Review Game days suck - Carlton prevail

[D BRIDGE]

His career didn't start the day he walked into Geelong. Averaged 25 disposals and 4.7 clearances a game last year for Werribee. That's a better stat line than Stevens, Clohesy and Knevitt this season. He was absolutely also capable of more: in Rd 1 he had 31 disposals 6 clearances, highest and second highest respectively on the ground. You only have to look at the highlights package to see how dynamic he is at stoppages.

I'm not at all adverse to playing one of the other guys you mentioned, and TBH I'd like to see the team structured so that Mannagh and Knevitt are playing other roles but can give burst on ball to try and give us some more depth. But if the aim is to gain a point of difference from our current midfield brigade then Mannagh clearly stands out.

Geelong have somewhat dudded Mannagh IMO.

If we didn't draft him, he'd most likely be playing AFL week in, week out for the other team that drafted/wanted him.

Sure... we gave him his first chance on an AFL list and we owe him nothing... but I just don't love the way we have gone about it with him.

We bring in and play him almost as an undersized FF in the VFL.

We are not developing and progressing his game at all.

Mannagh would be a tad dirty on being with us and not elsewhere atm.

Drafting him with such a usable pick and using him the way we are makes almost zero sense to me.

If we had him working on his midfield game in the VFL, i'd understand it... but forward pocket... nahhh.

If we don't think he is good enough... it's a dub pick.
If we don't have a spot for him... it's a dub pick.

You don't draft a 26 year old and plonk them in a position you already have covered in the VFL.

Sadly... it's a dud pick and Mannagh would be playing if he went to a different club.

I feel for the guy... He waited so long for his shot and we don't wanna play him (I'm sure some other clubs do).

 

[Vallace96]

Do we have the worst midfield in the comp?

 

[ToreadorMarch]

Does he have the tools to be a long term ruckman?
I note his brother has been a spare parts sort of player until this season where his ruck work has gone up a level

Maybe, but i think Conway is the way forward. Upside is better as an out and out, just a little away from consistent serviceable and a couple from maybe A grader. DeKoning could be a forward though. I dont mind him being used as backup ruckman though because he offers a lot that rucks don’t. Just needs confidence back and a little added mongrel in there

 

[Play it Sam]

Where is Cursed Cat - probably too disgusted to devote time to usually incisive analysis.

 

[Play it Sam]

Do we have the worst midfield in the comp?

Saints say Hai that's our prize

 

[Zouz Kitty]

I am obviously a big fan of Humphries but he's not physically strong enough for afl duty yet. Outside that you didn't name a defender.

The real missing player here is Bews

Agree, how does Bews return to AFL? Seems good enough in VFL? Or another case of playing younger guys, who still are not selected?

 

[Footy Smarts]

Agree on Dahlhaus, who played 10 games for the season but it was only 3 games after round 7

Higgins barely played senior football for in 2022 - a total of 5 games, with rounds 6 & 7 his only consecutive matches; he was phased out pretty early. His final game was against North in a fitting senior farewell

4 of those 15 games were as sub including one when Dahlhaus wasn't used. So it was only 11 full games between the two on them.

And Dahlhaus wasn't far from a game come finals. He was probably next in line for a small position behind Menegola and ahead of the likes of Stephens, Knevitt, Dempsey, etc. So keeping him ticking over with the odd game made sense.

 

[thejester]

Geelong have somewhat dudded Mannagh IMO.

If we didn't draft him, he'd most likely be playing AFL week in, week out for the other team that drafted/wanted him.

Sure... we gave him his first chance on an AFL list and we owe him nothing... but I just don't love the way we have gone about it with him.

We bring in and play him almost as an undersized FF in the VFL.

We are not developing and progressing his game at all.

Mannagh would be a tad dirty on being with us and not elsewhere atm.

Drafting him with such a usable pick and using him the way we are makes almost zero sense to me.

If we had him working on his midfield game in the VFL, i'd understand it... but forward pocket... nahhh.

If we don't think he is good enough... it's a dub pick.
If we don't have a spot for him... it's a dub pick.

You don't draft a 26 year old and plonk them in a position you already have covered in the VFL.

Sadly... it's a dud pick and Mannagh would be playing if he went to a different club.

I feel for the guy... He waited so long for his shot and we don't wanna play him (I'm sure some other clubs do).

One of Stengle or Close get injured and he's played a dozen games already. Calling it a dud pick is premature.

 

[cats_09]

Where is Cursed Cat - probably too disgusted to devote time to usually incisive analysis.

