Geelong: why are they just not good enough?

[Snarls Barkley]

Looked really slow tonight, as soon as Port got it on the outside they were gone and Geelong couldn’t hang with them. But who knows what the game would have been if they were 2-3 goals up at HT like they should have been.

Selwood was immense in that first half but after he got hurt no one really took the responsibility. Dangerfield didn’t have a good night but it felt like he was stuck forward for a long time while they were getting killed in the middle in the second half.

Think I would back them against West Coast but not Collingwood. They generally win this one when everyone has wrote them down as straight sets. Don’t think they’d get close to Richmond this year.

 

[kozi]

I’m into racing and while I barely ever bet on footy, the process of form analysis interests me greatly. This is some strange intangible that is bloody hard to put your finger on, something that hasn’t been identified or modelled (yet). This horse delivers and delivers in very good company and then come the Group 1... just doesn’t.

Don’t bet footy much either however backed Port at the -4.5 tonight without hesitation. Not much of an analysis required for that one.

 

[hk89]

So the bulk of the issue is Week 1. They’re 1-7 in week 1 since the 2011 flag. The one win was when Isaac Smith missed after the siren.

The trend pre-dates the bye so not sure that’s the issue.

The switch from H&A to finals? Do they do something different that other clubs don’t in preparation for finals? Do they not do something that other clubs do?

I think in previous years the simple fact is that they haven't been quite good enough. The Cattery advantage was papering over cracks that the finals then exposed. This year, that clearly isn't the case, and I think they have a team that is better balanced than it has been for a long time. Being on the road for ages, and then travelling to Adelaide isn't much fun. If this was a normal year, they win a couple more games due to the Cattery, finish top 2, and this final is played in Melbourne - very possibly in Geelong, and they have a first week finals win, and are set up for their best tilt at a flag since 2011. Has been unfortunate timing for them, as they finally got the list balance a little more right, and then COVID happens, and may possibly rob them of that elusive grand final appearance.

I do lay some blame at Scott's feet, but at the end of the day, previous years has been the list holes, and this year, a fairly big dose of bad luck (and good luck for all the non-vic sides).

 

[Captain_Bender]

Have always been H&A specialist

 

[My Tilly]

I think in previous years the simple fact is that they haven't been quite good enough. The Cattery advantage was papering over cracks that the finals then exposed. This year, that clearly isn't the case, and I think they have a team that is better balanced than it has been for a long time. Being on the road for ages, and then travelling to Adelaide isn't much fun. If this was a normal year, they win a couple more games due to the Cattery, finish top 2, and this final is played in Melbourne - very possibly in Geelong, and they have a first week finals win, and are set up for their best tilt at a flag since 2011. Has been unfortunate timing for them, as they finally got the list balance a little more right, and then COVID happens, and may possibly rob them of that elusive grand final appearance.

I do lay some blame at Scott's feet, but at the end of the day, previous years has been the list holes, and this year, a fairly big dose of bad luck (and good luck for all the non-vic sides).

Covid was a blessing for us.
We are an old team and the reduced season + minutes allowed older players to get through in the best shape they have been in for years.
Selwood said it before the game. They were feeling the best they have in a while.
Absolutely no excuses whatsoever this season.

 

[hk89]

Covid was a blessing for us.
We are an old team and the reduced season + minutes allowed older players to get through in the best shape they have been in for years.
Selwood said it before the game. They were feeling the best they have in a while.

Players always accent the positive before a game. Selwood looked far from his best shape for years. There is no way playing that game in Adelaide instead of the Cattery was a blessing. Thought you had the list to win the flag this year after looking at earlier results. You still might. Still think you finish top 2 without COVID fixture, and that shorter games into older bodies is in no way worth being away from home for so long, especially when home is a pretty significant advantage.

 

[My Tilly]

Players always accent the positive before a game. Selwood looked far from his best shape for years. There is no way playing that game in Adelaide instead of the Cattery was a blessing. Thought you had the list to win the flag this year after looking at earlier results. You still might. Still think you finish top 2 without COVID fixture, and that shorter games into older bodies is in no way worth being away from home for so long, especially when home is a pretty significant advantage.

I really don't know why you thought this.
And no, we aren't winning it.

We're a team made up of misfits. Bit like your mob but instead of gaining Mitchell, we get the best player in the game (at that time). Tuohy has also been pretty good since coming over from Carlton.
Most of the others are perennial finals flops.

 

[hk89]

I really don't know why you thought this.

Your 10 goal dismantling of tonights opposition at a neutral ground earlier in the season was part of the reason. Home ground during finals is huge (as non-vic team fans have been telling us for years), and I reckon it is fair to say the fixture may have robbed you of a home ground game tonight.

We're a team made up of misfits. Bit like your mob but instead of gaining Mitchell, we get the best player in the game (at that time).

Agreed, but I thought your recent misfit targeting actually made sense, and had made your team better (a few years ago you had some misses in this area, but think you've had more hits than misses recently).

Tuohy has also been pretty good since coming over from Carlton.
Most of the others are perennial finals flops.

It is true that players like Rohan have been guys that have never really brought their best in finals, but in Rohan's case, his entire team tended to go missing in big games post 2012, so it is harsh to point the finger at him, small forward is notoriously hard to play in finals, and when your midfield goes missing bar one or two exceptions, which is what happened to Rohan at Sydney in big games, the small forward suffers. Thought he'd really added something in the balance department to your list.

