2nds Geelong Cats VFL 2017

[CatsDoItBetter]

After a slow start to the season the VFL team put in some strong performances to finish the home and away season very well. Starting the finals they were one of the form sides of the competition but it wasn't to be as they couldn't carry that form into the finals. Losing the elimination final to Essendon after Geelong lead for a lot of the match.

It was Shane O'Bree's first season as VFL coach and he pulled together (along with Troy Selwood) a talented mix of VFL listed players to play with AFL listed players. They played a good brand of football and looked a lot more organised and structurally sound the recent years.

The squad is likely to be very different to the one that lined up throughout this season with a number of AFL listed depth players moved on. While some of the VFL listed players may find themselves at new clubs through the drafts.

The key positions particularly in the ruck and up forward will need some players added while of AFL listed players Gardner and potentially an unlucky senior player are the options so far down back. House and Stewart are options through the VFL list that may be added either kept on the Vfl list or drafted to the club.
Irish recruit Mark O'Connor will be an interesting player to watch develop throughout the season as will any academy players Geelong add to the cat b rookie list.

Hopefully the team can build on the late season momentum from last season and look to perform better early this year and in the finals while trying to develop players ready for senior action.

 

[CatsDoItBetter]

VFL team has it's first signing for the season http://www.geelongcats.com.au/news/2016-11-04/moloney-becomes-a-cat

 

[Jhye Clark 13]

Like the seniors, the VFL system faultered under the finals pressure.

Interesting.

 

[BIGANT]

VFL team has it's first signing for the season http://www.geelongcats.com.au/news/2016-11-04/moloney-becomes-a-cat

Good to see the vfl cat's doing the same as their senior brother does...recruiting bk former falcon junior's.

Sent from my SM-G930F using Tapatalk

 

[CatsDoItBetter]

The initial training squad has been announced for the VFL team. With over 60 players training begins on Monday night.

http://www.geelongadvertiser.com.au...d/news-story/1c4f22530cf05986bb4ee6fccfeb2f01

 

[OzeSparky]

Few will be on a AFL list in a few weeks

 

[Pure_Ownage]

Like the seniors, the VFL system faultered under the finals pressure.

Interesting.

They played badly in the final but the whole year they overachieved, with us losing depth players the last couple of years the vfl team has been very inexperienced they did well with what they had.

The vfl team wont see scooter or menegola much if at all next year nor cockatoo (with caddy gone) and stewart and atkins are likely to get afl listed (although if they get drafted by us they could still play for our afl side) so we need to bring some experienced vfl players into the side again so it isnt just first and second year kids.

 

[Pure_Ownage]

The initial training squad has been announced for the VFL team. With over 60 players training begins on Monday night.

http://www.geelongadvertiser.com.au...d/news-story/1c4f22530cf05986bb4ee6fccfeb2f01

Condy would be good to get back again would give us an old wise head like corrigan did.
If banner is the same one who played for port adelaide he is a good state league player. Capiron was unlucky not to get drafted as an u18 and is a good player.

Its likely stewart and atkins and maybe house will be on afl lists next year but i hope we can keep edwards and tsitas and sexton hickey and mclachlan would give us a decent vfl core. I assume they will keep abbott as we will be short on rucks and kpfs.

 

[Jhye Clark 13]

They played badly in the final but the whole year they overachieved, with us losing depth players the last couple of years the vfl team has been very inexperienced they did well with what they had.

The vfl team wont see scooter or menegola much if at all next year nor cockatoo (with caddy gone) and stewart and atkins are likely to get afl listed (although if they get drafted by us they could still play for our afl side) so we need to bring some experienced vfl players into the side again so it isnt just first and second year kids.

I was more talking the system not the cattle. They were good enough to get there, so much so that they were the in form team heading into the finals, much like their AFL counterparts, but as is our 'system' we faltered again when it mattered most.

Something's amiss.

 

[The rabbi]

I was more talking the system not the cattle. They were good enough to get there, so much so that they were the in form team heading into the finals, much like their AFL counterparts, but as is our 'system' we faltered again when it mattered most.

Something's amiss.

I am waiting with bated breath.

Come on Nakia.....don't disappoint us.

 

[Pivo]

Condy would be good to get back again would give us an old wise head like corrigan did.
If banner is the same one who played for port adelaide he is a good state league player. Capiron was unlucky not to get drafted as an u18 and is a good player.

Its likely stewart and atkins and maybe house will be on afl lists next year but i hope we can keep edwards and tsitas and sexton hickey and mclachlan would give us a decent vfl core. I assume they will keep abbott as we will be short on rucks and kpfs.

Hopefully we give him a gig. I'm still puzzled as to why he never got drafted.

 

[CatRiot]

I think Dan Capiron might be a good HBF to get into our VFL system. Jack Blood also.

 

[Pure_Ownage]

I was more talking the system not the cattle. They were good enough to get there, so much so that they were the in form team heading into the finals, much like their AFL counterparts, but as is our 'system' we faltered again when it mattered most.

