Opinion Football in no man's land - Geelong 2024.

[rocker_oz33]

If they were I'm sure they'd run faster

How fast can you run with K mart plates.
With Mrs Bartel.. .

 

[CatToTheFuture]

How fast can you run with K mart plates.
With Mrs Bartel.. .

I would run a long way for Ms Bartel

 

[Pure_Ownage]

Ruck, again, is the priority.
Sean Darcy must be recruited.

Not with his knee on that giant deal no way.

 

[kickazz]

This easily could have been a 'roast' prefixed thread but chose to leave it open for opinions rather than somewhere to rant or vent.

But in all seriousness, what are we trying to do this season. We don't appear to be going for the flag, or anywhere good enough to go for the flag.
But we're also not a bottom 4 club pumping games at will to anyone under 22.

So what we have is a sprinkling of youth learning the game, learning their craft and finding their feet at league level. While also having to take up some of the slack that fading veterans are no longer able to absorb by themselves anymore.

Defensively we appear to have taken steps backward in terms of ability, cohesion and understanding. Stewart is getting tagged, Henry has been up and down. SDK still looks timid. Only Zuthrie and Kolo seem to either have held ground or continued to improve.

In the middle is where the real issues lie, it's not just that we get belted in clearances and contests but it's also that when the game is at its hottest in first halves we get obliterated. We wear out our backline defending grimly and only start to come into games once the sting has gone out of it.

On the one hand lots of these guys like Holmes, Conway, Clark, Bruhn, Bowes appear to have many years left in the game and some improvement as years go on should be expected. Worryingly we're still reliant on 34yo Dangerfield to be remotely competitive in the midfield.

The conundrum is whether sticking with it now for the very bad short term pain will lead to long term gains, or should we pivot and get different looks in there and reward VFL form.

Hawkins, Cameron and Neale are also becoming troublesome. JC has had a role flip that hasn't been working. Hawkins is on his last legs, 3 months from retirement. But Neale still struggles to impress. Ollie Henry when we're not getting supply is also a worry and clubs are now putting attention into Miers. Should Stengle leave we are all of a sudden short of goal kicking small forwards as Close and Dempsey are inconsistent scorers.

IMV I think we need to concede that even if we make finals, and finals experience would be good for our young group of players, that we are not winning it this year. So would like to see the next 6 weeks used to try some new things. SDK in the ruck tonight. Give Humphries a look at HBF. Try Stewart in the midfield. Give Mannagh and Hardie a crack. There'd be others as well.

I'd like to see Blicavs and Atkins dropped. See what football without them looks like.
Hawkins is injured tonight so likely get another look at Neale. Send Mullin back to learn midfield in the VFL.

We're rolling out the same core group, with the same basic structure. And we're getting the same results playing the same dour and boring style.
Time to try something new, and to try different personnel or roles.

If for no other reason than to provide a bit of spark.

 

[MisterMarcus]

I think the issue is that we're a team in transition, and trying to thread the needle between throwing youth to the wolves (like North Melbourne did) and desperately clinging on to older guys year after year (like Hawthorn and Richmond did).

And I think that is just a very very difficult needle to thread sometimes.

 

[CatToTheFuture]

Having had some sleep on this one, I am reversing my previous stance on SDK in the ruck.

He's good enough I'd leave him there. If we're short a KPD I wouldn't mind throwing Jeka a bone.

Is Humphries physically ready? No? I'd still debut him and take Mullin out for a giggle.

Close was not very good. Mannagh or Ted Clohesy either way

We need to figure out how we're using Henry.

 

[Warhorse]

Having had some sleep on this one, I am reversing my previous stance on SDK in the ruck.

He's good enough I'd leave him there. If we're short a KPD I wouldn't mind throwing Jeka a bone.

Is Humphries physically ready? No? I'd still debut him and take Mullin out for a giggle.

Close was not very good. Mannagh or Ted Clohesy either way

We need to figure out how we're using Henry.

SDK direct opponent was best on ground. Drop him to the VFL. Strongly disagree about Jeka getting a game. Henry, Kolo are tall enough to take a key forward or Blicavs for the bigger types. If Blicavs can't play as a key defender he should be dropped as he sure as shit is doing nothing as a midfielder and/or relieving ruckman

 

[CatToTheFuture]

SDK direct opponent was best on ground. Drop him to the VFL. Strongly disagree about Jeka getting a game. Henry, Kolo are tall enough to take a key forward or Blicavs for the bigger types. If Blicavs can't play as a key defender he should be dropped as he sure as shit is doing nothing as a midfielder and/or relieving ruckman

TDK would have been best on ground no matter who we put there.

Happy to not play Jeka either way. It's pull not push dragging him in

 

[catswhiskers]

Humphries is 21. He is ready.

I have watched kids debut each week in AFL who look skinny and not ready, but a number use class and reading of the play to forge a way forward.

Humphries a footballer first. Looks a natural.

Athleticism: tank and muscle will come.



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[sexyhunk]

boys and girls, maybe I am just an old fart that seen the 90s. We really have been spoiled last 20 years. It isnt that bad, yes there a lot of holes to be filled particularly in the middle, which is not something new we know that area need addressing so hopefully we get something done in the off season.

 

[CatToTheFuture]

Humphries is 21. He is ready.

I have watched kids debut each week in AFL who look skinny and not ready, but a number use class and reading of the play to forge a way forward.

Humphries a footballer first. Looks a natural.

Athleticism: tank and muscle will come.



On SM-A156E using BigFooty.com mobile app

You talked me into it.

