Autopsy Cats lose to Blues by 8 points.

[OddYears]

True but Guthrie has a huge upside. I don't see that with Miers he doesn't do enough IMO.

Fair enough but miers had 3 goal assists and 8 Score involvements (second best score involvements behind jez) This is the stuff that goes unnoticed. But He kicked 0.2. If he kicked 2.0 he gets some votes. Guthrie had 0 goal assists and 4 score involvements. Obviously their positions play a role in this but I can’t fathom the criticism of miers when we have bigger problems.

 

[Schmegg]

Correction 2nd toughest
The toughest kicked 6 from 25odd touches and almost dragged our sorry asses to a win tonight

Was gunna say of course Jezz

 

[nohairandfair]

You and i werent watching the game the same way tonight if thats what you saw.

Agree on the list management bit i was vocal on the fact that we should have used our last rookie spot on a kpd and not left it open.

Blicavs acknowledged that Sav struggled with judging the ball in flight. I'll take his first-hand, expert assessment.

 

[Pure_Ownage]

He is, but smart he isn't.

I agree but plenty of dumb defenders are in the top 30 backs in the league.

 

[Micksy]

Haha preservation mode ! That’s a new one after round 2! Haha

Felt like watching the Aussie Soccer team.
Park the bus and hope we can scum a win in the penalty shootout.

 

[Cursed Cat]

A lack of intensity for the first 3 quarters and easy goals given away from basic skill errors cost us the match. You can’t play a quarter of footy and expect to win.

Jury is out on Bruhn. Not sure he’s a plug and play type for us. Has some ability but just doesn’t win enough of the footy.

Tuohy’s turnovers killed us tonight. Not sure whether he thought he was playing against u12’s?

C.Guthrie superb in the last 1/4 (12 possessions) but where was the desire in the first 3? And some woeful turnovers by foot too that we never would have seen last year.

agree with all that YOTC, but Tuohy might have some excuses after suffering some heavy knocks in the first two games, perhaps. He tried to do too much at times though, for sure.

 

[Mr Meow]

A lack of intensity for the first 3 quarters and easy goals given away from basic skill errors cost us the match. You can’t play a quarter of footy and expect to win.

Jury is out on Bruhn. Not sure he’s a plug and play type for us. Has some ability but just doesn’t win enough of the footy.

Tuohy’s turnovers killed us tonight. Not sure whether he thought he was playing against u12’s?

C.Guthrie superb in the last 1/4 (12 possessions) but where was the desire in the first 3? And some woeful turnovers by foot too that we never would have seen last year.

What gives me hope is that Guthrie at least found his mojo as far as winning contests and the footy late. We now have to hope he goes back to being one of our better ball users and not our worst. 4 or 5 missed goal opportunities (or goal chances to the opposition) directly from his horrific blunders.

 

[51niwstac]

Oh, it's remiss if I didn't say, of Esava Ratugolea

27

Esava Ratugolea

Age

26

Ht

197cm

Wt

108kg

Pos.

Def

Career

Season

Last 5

D

8.6

2star

K

4.8

2star

HB

3.8

3star

M

2.7

3star

T

2.2

4star

MG

131.6

2star

D

8.1

2star

K

4.3

2star

HB

3.9

3star

M

2.1

2star

T

2.5

3star

MG

109.0

2star

D

9.2

3star

K

5.0

2star

HB

4.2

4star

M

4.0

4star

T

2.2

4star

MG

133.8

3star

, he has made this 2023 backline better. Yeah, I know 4 are out, but he is trying his guts out and with time and a millisecond of support, could be another Egan.

 

[feelinfeline]

Haha, not at all.

We just don't have any bonafide key defenders other than SDK (and Blicavs). Sav simply isn't AFL standard.

Amazing we won a premiership last year.

 

[CatRiot]

We are gonna leak a lot of goals with Esava down there... He's no Mal Michael

Mal Michael

Age

47

Ht

190cm

Wt

99kg

Pos.

Def

Career

Season

Last 5

D

9.8

2star

K

5.1

2star

HB

4.7

3star

M

3.6

4star

T

1.2

3star

No current season stats available

D

6.4

2star

K

2.2

1star

HB

4.2

4star

M

1.8

2star

T

1.8

4star

. Anyway he crashes a few packs, always entertaining. Though I really worry about collateral damage with Esava in the backline, as the Yanks would say when they bomb countries lol...

