Review Cats drown Hawks by 36 points in Tommas 350

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Another interesting point... The engine room
Parfitt 62%
Bruhn 63%

Of game time.. And both were our better players

That is how we're running our midfield rotations this year - shorter bursts at higher intensity. It was mentioned throughout the pre-season. You'll notice that our players with the most centre bounce attendances (CBAs) also had the least TOG%.

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That is how we're running our midfield rotations this year - shorter bursts at higher intensity. It was mentioned throughout the pre-season. You'll notice that our players with the most centre bounce attendances (CBAs) also had the least TOG%.

View attachment 1946927
Blicavs the exception to the rule as usual!
 
I thought the umpiring and commentary around Ginnivan this game was really interesting. Prior to the final quarter, there was plenty of talk by commentators about how he is treated differently, unfairly.

The interesting part for me was how in the final quarter the commentators - confronted with a Ginnivan who kept diving, kept leaning, kept lifting his arm - completely changed their tune saying things like: 'well, I don't know what to think about it'.

The fact is, that's exactly what the umpires are faced with. And I feel for them. Players who dive put them in a difficult position: give a free where it may not be justified and give away a goal or let play go on and risk missing a free kick. I can see why they've been instructed to do the latter and I think most fans of all teams would support that approach in general: if in doubt, don't blow the whistle.

The truth is, it's hard not to be biased (how many Hawks supporters would have backed Ginnivan in prior years? I'd say it'd be close to zero). And with all honesty, I can see how we'd be pissed if this was Close or Stengle or Miers (granted, they don't duck, but admit that most of us would have a bias towards our own players). But looking at it from the umpires' point of view: this is surely the hardest game in the world to adjudicate, and players who try to milk free kicks make that job harder, and they have nobody to blame but themselves if they miss out on the occasional genuine free because of their own muddying of the waters.
Ginnivan flopping for frees should constantly be derided. Chris Scott clearly hates it, Sam Mitchell even said in his press conference that players who raise the arm aren’t going to get frees.
We had the king of head high frees, but he always made the play and if he didn’t get a free he kept going. Ginnivan stops dead, it stinks
 

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That is how we're running our midfield rotations this year - shorter bursts at higher intensity. It was mentioned throughout the pre-season. You'll notice that our players with the most centre bounce attendances (CBAs) also had the least TOG%.

View attachment 1946927
It has been a thing now for a few years i remember it starting in 22 but maybe it was earlier when we realised running Danger/Selwood/Duncan through the middle at 90% tog was making them unreliable by September so we changed it.
 
Ginnivan flopping for frees should constantly be derided. Chris Scott clearly hates it, Sam Mitchell even said in his press conference that players who raise the arm aren’t going to get frees.
We had the king of head high frees, but he always made the play and if he didn’t get a free he kept going. Ginnivan stops dead, it stinks
Agreed. I'm proud of our players for getting on and playing the ball, letting the umpiring take care of itself.
 
It was bit of a weird game for Jack yesterday - the good was really good, especially when there was those loose ball situations

But I'm not sure he'd walk away from the game as a happy camper - I thought there was large periods of the game where he was comfortably beaten/out-pointed by Chol in the one-vs-one battle, especially the aerial contests

I do believe there's times were we're more forgiving of some players compared with others - if it was Kolodjashnij or SDK, I think we read more comments about that battle during the match
I think you're right that he has some improving to do. But I'm sure his output will improve and level out. He's had such an inconsistent run with injuries impacting previous seasons and pre-seasons. Listening to him talk on KRock after the game, the good news is it sounds like he's feeling good and fit - and is confident that he'll keep improving if he gets more games under his belt https://www.krock.com.au/match-audio/
 
All the flashy signals to the crowd from ginnivan, Watson and I don't even know the other bloke.
I'm starting to edge over into old man doesn't understand youth but when you're 6 goals down, there was a lot of "me, me, me time" just not sure how great a team culture that creates.

Ginnivan came out after the rain break and was playing up to the crowd, I thought it was strange but I guess it's a tactic to try and get going, credit to him he kicked the first but then Geelong just controlled the game back.

You're 0-3 now hawks, how long do you keep doing your signs to the crowd when your 6 goals down in the first QTR.
They seem to have a too many players that are short and not very quick. Just don't seem threatening.
 
Of course the umpires should take into account things that pl
Disagree, that would be bad umpiring.

Good umpiring is paying 100% attention to what is actually happening in front of you. So ok, with the history of that player, if it makes umpires watch more closely, then that is ok I suppose. But they shouldn't be anticipating anying with prejudice. Just pay attention
 
I thought Jack was pretty solid yesterday, he got caught out a couple of times on Chol which was being undersized as much as anything, but he also had some huge wins one on one at times that stopped momentum cold and got it going our way.

On a whole our defense looks a lot better with him there this year
 
Overall assessment:

GOOD:

First hit out on the open spaces of the MCG and it is good to see we have gone back to trying to move the ball on quickly like we did in 2022. 2023 we slowed it down a bit too much.

The younger players, particularly midfield and ruck showing what they can do. The continued solid form of Parfitt.

First game where I think Mullin looked like he belonged out there. Still a fair way to go but a mini breakout game from him yesterday.


BAD:

We put the gap in the game early on when Hawthorn were frankly pretty easy to play against. Did what we had to but it's "don't get too excited" kind of stuff.

Switched off in the second quarter after seeing Hawthorn were easy to play against. Thing is Hawthorn lifted.