Something's amiss.

They are two separate issues. I can't agree we had the (afl listed) cattle when at vfl games late in the year and the EF we were playing Murdoch as an inside mid which is clearly not his go. We were doing that to protect some of our light bodied kids as we didn't have the cattle through that area if we did Murdoch would have played fwd. The reality is our vfl team throughout the year was propped up by the consistent quality of Stewart Atkins Sexton Tsitas Edwards and occasionally House and McLachlan as well as the fact that when Scooter and Menegola played at that level they were outstanding. Most of the rest of our afl listed players bar Horlin Smith and then Lang once he got dropped back late in the year, were pretty poor in the vfl for most of the year. Which is reasonable considering we had a young squad but we did overachieve given what we had, our quality vfl teams of 2012 and 2013 were much stronger than this.

That said I agree that the fact our afl team has only won 2 finals since 2011 and the vfl team hasnt won many since their vfl flag indicates there is an issue with the teams performing in finals, whether it's more physical or mental I am not sure.

 

[Jhye Clark 13]

They are two separate issues. I can't agree we had the (afl listed) cattle when at vfl games late in the year and the EF we were playing Murdoch as an inside mid which is clearly not his go. We were doing that to protect some of our light bodied kids as we didn't have the cattle through that area if we did Murdoch would have played fwd. The reality is our vfl team throughout the year was propped up by the consistent quality of Stewart Atkins Sexton Tsitas Edwards and occasionally House and McLachlan as well as the fact that when Scooter and Menegola played at that level they were outstanding. Most of the rest of our afl listed players bar Horlin Smith and then Lang once he got dropped back late in the year, were pretty poor in the vfl for most of the year. Which is reasonable considering we had a young squad but we did overachieve given what we had, our quality vfl teams of 2012 and 2013 were much stronger than this.

That said I agree that the fact our afl team has only won 2 finals since 2011 and the vfl team hasnt won many since their vfl flag indicates there is an issue with the teams performing in finals, whether it's more physical or mental I am not sure.

Do you think the Western Bulldogs were the most talented team this year? Their 'system' stood up
When it counted.

 

[Pure_Ownage]

Do you think the Western Bulldogs were the most talented team this year? Their 'system' stood up
When it counted.

Agreed but that example also supports my argument in that if you look at the team they put out for the VFL GF that had a much greater depth of afl listed talent out there than our vfl team did and those guys performed better than our afl listed guys did in the vfl. As I said if you take out the vfl listed players our vfl team really overachieved this year given what was available to us for vfl selection most weeks.

 

[Jhye Clark 13]

Agreed but that example also supports my argument in that if you look at the team they put out for the VFL GF that had a much greater depth of afl listed talent out there than our vfl team did and those guys performed better than our afl listed guys did in the vfl. As I said if you take out the vfl listed players our vfl team really overachieved this year given what was available to us for vfl selection most weeks.

Depth means nothing if you have a good 'system.'

We keep failing under Scott when it matters.

 

[BotsMaster]

Depth means nothing if you have a good 'system.'

We keep failing under Scott when it matters.

So you're blaming Scott now for the VFL failings? Dear me when will it end

 

[Pure_Ownage]

Depth means nothing if you have a good 'system.'

We keep failing under Scott when it matters.

I disagree quality and depth of talent means nothing but each to their own.

 

[Ricketz]

Depth means nothing if you have a good 'system.'

We keep failing under Scott when it matters.

This is an incorrect assumption. A system can be great, but raw talent does overcome a great system with no talent. The truth lies somewhere in the middle.

 

[The rabbi]

So you're blaming Scott now for the VFL failings? Dear me when will it end

If it was not for Chris Scott Trump would never have won the US Presidency.

 

[Art Vandelay_]

If it was not for Chris Scott Trump would never have won the US Presidency.

If it wasn't for Scott then Harambe would still be alive too!

 

[Jhye Clark 13]

This is an incorrect assumption. A system can be great, but raw talent does overcome a great system with no talent. The truth lies somewhere in the middle.

Absolutely not. Facts are facts mate.

 

[Pure_Ownage]

Absolutely not. Facts are facts mate.

You can have a system that gets the best out of players to go from 4th best to 1st best but you still have to have enough talent to be close enough to begin with. Clubs with lists full of substandard players like carlton dont win flags. So its talent and system not either/or.

 

[Jhye Clark 13]

You can have a system that gets the best out of players to go from 4th best to 1st best but you still have to have enough talent to be close enough to begin with. Clubs with lists full of substandard players like carlton dont win flags. So its talent and system not either/or.

And under Scott it doesn't. I rate your opinion mate but we've had the talent not the system.

 

[Pure_Ownage]

And under Scott it doesn't. I rate your opinion mate but we've had the talent not the system.

I tend to agree with that in regards to the afl side. We are close enough but the system needs to change as well as players improve to get a flag. Not the vfl side though which is where you started the argument, the vfl side lacks solid talent compared to its opposition and punches above its weight.