Review AFL 2nd Semi Final autopsy - North Melbourne defeat Geelong by 6 points

[NakedDeadGuy]

Meh. What the colas will do to the roos next week they would do to us, I think this will make the young blokes hungry. The flogging Norf will cop will set them back.

Straws, clutching at.

 

[betchsta]

It's all good, We've been spoilt with success the last 10 years & it's not something any Geelong supporter should take for granted, Still made the top 4 this year & the younger players have a lot to learn, While it's disappointing, I'm still proud of what the club achieved this year while the team is going through a transition.

 

[Catsace]

our finals record since 2011 to current

1 win

5 losses

Yes....it is five defeats.

In a way it was sort of like the 1980 Prelim....we just never got close enough during the game, and the late comeback failed. As it was, we had over 3 minutes to add to the final scoreline but couldn't. We would have been no match for a rested Sydney so maybe it's better to lose in straight sets and give the club ample time to dissect the weaknesses in the side. Bews must become a fixture as a small defender, and we need more midfield depth. We also need to really make a call on some of the ones on the list for the last 4-5 years who have yet to step up. Seeing Turner and the mop-headed Brown impact the game as 1st year players is telling when we've got 3,4 and 5 year players who have yet to debut or have played very sparingly.

Anyway, we're gawnski now and to be honest, it's probably our standing in the year. Question is, are we officially 5th or 6th?

 

[Teriyakicat]

I know we lost but what was the last quarter like?.

The power decide to crack the shits at the worst time. Our neighbourhood still is running off half power.

We went mental! Had to kick about 6 goals in 8 minutes and fell short by 1'. Went down to the wire. Hawkins kicked 3 in the last

 

[alfy!]

Intangibles matter. You tell me which club went out there tonight and wanted to win right from the first bounce? Plainly obvious it was North.

Hunger is the kind of crap you harp on about when you can't think of anything to say about real football - eg. game plans, execution and results.

 

[troys8]

Let's just accept that we don't have the personnel to win every year.
Remember there are 18 teams in the comp and 6 probably believe they can seriously win it, and 14 believe they can get top 8.
We're obviously sliding down the list of teams who think they can win it, and whilst on our day we can beat any team we still need a bit of luck. During finals we need that for 2-3 weeks though.

Should we then continue thinking we are going to win it, continue playing the older guys and topping up. Or drop down for 2-3 years just play the kids and see what we are like in 2016-7.

Obviously Scott still thought we could make it, but maybe it is time for us to do the whole rebuild like the Bulldogs and start again.
At least we no longer have a comprised draft and can make that decision on our own accord.

But lets just be thankful we have won 3 premierships in the last 7 years. Bloody good effort.

 

[DeanoT]

You know Blics is a spud when they start interviewing Goldstein after a game.

 

[Teriyakicat]

Why play them at all? I think that's the bigger question - Motlop needs to seriously look himself in the mirror after tonight.

I guess it's a mathematical formula or something. 75% x Motlop > 100% Stringer or something like that?

 

[TheWoodenSlug]

I said all week - Murdoch out for McCarthy and GHS as sub. Johnson pulled out so Murdoch got a reprieve, but why make our only decent crumbing/pressuring forward the sub?!? GHS - 10 disposals, Murdoch - 7 and McCarthy 6 in a quarter (including almost a massively important goal).

I'm not one to pretend that I know more than Scott and the match committee, but I thought it was a shit decision to put McCarthy as sub before the game started, and I still do now.

 

[i_need_a_pencil]

Simple result really.

When you line these teams up... North have gone past us. In terms of talent and experience. We just have to many passengers (due to experience imo). I think North may have turned a corner in terms of their balance and experience, which showed us up. Well done to them, wish them success.

I hope this burns the younger players that need to step up, especially the 20-50 games players. Bright side is I'm starting to see a future for Walker and hopefully he does as well!!

 

[footymissionary]

mate i am over the moon we are still making finals.

valid point
i'm happy to rebuild playing and still play final each year.
just point out the stats

 

[Moneypenny]

Oh holy Yeezus, I think we need to consign this year to the rubbish heap and come out of it better for the lessons.

It was a pretty deplorable game for the Cats until about the last 5 minutes. Poor Tom Hawkins, he tries to pull the team on his back and make them come with him and they mess (I wanna to say a word starting with F there) it up. It was handed to them on a plate and they couldn't take it.

I think we need a bit of an outlook change. I know vibe is a dodgy thing to blame but it seems like there's not the voracity to get further into the finals that other teams have, there's no do or die instinct yet. Is it learnt? Or is it innate?

Joel Selwood, Josh Caddy, Tom Hawkins, Corey Enright, Harry Taylor, Tom Lonergan, Jarrad Rivers - they all played with the expected skill, smarts, hunger etc that I would expect. In a way it's instructive to the young guys out there to what level you need to play at least - the baseline is so high. But 7 out of 22 is not going to you win you home and away games, let alone semi finals.

