2014 - is this the year Geelong finally falls?

[Biggy_Boy]

Will any players retire this year in your opinion?

I don't think they'll retire in the middle of the year, so can't see it having an impact this year if they do. As this thread pertains to whether Geelong will fall in 2014, I hardly think retirement announcements made at the end of the year are relevant.

The whole "old and slow" thing is funny, though. We've been hearing it since, what, 2009? Usually just something opposition fans throw out after losing to Geelong once again to feel better about themselves and try to get something up on us. Yeah, yeah, your youth will be brilliant, whilst our old vets will all simultaneously fall in a heap, causing us to slide to the bottom of the ladder. I've heard it so many times.

 

[Herne Hill Hammer]

Will be up there again, if for no other reason than there just aren't many other teams that are going to go past them.

Tiges, North, Crows, Swans, Pies all look ordinary so far.

For Geelong to go down, someone has to go up and not sure who that's gonna be. Port, Eagles, Dons maybe but are they better than Geelong?

After originally posting in this thread before the season that they'd struggle around the bottom of the 8 or there abouts, we've now had 2 rounds go by and I agree completely with what you've posted.

Teams have to a fair bit of improving to do to get above them. Port might, but they were already finalists from last year so not really counting them. Essendon possibly but I'm scratching my head to think of who else.

Carlton are have been no good for a few years and are treading water, Tiges are treading too unfortunately. North, well who knows?

 

[Leliana]

Geelong are too old and slow, just like the Hawks were in 1991 . Write off champion teams at your peril, the cats will contend this year yet again. The old "they'll drop off adage" will be rolled out next season after they've gone deep in finals.

Really looking at the teams around this year, there are not very many "contenders" who will knock them out of the top part of the ladder. Hawks, Freo will challenge them, after that maybe Port and Dons. After that not a lot to look at.

 

[romeoh]

The Geelong young blokes didn't impress today at all. The old fella's (again) got you over the line with out a doubt.

And thank goodness for that. I am not sure you appreciate how good those 'old fellas' are Dom. You try and be a young guy getting a kick when Stevie J is around! All these years and they have played in so many finals that they have virtually played an extra season and it hasn't slowed them. What a wonder. Watch an enjoy and be glad you can still see such talent on display. And no need for you to fret about our youngsters. They'll be fine learning from the masters.

 

[Sttew]

The Geelong young blokes didn't impress today at all. The old fella's (again) got you over the line with out a doubt.

The conditions today so utterly shite I'm surprised anyone from Geelong impressed.

Great to see Varcoe back in some form, and Murdoch held his own.

 

[RegHickeyStand]

Guthrie is under-rated because he takes on defensive non-glamorous roles. His job on Rioli in the prelim last year was brilliant. Roughie lays him out around the end if the 3rd quarter (?) and Rioli skips away and the rest is history. Real turning point that.

He is a young gun for sure. Very poised, very good decision making.

 

[Boxhead_31]

Guthrie is under-rated because he takes on defensive non-glamorous roles. His job on Rioli in the prelim last year was brilliant. Roughie lays him out around the end if the 3rd quarter (?) and Rioli skips away and the rest is history. Real turning point that.

He is a young gun for sure. Very poised, very good decision making.

After a few years we finally have our replacement for Ling, with the added bonus that Guthrie has very nice skills and composure

 

[Hodgepodge]

Top 5 disposal averages at Geelong are still the old guys, with the exception of Selwood. This probably has to change soon.

As a way of comparison, the top 5 disposal averages at Hawthorn this year are all 26 or under, with the exception of Burgoyne.

Burgoyne
Smith
Shiels
Hill
Birchall

 

[100action]

True. Brisbane youngsters were as bad as there veterans.

Mayes, Zorko, Aish and Taylor were all impressive. Performed much better than Horlin-Smith, Guthrie and Murdoch.

 

[vealesy]

Top 5 disposal averages at Geelong are still the old guys, with the exception of Selwood. This probably has to change soon.

