Autopsy Cats lose to Suns by 64 points.

[standupand]

It can work, especially since Cameron is spending so much time up the field, and I think it would be excellent to really stretch other teams. But you then need to be really smart about how you set up the other forwards, and then wings as well.
Hawkins sits deeps at FF, Neale is currently looking far more mobile then Hawkins and flies for pack marks, and Cameron isn't really sitting in the f50 as much as he was in 2021/2022.

But that means the other forwards have to be Close, Rohan and Stengle i.e pace and pressure because if Hawkins doesn't mark it at the moment his opponent is running the ball/rebounding the ball out of our f50. Thats been the issue for weeks and why Hawkins not hitting the scoreboard has really hurt.

Most teams have two taller deep sitting forwards and we have Hawkins and Henry because Cameron goes up the field. So I would absolutely love to see us treat Cameron in our set up as a medium forward and use Neale and Hawkin as our big KPF.

This sounds like you're saying Henry comes out of the forward structure in that scenario? Is that correct?

 

[Baudolino]

Can Rohan be in our best 22 ever again…. Discuss…..
It’s time….

Has shown no visible signs of decline and still has his lightning pace. No reason to phase him out yet when he's one of the veterans still playing at his usual level, unlike others who actually do look like they've lost a step.

 

[allrighty]

Gold Coast will have about 4 straight losses now i absolutely guarantee it

 

[Baudolino]

With the form Zuthrie is in and it seems Stewart has been worked out lets chuck Stewie in the guts, we have no leadership whatsoever in our midfield.


Sent from my iPhone using BigFooty.com

Stewart hasn't been "worked out", teams have been trying and failing to tag him for years, this isn't new. He's just in bad form.

 

[Footy_Fan2007]

Can Rohan be in our best 22 ever again…. Discuss…..
It’s time….

Good question and I have been thinking the same thing.
Yes he can be but he doesn’t have much time left.

 

[Romeoh1]

Gold Coast will have about 4 straight losses now i absolutely guarantee it

Yep they might- but they have a good list and a good coach and are definitely improving. I expect them to do ok this year and come along next year. Playing a good brand of footy, have a vg midfield. Some good forwards, and backs. Dimma knows what he’s doing unfortunately.
I do look forward to playing them again down here- hope it’s this year.

 

[SoYouThink90]

We were never winning in that heat with so many outs..simply ran out of gas after half time.

That said that was the dumbest display of bombing it on forwards heads that ive ever seen-would it hurt anyone to use it by hand and find a leading forward.

Things that were glaring
-Conway showed promise and will eventually be really good. But doesnt have the tank yet. If there was a mid season trade period we would be bringing in a ruck. We knew this last october and havent addressed it.
-For gods sake pick mannagh next week we need someone that can use the football.
-Guthrie is either injured in which case he shouldnt play anywhere or hes way down on touch in which case he needs games in the 2s. I know danger is out but picking guthrie is no good for him or the team. Hardie should have played.
-The delivery did neale no favours but he doesnt have the footy iq yet. Whichever games hawkins isnt there id just use mannagh and dempsey as more mobile fwds we pose more danger there.
-holmes does well at hb but this midfield is dire. He just needs to be put in there. Put atkins or oconnor back if you have to.
-Jack is out of form and jeka might need to be tried. Not picking an extra kpd with no sdk was stupid.
-Parfitt tries but is not up to it and is a gap filler at best.
-Miers, both ollies and stengle are our class shining lights.

Still think people are harsh on Neale. Yes I get it watching seemingly simple dropped marks is frustrating. But you dont see how humid and slippery the conditions are on the TV. And players from a cold climate arnt used to it. All our players struggled to mark and pick the ball up at one stage or another but it gets magnified when a Full Forward drops a mark.

 

[Strange Cat]

Still think people are harsh on Neale. Yes I get it watching seemingly simple dropped marks is frustrating. But you dont see how humid and slippery the conditions are on the TV. And players from a cold climate arnt used to it. All our players struggled to mark and pick the ball up at one stage or another but it gets magnified when a Full Forward drops a mark.

Agree
Reality is even if he kicked a bag we still would had lost he wasn’t alone in not handling the conditions well

 

[allrighty]

Still think people are harsh on Neale. Yes I get it watching seemingly simple dropped marks is frustrating. But you dont see how humid and slippery the conditions are on the TV. And players from a cold climate arnt used to it. All our players struggled to mark and pick the ball up at one stage or another but it gets magnified when a Full Forward drops a mark.

1. He gets to the ball 2. His timing can be a bit off at times 3. When he gets his hands on the ball something good often happens. 4. His goalkicking has improved heaps.

Needs games

[FFS - note to self. I am now not using pronouns to start sentences. (Is there) something in the water?]

 

[bombersboy]

Stewart hasn't been "worked out", teams have been trying and failing to tag him for years, this isn't new. He's just in bad form.

Form or not recovered from concussion?

 

[bombersboy]

Still think people are harsh on Neale. Yes I get it watching seemingly simple dropped marks is frustrating. But you dont see how humid and slippery the conditions are on the TV. And players from a cold climate arnt used to it. All our players struggled to mark and pick the ball up at one stage or another but it gets magnified when a Full Forward drops a mark.

He grew up in the West. Would have spent a heap of time at least training in hot, humid conditions.