I said jokingly to myself that this is our 2005 Semifinal all over again. In some ways I hope it is. That final broke a lot of hearts and a lot of truths came to light. If this game has that same effect, I will be glad it happened. But only if the young guys take it to heart, learn from the mistakes they made and make sure it makes them better.

I've been pretty defensive and optimistic about our year, and I back the team in on principle that I am their supporter, and that deep down even though they break my heart nothing they could do will really damage that love. Being in it for the long run is usually a fruitless exercise, but you can be sure I'll still be lurking around here, because it's infectious. Hope is infectious. 2015 is not that long away. We get yet another chance to do better! And that's exciting.

 

[Pure_Ownage]

For the record,bar 2-3 players who i am filthy with, i dont think it was effort.it was skill errors,combined with a dose of poor goalkicking.

And you cannot watch tonight and tell me we dont needca ruck,nothing against our two guys who were great but we need one desperately.

There were some positives,hawkins is a beast,caddy wil be a star,duncan is and walker stuck it up his critics tonight and showed he has a future.you can build a side around that.

 

[Teriyakicat]

I said all week - Murdoch out for McCarthy and GHS as sub. Johnson pulled out so Murdoch got a reprieve, but why make our only decent crumbing/pressuring forward the sub?!? GHS - 10 disposals, Murdoch - 7 and McCarthy 6 in a quarter (including almost a massively important goal).

I'm not one to pretend that I know more than Scott and the match committee, but I thought it was a shit decision to put McCarthy as sub before the game started, and I still do now.

How many clearances by George? He did some good stuff.

 

[winty]

Thank you!!
Gotta have a sense of humour around here, don't you?

Yeah, although it can be hard at times.

 

[Catsace]

Watching that mark by Goldstein in the last minute was a bit disappointing. 6 kangas under the ball and not one cat.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Agree there, very deflating to see nobody try and contest that, or at least look like contesting it.

 

[Willo_]

This game summed up our year so much. Frustrating, scrappy, bursts, carried by Selwood and Hawkins.

But some perspective, we have defied the trends and logic to still be up there after so long, believe it or not teams don't just stay up forever and young players can't just plop in and be superstars from day 1. I think I read we had 10 players tonight that were 23 or under... that's huge and those kids will get a hell of a lot more from tonight than some kid playing in 10 goal losses each week for St Kilda.

The margin flattered us and North were clearly the better team tonight but the sun will come up again tomorrow and life will go on. At the start of the year I thought we were about 6-8 and needed everything to go right to go better. We had an awful run with injury and it's no fluke the guys that got hurt at the start of the year were hurt at the end.

And we would have gotten pumped next week if we had won

 

[Whit3y]

first picked apparently.
did u see his running patterns ?

if they picked an all australian team based on running patterns, im sure he would be first picked, and meto is the judge

 

[alfy!]

I guess it's a mathematical formula or something. 75% x Motlop > 100% Stringer or something like that?

Apparently 75% Stevie J is not good enough though? Motlop has to be disappointed in himself.

 

[year of the cat]

Too many passengers. Horlin-Smith, Stokes, Guthrie, Duncan, Murdoch, Motlop were terrible for most of the game.

Changes need to be made. Some hard calls.

Kelly is clearly done. It was only when the pace went out of the game that he came into it. I have grave concerns over Mackie too. Stokes - back to his form of a few years back where he does SFA.

Someone needs to give Guthrie a kick up the arse. I was told from someone within the club that he is arrogant and has tickets on himself. He needs to have a reality check and get back to the player he was earlier this year. Get rid of that excuse for a haircut for a start.

Duncan is another who had a poor finals series after an excellent h&a season. Needs to address that.

I'm not sure about Horlin-Smith. Goes to ground too much. Lacks pace...Brown? Still not sure. Did some nice things but he STILL lacks the intensity required for AFL footy in my opinion.

On the positives - Hawkins, Caddy and Selwood were outstanding. Walker showed a lot. He needs to be persevered with.

I will be interested to see the response from the playing group and the coaching/list management groups.

 

[Willo_]

How many years has Scott got?

Signed an extension this year for a few more. I think you and Biggy boy should strike from bigfooty until he is sacked... we will all support you

 

[alfy!]

This game summed up our year so much. Frustrating, scrappy, bursts, carried by Selwood and Hawkins.

Caddy says hi. Was a brute tonight, unbelievable game.

 

[yeah_nah_yeah]

I was yelling all game...'Hit a bloody target'. Kelly couldnt hit the side of a barn in the first 3 quarters.
Did Murdoch even play? Lincoln showed more in 1 quarter.

Anywho...The Tomahawk is a man mountain....hopefully his talent isnt wasted without more premierships.

So happy for Caddy though. Really showed his worth tonight.

 

[Teriyakicat]

Apparently 75% Stevie J is not good enough though? Motlop has to be disappointed in himself.

I think the risk with SJ was too great- a stress fracture would put him behind for next year, I'd think. Had to avoid that.

 

[The Casey Cat]

Clearly has what it takes to take us forward.

You know that for sure do you? Is a difficult and delicate job he has but my god he has got a lot very wrong the last couple of years and at the worst time of the year.