Review - Game days suck - Carlton prevail

Being there live it just stood out the gap in class and endeavor. We don’t compete hard enough around the contests. They continually walked out of tackles and were able to free themselves. When they forced us down the line we got out marked most of the time. Our defence has been given no time to...

www.bigfooty.com

 

[Footy Smarts]

I checked this recently. It’s about 18 months, but - that’s 18 months in a gym preparing to be a ruckman. Give SDK 18 months and he can be as big as his brother (only problem being his brother will have a further 18months in the gym!)


Sent from my iPhone using BigFooty.com

18 months ago where was TDK? Well he played 4 VFL games in late 2022 and early 2023.

Their careers have progressed almost identically to now. Prodigious talent shown early then fall in a heap with bad form around 22-23. TDK has come out the other side a star. Hopefully SDK can do the same.

 

[D BRIDGE]

One of Stengle or Close get injured and he's played a dozen games already. Calling it a dud pick is premature.

I don't think you pick a guy with a selection in the 30's to have on standby incase a forward pocket gets injured.

Sure we can do that... But looking at it from Mannagh's point of view... It's disappointing and I'd hope we were better than that.

 

[Vallace96]

Saints say Hai that's our prize

Are they though? Their ruckman is better than anything we have and dare say they win more of the ball overall than ours… could be wrong though

 

[And_ROOS]

Do we have the worst midfield in the comp?

For 8 weeks now, can't wait for us to make NO changes for next weeks game and make it 9 weeks while the coaches scratch their head at why playing the same guys just isn't working.

If I was a mid in our VFL I would be looking at other clubs already.

Imagine seeing Mullin and O'Connor getting games every week and steal a pay cheque while you slog it out in the 2s, post consistent numbers and don't get a match.

 

[kickazz]

On Hawkins, I did notice at one point in the game he actually launched up off the ground for a pack mark attempt. Haven't seen this is close to a decade I recon.

I wonder if that contributed to his foot injury ultimately?

 

[Cosmic Energy]

If youre talking about stengle hes not our best under 26 player holmes is (miers is also in that conversation).

I don’t think that’s quite right PO. Stengle is one of if not the best player in his spot in the league at the moment. Holmes is very important to our future & we’re sadly lacking in midfield talent & speed, but he’s not at the same comparative level yet.

50 goal a season pure small forward, that’s rare air.

Hopefully this year’s Stengle situation is similar to Holmes last year - people turning on them a bit assuming they are leaving until they sign on.

I hope so anyway, following the Cats these many years I always love a bit of flash in our team, he’s one of the finer talents we’ve ever had come to KP in that role.

 

[Vallace96]

For 8 weeks now, can't wait for us to make NO changes for next weeks game and make it 9 weeks while the coaches scratch their head at why playing the same guys just isn't working.

If I was a mid in our VFL I would be looking at other clubs already.

Imagine seeing Mullin and O'Connor getting games every week and steal a pay cheque while you slog it out in the 2s, post consistent numbers and don't get a match.

Complete agree, MC have been poor

 

[kickazz]

And as Bucks said post-game SDK was in the top 5 rated players for the game.
Just because his brother was very good doesn't mean Sam was shit.

Geelong v Carlton games in the nineties regularly had Garry Hocking and Craig Bradley sharing 5 Brownlow votes whilst being officially opposed to each other. THey shook hands at the start and the end of the game and that's about as close as they got to each other.

 

[ToreadorMarch]

I checked this recently. It’s about 18 months, but - that’s 18 months in a gym preparing to be a ruckman. Give SDK 18 months and he can be as big as his brother (only problem being his brother will have a further 18months in the gym!)


Sent from my iPhone using BigFooty.com

Also, seems that Tom was drafted in 2017 and Sam 2019, meaning a full two seasons worth of extra work on AFL list, AFL program. Gives hope. I also feel that Sam has better hands, is a better kick and better reading of play. Just needs to get a bit of intensity about him

 

[D BRIDGE]

I don’t think that’s quite right PO. Stengle is one of if not the best player in his spot in the league at the moment. Holmes is very important to our future & we’re sadly lacking in midfield talent & speed, but he’s not at the same comparative level yet.

50 goal a season pure small forward, that’s rare air.

Hopefully this year’s Stengle situation is similar to Holmes last year - people turning on them a bit assuming they are leaving until they sign on.

I hope so anyway, following the Cats these many years I always love a bit of flash in our team, he’s one of the finer talents we’ve ever had come to KP in that role.