I thought of a dumb thing last night, a very weird observation. I wonder with Esava, because he kind of stands out with his colour in geelong gear with away shorts, he sort of looks obvious to the eye when he's harassing his opponent as a defender. When Harry Taylor used to do it with his opponent, it sort of blended in the background. You know it's kind of like the Woewodin effect when he dyed his hair bright blonde and then he won a Brownlow. Anyway, my eyes may be playing tricks on me, but Esava looks more obvious to the eye with all his actions (positive or negative). It's definitely not a racial thing what I'm saying, its just when someone looks different to the others, they stand out more (positive or negative). That's what I think. Anyway, I'll need to assess how many free-kicks he gives away in defence over the coming weeks to come to a final conclusion, it's just an early observation. These things are less an issue in the forward line for example, because you're the one attacking, rather than harassing/defending.

 

[goyoucatters]

Ceglar covers the ground like the fumes from a geriatric snail.

That's until he tires after half-time, at least...

 

[Cataholic]

We are still honing in on every action of a player in his second proper AFL game in a position more than any other player in Geelong history. When there are 46 much more alarming issues. I find it bizarre, that's all. Who was contesting all of those marking contests forward of centre in the last 5 minutes? Something like that is a big, big thing to rectify. It was a structural break down or blokes not contesting.

Curnow kicked goals on SDK, Sav, Zuthrie and MOC at points. But some are losing their heads over the rookie defender who mostly had great efforts and a few times couldn't deflect the waves of pressure mounting on that undermanned defence.

If we're being critical of defenders, what about 200+ gamer Tuohy? Further forward, Close is having worse games than his first 5 for the club. C.Guthrie has had two of his worst games in the hoops ever - he lifted intensity late but became a butchering liability.

So yeah, I'll keep bringing the discussion back to the actual issues.

I understand, and largely concur.

But do you understand that the public interest lays with the newbie, not the guys they've been watching ad nauseum?

Kinda like everyone was discussing Head's role in India, moreso than anyone else.......

Yes, we have bigger problems. No argument there. But the imagination has been captured by a guy trying to make it against the odds.

 

[Chinacats]

King & Dunstall questioning our hunger and motivation. Multiple premiership players… thoughts?

 

[Micksy]

How many times did we switch the ball tonight?
3?
4?
Felt like every time we came out of defense down that right hand side and just bombed it long.

 

[Red_man2008]

Great game lads. Jeremy Cameron

5

Jeremy Cameron

Age

31

Ht

196cm

Wt

94kg

Pos.

Fwd

Career

Season

Last 5

D

12.5

3star

K

9.0

3star

HB

3.4

3star

M

5.4

5star

T

1.6

4star

G

2.6

5star

D

10.0

3star

K

7.1

3star

HB

2.9

2star

M

4.6

4star

T

2.0

3star

G

1.9

5star

D

8.2

2star

K

5.0

2star

HB

3.2

3star

M

4.6

5star

T

2.4

4star

G

2.0

5star

is scary good. Nearly took the game on his own. Best player in the afl. Glad to get the 4 points.

 

[CatRiot]

Oh, it's remiss if I didn't say, of Esava Ratugolea, he has made this 2023 backline better. Yeah, I know 4 are out, but he is trying his guts out and with time and a millisecond of support, could be another Egan.

I think he's doing okay. But, I will say this with Esava in defence, his positive and negative actions are more noticeable. I'd like to see how he goes with free-kicks against and goals scored against over say 3-6 matches. I would stick with him for now too.

 

[Kobe Gryant]

Not at panic stations, but my main worry is the fitness.

I'm sure the hunger is still there, but the reality is - for anyone in life - you can't just flick the switch when it comes to fitness. It's going to take weeks, and maybe even months.

Jezza was obviously sensational, but quick shoutout to Zach Guthrie

39

Zach Guthrie

Age

26

Ht

188cm

Wt

84kg

Pos.

