Review Geelong defeats Saints by 8 points

[Pure_Ownage]

Close had amazing hands several times leading to at least three goals by my count.

Yes but closes game originally has been built off the back of repeat running work not the finishing stuff. Last night the workrate wasnt there.

 

[CatToTheFuture]

Tex is injured, bad back.

He could have played last night they just didn't want to travel him is what I heard

 

[year of the cat]

Yep, we need someone to present, to run at the ball carrier, to contest.

We can't have a bunch of guys just hanging back and waiting for the ball drop.

Ollie Henry should be that player. But he seems to either take the mark or be out of the contest. Needs to be better at bringing the ball to ground if he’s not in a position to mark it.

 

[Pure_Ownage]

It was a horror night execution wise for him. Endeavor was excellent. It was his first full game at AFL level (praccy matches are great but it's still intensity off to a degree). There was enough to see where you want 10, 20, 50 games pumped into him as quickly as possible.

He just hasnt played enough footy in the last 18 months. The execution will improve with another 15-20 games just like areas of tanners game have. Clarks attack on the football and desperation you just cant teach whereas decision making you can.

 

[MacStradbroke]

This thread seems pretty non-melty to me. Maybe I'm inured to negativity after so long on this forum, but I genuinely don't feel like the post-match mood tonight has been overly glass half empty. There's a wide range of comments, with plenty of posts about both the good and the bad. Idk, call me a BigFooty apologist if you will, but I don't think the mood in here is all that gloomy.

There was an earlier post knocking Danger…wtf! Was immense last night.

 

[Gee Class Loco]

FWIW here is my two bobs worth.
Firstly let it sink in that it is Game 1. First game of the year.
Scrappy hard fought affair against a smart defensive minded tactician in Ross Lyon.
How did we do?
I will do the positives.
We won.
Youngsters blooded.
Escaped injury.
Great NEW Stadium. lol.
Loved Ollie Dempsey's game.
Really liked Tanner Bruhn's game.
Jezza is a RIPPER!
Danger Danger Danger. 34 years young. Great game from the skipper.
Kolo is a defender, doesn't cheat on his opponents, stays home and defends.
Say what u like about Stanley. But in the ruck he makes a difference. Blitz is not a ruckman.
Ball movement at times was good until we hit our forward 50.

Just remember folks it is game 1.
Players like those DILLS with the whistles are as rusty as an old nail on the first day of work after a long holiday.

Cheers & GO CATTERS!!!

 

[Cataholic]

Ollie Henry should be that player. But he seems to either take the mark or be out of the contest. Needs to be better at bringing the ball to ground if he’s not in a position to mark it.

Agreed......also need Close and Stengle doing more, a la Mannagh, and the midfield to lower their eyes a bit.

 

[MacStradbroke]

No Jhye Clark for the last 10 mins or so, was it just cramp like Stengle?

 

[cats_09]

Ps: it was around the 9:40pm mark

I feel like it was after this goal by Membrey at the start of the last quarter - he seemed frustrated throughout the night, and likely not happy to have just spoken to the team at 3/4 time and this is how we start the last

 

[The_Koulouriotis_Fan]

I don’t think it should be lost how huge it is that we won a tight game, we were able to arrest the momentum twice and kick the goals, that’s huge and something we were unable to do last year. That will be great for team belief.
We were 0-5 in games under 10 points last year. This year we’re already 1-0!

 

[catempire]

How are forwards supposed to lead to the ball carrier with 36 players in the area. This is what Ross Lyon football destroys. I don’t put any blame on the forwards last night at all. It’s not indicative of how we want to play or will play any other week.

 

[year of the cat]

How are forwards supposed to lead to the ball carrier with 36 players in the area. This is what Ross Lyon football destroys. I don’t put any blame on the forwards last night at all. It’s not indicative of how we want to play or will play any other week.

I think that accounted for Scott’s frustration last night. He alluded to that in his press conference.

 

[dazbroncos]

Jack Riewoldt compared Dempsey to Shai Bolton after the game. Massive wrap.

Let’s not get too far over our skis.. he’s got great potential sure.. but give the kid a chance with less hype..

Go Catters

 

[Frank Bunn]

The negativity of this board is crazy. How we can have a win like last night and the majority of comments are negative is beyond me. Perspective, I guess.

It was a really hard fought win and there's improvements to be had.

Quite a few of the players were cramping up. That won't happen in subsequent games. There were skill errors when we were committed in the forward half that resulted in rebounds and pressure on the defence. Fix that and we score more and concede less.

Some of the skill errors can be attributed to the slippery ball. Maybe the ground staff should refrain from heavily watering the turf on match days.