As a way of comparison, the top 5 disposal averages at Hawthorn this year are all 26 or under, with the exception of Burgoyne.

Burgoyne
Smith
Shiels
Hill
Birchall

And if Mitchell played Id sit here and tell you your two highest are old.

Its round 2.

Id rather Johnson and Selwood and Kelly be firing than any youngsters.

 

[Hodgepodge]

And if Mitchell played Id sit here and tell you your two highest are old.

Maybe, maybe not.
Lewis was playing both games as well, so it's impressive that there is enough spread that the older guys don't dominate the possessions for Hawthorn.

 

[Leliana]

Its a good thing that the old, aged top 5 ball winners haven't retired yet! Fancy complaining about them having an old list this year, afterall these old bastards may end up retiring at the end of the year, but may win the flag before it!

 

[Biggy_Boy]

Top 5 disposal averages at Geelong are still the old guys, with the exception of Selwood. This probably has to change soon.

As a way of comparison, the top 5 disposal averages at Hawthorn this year are all 26 or under, with the exception of Burgoyne.

Burgoyne
Smith
Shiels
Hill
Birchall

You're making your argument based on states from two games. One of which didn't feature Mitchell, neither featured Sewell, and Hodge missed half of one.

 

[Bobby_]

Mayes, Zorko, Aish and Taylor were all impressive. Performed much better than Horlin-Smith, Guthrie and Murdoch.

Murdoch had 18 touches, 7 tackles and kicked 2 goals while setting up another one, What did Aish do?

 

[Hodgepodge]

You're making your argument based on states from two games. One of which didn't feature Mitchell, neither featured Sewell, and Hodge missed half of one.

And yet we're still 2-0, showing little reliance on our ageing midfielders.

Which takes me to my original point, that Geelong are still leaning on their ageing stars.

 

[Hodgepodge]

Murdoch had 18 touches, 7 tackles and kicked 2 goals while setting up another one, What did Aish do?

Murdoch's 22 years old, Aish is still 18. Don't bother comparing them, you'll end up losing again.

 

[Biggy_Boy]

And yet we're still 2-0, showing little reliance on our ageing midfielders.

Which takes me to my original point, that Geelong are still leaning on their ageing stars.

And yet we're still 2-0.

 

[Jimmy Yamazaki]

Top 5 disposal averages at Geelong are still the old guys, with the exception of Selwood. This probably has to change soon.

As a way of comparison, the top 5 disposal averages at Hawthorn this year are all 26 or under, with the exception of Burgoyne.

Burgoyne
Smith
Shiels
Hill
Birchall

Mitchell is your best player though.

 

[cats_09]

Mayes, Zorko, Aish and Taylor were all impressive. Performed much better than Horlin-Smith, Guthrie and Murdoch.

Your comparing a player who was introduced to the game with just over a quarter to go and in 23% of game time accumulated 9 disposals, 2 marks, 2 goals & a tackle, to 4 players who played 4 quarters?

Berwick came on as sub earlier, had 33% game time and ended up with 4 disposals, 1 mark, 1 goal & 1 tackle.

How about we compare the subs from the match and ask which one performed better and had a better impact for their team?

 

[a mayes ing]

Nice definition of "kids" there.

Zorko is 25 years old. For comparison, so is Joel Selwood.

Strange to compare any of those to GHS who was a sub and only played a little over a quarter. I think 9 touches and 2 goals in that time was pretty good, though, personally.

Taylor was not really impressive at all. Too small and didn't use the ball well (Went at 47% disposal).

Aish is a complete jet and Mayes was very good but not sure how you can think Murdoch (18 touches (11 contested), 7 tackles and 2 goals as a half forward) didn't have a good game.

Murdoch was comfortably better than Aish today (Who I rate very highly and have money on for Rising Star).