Def

Career

Season

Last 5

D

11.0

3star

K

5.8

2star

HB

5.2

4star

M

3.3

3star

T

1.8

4star

MG

90.0

1star

D

7.0

1star

K

4.0

1star

HB

3.0

2star

M

1.0

1star

T

1.0

2star

MG

90.0

2star

D

10.4

3star

K

3.8

2star

HB

6.6

4star

M

2.0

3star

T

1.6

4star

. I thought he was super, and it's remarkable how far he's come.

Like I said last week, Sav will never be Matthew Scarlett

Matthew Scarlett

Age

45

Ht

192cm

Wt

94kg

Pos.

Def

Career

Season

Last 5

D

14.8

4star

K

9.5

4star

HB

5.3

4star

M

5.0

5star

T

1.5

3star

No current season stats available

D

3.8

1star

K

3.2

2star

HB

0.6

1star

M

2.0

3star

T

0.8

3star

, but he's doing enough. He was superb in the first half, and I can't fathom the hate he's getting. The dam wall has to break at some point, and that's on the midfield, not the defence.

Need a win soon, onto next week.

 

[feelinfeline]

Bowes showed great signs, and Bruhn, don’t think we should be writing the kid off yet. How many times would those 2 have played in front of big crowds at the G?

Good experience for them.

Don't think Ollie Hollands has either and he looked better than either of them.

Room for improvement for both of them, but the same for the team as a whole.

 

[Vdubs]

Its a short pre season and injuries. We will be fine fitness wise in a couple of months (and we ran out the game ok tonight). The question is whether we will be say 7-5 or 3-9 by then..cant get too fad behind 50 %.

I think we'll be 1-3

Again with the short pre season… personally don’t get it…

Happens to teams who win GF's sometimes, particularly if the oldest list in the comp.
All can be altered next preseason, if we don't go dEep in finals, or even make the finals.
As I got lambasted for daring to mention hunger, drive and desperation could be a little lacking early this year, could it be?

 

[Reppie]

Dont need to win every game but it's a slow start.
Cmon guys we are better than this crap.

 

[kickazz]

Geez Stengle is quality though.

 

[cats_09]

Agree our forward fifty entries via the midfield were bog ordinary for a lot of the game, seem to look far better when Hawk or Jezz are the last kick inside fifty.

Forwards know how they want the ball kicked to them which is why they seem good at delivering it to each other

 

[winty]

You will learn a bit about posters who throw toys from the cot at this point. But to the game…

Similar to last week there were periods where we looked in control and moved the ball well. It was when there was a turnover that we looked completely flat footed and incapable of the “team defence” that delivered the 2022 flag.

Stanley has been “just going” in the ruck and then cops a knock leaving Blicavs to do it alone. gulp now we see Spudler next week I guess. We will be even weaker for it. Stanley at least drops back in the hole. Ceglar covers the ground like the fumes from a geriatric snail.

oops. Hit post too soon

Midfidfield clearly going poorly. I think we started slowly last year too so I’m not too worried but we will need more from senior players if the likes of Bruhn and Bowes are to be able to play effective support roles. While on the topic, Bruhn was largely invisible and Bowes prone to error. I think and hope both are capable of better.

Geelong defence has always been about team defence and not the six players named. Again I think we had similar issues early last year where the system wasn’t working and opposition forwards found themselves standing alone inside 50 all too frequently. Personnel back will help some but clearly the system isn’t tuned (yet?) either.

If we can scrap a way to 3-2 and then even 3-3 or 4-2 we will be in OK position. No need to panic yet.

Bit harsh on Stanley IMO. Two weeks in a row he's had an opposition ruckman drive a knee into his ribs at a centre bounce - Cox last week, TDK this week.

 

[rocker_oz33]

Pretty shitty start to the WE.

Mids were beaten again.
Plenty of work to be done there.
Danger not taking the bull bye the horns.


Quiet afew players well done on form.

Was jezza or nothing.

Bowes really should of kick that goal.
Might of made it interesting.

Really need to work away to get Ollie and gaz on the ground at the same time more.

 

[kickazz]

Forwards know how they want the ball kicked to them which is why they seem good at delivering it to each other

Cameron is an elite user of the ball. Fantastic vision and execution.


Our long high entries gave me stabbing pains. If you are under a pressure etc you can go long but don't go so high. Mung it forward if you must