BRB stocking up in the chips aisle

 

[sexyhunk]

anyone know what happening with mitch roberts. Young ruck was highly rated and think got bid on by one of the WA clubs.

 

[year of the cat]

The cliff…. It came and came quick.

Preikestolen like.

 

[feelinfeline]

I was going to post this in the match day thread, but think it would get lost there
---


We need to work out what type of player we want Bowes to be

Against the Tigers, playing as a pure midfielder he had 29 disposals, 9 clearances, 11 inside 50s to go with 636 metres gained

Can't comment on the Swans match, but tonight he spent the first half playing from the forward line and after Mullin was subbed out he was shifted to defence

When starting forward, he was basically at the top of the arc at every centre bounce and working from there - it's the same spot we saw Dempsey playing from against the Tigers, when he put himself back in the frame for the Rising Star...I know who out of those I'd rather see playing that role

And much like when Stewart was subbed off against Brisbane, he's been shifted to defence to fill the hole

Not sure we know how to use him, but seriously, we've seen what he can offer as a full-time mid and he's in that right age group & size for what we're missing

Bowes got shown up by genuinely talented midfields in Gold Coast and Sydney.

I’m starting to have doubts whether he can make the step up to be a regular midfielder against the best teams, and maybe so is the MC.

 

[BigBOSS_Solid]

I'm still big on the Neale Henry Holmes Henry De Koning spine. Conway Bruhan Clark starting mids. In terms of rebuilding, build a spine first, and we are getting games into all of them this year. We have ok roll players developing in the VFL in OSullivan Knevitt Stevens Humphries Clohesy. Who knows if they all make it. It will be " No Man's Land" until it works... or it doesn't.

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[Vallace96]

SDK is our long term FB and O’Connor is our long term CHB; put them in there now build a defence around that

 

[cats_09]

SDK is our long term FB and O’Connor is our long term CHB; put them in there now build a defence around that

That's one short CHB and I know Merrick is only 27 but not sure how many additional extensions he'll sign beyond the one he did this year

On the other hand, Connor O'Sullivan may be our long term CHB, may just need a few summers in the gym

 

[cats_09]

Having had some sleep on this one, I am reversing my previous stance on SDK in the ruck.

He's good enough I'd leave him there. If we're short a KPD I wouldn't mind throwing Jeka a bone.

Is Humphries physically ready? No? I'd still debut him and take Mullin out for a giggle.

Close was not very good. Mannagh or Ted Clohesy either way

We need to figure out how we're using Henry.

What about seeing how O'Sullivan goes playing as the 3rd tall defensive option, and getting a few games into him?

 

[Strange Cat]

I’m really hope most of the players get a flogging in the gym over the pre season and bulk up 2007 style the size difference between the blues and most of our players was very noticeable last night

 

[CatToTheFuture]

What about seeing how O'Sullivan goes playing as the 3rd tall defensive option, and getting a few games into him?

Yeah I just don't like Jack Henry playing accountable 1:1 much. He's better for zoning 3rd tall stuff I think.

 

[noclashjumpers]

I think we have one problem that looks like many problems.

Our midfield exposes our backline and starves our forwards. That's the whole thing

This is it in a nutshell. We're two midfielders away from a totally different look.
Where those mids come from is the question. Are they in our VFL team, or are they future trades? Or maybe a bit of both.

Having said that, if we lose Stengle and Hawk (Hawk still warrants defensive attention even when not playing well), then suddenly our Forward setup could be a bit fragile.

 

[patmatcat]

I'm annoyed at the lack of change over the past 2 months. Rolling out the same midfielders who struggle to find the ball. Playing favourites with cooked veterens. Not rewarding VFL form. All very mediocre.

100%

 

[TheCattery2007]

I suspect Chris Scott

Chris Scott

Age

48

Ht

182cm

Wt

89kg

Pos.

Fwd

Career

Season

Last 5

D

16.6

4star

K

11.2

4star

HB

5.4

4star

M

5.1

5star

T

1.6

4star

G

0.4

3star

No current season stats available

D

13.2

4star

K

10.2

4star

HB

3.0

3star

M

2.2

3star

T

2.8

5star

G

0.4

3star

held the view that with Dangerfield, Hawkins and Cameron in the side you shoot for a premiership. His approach to coaching was shaped by the 2011 team. He talks about it often.

The extent of Hawkins injury last night might have changed that for him. If the career of the Cats legend has finished (and I fear it might be) then maybe we accept we can’t win a flag with Neale as our full forward and start to inject youth.

I also think they were trying to get the VFL side playing consistently together to win the flag - similar to the 2002 core group - supported by some senior players. The 2002 AFL team finished 9th… There might be some parallels - that approach turned out okay.


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[noclashjumpers]

I suspect Chris Scott held the view that with Dangerfield, Hawkins and Cameron in the side you shoot for a premiership. His approach to coaching was shaped by the 2011 team. He talks about it often.

The extent of Hawkins injury last night might have changed that for him. If the career of the Cats legend has finished (and I fear it might be) then maybe we accept we can’t win a flag with Neale as our full forward and start to inject youth.

I also think they were trying to get the VFL side playing consistently together to win the flag - similar to the 2002 core group - supported by some senior players. The 2002 AFL team finished 9th… There might be some parallels - that approach turned out okay.


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That largely rings true.

The other question that raises is what this change in expectation does for Scott himself. Does Scott, after 14 years (and effectively for the first time) want to be a coach that is not shooting for a premiership and is rather in the midst of a rebuild with an uncertain future?

 

[Kobe Gryant]

I would run a long way for Ms Bartel