Autopsy Cats lose their way in 18 points loss to Saints

[cats_09]

I think that both Rohan & Henry have struggled to play at their best when both are in the team, as maybe there's some confusion as to their roles in the team

In 2022 when it was Cameron, Hawkins & Rohan, it wasn't uncommon to see Rohan as the deepest forward, starting out of the goal square and he'd hunt in the forward 50 before working up the ground as needed

Over the back half of the season, we've often been playing Cameron, Neale, Henry & Rohan up forward, and often one of them gets shifted/asked to play a bit further up the ground - generally it's Cameron or Rohan we see playing outside the forward 50 more than the other 2, and wouldn't be surprised if that's been having an impact on the output across a few of our fowards

Watching the team break into their 3 groups for the pre-match warm up, the forwards were comprised of: Cameron & Neale (KPFs), Henry & Rohan (3rd tall options), then the smalls of Close, Mannagh & Stengle

Especially since Mannagh has come into the team (and deservedly so), we've been trying to find the correct balance up forward with our 3rd talls & fleet of small players and just not sure we've found that balance. At times it almost feels like they're trying to use Rohan as another smaller, pressure forward style player rather than a marking option which is why we've seen a player like Miers pushed up the ground

The MC really need to make a tough decision as we're probably just 1 forward too heavy at the moment, but where we can find that balance is omitting one of Henry or Rohan - the question is if they're going to be willing to make that decision or if they're kinda going to want an "injury" to help with it

 

[Seeds]

Not so much lay the boots in but there’s a post a couple up for example trying to suggest Rohan is preferable to Henry. It’s just ignoring facts and reality.

And those facts are?

 

[Finknottle]

Jed cant lock down on anyone. His last game he got torched.

And i share the concerns re blicavs but they wont drop him due to structure.

Whatever the question, Bews is not the answer.

 

[foxdog50]

Neale does a couple of things each game but for most of it he is non competitive. Everyone is bagging Henry but he gets a free ride.

Yeah I'm a fan of Neale but he has to start doing just a few things more now. Get those goals he kicks for, slowly but sure improvement each time. But his not doing it yet. Which is a concern.. Not major but it's there

 

[catempire]

And those facts are?

Start by lining up their respective impacts last night. Then compare their seasons. Then their ages.

 

[sexyhunk]

Close the book on this year, that was one of the worst performances of the season. So much at stake, but that didn't matter against a team that can't kick a goal to save themselves. Geelong have several players who played in that game that shouldn't be on any list! They might make the top 4, but it will be embarrassing come finals time. Swans, Port or GWS would beat them by 10 goals!

agree 100%, only chance was to finish top 2 so no need to travel at all. Now first week have to travel somewhere and lose then come back and play either bulldogs or hawthorn both in way way better form.

 

[cats_09]

agree 100%, only chance was to finish top 2 so no need to travel at all. Now first week have to travel somewhere and lose then come back and play either bulldogs or hawthorn both in way way better form.

We can still finish top 2

But even a win last night didn't guarantee top 2 - we could have won last night & next week, and still finish 4th

 

[fpm84]

90 percent the other way, Ollie ain’t chasing anybody down, Rohan everyday of the week

Wasn’t it only eight days ago when Ollie ran down Heath Chapman for our third goal of the game?

He didn’t play well last night but was on a hiding to nothing opposed to the reigning AA fullback for most of the night. Dumb play to keep bombing it on his head.

 

[sexyhunk]

We can still finish top 2

But even a win last night didn't guarantee top 2 - we could have won last night & next week, and still finish 4th

extremly low. have to rely on both port and gws to lose by decent margin and us winning a decent margin with our crappy %.

 

[Seeds]

Start by lining up their respective impacts last night. Then compare their seasons. Then their ages.

Their impacts were very similar last night. Rohan had a concussion excuse. Henry had no excuse. Rohan marked and goaled when it was his moment and the game was on the line. Henry coughed up a 12 point play when it was his.