 

[Cataholic]

How are forwards supposed to lead to the ball carrier with 36 players in the area. This is what Ross Lyon football destroys. I don’t put any blame on the forwards last night at all. It’s not indicative of how we want to play or will play any other week.

Fair point.

I guess I just didn't see us try to isolate / hit targets....it seemed to be 'kick and hope'.

But I get your point. See what the next few games looks like.

 

[Turbocat]

Unfortunately ..the game was much as I feared. Lyon coaches and selects to create messy game. He selects guys who can run and they are trained to be excellent at nullification and our ground probably helps him more than many other visiting coaches.

Having said that . I thought we were very clunky. A lot of play failed to due to our own lack sure hands and heads. Playing Stk was a step up in pressure and and stress test for playing and enduring that.

 

[CatToTheFuture]

How are forwards supposed to lead to the ball carrier with 36 players in the area. This is what Ross Lyon football destroys. I don’t put any blame on the forwards last night at all. It’s not indicative of how we want to play or will play any other week.

I just feel sad it's back, like hearing the cancer is back for a friend who was in remission. The last few years footy has been great. If he has success with this then I don't know how we market and expand the game.

 

[Pure_Ownage]

How are forwards supposed to lead to the ball carrier with 36 players in the area. This is what Ross Lyon football destroys. I don’t put any blame on the forwards last night at all. It’s not indicative of how we want to play or will play any other week.

The forwards cant find space as there is none but what they can do is repeat lead higher up the field to create short kick chains and try and draw the defenders out. Cameron did this and also miers but the others largely didnt. And with the high balls they can compete in the air outnumbered to try and bring it to ground. Henry in particular needs to be doing this. It was largelt on the mids as the high balls in were too slow and loopy but the fwds need to do more to work through it. Otherwise teams (that are fit enough as you can only play the flood style if you are very fit as it requires high endurance) will play the flood against us more and more this year.

 

[Pollywaffle]

How are forwards supposed to lead to the ball carrier with 36 players in the area. This is what Ross Lyon football destroys. I don’t put any blame on the forwards last night at all. It’s not indicative of how we want to play or will play any other week.

Ross Lyon style teams have always been bogeys for us

 

[Turbocat]

Forgot to add ... I think id have had Mannagh on earlier. Probably would have taken Stengle or OHenry off in the 3rd. OHenry could have had 3 goals if he was dialed in, looks like his kicking at goal needs a tidy up again. Stengle is a bit of a concern. Is it coincidental that he has never been the same player since Eddie has departed? He needs to find something quickly or he will be playing 2's

 

[Hamingja]

There was an earlier post knocking Danger…wtf! Was immense last night.

What were you doing Danger you idiot. Taking that low percentage shot. He could have missed and given the Saints the ball and 30 seconds to slingshot it coast to coast to win. He should have taken his 30 seconds and then kicked it backwards

 

[Pure_Ownage]

Unfortunately ..the game was much as I feared. Lyon coaches and selects to create messy game. He selects guys who can run and they are trained to be excellent at nullification and our ground probably helps him more than many other visiting coaches.

Having said that . I thought we were very clunky. A lot of play failed to due to our own lack sure hands and heads. Playing Stk was a step up in pressure and and stress test for playing and enduring that.

I agree. The good news is we handled the heat and won the pressure battle in midfield well. The bad news is our sloppy disposal was comical at times.

 

[Vivy]

How are forwards supposed to lead to the ball carrier with 36 players in the area. This is what Ross Lyon football destroys. I don’t put any blame on the forwards last night at all. It’s not indicative of how we want to play or will play any other week.

Didn't think it had anything to do with the forwards watching at the ground.

We can always revert to just kicking the ball to a pocket to the advantage of Hawkins or Cameron.

From my POV it was entirely on the players kicking the ball in.

 

[BORIS332]

Yes but closes game originally has been built off the back of repeat running work not the finishing stuff. Last night the workrate wasnt there.

 

[Turbocat]

The forwards cant find space as there is none but what they can do is repeat lead higher up the field to create short kick chains and try and draw the defenders out. Cameron did this and also miers but the others largely didnt. And with the high balls they can compete in the air outnumbered to try and bring it to ground. Henry in particular needs to be doing this. It was largelt on the mids as the high balls in were too slow and loopy but the fwds need to do more to work through it. Otherwise teams (that are fit enough as you can only play the flood style if you are very fit as it requires high endurance) will play the flood against us more and more this year.

OHenry needs to look at Cameron and learn. Sure Jez probably is a rule unto him self but get involved. Gees its not like it was back in the day where plaers were chained to position. He is still very young and like all was probably well off his best.. which added to the opposition made it a hard night.