 

[feelinfeline]

He grew up in the West. Would have spent a heap of time at least training in hot, humid conditions.

It's not that humid in southern WA. That happens tropics, the further north you go. It's more of a dry heat in Perth.

 

[feelinfeline]

How so?? Has shown very little at AFL level across four seasons. If we draft a promising key forward with our first or second pick, why would neale get priority?

Not sure if you watched the Channel 7 coverage of the game on Thursday night, but Joel Selwood said that Neale was very raw when he was recruited. He was basically an athlete who'd taken up footy quite late.

I think they thought of his first two years at the club as teaching him the game. So he's not like a normal fourth year player, more like a second year one.

And we haven't drafted a promising key forward with our first or second pick, so it's a moot point. If and when that happens, they'll deal with the situation.

Even promising key forwards can take 4+ years (e.g. Tom Hawkins). I'm not suggesting Neale will have anything like Hawk's career. He may or may not make it, but I don't they'll be giving up on him just yet.

 

[catswhiskers]

He grew up in the West. Would have spent a heap of time at least training in hot, humid conditions.

I lived in Bunbury for 11 years. it can get hot but its as dry as a dingo's donga.

 

[STPer18]

GWS don't look in great form either.

 

[Romeoh1]

GWS don't look in great form either.

They aren’t- we will get em next week in Geelong.

 

[AM]

I know Scott keeps talking about Neale playing in combo with hawk and jez but I don't see it

The Blues often play 3 talls in the forward half. However, Neale is a tease. Shows positive glimpses but never tears a game apart. Something he should be doing in the VFL which is a couple of levels below AFL. And he doesn't appear to have flexibility as his ruck work is sub par. Maybe a trial in the back half to gain confidence or even find his role.

 

[CatToTheFuture]

How so?? Has shown very little at AFL level across four seasons. If we draft a promising key forward with our first or second pick, why would neale get priority?

not 100% sure how to respond to this. You need to give a kpf 3 years to get on the park so any kpf we draft will replace Cameron not Hawkins and will be too late affect any discussion about Neale.

If you're saying Neale isnt good enough your plan B needs a trade in this year not a draft pick.

Meanwhile, yes it's 2 games, but Neale has kicked 5 goals in 2 games while performing "poorly". Imagine if he got to the right positions and stuck his marks.

 

[And_ROOS]

Gold Coast will have about 4 straight losses now i absolutely guarantee it

Thats their next 6 but they have the bye in Rd 14 [between the Saints and Dockers game].
There is a good chance that they lose their next 5, Suns haven't won interstate which means they likely lose to Blues, Saints and Dockers, and the teams they have beaten at People First Stadium have all been teams low on the ladder meanwhile the Bombers and Magpies are in good form.

They might not win until the Kangaroos game at Marvel.
That said Dockers and Magpies matches are far enough out that they could have injuries/form drop.

The only team in the 8 the Suns have beaten was us, and that was at TIO in ridiculous conditions with horrendous umpiring. Not likely they will get looked after that well again. And as other have said, they had a week up there before the North Melbourne match at TIO the week before us so they were acclimatized.

Shame they don't come down to the Cattery this season, would have been nice to batter these plebs.

 

[And_ROOS]

The Blues often play 3 talls in the forward half. However, Neale is a tease. Shows positive glimpses but never tears a game apart. Something he should be doing in the VFL which is a couple of levels below AFL. And he doesn't appear to have flexibility as his ruck work is sub par. Maybe a trial in the back half to gain confidence or even find his role.

To be fair last year did you see the delivery he was getting most games? Its not like what Hawkins was getting in the VFL in 2007 when our ressies had ridiculous depth.

 

[Kitcat]

How so?? Has shown very little at AFL level across four seasons. If we draft a promising key forward with our first or second pick, why would neale get priority?

It is astonishing that with our history of having few rucks/key forwards, you contemplate not getting games into a 200cm GF 100 m runner after only a few AFL appearances.
A major weakness in our forward line is that we have no talls who can compete for the long kick in.
This is particularly so as Hawkins has a had a wonderful career but this should be his last season. He can’t jump over a white line.

 

[gogeelongcats]

They tried Stewart on a wing during the Port game only lasted a quarter - he did not get near it.

We need a big body in the middle.
Stewart has been figured out in the backline.
Play him in the guts

 

[Max Rooke]

Can Rohan be in our best 22 ever again…. Discuss…..
It’s time….

Probably not but as good as our forward line is there is zero depth.
If Hawk retires Neale comes in. But then if any of Neale, Jez or OHenry get injured we’ll need Rohan as back up at the medium-sized, can take a mark position. (We have a few more smaller forwards).

 

[BORIS332]

For those that said conceding centre clearances and more inside 50’s is part of the plan…. Please crank up the I was wrong thread….
The midfield battering we have had recently won’t get us the pennant nor will losing the inside 50 count with loose defenders playing the arrogant attacking transition style….
Scott has been bossed in the coaches box of late and again by Dimma….
Take the audit that we are behind the Suns youth…… and get to it!

We tied the centre clearances on Thu night 18-18.

 

[Mad_Hatter]

If we don't win the next 2 games, and somewhat comfortably, we aren't a genuine top 4 chance.
GWS looked putrid vs the Dogs, and the Tuggers are next level bad.