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

[cats_09]

Youd think Mumford struggles to get up off a 6 day break, be interesting what the Giants do there

Hasn't backed up off a 6-day break all season - will they break that trend this week?

 

[My Tilly]

Hasn't backed up off a 6-day break all season - will they break that trend this week?

They have no choice. He's got the rest of his life to rest up given this will likely be his final game.

 

[Vivy]

Was already obvious. Just confirmation.

Dangerfield has a hand fracture

Superstar playing with nasty hand injury, Cats tightlipped

Geelong confirms injury to Patrick Dangerfield but remains light on detail

www.afl.com.au

 

[Cataholic]

Just on that, I'd say there's a theory in the 'life's a bit deeper than a game of footy' belief from players. FWIW it's one I agree with but I'll proceed regardless.

We've recruited and just have a lot of senior players in the older age bracket. These guys have lived a life, have settled down, often times have found a partner and had kids, made a lot of money and put their body on the line for over a decade.

These men have matured. It's no longer life or death for them, that youthful exuberance of wanting to win so desperately that we saw see from Port and the Dees isn't there, and that comes with the territory.

I already know what some will say - "They're on a lot of money to win premierships and perform" - I get that, but I'll ask you this - If you'd played this game for over a decade, bashed your body up, made your money, found a partner that you love and had a kid, would footy really be life and death anymore? Would you really be, as they say, dog-hungry? I doubt it.

I'm sure they still to win, I have no doubt of that. But there are levels to how much it really means to you. That is a real thing.

Yes, I believe it's a thing too, and why I've referenced 'effort / intensity' before.

When you stop running full speed, when you hold back a little, when you wait for someone else to get the ball, when you don't tackle with maximum intent, when you fall back from strictly following the gameplan, when you don't lift yourself to match your opponent's workrate, when you stop running yourself into the ground, when you leave some in the tank... that's a reduction in effort, a dulling of an appetite for the contest.

I get that a player's output can wax and wane because of form, injury or simply being beaten by a better opponent on the day, but the contentment / complacency you've referred to can handicap a player's ability and willingness to pour 100% into a game, and perhaps even moreso when an opponent steps up their desperation in finals.

 

[Poetic Justice]

Was already obvious. Just confirmation.

Dangerfield has a hand fracture

Superstar playing with nasty hand injury, Cats tightlipped

Geelong confirms injury to Patrick Dangerfield but remains light on detail

www.afl.com.au

The issue here is that Pat is not a big finals player - not in my opinion anyhow.. and if he is playing hampered, relying on him to dominate in the middle is going to cost us. Do we see him spend more time forward this week, or what?

 

[Vivy]

The issue here is that Pat is not a big finals player - not in my opinion anyhow.. and if he is playing hampered, relying on him to dominate in the middle is going to cost us. Do we see him spend more time forward this week, or what?

Well he's quite useless forward if he can't mark the ball

 

[someday-somehow]

Heard last night that Melbourne had 9 players who were playing their first finals, I decided to have a look at the changes to the sides who played in the elimination final back in 2018 where Melbourne beat us compared to the teams who played this weekend.

Geelong...

In: Atkins Cameron Close Dahlhaus Higgins Miers Rohan Simpson Smith Stanley
Out: Abbott Ablett Kelly Menzel Murdoch S.Selwood Stewart Taylor Tuohy

Melbourne...

In: Bowey Brown Jackson Jordan Langdon Lever May Petty Pickett Rivers Sparrow
Out: Frost Hannan Hibberd Jetta Jones Lewis O.McDonald Tyson Vandenberg Weideman

The players bolded in our list are those aged 28 or over. The ones bolded in Melbourne's list are those aged 21 or under. The players in italics are players who were traded in.

Looks like we've chosen to trade in older players at the expense of our youth, while Melbourne have traded in players to compliment theirs.

I remember reading that in 2011 Scott had a clause written into his contract that he had to select a certain number of players each week who had played less than 50 games. I wonder when and why we went away from that policy, as it tended to work well back then.

Outstanding post Winty

 

[someday-somehow]

It also helps if those kids actually have some superior talent. But as you say, Port and Demons are doing it well.
Our time for bottom finishes could come, and we may have no choice, but will our fickle supporters , who by and large have been pampered following Geelong since 2004, continue to patiently support with memberships while we slowly rebuild?

Maybe you should give Geelong supporters more credit - as should the club.

 

[Poetic Justice]

Well he's quite useless forward if he can't mark the ball

So that begs the question.. if it was someone on the next rung down, Parfitt or Rohan or Kolo... would they be playing?

Seems risky.. but sure, "the club knows what they're doing" (Not suggesting I know any better.)

 

[thecatattack]

The issue here is that Pat is not a big finals player - not in my opinion anyhow.. and if he is playing hampered, relying on him to dominate in the middle is going to cost us. Do we see him spend more time forward this week, or what?

If his hand is injured still then he won’t be clunking marks in the forward line.

 

[Poetic Justice]

If his hand is injured still then he won’t be clunking marks in the forward line.

Least he could probably offer more off the ground than Close and Dahl are... lol

 

[Kobe Gryant]

I must say as much as I hope we come out and win this week, anyone else nervous that we all kind of just expect it to happen? A lot of us have said the same thing: We'll win this week, probably look great and we'll get the hopes up and it'll be rubbish again in the prelim. The club seems to follow a script to the tune of an emotional roller coaster.

I don't know what it is, but I've got a feeling it could end this week. Something feels a little different.