Their stats are very similiar in the last 10 weeks. But usually rohan contests and brings the ball to ground in marking contests and pressures defensively (I may be wrong but im pretty sure it was you who once told me to ignore rohans low tackle count cos it doesnt reflect his defensive pressure work). Rohan also happens to get key touches when the game is on the line whereas henry tends to go missing during those moments.

Their ages are irrelevant for the next 5 weeks. Rohan should be gone at the end of this season. Henry needs to build up his stamina big time for next year to add more strings to his game.

 

[catempire]

Their impacts were very similar last night. Rohan had a concussion excuse. Henry had no excuse. Rohan marked and goaled when it was his moment and the game was on the line. Henry coughed up a 12 point play when it was his.

Their stats are very similiar in the last 10 weeks. But usually rohan contests and brings the ball to ground in marking contests and pressures defensively (I may be wrong but im pretty sure it was you who once told me to ignore rohans low tackle count cos it doesnt reflect his defensive pressure work). Rohan also happens to get key touches when the game is on the line whereas henry tends to go missing during those moments.

Their ages are irrelevant for the next 5 weeks. Rohan should be gone at the end of this season. Henry needs to build up his stamina big time for next year to add more strings to his game.

Or you can just make up your own.

 

[Burtyl78]

Negative on the 10 goals... I done the math and if Port lose by 1 point we will need to smoke WC by around 110.

Hopefully they lose by 30 plus then

 

[BORIS332]

Wilkie took 15 marks, some one on ones with Henry, some double teams, some intercepts from bad Geelong entries. St Kilda had 43 more marks than Geelong.

Yes, absolutely agree it was the entries that were the issue, not Wilkie’s opponent.

 

[Seeds]

Or you can just make up your own.

Which part is made up? You dont believe rohan came off concussion? You dont believe the stats in stats tables? You believe henry actually brings the ball to ground in marking contests? How many marks did his opponent have last night? You missed rohans goal and henrys dropped sitter last night?

 

[cats_09]

extremly low. have to rely on both port and gws to lose by decent margin and us winning a decent margin with our crappy %.

We were relying on them losing anyway

 

[Footy Smarts]

Not so much lay the boots in but there’s a post a couple up for example trying to suggest Rohan is preferable to Henry. It’s just ignoring facts and reality.

I think anyone claiming their is a massive difference between the two or that the choice is really obvious are kidding themselves. Both have had disappointing seasons with some good games sprinkled in.

I'd probably go for Rohan but it's marginal. Both were exceptionally disappointing last night.

 

[catempire]

Which part is made up? You dont believe rohan came off concussion? You dont believe the stats in stats tables? You believe henry actually brings the ball to ground in marking contests? You missed rohans goal and henrys dropped sitter last night?

Here are the stats. I look forward to you trying to spin them. I’ll get the popcorn.

 

[Seeds]

extremly low. have to rely on both port and gws to lose by decent margin and us winning a decent margin with our crappy %.

Both port and gws are playing good sides interstate. No surprises if they both lose.

West coast could very easily rock up with zero interest. If so a 100 point margin at home is certainly on the cards if we are actually switching into finals mode.

 

[CatToTheFuture]

I think that both Rohan & Henry have struggled to play at their best when both are in the team, as maybe there's some confusion as to their roles in the team

In 2022 when it was Cameron, Hawkins & Rohan, it wasn't uncommon to see Rohan as the deepest forward, starting out of the goal square and he'd hunt in the forward 50 before working up the ground as needed

Over the back half of the season, we've often been playing Cameron, Neale, Henry & Rohan up forward, and often one of them gets shifted/asked to play a bit further up the ground - generally it's Cameron or Rohan we see playing outside the forward 50 more than the other 2, and wouldn't be surprised if that's been having an impact on the output across a few of our fowards

Watching the team break into their 3 groups for the pre-match warm up, the forwards were comprised of: Cameron & Neale (KPFs), Henry & Rohan (3rd tall options), then the smalls of Close, Mannagh & Stengle

Especially since Mannagh has come into the team (and deservedly so), we've been trying to find the correct balance up forward with our 3rd talls & fleet of small players and just not sure we've found that balance. At times it almost feels like they're trying to use Rohan as another smaller, pressure forward style player rather than a marking option which is why we've seen a player like Miers pushed up the ground

The MC really need to make a tough decision as we're probably just 1 forward too heavy at the moment, but where we can find that balance is omitting one of Henry or Rohan - the question is if they're going to be willing to make that decision or if they're kinda going to want an "injury" to help with it

Can't see starting positions from TV too well but weren't they throwing Knevitt forward too? How many forwards can we squeeze in?

