Autopsy Cats lose by 8 points to Pies.

[Shadow89]

Destroyed on the spread and our midfields defensive running was a big part of that. Our wingers were dragged towards the contest to try and cover their midfielders defensively away from the contest.

That's only one aspect though. Even Scott highlighted how the defenders conceding turnovers in dangerous parts of the ground was the problem.

We'll leave it there, as we're at an impasse. Give the kid a break though, lol - he actually had a good game last night.

 

[The_Koulouriotis_Fan]

The commentary was all around Moore coming off, but imagine having a fit Gary Rohan for 4 quarters, would have been handy

You mean Gary Rohan, the difference in last years Qualifying final? …na

 

[feelinfeline]

Same old s**t. No Blicavs, Guthrie, Rohan, Hawkins, Henry, Bews etc but let's all talk about how good Daicos is.

Bews hardly counts. He was available for selection.

 

[CatToTheFuture]

On Bruhn, it's fair to say he absolutely went missing in the second - I don't think he registered a disposal that quarter. But he did bounce back with 13 in the second half, had 6 tackles (3rd highest behind Atkins and Parf) and 7 clearances (behind Atkins and Paddy).

Overall, it was an OK performance in a midfield that's been a little dysfunctional this year - though last night was one of it's better efforts, thanks to the D&A show. Had he not faded in the second it would've been a good game from him.

Parf's an interesting one. 13 disposals and 8 tackles in 40% game time is a solid effort, but he seems to bob up in the highlights for all the wrong reasons. That miss from 15-20 out in the last was so deflating. Clearly in two minds and ended missing goals, teammates, and even the field of play... but on a night where we needed most things to go right, it was just another example of him getting it wrong. If he gets an opportunity to be a walk-up start in another team, I hope he takes it but if nothing else, he's OK depth. Maybe he'll crack in to 2024 pre-season and make a big push to get his spot back.

Given the low ToG from Bruhn overall and the lack of stats in the 2nd, I'm going to go out on a limb and say he was probably benched most of that quarter

 

[cats_09]

Warhorse is Cooper Stephen’s dad

It all makes sense

How is Cooper going at Hawthorn?

But also, wouldn't the dislike then been directed at Ollie since he's the one we traded in as part of the Cooper to Hawthorn deal?

 

[PzBlinky]

If Parf is starting 22 next year we are in for another shocker.

Depends. In this form, yeah, he's not much chop. If he can get back to what he was able to do a year or two ago and cut out the horrific mistakes that have popped up, then he could still play a part.

 

[CatToTheFuture]

I would have taken an eight point loss on the way in.

I wouldn't but it's better than I expected

 

[cats_09]

The finger pointing in the backline was really noticeable last night. Has this been a problem all year or was it worse than normal last night?

Not a good look. I don’t want to play armchair psychologist but is it a sign of bigger problems in the playing group?

I am looking at you Tom Stewart….

On and off all season - definitely not the cohesiveness or calmness of last year

 

[PzBlinky]

Given the low ToG from Bruhn overall and the lack of stats in the 2nd, I'm going to go out on a limb and say he was probably benched most of that quarter

Quite possibly, but it'd seem weird to bench him for a big chunk of the game early-ish then run him more in the second half?

 

[The_Koulouriotis_Fan]

I don’t buy lack of effort or players being too pleased with themselves or any of that rubbish. If anything, I think the players are trying too hard. Unfortunately we had early injuries and a lack of cohesion across the season and we dropped a few we’d normally win and found ourselves behind the 8 ball. This team won a flag 12 months ago in the most joyous season I can remember.

The annoying thing is that the top teams aren’t fairly average this year, so really anyone in the 8 can win, I’d be happy with anyone but Collingwood because of their fans, the media and DeGoey.

I think we’ll still make the 8, but I can’t see us putting it together to go further than semi finals. But the future is bright. Stengle, Close, DK, Holmes will play better next year.
Knevitt, Oisin, Bruhn, Dempsey, Neale, Clark and hopefully Conway will add some classy youth to the team.

This year feels like 2018, I can see us bouncing back next year easily.

 

[Pure_Ownage]

In case it hasn't been mentioned here, Stanley is listed as injured "hip" in the afl.com.au Match Report....

If stanley is injured we are stuffed as our vfl team literally has no fit rucks. He will keep playing through it.

Sounds like cuthrie will come straight back in maybe as the sub.

Im not sure rohan will get to the line which is annoying as it would be useful if he does. Hopefully hawkins does.

Just have to win the next 2 and hope the pre finals bye freshens up a few guys and allows blitz to get back for a final.

 

[BotsMaster]

Actually pretty impressive to have such close losses, given the sort of year we have had. Go cats.

#feelscarltonman

 

[SleazySimon]

I Like richo but christ you can tell he hates Geelong in every game he commontates

 

[Pure_Ownage]

I don’t buy lack of effort or players being too pleased with themselves or any of that rubbish. If anything, I think the players are trying too hard. Unfortunately we had early injuries and a lack of cohesion across the season and we dropped a few we’d normally win and found ourselves behind the 8 ball. This team won a flag 12 months ago in the most joyous season I can remember.