1. 1. Zorko is in his 3rd year. Selwood is in his (7th, dunno total guess). Zorks is doing pretty well for his 3rd year and is only going to get better whereas Selwood has reached his ceiling imo.
2. 2. Taylor was in his 1st full AFL game and, imo, has shown plenty. Very quick hands, tries hard all day, and is forming a very good mosquito fleet with Green and Zorko. Saying he is “too small” is short-sighted and laughable. Look at Boomer Harvey, Taylor reminds me a lot of him.
3. 3. Mayes has more than a “very good” game, probably in the top 5 BOG or both sides with his 4 goals and good DE. Murdoch had a pretty good game as well. However, you can’t compare Murdoch with Aish as it was only his 2nd game.
4. 4. If l was going to say who has a better future, l would have to say Lions. There were 8 of our players who were 21 or younger, with Geelong only having 4. We also weren’t supported by multiple premiership winning players on every line. But l wouldn’t see an opposition supporter agreeing with us having a better future so we will have to wait and see. I see us looking at finals maybe next year or the year after.

 

[Bobby_]

4. 4. If l was going to say who has a better future, l would have to say Lions. There were 8 of our players who were 21 or younger, with Geelong only having 4.

Where's your forwards?
You still have no replacement for Brown as far I know. At least Geelong have 2 very likely types in Kersten and Vardy who both, coincidentally, happen to be injured at the moment.

Geelong was also missing Christensen and Motlop, those two are important to our structure and would also be top 10 at the club. To suggest Brisbane have the better future based on nothing more than having 8 blokes under 21 is pretty rich I think. It's been how many years into the re-build for Brisbane now? Seems like a good 6-7 years and they still lurking outside the eight while making no genuine in-roads over than long stretch.

 

[a mayes ing]

Where's your forwards?
You still have no replacement for Brown as far I know. At least Geelong have 2 very likely types in Kersten and Vardy who both, coincidentally, happen to be injured at the moment.

Geelong was also missing Christensen and Motlop, those two are important to our structure and would also be top 10 at the club. To suggest Brisbane have the better future based on nothing more than having 8 blokes under 21 is pretty rich I think. It's been how many years into the re-build for Brisbane now? Seems like a good 6-7 years and they still lurking outside the eight while making no genuine in-roads over than long stretch.

If we had a decent forward or two we would probably be in the finals. As such our forward are very young and very raw. Close and Freeman are being groomed atm and Paine has been going all right in the 2nds, so maybe Paine might turn out to be a gem, who knows, but Close and Freeman and the targets atm.

Geelong was missing Christensen, Motlop and Vardy. Brisbane were missing Rocky, McGrath, Staker, McGuane and Harwood. I would say that most of our forward line plus our best midfielder is pretty important for our structure as well.

Our re-build started 2 years ago and we are just starting to no see some positives with our team with some good wins against quality sides. "No genuine in-roads", since our rebuild we have beaten WCE and Essendon when they were both on top of the ladder, Geelong last year and nearly beat u again at your "fortress", which being 2 kicks from the finals last year, (Lester kick to win us the match and the Carlton kick), while also being competetive against the other sides. Our next game against GC will be the test to see if we are getting better, this being against a team around us. I wuld say that is making some "in-roads".

 

[DanA]

Brisbane have had some great draft picks to select some talent but I'd back Geelong to do a better job developing there lot. Track record and all


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[a mayes ing]

Brisbane have had some great draft picks to select some talent but I'd back Geelong to do a better job developing there lot. Track record and all


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Thats a really good point and you may be right, but l feel the fact that Mayes is just getting better by each game makes me believe that our club is on the right track.

 

[DanA]

Maybe, not to sure. The last time many said we'd struggle to make the finals we won the flag. So the terms rebuild and right path can be very subjective.

I think this season Murdoch, Simpson and Horlin-Smith will emerge as quality players and it'll be enough to keep up in contention as we have a really well developed game plan and program. Brisbane has a lot more to do I think but seem on a better path than they were.


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