Autopsy Cats lose to Demons by 8 points

[Footy_Fan2007]

They won't be anywhere near in September. If they can't beat us by more than 8 points when we had such a dog day night, and handed it to them, I can't see them playing finals.

However they did their homework, really well, knew how to stop our run (now watch the copycats) and for once Scotty was outmaneuvered. No one lifted, so much for our numerous match winners. Worst game for our players across the board, since 2023.

They are bloody awful to watch but they’ll play finals easily.

 

[Cursed Cat]

If Hawkins and Duncan continue in their current form, I am discouraged.

Yes, we can player better but can't win a flag with an ineffectual Hawkins.

Depends on how brave Chris Scott is in making big selection calls come the pointy end - Neale is waiting in the wings and looks primed to make an impact.

Hawkins has the experience and talent to work his way out of the hole, but there might come a point when Scott has to make a tough call.

 

[The_Koulouriotis_Fan]

Agree with a lot of this, but I think Melbourne are actually genuine challengers this year.

Loving Tyson Stengle's 2024 to date; had his issues in 2023 but he has been back in black this year, showing his true class and influence.

I mean anything could happen, they’ve got such a great spread of talent. Just don’t know if their game plan stands up when it matters. Should’ve beaten us comfortably the way we were playing tonight. Which impressed me about the cats. We were like that when we lost in 2022, still up to our eyeballs in it.

Stengle has bounced back so well! It’s great to see

 

[Strange Cat]

Pre Season 2007....... we smashed Port Adelaide by 1 point in an extreme flooded ground with massive pouring rain

Cameron Mooney was standing on the boundary line and the water on the ground was almost up to his knees

Username fits

 

[Generalissimo]

if a couple of moments of luck went his way rather than against him

I reckon if a few of his teammates had capitalised on the opportunities he created for them, we'd be low-key praising his game.

 

[Play it Sam]

Crazy how there were 15 free kicks in the first quarter, and 16 for the last three.

I wonder if the umpires were told to put the whistle away a bit at quarter time.

That's incredible! Do you think they've got an umpire prefect who gives the feedback each quarter? genuine question, because unless they put their heads together, to put the skids on to that extent is mad.
flipping umpires, can't live without them, or be a tin hat about them, but jeez they can manipulate a game.

 

[UnitedWarrior93]

Has the village idiot gone overboard over tonight?

Nah but basically said we’ve been lucky all year and melbourne had an off night should’ve smoked us.

 

[feelinfeline]

I think Duncan should play the rest of the year in the VFL with a role to coach and teach the kids. Give him the last game of the year in the firsts at home to say goodbye and let the fans thank him for his career.

You're dreaming. He's had one bad game. He's been pretty good otherwise.

 

[Lana]

Against both the Dogs & last week against Carlton he didn't always look right and seemed to be struggling to move at times

Tonight he looked a lot more free in his movement and if a couple of moments of luck went his way rather than against him, he could have kicked a couple of goals & people wouldn't be quite as ready to send him out to pasture

These day I'm less concerned with what he does and more concerned what his opponent can get up.

 

[Art Vandelay_]

Mate I’m not going through your post over years to pick out the ones where you downplay shocking performances.

We're all different.
I am calmer with nights like tonight. You're not. Nakkers overreacts.

Ultimately it makes absolutely zero difference. Nothing you or I say tonight will impact what Chris and Co do selecting the team on Thursday.

While if you read my lost I said almost he is important structural and we have no ready made replacement anyway so it’s a moot point. But the justification is to set a minimum standard of effort.

Making mistakes is one thing but not being bothered to

Even if we did. If we had a Mitch McGovern or Mitch Brown type player in the VFL tomorrow, and they played well.
We'd still be at 0% chance an established player makes way off 1 bad game. That was purely hyperbolic.

Stomping your feet up and down demanding actions for the sake of 'accountability' and in doing so throwing the baby out with the bathwater serves us no benefits. Parfitt was poor last week, a player I don't rate particularly highly, and whom I have praised in 2024 and I didn't get my axe out to grind that he should be dropped over that performance.

 

[Finknottle]

Hawkins confidence is down. Chest marks he normally vices are bobbling out.
Stengle and Pickett incredible small fowards. I panicked whenever Pickett had the pill so nice to know oppos probably feel the same when Stengle has it.

Someone in pregame said Neale would offer more then Hawk versus May. They were right.

We desperately needed someone to take a contested mark as Lever, Petty and Gawn kiled us.

Sent from my SM-S928B using Tapatalk

Well, don't expect Tomahawk to take a contested mark. It just ain't his bag. Cameron is not a contested mark type and tonight he was woeful all round. Ollie Henry is our only contested marking player. Oddly enough Stengle is our next best contested mark in the forward line. Neale might one day fill that void.
Rohan would have been handy up forward but he was sub and playing further up the ground when he came on.
May and Lever had a field day because Geelong was bombing it in due to Melbourne's pressure.

