Autopsy Geelong loses to PA in QF2 by about 6 goals.

[year of the cat]

We should have been cycling through the list throughout the H&A season a bit more, getting games into our likeliest youngsters. But apparently it was critical to persist with the likes of Dahlhaus and Kolodjashnij because, roles.

i can’t believe that still, armed with ongoing evidence that a few guys just aren’t up to it in finals, some posters still want to persist with the same old. It’s mind boggling!!! We aren’t winning a flag this year. So now use it as an opportunity to get some valuable experience into some others that will hopefully not be overawed.

 

[Vdubs]

This is what happens when you REWARD MEDIOCRITY. So many of us in this forum have observed that very average older players are a protected species while promising younger players are not persevered with. Don't tell me Clark et al won't come good: there are dozens of players across the comp playing good football who took time - there are several examples at St. Kilda and Essendon.

And who gives a sh*t if we don't play finals every year if last night is the result?

We need more young talent but our first pick this year is 30!

But what if our best list contains a lot of mediocre players, and that is the best we can do.
When I have previously suggested we are middle of the road in talent, overall, I get laughed at.
'We have some good top end talent, but so does Carlton.
Our mediocre players get rewarded because they put in most weeks, and you know what you'll get from them, but moreover, it is what our list is.

 

[catpremier 07]

Only positive i can take out of the game is i don't think waiting around in Perth for 2 weeks for our next game would have done us any favours.
But honestly last night we were deer's in headlights..... again

 

[ShaunWDT]

Im not sure the game plan is the issue, we got into a position to be first and made a grand final with that style so it can clearly hold up, just played absolute shit.

 

[Cursed Cat]

Why wouldn't Henderson play next week?

There is shame in being a Cats fan - it's kind of a torment and yet we'd be laughed at for thinking that way. People say things like we're lucky we're not Carlton supporters and yes thats fairly accurate, but it is still torture watching your team do so well for most of the year to fall away when it counts.

I've said for a while now that only Collingwood fans would have any idea of the mentality of the average Geelong supporter. Gets to the point where there is genuine trepidation leading into finals rather than excitement at the opportunity at hand.

I've said for a while now that only Collingwood supporters would really understand the mentality of the average Geelong supporter.

We didn't play Collingwood in a prelim..

whoops.

point is that one of our finals opponents last year just didn't turn up.

 

[Vdubs]

We didn't play Collingwood in a prelim..

Beating Brisbane in Brisbane the way we did, was a mighty effort. Our best ever since the 11 GF under CS imho.

 

[FredLeDeux]

A lot of melts on here for a game where people chase around a piece of leather… or that’s how my wife describes me during a game. I get the frustration with the cats not stepping up a level in the finals, but it is just a game after all… not life or death. And we’re still in it.

But just think of all the dogs that haven't been kicked because their wackjob owners have been able to vent on here instead

 

[James1970]

Kind of obvious that the only couple of guys who played a decent game (Henry, Close) are the same two who have been given games week-in, week-out since they started. While Close still has a way to go, Henry is the only obvious future A-grader we have on the list. There may be other kids who will make it, but they just haven't been given the run of games (if any) to show what they've got.

We picked injured players last night - not just guys carrying niggles and soreness - but obvious sick and injured players.

We picked guys out-of-form, more in hope than belief.

The game-plan we have had now for years is centered around our tired, old men who will - like all of us - re-kindle the spark now and then. But without the strength, joy and vitality of youth around, well...you get last night.

All because the list doesn't bat deep...and that rests with hands-in-the-pocket Scott, who was, if I remember correctly, originally picked to transition the oldies out of the side without us crashing.

Don't really care what happens next week...a win is hoped, but very doubtful. It's what is on Steve Hocking's mind that's of interest. Just hope he's willing to give it a shake. The Hoops need it.

 

[Shai]

Recruiting older players hasn't been the problem, a lot of them have been good.

Blindly and obviously favouring them (and other battlers like Blicavs, Kolo, etc) for selection time and again over younger players has been the problem.

To your first point I would say some of them have been good and yes it has been a problem.

Blindingly obvious when you see the quality of kids Port had out there last night, where were ours? We absolutely do have some potential coming thru but not 1 of them is ready now or was capable of coming in and making a difference from their 1st season.

Clark may have been but has regressed since the injuries.

 

[Poetic Justice]

In terms of game plan - I had a question about a bit of play last night and perhaps I'm not looking at it correctly.

Someone had the ball on the half back - handballed it in traffic to Henderson - who had the ability to throw a kick on to the boot and move it forward but instead decided to take on two tacklers and try to get a handball away - he got pinged for holding the ball - then they ran on to a Motlop goal.

Even if there's no clear option - would it not be better in this instance to try and kick it as long forward as you can rather than turn it over so close to the opposition 50?

 

[Cursed Cat]

i can’t believe that still, armed with ongoing evidence that a few guys just aren’t up to it in finals, some posters still want to persist with the same old. It’s mind boggling!!! We aren’t winning a flag this year. So now use it as an opportunity to get some valuable experience into some others that will hopefully not be overawed.

