Review Cats drop Bombers by 45 at MCG

[allrighty]

Huzzah! Didnt think we'd win based on recent showings. Great stuff by Dempsey, Rohan, Duncan, Danger, Stengle, even Blix turned up. As Fox show the "Essendon ripped off montage" yet again it pays to remember we lost the free kick count yet again.

I tipped the Cats and nearly changed with 3 minutes until the start.

Then I thought wet weather which we generally do well, with the MCG and Scott's game planning.

Prophetic.

 

[catsfootyfan89]

Good win with many positives to draw from it.

Having said that, an honest read on the game does suggest we got pretty lucky in the 3rd with some dubious umpire decisions.

It felt like all the 50/50s went our way for about fifteen minutes.

 

[Hamingja]

Dempsey is a phenomenal runner and covered so much ground. Same with Knevitt. Feel a bit sorry for Knevitt as he plays a different role at VFL level.

Humphries runs to good spots. He won't always gets the ball but he forces his opponent to defend. Super impressed with his feel for the game.

I think Stewart in the midfield is worth persisting with. He still spent time in defence. We need to see him in the midfield in a game that is not wet.

I hope Knevitt gets a string of games. Objectively he wasn't brilliant but he has some good attributes and needs AFL games to develop further now. Saved a goal with his defensive running at an important part of the game and he can go forward and take a strong grab. Needs to improve the set shot kicking to go with his contested marking and it makes him a dangerous floater off a wing. I think people who think he is going to be a full time inside mid need to forget that.

 

[Hamingja]

I tipped the Cats and nearly changed with 3 minutes until the start.

Then I thought wet weather which we generally do well, with the MCG and Scott's game planning.

Prophetic.

I actually don't think wet weather suits us much at all now. It was when the rain eased that we took over the game. Our attacking players have a lot of finesse now in Cameron, Miers, Stengle etc better suited with a dry ball. Not a lot of bash and crash in the team these days outside say Danger and Rohan who are both manic.

 

[Seeds]

Good win with many positives to draw from it.

Having said that, an honest read on the game does suggest we got pretty lucky in the 3rd with some dubious umpire decisions.

It felt like all the 50/50s went our way for about fifteen minutes.

after scotts comments about the umps we had 3 whole games where all the 50-50s went against us. 15 mins is nothing. We are due a lot more.

 

[allrighty]

I actually don't think wet weather suits us much at all now. It was when the rain eased that we took over the game. Our attacking players have a lot of finesse now in Cameron, Miers, Stengle etc better suited with a dry ball. Not a lot of bash and crash in the team these days outside say Danger and Rohan who are both manic.

I thought it would help us get to more of the loose ball. We have been carved up for weeks by the oppo's pinpoint kicks down the ground so I gave it a shot!

I've only seen the first 1/4 so far but will check out today whether I was prophetic or just arsey.

 

[catsfootyfan89]

after scotts comments about the umps we had 3 whole games where all the 50-50s went against us. 15 mins is nothing. We are due a lot more.

Definitely. I don't like seeing games where umpires get it wrong, full stop. I just think it's honest to mention when the umps hand you a few freebies.

 

[Mr Meow]

Definitely. I don't like seeing games where umpires get it wrong, full stop. I just think it's honest to mention when the umps hand you a few freebies.

I've been banging on this drum for ages, it might not be fair but the umpires tend to favour the team with the impetus and hunt. Which is why once again any 50/50 seemed to go against us during the first half, similar to our bad run over the past couple of months. I know our free kick count was still not great during our win streak but it's felt more complaint-worthy since then.

Anyway it didn't surprise me at all that once we sparked up and Essendon were flat, that we got the rub of the green (at last).

Now it's not an umpires job to punish teams that are being out worked and out fought. But they absolutely do it. So you have to "make your own luck" so to speak. We did that in the second half last night. And it only became a news story because people were so used to the umpires punishing us week in, week out for the last period. It's not been worth bringing up when we have been so terrible anyway.

 

[Hinkley29]

There's 11 judges, and come seasons end they award votes as per
5.
4.
3.
2.
1.

The max number of votes a player can receive is 55 - it's essentially based on hoe judges view each player's season

It is a public relations award.

Whoever gets the most media and PR focus wins. Sometimes that chooses the best player, sometimes not.

