[CatToTheFuture]

Just find one of Scarlett with short hair

Well my current is a face merge of the two

 

[Freomaniac]

So now that David King thinks we are going out in straight sets, I feel more optimistic about finals.

If Cats Beat Port on Thursday, I will load up on Cats for the flag.

Saying that... Cats got 15 wins, 8 losses and top 4. Cats could of got top 2 or even minor premiers had they won 2 or 3 more close games.

I posted this before and will post this Again.

Cats last season in 2023 wasnt a terrible side. Sure they got 10 wins, 12 losses and a draw. Last season it was 2 or 3 wins seperating 5th to 14th.

Cats could of won 2 or 3 more close games last season and would of got a spot between 5th to 8th.

And yes you dont need to remind me how even the ladder was this season in the top half.