 

[Art Vandelay_]

Nah but basically said we’ve been lucky all year and melbourne had an off night should’ve smoked us.

So he took the moron option. On brand.

 

[The_Koulouriotis_Fan]

You're right, but Hawkins hasn't kicked a goal for three weeks. Glad you're not worried about him but some of us are.

We can only hope he can get back to somewhere near his best.

I’ll back Hawk in to turn it around, thought his form was better tonight, and if he doesn’t I’ll back him in to call time.

 

[UnitedWarrior93]

You're dreaming. He's had one bad game. He's been pretty good otherwise.

When you’re over 30, 1 bad game can very quickly lean people to say “You’re cooked”.

Probably will be Hawkins & Duncan’s last year but they’ve still got something to offer this year.

 

[winty]

Pre Season 2007....... we smashed Port Adelaide by 1 point in an extreme flooded ground with massive pouring rain

Cameron Mooney was standing on the boundary line and the water on the ground was almost up to his knees

I remember Matty Stokes getting 4 weeks in that game for having the sheer audacity to stand his ground while a Port Adelaide player slid into his legs.

 

[winty]

I’ll back Hawk in to turn it around, thought his form was better tonight, and if he doesn’t I’ll back him in to call time.

Hopefully Esava can play him back into form next week.

 

[Schmegg]

Well, don't expect Tomahawk to take a contested mark. It just ain't his bag. Cameron is not a contested mark type and tonight he was woeful all round. Ollie Henry is our only contested marking player. Oddly enough Stengle is our next best contested mark in the forward line. Neale might one day fill that void.
Rohan would have been handy up forward but he was sub and playing further up the ground when he came on.
May and Lever had a field day because Geelong was bombing it in due to Melbourne's pressure.

Yep played straight into their hands there and “Maylever” had a field day.

 

[CatToTheFuture]

We really missed O’Connor tonight. Parf also

My first reaction was that this was a troll post, but actually, it's a fair point

 

[mcwilrob]

Stanley was ok I thought against a genuinely great opponent.

Disagree - thought he was sh!te. Lost most clearances and did f all around the ground. Just not good enough

 

[Generalissimo]

I remember Matty Stokes getting 4 weeks in that game for having the sheer audacity to stand his ground while a Port Adelaide player slid into his legs.

I remember that. It was that shameful era in the AFL's history when they'd pick one bloke to be the poster boy for whatever they were cracking down on that week, and it was always Stokesy.

 

[God Mode]

Losses always burn but every teams drops one eventually. Not worried about this in the slightest.

We were clearly off our game. Weren't running as hard to cover the ground. Poor tackling intensity and unforced errors. Yet we still only lost by 8 pts. Dees couldn't have played much better except at kicking for goal and we were just as poor.

In fact, I'm more convinced of our premiership credentials after this game. Winning the midfield isn't even our strength and yet clearances, contested possession and inside 50s were relatively close. Add this onto a return to our usual intensity and we'll be just fine.

 

[Mad_Hatter]

Couldn't have played much worse with some players having all time howlers, yet still could have snatched the 4 points from a pretty crappy, forgetful game.
7-1.

Sure, a few players are starting to get attention from some seriously poor form, and a few others had a horrid game in what has been a pretty good season otherwise, but I won't bother worrying about that until/unless it becomes a far more consistent issue.
Holmes was brilliant, Zuthrie was great, Stengle and Close showed plenty and had moments of serious class, which I thought Clark, in particular in the second half, played extremely well all things considered.
The biggest thing now is the response, lets see how we go next week before making any kind of concrete statements.

 

[catempire]

Mainly mad because I forgot what losing was like queue:

 

[CatToTheFuture]

Disagree - thought he was sh!te. Lost most clearances and did f all around the ground. Just not good enough

He was bad early, but I think he evened it up a bit late. I think that's the best we can hope for from all our options

 

[cats_09]

I think Duncan should play the rest of the year in the VFL with a role to coach and teach the kids. Give him the last game of the year in the firsts at home to say goodbye and let the fans thank him for his career.

Agree that Duncan should be managed throughout the season & as we get deeper into the season that he may not be the automatic best 23 selection as has been the case since 2011

But he's not going to play out the season in the VFL - he's a 281 game club veteran & that doesn't seem a very respectful way to approach things

He's had good games this season & then a poor effort like tonight. He could very well still have a role to play going forward this season, but it may just look different to how he expected it would at the start of the season

I would be surprised if he didn't play at least another 10 games this season