 

[sobrave]

Your 10 goal dismantling of tonights opposition at a neutral ground earlier in the season was part of the reason. Home ground during finals is huge (as non-vic team fans have been telling us for years), and I reckon it is fair to say the fixture may have robbed you of a home ground game tonight.

Huh?

Geelong's losses:
GWS in Sydney before corona
Carlton at Geelong's home ground
Collingwood in Perth (neutral and Geelong never plays Collingwood at KP anyway)
West coast in Perth (WC home game)
Richmond in Qld (neutral and again Richmond never plays at KP)

Port lost 3 games for the year. Yet somehow magically that's the fixtures fault and Geelong should have got a home qualifying final? Wtf are you even saying?

NONE of geelongs losses would have been at their home ground anyway. Truly bizarre nonsensical argument you have come up with there.

 

[TrimmyTraggot]

Have always been H&A specialist

lol yeah and Richmond have always been a good club

 

[Captain Morgan]

Shaun Higgins will help

Pick up Ben brown as well and anything could happen for them.

 

[evo]

Too many old Kents.

Too used to playing in their safe space so when the heat is on they go into their shell.

 

[Drewie11]

 

[Iceman!]

A lot of stupid posts off the back of 1 loss against the number 1 team in the AFL.

They finished top 4 without home ground advantage.

have 3 first round picks

have cap space

They are so far from being screwed it isn’t funny. Would be a huge % of AFL clubs that would kill to be in that position.

 

[RAPPA]

Their form was flaky leading into yesterday’s final. Even last year, they had a couple soft kills in between a few losses leading into the QF against the Pies. Turning up for a half is not going to cut it. Felt like it was similar to last year in the PF when they just didn’t show up after half time vs the Tigers

 

[PetterdHoisted]

A lot of stupid posts off the back of 1 loss against the number 1 team in the AFL.

They finished top 4 without home ground advantage.

have 3 first round picks

have cap space

They are so far from being screwed it isn’t funny. Would be a huge % of AFL clubs that would kill to be in that position.

are they using, or trading those picks for higgins, boner etc?

 

[CASEYS9420]

The sad thing is that was Geelongs best performance in a month and Hawkins goes and kicks Port straight into a Prelim.

As for Ablett & Rohan, well enough said ​

 

[Occidental]

Their age profile is a worry.
Next year will see; Ablett 37, Taylor 35, Hawkins 33, Selwood 33, Jenkins 32, Dangerfield 31, Tuohy 31, Steven 31, Henderson 31, Blicavs 30, Rohan 30, Duncan 30, Stanley 30 with under them Dalhaus 29, Guthrie 29 & Menegola 29.

Within the next 2 seasons perhaps over 12 of those players will be gone.
Top up?
Clean Out?
Rebuild?

Every club has list management nightmares to overcome, but some have more than others. Geelong is at the top of that pile.

 

[Iceman!]

are they using, or trading those picks for higgins, boner etc?

Well obviously I don’t know, Higgins isn’t fetching a first either way.

 

[The 747]

We have had a lot of bad losses in finals over the journey but this one wasn't bad.

Competitive game away and interstate against the top team and we didn't kick straight.

 

[The 747]

Their age profile is a worry.
Next year will see; Ablett 37, Taylor 35, Hawkins 33, Selwood 33, Jenkins 32, Dangerfield 31, Tuohy 31, Steven 31, Henderson 31, Blicavs 30, Rohan 30, Duncan 30, Stanley 30 with under them Dalhaus 29, Guthrie 29 & Menegola 29.

Within the next 2 seasons perhaps over 12 of those players will be gone.
Top up?
Clean Out?
Rebuild?

Every club has list management nightmares to overcome, but some have more than others. Geelong is at the top of that pile.

This has been said every year about us since 2012, I suppose one year it will actually be right and then half the board will go the full crow like they are Nostradamus.

 

[Shaneprice97]

This has been said every year about us since 2012, I suppose one year it will actually be right and then half the board will go the full crow like they are Nostradamus.

Difference is in 2012 was that your CHB, CHF and no1 midfielder were still mid 20’s, so there was a quality spine to top up around to keep going.


Who is Geelongs current best player aged mid 20’s? Kolo? Jed Bews? Parfitt?

Honestly all the credit to Geelong if they continue to fight for top 4 during the mid 2020’s. I’d be very impressed.

 

[TrimmyTraggot]

The old players aren't hungry. They've been at it for a decade and are already paid well, won flags, therefore don't share the same drive as a younger player.

Doesn't help our club admin believing it's going to win the flag every year. Look at Richmonds players who mentally thought a flag was way above them. They worked harder than our current list ever will.

 

[PhatBoy]

It takes 22 players to win finals matches

Can't do much when 19-20 don't bother showing up mentally.

Who didn’t show up mentally?

Criticise our skills all you want - obviously goal kicking was woeful and yes that is a mental thing for most players as they can all kick.

But you could hardly say we weren’t up for the fight last night. Nothing wrong with the effort or a case of getting jumped out of the blocks like we have in a few other finals

 

[PhatBoy]

The old players aren't hungry. They've been at it for a decade and are already paid well, won flags, therefore don't share the same drive as a younger player.

Doesn't help our club admin believing it's going to win the flag every year. Look at Richmonds players who mentally thought a flag was way above them. They worked harder than our current list ever will.

Wtf how can you know this? Are you all the players? If not, you’re merely guessing.

Why is effort and desire always questioned when anyone from Mars watching last night who had no idea about football would have simply watched and gone ‘that team in the hoops is trying bloody hard but gee they aren’t good at kicking it through those big tall things.’