 

[CatToTheFuture]

Yeah I'm a fan of Neale but he has to start doing just a few things more now. Get those goals he kicks for, slowly but sure improvement each time. But his not doing it yet. Which is a concern.. Not major but it's there

That was his 17th game of senior football

 

[The_Koulouriotis_Fan]

Henry’s pressure last week was great. He’s a very good player and still young.
I think Rohan in the team detrimental to his game, it’s one or the other for me, I have loved Rohan at Geelong and everything he’s done for us but I think he’s about done.

Neale is tracking well, his stats are better than Fogarty’s at the same age and Shannon has only played 16 games. Look out once he gets to 100.

Oisin Mullin is worth persisting with, he does some truly special things and is still learning the game, just feel he needs to trust his instinct, always looks like he’s trying to do the right thing too much.

We’re a team in transition. Port, Swans, Giants, Brisbane, Bulldogs, Blues all have better list profiles to contend than us. We have no right to be sitting in 4th with the holes we have, but here we are. Good to get some September experience into the young brigade, hopefully win a final, a prelim would be an excellent result for us this year.

 

[kcattatac]

He also played a key part in setting up a goal using his speed in the first half.

It's strange but between him and Knevitt (as fringe players), I'd say Mullin seemed to have the better game sense.

Maybe Knevitt's role wasn't as clear. He took a great contested f50 mark and goal, but that's not exactly what he's in the team for. At times some basic positioning around the midfield contest seemed off. It's frustrating because he has size and endurance, with better craft I think he could become another Smithy- quiet achiever of the midfield.

To me it looks like a confidence issue. You see it a lot with players who are constantly in and out of the team or who don't have a clear role.

To move knevitt to half back after that goal is setting him up to fail considering he hasn't played there at all in vfl. He looked understandably lost

 

[cats_09]

Can't see starting positions from TV too well but weren't they throwing Knevitt forward too? How many forwards can we squeeze in?

During the pre-match warm up, Mullin was with the defensive unit when in the groups. Then during the second quarter he was finding himself starting centre bounces within our forward 50 as he was opposed to Hill - where Hill went he went. So if Hill was lining up on the wing then Mullin was on the wing, when Hill was in our forward 50 to play as a running flanker then Mullin was right there beside him

So when in the 6-6-6 centre bounce situations, if Mullin is lining up in our forward 50, then it means a forward is shifted out to the wing, the bench or even in the guts

IF Mullin is going to play a similar role going forward where he's playing that type of tagging role on an opposition speedster, we also need to factor in that he could find himself in the forward mix which can also impact our balance

Knevitt likely found himself up forward at times, not sure if Atkins was there during the 3rd quarter at all - that was the opposite end of the ground to where I was sitting and not sure what role Atkins was playing in the 3rd

 

[CatToTheFuture]

I think anyone claiming their is a massive difference between the two or that the choice is really obvious are kidding themselves. Both have had disappointing seasons with some good games sprinkled in.

I'd probably go for Rohan but it's marginal. Both were exceptionally disappointing last night.

I do think we'll get more out of Henry when Rohan is put to pasture. I just want to see Henry on his bike and getting mobile a bit more. Seeing him flat footed on a 1 on 1 is infuriating

 

[The_Koulouriotis_Fan]

That was his 17th game of senior football

This.
I don’t know what people expect from Neale. Sure Tommy had some awesome early games but he did it in the one of the best teams ever with Ablett, Bartel, Ling, Corey, Selwood delivering the ball to him.

Neale is tracking very well for a guy of his size in his 17th game.

Maybe it’s just that one breakout game of him kicking 6 that people want to see and that will convince them?