During the off-season I posted my hypothetical ''best 22'' for 2021 - I wanted to see De Koning getting games throughout the H&A season as I suspected we had an issue with our key defenders. That issue has turned out to be worse than I thought, and getting 10 or so games into the kid might have been prudent long-term.

 

[Poetic Justice]

Beating Brisbane in Brisbane the way we did, was a mighty effort. Our best ever since the 11 GF under CS imho.

Yeah I agree with that - and it lifted excitement for the GF - and the fact we'd finally made a GF.

There's nothing to suggest the same doesn't happen again this year and that 100s of pages of threads bemoaning this lost is forgotten once again when we want to praise the team for winning by 10 goals next week.

 

[Baudolino]

I find it bizarre that you think Chris Scott's coaching record isn't worthy of scrutiny.

The hell are you talking about? I have explicitly said in previous posts that I blame the coach for our finals failures. We are mentally weak in finals and that's on him.

My disagreement is with those who think we suck in every single major area (recruiting, coaching, game plan, players), which makes absolutely no sense as we would we would be down the bottom of the ladder if we were as spectacularly bad in as many key areas as those people claim.

The club, and in particular the coach, deserve criticism. Extremely strong criticism. But strongly criticising the club shouldn't have to require ludicrous hyperbole and total abandonment of nuance. There are many posts in this thread I consider to be on-point in their condemnation of Geelong's finals record and their deconstruction of the reasons for that. I just don't find commentary that basically comes down to "everything the club has done is wrong" to be a particularly serious attempt at analysis.

 

[feelinfeline]

OUT: MOC, Higgins, Dahlhaus
IN: Ratugolea, Tuohy, Holmes

Good changes but Higgins was injury sub so someone else would have to go out too.

 

[Mad_Hatter]

I think thats what we need. A no bullshit agro bloke to fire up our guys. Scott is a manager. He manages the club and staff well and we are a professional outfit always. Unfortunately what we need is an emotional motivator. I would hope Scarlo can do that. Otherwise throw the kitchen sink at Clarko for 2023 and get it inked now.

It's a known fact that Scarlett has as much say as Scott when it comes to MC decisions and style, he's part of the problem at this point.

 

[Cursed Cat]

Beating Brisbane in Brisbane the way we did, was a mighty effort. Our best ever since the 11 GF under CS imho.

Agreed.

The club's finest moment post-2011.

 

[year of the cat]

It's not called a second chance for nothing.
The MC knows what works for us, and where our players are at.
This stage last year, we lost to Port and were able to bounce back.
If we get smashed next week, clearly questions will need answers.

But do they? We’ve been here for 6 years! I’m not sure they really are taking any “learnings” (that’s the new AFL bullshit buzzword btw I’ve noticed).

 

[Poetic Justice]

It's a known fact that Scarlett has as much say as Scott when it comes to MC decisions and style, he's part of the problem at this point.

If there is a next coach it has to be someone from outside of the club. The mental side of the team needs to be worked with and that can't be done by someone who is already close to it.

 

[Lana]

It's a known fact that Scarlett has as much say as Scott when it comes to MC decisions and style, he's part of the problem at this point.

How could that be a known fact

 

[Vdubs]

It's a known fact that Scarlett has as much say as Scott when it comes to MC decisions and style, he's part of the problem at this point.

The problem?
What is that?
5-13 seems a bit of a problem.
We don't have classy finishers, Duncan excepted; maybe he should play forward all game.

 

[Sire of Claude]

Ive just seen that Scott lamented the fact our chaps kicked it to Allir throughout the game! Well whose fault is that? The first thing I would have said before the game is this: don't kick in Allir's direction and if you do keep the ball low. it's not rocket science.

 

[Poetic Justice]

The problem?
What is that?
5-13 seems a bit of a problem.
We don't have classy finishers, Duncan excepted; maybe he should play forward all game.

I haven't looked at the stats - what were our inside 50s like because it seemed like we didn't get much opportunity to finish

 

[Vdubs]

In terms of game plan - I had a question about a bit of play last night and perhaps I'm not looking at it correctly.

Someone had the ball on the half back - handballed it in traffic to Henderson - who had the ability to throw a kick on to the boot and move it forward but instead decided to take on two tacklers and try to get a handball away - he got pinged for holding the ball - then they ran on to a Motlop goal.

Even if there's no clear option - would it not be better in this instance to try and kick it as long forward as you can rather than turn it over so close to the opposition 50?

Game plan? Or instincts?
That is hardly part of game plan.
Hendo was just off.

 

[Poetic Justice]

Ive just seen that Scott lamented the fact our chaps kicked it to Allir throughout the game! Well whose fault is that? The first thing I would have said before the game is this: don't kick in Allir's direction and if you do keep the ball low. it's not rocket science.

Surely this had to be frank discussion at QT, HT, 3QT...
Do they not respect Scott enough to listen and put it to practice?

 

[Poetic Justice]

Game plan? Or instincts?
That is hardly part of game plan.
Hendo was just off.

The game plan seems to be to slow the ball down and control it moving from back to forward, so yes, I think it is game plan related.