Review AFL Round 13 - Sydney defeat Geelong by 6 points.

[manboob]

Very true LSP, if it's the end of the 'glory years' so be it. I'd rather this middling performance for a year or two than drop like a sack of shit and take a decade to recover. But for what it's worth I don't think we are cooked. Just had a costly 1/4 at after the bye. Sydney kicked 7 straight or something FFS. I know that our best is the best is the competition. Whether we see it this year is another thing entirely.

 

[manboob]

And for 4 quarters! I mean we goddamn dominated that game after 1/4 time.

 

[ChappyUK]

Not gutted by the loss. Outside of 1st quarter think there were some good signs havent seen in a while.

Only question i have is why does Hawkins have the same kicking style as last year? Surely it should have been worked on over the pre season. I find it a little disturbing from a coaching perspective that nothing's changed.

 

[footscore]

Only question i have is why does Hawkins have the same kicking style as last year? Surely it should have been worked on over the pre season. I find it a little disturbing from a coaching perspective that nothing's changed.

maybe he's going out with a loaded gun?

 

[blue_bear1]

once the siren went I smashed my coffee cup slicing the palm of my hand in the process causing a nasty one inch gash

 

[TeamThatSavedAFL]

I'm confident that we can beat Sydney in a final IF we meet them.

But what's the point of playing two ruckmen (or one for that matter)? If they are there to get hitouts to help win clearances well, we won the hitouts 53-36 yet lost the clearances. Was there a single hitout to advantage that wasn't due to a midfielder going third man up? What's more, they offer little around the ground - between them they had 10 possessions and kept Bundy on the bench for almost three quarters.

 

[catswhiskers]

But what's the point of playing two ruckmen (or one for that matter)? If they are there to get hitouts to help win clearances well, we won the hitouts 53-36 yet lost the clearances. Was there a single hitout to advantage that wasn't due to a midfielder going third man up? What's more, they offer little around the ground - between them they had 10 possessions and kept Bundy on the bench for almost three quarters.

I also think we have Sydney covered - assuming we have no more injuries. As far as i can tell they are at full strength and they will probably have their fair share of injuries sooner or later. Mind you i quite like Sydney so I am not wishing it on them.

To my eye Mumford and Pike were no more effective than ours - and they benefitted from a few frees that were pure invention. Thats not bad - Mumford is the "annointed" with a good three year grounding- Pyke is improving -the Ch7 commentators said so (so it must be true).

Simpson and West have about 30 games all up. They convincingly won the hit outs (even when they knew they could not afford to touch their opponent). The clearances were 41-37 or there abouts. A break even is a win at this stage and more importantly our blokes have much more upside.
I was impressed with West - his approach was different. He was much more attacking. Simpson has that mix of size and attack on the ball that we need with Ottens gone.

This year is like watching the early naughties. We have to play kids to find out which one can and which one can't. It took a while to figure out Clarke, Gardiner and Mccarthy were not quite there but they had a good chance to show what they offered.

Simpson and West need to play.

 

[volcboy]

A lot of posts in here from supporters that seem to have five year memories...

Yes our disposal was poor, but the Swans are a very good side and put a lot of pressure on us for the whole game - easy to do on a tiny ground. The longer the game went the better we looked under this pressure as we ground them down. Our pressure after 1/4 time was also excellent.

Going 5-6 goals down in the first quarter hurt us, because the Swans could then afford to drop 1-2 players back for the remainder of the game. This is why a few disposals later in the game went straight to Swans defenders.

Hawkins' kicking was disappointing, but he marked just about everything and looked the most dangerous forward on the ground for most of the game. I'm old enough to remember tearing my hair out watching Snr kick 5.10 on more than one occasion - give the guy a break.

Yes, Mumford was injured, but West dominated him for most of the game - no positive comments in here for that?

We played better tonight for the last 3 quarters than we have all year IMO. Yes, it was disappointing to lose, but you can't expect to dominate the competition as we have for five years. Maybe this won't be our year (although I haven't given up all hope) but you can see where the hope is for 2013-15. I agree that we should go all out for another quality inside mid (i.e. Boak), but not at the expense of a senior player - that's not the Geelong way.

Glass half full anyone?

 

[CatTricks]

Why is Josh Hunt in the side..

To kick the ball long and precise to clear the zone?

Then why doesn't he ****ing do it!