Hardest kick in football but some of our F50 entries, when we are dominating and in the clear, can still be a bit poor.
 
Noticed a Hawks player gave the "shoosh" symbol in the 2nd quarter - when he'd kicked a goal to get them back within 30 points.

Cracked up laughing though when a Hawks player was getting into Zach Guthrie, and Oisin Mullin wandered over and bumped him and sent him sprawling.
The fact that he “shooshed” his own cheer squad is evidence to how stoopid they are at that club.
 

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Some people just expect a perfect game,never gonna happen just be happy with a win.
My Essendon mate is like this for EVERY. SINGLE. BOMBERS. MATCH.

Like they are 2-1, their loss was to the Swans at the SCG which is hardly anything to be upset about with the form the Swans are in, and he complained that they "only" beat the Saints by 4 points as if the Bombers are a top 4 lock.

Weather was shit yesterday against a rival early in the season when teams are up and about. A 6 goal win is great and we are now sitting top 4.
 
Ginnivan flopping for frees should constantly be derided. Chris Scott clearly hates it, Sam Mitchell even said in his press conference that players who raise the arm aren’t going to get frees.
We had the king of head high frees, but he always made the play and if he didn’t get a free he kept going. Ginnivan stops dead, it stinks

You know if Selwood was playing these days he wouldn't raise the arm like he uses to because the rules have changed.

Ginnivan still thinks he's going to get frees under the new rule when nobody is when they lift their arms. Then he flops about pretending he's been hit high with no contact and wonders why the umpires don't give him the benefit of the doubt.

It was amazing seeing the broadcast continually replay the one genuine free kick and 2 50/50s that aren't paid. But conspicuously leave out the 6-8 massive flops that would have been paid if the umpires trusted his reaction as a sign of him being hit high. Giving him 0 frees when he maybe deserved 2 is better umpiring than giving him 10.
 
Another impressive win by the cats!
Just been listening to the pre and post game media.

It’s so good to hear the experts being surprised about how good the Geelong youth has been and how it’s complimenting the veterans.

In 2022 when we lost to the Hawks my hawks mate messaged me that we need to get some youth in, I told him we have a crop that are going to be ready to go in a couple of years, especially a kid called Dempsey.

Yesterday it was great to see Stengle back to 2022 form, the new kid Conway show a bit, Clark continuing to develop, Bruhn moving through stoppages, Mullin growing in confidence, Ollie Henry kicking 4, my boy Dempsey just getting better and better, Holmes composure (hope he signs soon). And our veterans like Duncan showing his absolute class, just so composed, Hawk in his 350th isn’t slowing down.

Lot to like about this team! Who knows what this year holds, but it’s already way better than 2023, sure, the losses will come, but each game I’m excited to watch the team develop. Grateful we get to follow a team that just keeps defying gravity.
 
My Essendon mate is like this for EVERY. SINGLE. BOMBERS. MATCH.

Like they are 2-1, their loss was to the Swans at the SCG which is hardly anything to be upset about with the form the Swans are in, and he complained that they "only" beat the Saints by 4 points as if the Bombers are a top 4 lock.

Weather was s**t yesterday against a rival early in the season when teams are up and about. A 6 goal win is great and we are now sitting top 4.
That's like my dad watching Geelong. He expects to win every game by ten goals. Can't even talk to him about footy anymore
 
This is my concern for next week against the doggies, possibly the best midfield in the game, if we slack off against them we will get destroyed.
Don’t believe the hype. The dogs midfield is ok but highly unaccountable. They can be exposed as one way runners, which is why their defence often looks like crap.

If their midfield was great at attacking and defending, with their forward line they would be the best team in the comp. Alas, their mids are only great when they have the ball, thus they are a mid table team.
 
I think you're right that he has some improving to do. But I'm sure his output will improve and level out. He's had such an inconsistent run with injuries impacting previous seasons and pre-seasons. Listening to him talk on KRock after the game, the good news is it sounds like he's feeling good and fit - and is confident that he'll keep improving if he gets more games under his belt https://www.krock.com.au/match-audio/
Agreed.

I think it's fine not to sugar coat Henry's performances and the flaws within, but at the same time he's still ironing out some rustiness in his game and a few moments with body positioning falls under that category.

He's still doing well and is proving a great interceptor. Our KPDs won't be flawless, it's important to remember that. Too much time with Scarlett, Taylor and Lonergan types in defensive 1v1s has probably raised our standards pretty high.
 
Who was saying Duncan is past it and isn't up to being in the midfield these days.

:$
Only fools write Duncan off.

Half back, with a license to roam up to the wing to create attacks - he's still elite in this role and as a ball winner/distributor. His strengths naturally can be utilised better in a high functioning team operating with cohesion. His disposals seemed out of whack out of times last year when the team had no rhythm and were barely creating space for each other.
 
I don't think it was a perfect game for the Cats because we looked a far better team for most of the day but still let the Hawks back into the game several times. We'll struggle against better teams if we don't keep working on this. Tanner Bruhn was amazing, and if he keeps this up, several media commentators will be eating their words (like David King). Conway is the future of our ruck, and I think he's going to be a good one. Good to see Parfitt playing well, too. Stengle is showing some of the form we saw in 2022. Always good to beat the Hawks, but I think our first real true test is coming this week against the Bulldogs.
 

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Review Cats drown Hawks by 36 points in Tommas 350

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