Not for 1 hot second would I choose Stengle to be on our list or play in any game over Holmes.

 

[And_ROOS]

Complete agree, MC have been poor

Always told you reward good form, its not like our midfield has been firing to the point the door is shut to the guys in the VFL, and yet we keep seeing the same trash week in week out.

We lose Bruhn, probably our best and most consistent mid this season with Holmes, and we replace him with a PT mid in Dangerfield. That was never going to be enough especially without a ruck. So our midfield is struggling, its made worse with an injury and we don't reinforce it?

Speaking of, thats another disaster as well. I thought Conway/Stanley/Neale were injured, and all are listed for the VFL team.
Thats nearly as bad as going into the QF in 2019 with Esava and Blicavs against Grundy.

Its beyond a meme that Scotty hates rucks at this point, did Clark Keating shit in his weet bix back in the day at Brisbane or something?

 

[cats_09]

Always told you reward good form, its not like our midfield has been firing to the point the door is shut to the guys in the VFL, and yet we keep seeing the same trash week in week out.

We lose Bruhn, probably our best and most consistent mid this season with Holmes, and we replace him with a PT mid in Dangerfield. That was never going to be enough especially without a ruck. So our midfield is struggling, its made worse with an injury and we don't reinforce it?

Speaking of, thats another disaster as well. I thought Conway/Stanley/Neale were injured, and all are listed for the VFL team.
Thats nearly as bad as going into the QF in 2019 with Esava and Blicavs against Grundy.

Its beyond a meme that Scotty hates rucks at this point, did Clark Keating shit in his weet bix back in the day at Brisbane or something?

There's been no indication of an injury for Conway or Neale ahead of this week

Neale isn't a key ruck anyway - he's a forward who can provide a chop out in the ruck if needed. And considering the complaints from recent team selection with all of Cameron, Hawkins & Neale playing was making our forward line too tall, surely it's not a surprised that the youngest one was omitted on that night... Though he'll likely be back this week

Conway was managed last match, always likely to be playing at one this this weekend - seems the MC just wanted a different look in the ruck this week & to also switch things up for SDK, another thing fans have been calling for

Stanley is most likely playing sore and I wouldn't be surprised if he didn't play tomorrow

 

[Commando]

It didn't look good the way Tom limped off,
could it be anything that isn't curtains for him?

Terrible way to end but on a positive note at least it wasn't 2 years ago

 

[feelinfeline]

4 of those 15 games were as sub including one when Dahlhaus wasn't used. So it was only 11 full games between the two on them.

And Dahlhaus wasn't far from a game come finals. He was probably next in line for a small position behind Menegola and ahead of the likes of Stephens, Knevitt, Dempsey, etc. So keeping him ticking over with the odd game made sense.

Yes, Dahlhaus found some form late in the season after struggling earlier. I give him credit for that. He gave his all in the VFL too.

 

[Commando]

Geelong have somewhat dudded Mannagh IMO.

If we didn't draft him, he'd most likely be playing AFL week in, week out for the other team that drafted/wanted him.

Sure... we gave him his first chance on an AFL list and we owe him nothing... but I just don't love the way we have gone about it with him.

We bring in and play him almost as an undersized FF in the VFL.

We are not developing and progressing his game at all.

Mannagh would be a tad dirty on being with us and not elsewhere atm.

Drafting him with such a usable pick and using him the way we are makes almost zero sense to me.

If we had him working on his midfield game in the VFL, i'd understand it... but forward pocket... nahhh.

If we don't think he is good enough... it's a dub pick.
If we don't have a spot for him... it's a dub pick.

You don't draft a 26 year old and plonk them in a position you already have covered in the VFL.

Sadly... it's a dud pick and Mannagh would be playing if he went to a different club.

I feel for the guy... He waited so long for his shot and we don't wanna play him (I'm sure some other clubs do).

Maybe we recruited him foreseeing Stengles departure in 12 months?

 

[numbwombat]

A fair bit of negativity re Clark in the gameday thread, but I thought it was promising. Turned it over a lot, but he’s had a few ineffectual games in the past without many touches and used it quite well - he needs to learn to accumulate and that will necessarily mean some sloppy disposal as he improves. 20 touches - his first game above 16 - and against a strong midfield, games where our older mids have failed to fire this year.

Thought SDK was very decent and I don’t agree at all that a player must have had a bad game if they were beaten by a good player. I don’t like mucking around with talls’ positions though - hope they decide fast if we persevere in the ruck or backline.