 

[TeamThatSavedAFL]

Simpson and West have about 30 games all up. They convincingly won the hit outs (even when they knew they could not afford to touch their opponent). The clearances were 41-37 or there abouts. A break even is a win at this stage and more importantly our blokes have much more upside.

This year is like watching the early naughties. We have to play kids to find out which one can and which one can't. It took a while to figure out Clarke, Gardiner and Mccarthy were not quite there but they had a good chance to show what they offered.

Simpson and West need to play.

Fair point. But in a game that was billed by all as an '8-point game' in which a loss sees us go from fighting for a top 4 spot to fighting for a top 8 spot should we really be gifting games to see who can and can't play. Simpson had 2 disposals in 37% time on ground, Bundy had 12 in 30% TOG - Give Bundy that extra 37% and the scoreline would likely have been different.

 

[romeoh]

A lot of posts in here from supporters that seem to have five year memories...

Yes our disposal was poor, but the Swans are a very good side and put a lot of pressure on us for the whole game - easy to do on a tiny ground. The longer the game went the better we looked under this pressure as we ground them down. Our pressure after 1/4 time was also excellent.

Going 5-6 goals down in the first quarter hurt us, because the Swans could then afford to drop 1-2 players back for the remainder of the game. This is why a few disposals later in the game went straight to Swans defenders.

Hawkins' kicking was disappointing, but he marked just about everything and looked the most dangerous forward on the ground for most of the game. I'm old enough to remember tearing my hair out watching Snr kick 5.10 on more than one occasion - give the guy a break.

Yes, Mumford was injured, but West dominated him for most of the game - no positive comments in here for that?

We played better tonight for the last 3 quarters than we have all year IMO. Yes, it was disappointing to lose, but you can't expect to dominate the competition as we have for five years. Maybe this won't be our year (although I haven't given up all hope) but you can see where the hope is for 2013-15. I agree that we should go all out for another quality inside mid (i.e. Boak), but not at the expense of a senior player - that's not the Geelong way.

Glass half full anyone?

Yep pretty spot on for me.

 

[numbwombat]

haha some pretty solid tantrums here last night

VC i hope vinum was behind those obnoxious threads

Pretty brutal defeat after such a slog of a comeback. Still don't buy the end-of-the-season/-era stuff though, as much as the Sydney-game-as-arbiter-of-Geelong's-2K12-credentials became an established Bigfooty Narrative (along with the 3 gamer Great Ruck Hope, who was at least decent). Held a top 4 aspirant to 5 goals in 3 quarters, at their interstate home, playing like crap by a good portion of that Geelong team's standards. AFAICT only Corey seems to actually be significantly & consistently down on last year's form. Kelly too, I guess, but hopefully that's a niggle or temporary slump rather than old bones.

Won't be as good as last year come finals without Ottens & Ling, but if Chapman, Enright, Scarlett can hit something like last year's finals form, Duncan, West and Christensen are improved with an extra year in the system, Selwood keeps living up to the captaincy etc etc, can't write them off.

No team's won from outside the 4 in this finals system because no team good enough has finished outside the 4 and so had to. Pies '10, Cats '07, Brisbane in at least one of their years would've if any of them had brought the form they had to a 5-8 finish. Us 2K9, 2K11, WC 2K6 a chance, too. More to do with the fact that the best teams mostly finish top 4 than that it's impossible to win 4 big games on the trot, imo. This Cats team at its best would still def be a chance.

Motlop and Duncan were decent if a bit quiet I thought, Wojo I'd prefer to see on a wing, with Guthrie back. Stokes and Hunt are prob, as ever, first in line, though Wojo was pretty average himself. Hard to omit his pace, though. Good to go 38-67 after quarter time with so many guys playing poorly, I guess.

Bartel and Selwood were huge, Christensen maybe BOG for the time he was on it. West's goal was a beauty. Tomahawk's kicking is a shame given how well he's still marking it, you'd hope he'd get some confidence from some of those huge grabs but he looks worried as soon as he turns to the goals.

I'm not convinced that a spare man back is still the way to go, especially when it's Bartel. He goes forward, leads properly and either marks and goals or at least leads their extra backman away from Pods and Hawk. Always looks crowded there, but more importantly, always looks disproportionately bloody full of the other team.

Enright and Chappy pretty good, I'd prefer to see Stokes with more time in the middle for SJ up forward. Hard to know whether there'll be much tinkering the next two weeks, or just looking to hit some form via stability.