The annoying thing is that the top teams aren’t fairly average this year, so really anyone in the 8 can win, I’d be happy with anyone but Collingwood because of their fans, the media and DeGoey.

I think we’ll still make the 8, but I can’t see us putting it together to go further than semi finals. But the future is bright. Stengle, Close, DK, Holmes will play better next year.
Knevitt, Oisin, Bruhn, Dempsey, Neale, Clark and hopefully Conway will add some classy youth to the team.

This year feels like 2018, I can see us bouncing back next year easily.

This year is honestly a year where they shouldnt award a flag as no one in the top 8 deserves it. It will be a bradbury year. Which us why id like us to sneak in and try and go on a run.

 

[kickazz]

Overall we run the top team within a couple of goals so not too disappointed as I feel the season was already over.

I was sitting up high on level 4 on the wing. I’m starting to think that our players aren’t great at positioning themselves when opposition have the ball. The seem to try to sit between two players and get caught out with short kick, then the handball over. I would prefer they are decisive and chose which player to defend, if that means the other free player gets it, then so be it. Standing between players just creates overlap and easy chains.

You don't say......

 

[CatToTheFuture]

Quite possibly, but it'd seem weird to bench him for a big chunk of the game early-ish then run him more in the second half?

He's a kid in a rough and tumble role and carrying a shoulder injury, could just be active management

 

[CatToTheFuture]

If stanley is injured we are stuffed as our vfl team literally has no fit rucks. He will keep playing through it.

Sounds like cuthrie will come straight back in maybe as the sub.

Im not sure rohan will get to the line which is annoying as it would be useful if he does. Hopefully hawkins does.

Just have to win the next 2 and hope the pre finals bye freshens up a few guys and allows blitz to get back for a final.

Whose putting their hand up?

 

[JackFlash]

Has Scott's coaching and game plan been on point this year?

Scott has been found out as much as the players, his coaching is one dimensional. Time for him to consider leaving along with about 5 or 6 players.

 

[JackFlash]

I don't know after watching Joel retire, and Paddy/Guth/Duncan/Blicavs another year older why we didn't go harder for a mid 20s mid. Since preseason thats been our biggest weakness, we have exceptional but aging talent, and exciting but inconsistent youth and nothing besides Atkins and Parfitt in the 24-27 bracket that is typically what wins flags.

And what has ****ed us this year? Our midfield, because the older guys are a year older, so injuries mount up, and the kids can't carry the load.

Parish and another mid-20s midfielder are absolute necessities. And depending on who else retires besides Smith, 2 good mids puts us back top 4 next season.

But plenty on the board here were worried about that midfield gap end of last season, surely the club noticed it too. All well and good to bring in young talent, but there wasn't a mature aged mid we couldn't have gone for in the preseason?

Geelong has a mid field on a par with North and West Coast. They lack depth and have no young players coming through. 2024 is a bottom-four year.

 

[Farmer2Goggin]

Was at the game so great to see the boys have a crack , which we did admirably for enough of the game to win.
We had the early momentum in the last and got to within 9 points when we made 3 unforced errors in defence leading to them getting out to a 29 point lead.
Fought hard but lost another close one.

We defended high up the ground to stop their run which largely worked except when they got through and got some easy ones over the back.
I’m a Stewart fan but as the backline leader he didn’t seem to direct or communicate at all either in lead up play or after a pies goal. They seemed to be on their own and not united like the Pies defence.
Sav competes well but he needs major schooling on his positioning if he’s to make a go of being a KPD.

Our best is still damn good but I fear it’s not good enough even if we scrape into the 8

 

[CatToTheFuture]

Scott has been found out as much as the players, his coaching is one dimensional. Time for him to consider leaving along with about 5 or 6 players.

This is a really confusing comment.

The game plan last night seemed tailored specifically to the opposition trying to catch them out when they play the Collingwood way and push too far forward in numbers. Worked well for a while.

Last week we played differently as well, playing extremely defensively at contests to mop up in d50 and rebound.

In two weeks we've played two different strategies and as a team outside the I knocked off the number 2 team and came within 8 points of the number 1.

I'm impressed Scott was able to do this with a bunch of senior players clearly cooked and missing several key pieces.

 

[CatToTheFuture]

Geelong has a mid field on a par with North and West Coast. They lack depth and have no young players coming through. 2024 is a bottom-four year.

This I disagree with.

 

[cats_09]

Scott has been found out as much as the players, his coaching is one dimensional. Time for him to consider leaving along with about 5 or 6 players.

Long time no see

Guessing our success has kept you away as it hasn't been too your liking, but now you're more "comfortable" to return to stick the knife in...

 

[Shadow89]

Geelong has a mid field on a par with North and West Coast. They lack depth and have no young players coming through. 2024 is a bottom-four year.

Really? So we don't have:

Bruhn, Zuthrie, J. Henry, O. Henry, Miers, Close, Stengle, S. Neale, SDK, Conway, Dempsey, Knevitt, Jhye Clark, Bowes, Holmes and Mullin coming through?

Cool thanks for clearing that up. Let's just fold the club and be done with it, hey?

 

[Shadow89]

This I disagree with.

Really? I disagree with all of it, lol