 

[BORIS332]

I hope Knevitt gets a string of games. Objectively he wasn't brilliant but he has some good attributes and needs AFL games to develop further now. Saved a goal with his defensive running at an important part of the game and he can go forward and take a strong grab. Needs to improve the set shot kicking to go with his contested marking and it makes him a dangerous floater off a wing. I think people who think he is going to be a full time inside mid need to forget that.

Knevitt does stuff like that every week in the VFL, that's what I like about him. He didn't get involved enough last night even though he was top of all the running stats - the club will be happy with his GPS numbers. He's looked much better on the inside in the VFL rather than out on a wing.

 

[Hinkley29]

For those criticising Jack Henry

38

Jack Henry

Age

26

Ht

192cm

Wt

96kg

Pos.

Def

Career

Season

Last 5

D

10.3

3star

K

7.3

3star

HB

2.9

3star

M

4.0

4star

T

2.2

4star

MG

142.6

2star

D

8.6

2star

K

6.7

3star

HB

1.9

1star

M

3.9

4star

T

2.1

3star

MG

142.6

3star

D

9.6

3star

K

7.0

3star

HB

2.6

3star

M

3.6

4star

T

2.0

4star

’s game (first half especially) - he was a sacrificial lamb in this game. He was left one out with a bloke 10 cm taller than him. All while our 204 cm key defender was running around in the ruck (and our actual ruckmen are playing in the magoos)

I am ok with the decisions from the match committee that got us here, but the consequence was Henry was asked to do a job that he was physically ill-equipped to do. I am not ok with Henry being criticised for being outmarked in 1v1 contests by a giant.

He seemed pissed off at times, and if I were him I would be to.

 

[allrighty]

Exactly the reason this was bought in. Does my head in when they complain about it. It’s the rule. Cost us a bloody flag!

2000 and bloody 8

 

[allrighty]

I had to google it….what a great word!

Verve, that's a bitter sweet memory symphony (edit - ffs) type of word I think

 

[catters05]

It is the most ridiculous rule going around .. WTF do you have to nominate who is going up in the ruck?
It's not bloody Auskick Football. The rule needs to be scrapped

They should just pay a free when a third person goes up and that’s it.

 

[catters05]

Good win with many positives to draw from it.

Having said that, an honest read on the game does suggest we got pretty lucky in the 3rd with some dubious umpire decisions.

It felt like all the 50/50s went our way for about fifteen minutes.

We did get lucky, but we did have all the momentum in the 3rd.

That Draper should never complain about not getting frees after that win in Adelaide

 

[Hinkley29]

Re: umpires

I have been banging on for a while now how the game is impossible to umpire, and impossible to understand. The way the umps are being asked to adjudicate is crazy. And it leads to inconsistency across all games.

We got a little bit fortunate tonight, but that was going to happen eventually.

The afl rules/interpretation dept has a lot to answer for.

 

[Mr Meow]

For those criticising Jack Henry’s game (first half especially) - he was a sacrificial lamb in this game. He was left one out with a bloke 10 cm taller than him. All while our 204 cm key defender was running around in the ruck (and our actual ruckmen are playing in the magoos)

I am ok with the decisions from the match committee that got us here, but the consequence was Henry was asked to do a job that he was physically ill-equipped to do. I am not ok with Henry being criticised for being outmarked in 1v1 contests by a giant.

He seemed pissed off at times, and if I were him I would be to.

He's also been playing poorly most of the season. He was non-competitive the first half and better the second half. He helped turn the game around rather than merely being a by product of what happened ahead of him. So credit to him. Hopefully this sparks a bit of a turn around.

 

[DanA]

I actually don't think wet weather suits us much at all now. It was when the rain eased that we took over the game. Our attacking players have a lot of finesse now in Cameron, Miers, Stengle etc better suited with a dry ball. Not a lot of bash and crash in the team these days outside say Danger and Rohan who are both manic.

Being too small around the ball and uncompetitive in the ruck has really hurt us at times this season, especially in the wet. With Danger back and Stewart on ball we looked noticeably stronger around the contest but the stoppage goals conceded definitely highlights a problem not yet fixed. I did like the way Danger and Rohan threw themselves at the contest though.