 

[catswhiskers]

Fair point. But in a game that was billed by all as an '8-point game' in which a loss sees us go from fighting for a top 4 spot to fighting for a top 8 spot should we really be gifting games to see who can and can't play. Simpson had 2 disposals in 37% time on ground, Bundy had 12 in 30% TOG - Give Bundy that extra 37% and the scoreline would likely have been different.

You are right -having Bundy on the bench was a mistake (in hindsight). I can think of at least a couple of other smalls who should have made way for him (in hindsight again). i just don't think that ignoring our ruck position is the best way to maximise output this year and for future years. At some point some pain must occur - especially if our best young uns keep getting hurt.

 

[Partridge]

If we were to send Smithy and Stokes to the VFL who do we bring in for them?

Wouldn't mind seeing what Kersten could do over the next two weeks but he doesn't really take the place of either of those two

Easy one. Horlin-Smith definitely, and probably Guthrie (not sure why he was dropped). Corey is finished and Stokes is just shit.

I'd do it next week too. This season is shot.

 

[Cat_Mancini]

I think last night was a bit indicative of our year so far. Went on back foot early then stabilized and almost but failed to get there. I think our best which came in the latter part of the third and majority of the last showed we can still go with and potentially beat the better sides. We are turning the ball over a lot and struggling to kick goals at important stages. It has been very difficult to watch the cats this year and not so enjoyable however Im sure it will turn but we are running it fine. Bundy was super so was Sel, Enright and Jimmy. Hopefully we can go out at home and give the Power a touch up.

 

[Partridge]

We can still finish in the top 4 but we have to go undefeated. I believe we can do that, there's only like a 10% chance it'll happen but i'm not writing us off.

We are still the only team capable of beating Collingwood in the finals IMHO.

I would give a 0% chance myself. No hope at all. They'll be lucky to beat Essendon.

 

[AlterRob]

Not sure of the stats or hitouts but I thought West did well around the ground yesterday. I liked his goal.

 

[Partridge]

He almost cost them the game. West destroyed him in the second half. His body is not built for a long AFL career.

I wonder how many people actually noticed that. Goes against the myth about Mumford so I don't think you'll hear it reported anywhere.

 

[Partridge]

there is no point in playing kids when we are still a shot at finals, let our champions retire with dignity not in the 2's

Why?

 

[Copernicus]

I wonder how many people actually noticed that. Goes against the myth about Mumford so I don't think you'll hear it reported anywhere.

I certainly did. Presumably most of the rest of us Geelong people did too, but I wonder if it caught the notice of others.

Westy isn't going to be a monster every game, and certainly not yet at this stage of his career. But I think that was his best game of the year.

 

[Partridge]

Enright and Chappy pretty good, I'd prefer to see Stokes with more time in the middle for SJ up forward. Hard to know whether there'll be much tinkering the next two weeks, or just looking to hit some form via stability.

You're not serious? Stokes doesn't get the ball as is. He'll get slaughtered by any competent midfielder. No pace and can't tackle. No thanks.

 

[Ikan Bodoh]

I'd prefer to see Stokes with more time in the VFL.

Fixed your post.

It's hard to justify his place in the team at the moment. He was ok against Collingwood and a liability in just about every other game. I'd much prefer Guthrie, Horlin-Smith and Linc McCarthy to get a run in his spot.

 

[numbwombat]

I'd prefer someone better, sure, but Horlin-Smith and Smedts aren't, yet, so who else is an option right now? Guthrie probably could be but has he played there at all at AFL/VFL level? And is he out the week after the bye for a reason?
Johnson definitely needs to play in the forward line more, he can be our most dangerous forward and goals aren't coming that easily this year. Stokes is also very good when he's good, though yeah last night was a shocker, and his good games have been getting rarer. Goes missing more often than he's terrible, imo. Would hardly be the first time he'd been there.

 

[geelong_boy]

we've played four top 8 sides and only beaten one of them by 2 points

Apart from the Adelaide blow-out, we were in the games against Collingwood and Sydney until the end.

 

[fpm84]

Apart from the Adelaide blow-out, we were in the games against Collingwood and Sydney until the end.

Freo too, who will be top 8 tonight if they beat Essendon.

Common theme in all three losses (aside from the Crows)? We were outplayed early.