 

[Poetic Justice]

I must say as much as I hope we come out and win this week, anyone else nervous that we all kind of just expect it to happen? A lot of us have said the thing: We'll win this week, probably look great and we'll get the hopes up and it'll be rubbish again in the prelim. The club seems to follow a script to the tune of an emotional roller coaster.

I don't know what it is, but I've got a feeling it could end this week. Something feels a little different.

Probably right - we are ripe for the picking

 

[TheWoodenSlug]

I must say as much as I hope we come out and win this week, anyone else nervous that we all kind of just expect it to happen? A lot of us have said the thing: We'll win this week, probably look great and we'll get the hopes up and it'll be rubbish again in the prelim. The club seems to follow a script to the tune of an emotional roller coaster.

I don't know what it is, but I've got a feeling it could end this week. Something feels a little different.

Greene likely being out adds to it I reckon - we are being set up to fail spectacularly.

Realistically, we should win with or (especially) without Greene - history shows the QF losers usually prove why they finished top 4 in the first place and win the SFs - but I share your sense of dread. Outside of that one quarter vs Melbourne, we've not looked great for a while now.

 

[thecatattack]

I must say as much as I hope we come out and win this week, anyone else nervous that we all kind of just expect it to happen? A lot of us have said the same thing: We'll win this week, probably look great and we'll get the hopes up and it'll be rubbish again in the prelim. The club seems to follow a script to the tune of an emotional roller coaster.

I don't know what it is, but I've got a feeling it could end this week. Something feels a little different.

Same shit different year. It's happened in 2013, 2017 and 2019. Probably happens again.

I do think we're good enough to trump anyone on our day but don't have faith that we'll perform to our best.

 

[Kobe Gryant]

Greene likely being out adds to it I reckon - we are being set up to fail spectacularly.

Realistically, we should win with or (especially) without Greene - history shows the QF losers usually prove why they finished top 4 in the first place and win the SFs - but I share your sense of dread. Outside of that one quarter vs Melbourne, we've not looked great for a while now.

Yeah. It's never good to run into a red hot side with nothing to lose. As you said especially if Toby is out.

We've got all the pressure. If we go out in straight sets we'll be a bit of a laughing stock - And to be totally honest, rightly so - We topped up to go 1 win further. If we don't even make a prelim that's a massive failure in my book. If you want to be really critical you could argue anything other than a premiership is a failure, but I try to be lenient as there's always circumstances and factors at play with that stuff. Flags are hard to win, but a prelim with this group shouldn't be.

As for the Giants, no one even thought they'd be here. No one's going to ridicule them if they go out this week, it's an achievement they've made it this far. Expect them to play with freedom, but if we stay in the game I expect we'll be able to run over the top. First half will be critical. Can't give them the freedom we gave Port.

Also the Jezza factor, would be ironic if they went a step further than us after all of that.

 

[BigCat1]

I know one thing for sure if you aren’t in it you can’t win it. Like the old cricket saying…..I’ve never seen someone make runs from the Pavillon.

we should win this week and if we do we’d be in exactly the same place against the very same opponent had we finished on top just without all the hype.

I mean how many examples do you need over the last 5 years of red hot favourites losing prelims. It’s the cruelest and most difficult game of the year.

Just get the job done this week for the love of God.

 

[Kobe Gryant]

The issue here is that Pat is not a big finals player - not in my opinion anyhow.. and if he is playing hampered, relying on him to dominate in the middle is going to cost us. Do we see him spend more time forward this week, or what?

Maybe. Gonna be tough for him to play forward if he can't take a mark though, and then of course there's his kicking...

 

[My Tilly]

The issue here is that Pat is not a big finals player - not in my opinion anyhow.. and if he is playing hampered, relying on him to dominate in the middle is going to cost us. Do we see him spend more time forward this week, or what?

He still managed 16 contested disposals, 8 clearances and 9 inside fifties (our best midfielder on the weekend) so if you are expecting Guthrie and Menegola to lift considerably while he rests forward, you are in for a shock because it ain't happening.

Dangerfield must play in midfield. Particularly against the likes of Ward, Hopper, Kelly, Taranto and Perryman.

 

[Farmer2Goggin]

Same sh*t different year. It's happened in 2013, 2017 and 2019. Probably happens again.

I do think we're good enough to trump anyone on our day but don't have faith that we'll perform to our best.

We were on a terrific run before the Giants loss.
Expectation was we'd take that loss and reload and be cherry ripe for Finals , sadly the reverse has occurred.
Sudden death from now, we need to find our mojo and find it fast .....

 

[Drunkcat]

We should not have to pay Higgins out, He should do the right thing and retire for being so useless

 

[cats_09]

We should not have to pay Higgins out, He should do the right thing and retire for being so useless

Pretty sure that still means a payout as the player was meant to be on the list next season - so either pay him out, or if not doing that & not keeping him on the senior list, it would be delist and pick him up in the rookie draft

Think it's only if one is forced to retire due to medical reasons that things can then be looked at in terms adjusting the payout for a player forced to retire early

 

[Drunkcat]

Pretty sure that still means a payout as the player was meant to be on the list next season - so either pay him out, or if not doing that & not keeping him on the senior list, it would be delist and pick him up in the rookie draft

Think it's only if one is forced to retire due to medical reasons that things can then be looked at in terms adjusting the payout for a player forced to retire early

No if he retires this year he don't get paid for next year, He is not for filling his contract if he retires

 

[Vdubs]

Maybe you should give Geelong supporters more credit - as should the club.

You can shoot the messenger- just relaying the actual facts.
Difference between paid up supporter members and barrackers.
Fine if you are the former, but the club is aware how quickly the former drop off.

 

[catempire]

These votes tell you everything you need to know. You don’t even need to watch the game to know what went wrong.