Maybe with a full compliment of midfielders (Bruhn + Guthrie) be a bit better in midfield. I’d like to see Stewart keep playing in the middle though. We simply need the physicality and he’ll get better and better as he becomes more familiar with the role.

 

[Generalissimo]

I am ok with the decisions from the match committee that got us here, but the consequence was Henry was asked to do a job that he was physically ill-equipped to do. I am not ok with Henry being criticised for being outmarked in 1v1 contests by a giant.

What I thought was encouraging from Henry was the fact that ruckman-sized contested markers like Wright become comparatively more important when the other team gets on top in the midfield. No more bullet passes to leading forwards, just long, high thumps in hope inside 50 where a 10cm height advantage counts for more. Yet I thought Henry pantsed Peter Wright in the 2nd half.

They should just pay a free when a third person goes up and that’s it.

Ah yes, the Mark Blicavs rule.

 

[bulletproof]

Clark needs a spell in VFL. Showed glimpses of his quality but 8 possessions in 86 minutes of midfield is not good.

Don’t think going back to VFL and winning a VFL premiership would be a bad thing for him.

Been a pathway for a few Geelong greats.

I hope Cam Guth is nearly fit.

 

[CatToTheFuture]

I can't believe I wanted Rohan to sub after all my previous defending of him as best 22.

Pure_Ownage is he in your best 22 yet?

 

[Kitcat]

Can anyone tell me what the Tom Willis award is? Connection of the name?

Tom Wills was a key founder of the game and a top player. He was born near what would become Canberra in 1835 and was brought up near the Grampians on his parents’ property.
I presume the award is to recognise the first star country player of our game. He played for Geelong and other clubs, but I don’t think he played for Essendon.

 

[Catman]

I can't believe I wanted Rohan to sub after all my previous defending of him as best 22.

Pure_Ownage is he in your best 22 yet?

If there's a bloke that should never be the sub, it's him.

 

[Gee Class Loco]

First off.
I FCKEN LOVE SMASHING THE BOMBERS!! Again... lol.
Not getting too carried away with beating them as i don't really rank them TBH.
But a win is a win.
Loved Humphries first game. Saw him 4 months ago and only saw good things that would come.
Another Wells Special? Yeah U betcha.
Knevitt did what i always see him as. A blue collar worker. Ran & Ran did what was expected and kicked a nice goal.
The new BIG FELLA in the goal square. Shannon NEALE.
11 games in. He's tracking along nicely. Setting the house on fire?? Nah... but there is optimism.
Give him another 6-7 games and we'll see an improved version, i'm confident of that.
A BIG shout out Ollie DEMPSEY. Hard work and more hard work is paying dividends (TakeNoteOllie#2).
Gunna be a special player for us going forward.
As for SDK. Scotty is pulling every lever he has on trying to get the young fell back on track.
He has shown me (last 2 games) a bit more than i was seeing over the past 18 months.
Danger just makes a huge difference and Stewart is slowing realising that football comes with an opponent.
Both played great parts tonight.
Bowes not being a quick player is a lover of a slow-heavy track. A true MUDLARK.
The Red Flash played a ripper tonight along with ZG & 2E.
Last bit i'd like to add is young Jhye Clark isn't at AFL level i am afraid.
Yeah Yeah that might hit a nerve for some of his unabashed fans.
He's looking like a kid playing vs teenagers TBH.
Best he spends the rest of the year in the Magoos and check into the gym every couple of days to bulk up.
Anyways. Was a great night. Might have had the rub of the green. But i say about time!!
Cheers Boys as those Dorks await us next week.

 

[kickazz]

Good win with many positives to draw from it.

Having said that, an honest read on the game does suggest we got pretty lucky in the 3rd with some dubious umpire decisions.

It felt like all the 50/50s went our way for about fifteen minutes.

Nah all deliberate decisions including rushed behind were correct. Draper's arms were not chopped despite everyone copying each other and saying they were. Tuohy got to the ball first and got ball before he touched Draper. He did give front on contact so prob a free, but had Tuohy marked it, maybe not? Nothing wrong with Rohan's mark and goal straight after it.


If you are looking for a grain of salt to take this win with, it would be Essendon being a very ordinary side. Low on pressure, their mids didn't really press the issue with ours, and their forward line is shit