Have a look at the 15 or 20 seconds before Andersons goal and watch how good he was at making sure we kept possession. A couple of little tap ons and for rewarded with a goal.
I actually agree, I think it might be a sign of what Burgoyne thinks of the young fella. That or he just loved smashing him as much as I loved watching it.
Aren't we lucky! Happy Scott from the rats is on The Couch after AFL 360. I have the tissues for him hehe..He NEVER gives credit for the winners. I hope Freo flog them next week, Oh What a Feeling..
The Rats will be 0-2 after that game..
Now for the sheer pleasure of it I'm going to talk about Geelong and why their era is finally over.
For starters their youth hasn't taken the next step. Smedts, Guthrie, Caddy, Murdoch, Duncan, Blicavs and Horlin-Smith are good average footballers. Too much is being left to their silverbeards who are beginning to show signs of being past their used by date. Its only one game but Kelly, Enright, Lonergan and Bartel are all looking decidedly crispy and Stevie J did nothing after half time and has chronic foot issues.
The core problem is their midfield. Without Varcoe and Christensen they are decidedly one paced. Playing Bartel & Kelly through there just makes it worse. Unfortunately they have little choice since their kids tend to get monstered in contested ball and aren't that quick anyway.
Motlop has become an excellent player but they desperately need him in the forward line where they lack crummers and X-factor in general, but if they do that they lose one of their few midfield linebreakers. This kills them because they still rely on run and carry through the center so heavily. You'd think Chris Scott would've been working on a "plan B" over the summer but I guess not!
Up forward Hawkins & Clark is a great combination in theory that is going to cost them in practice. Hawkins is most dangerous when they clear out the forwardline and let him engage his opponent one-on-one, what they really need is quality crummers at his feet not another lumbering brute like Clark who has never impressed me with his defensive pressure and will allow oppositions to waltz the ball out of their forward-line even easier. This is where they desperately miss Varcoe because they are seriously lacking forward pressure and his pace always had guys like Birchall & Suckling looking over their shoulders.
Their backline is still solid at guarding the high ball, its a pity most good teams are smart enough these days to lower their eyes and hit up leading targets which is something the Cats are ordinary at defending against. I feel like I'm repeating myself but Taylor, Lonergan and Rivers are not quick and they will really struggle against a team like Port.
Geelong remind me a lot of Hawthorn back in 2009 or 2010. Some big name champion players who need replacing, numerous kids who aren't ready and a gameplan that's been well and truly picked apart. They'll still beat plenty of decent teams on their day but the aura is gone and teams won't fear them.
The cracks are already wide enough now that I don't think landing Dangerfield will save them when a good three or four of their best players on whom they rely so heavily will probably depart at year's end, something that may even be necessary for them to afford to throw the kitchen sink at Paddy.
It'll be very interesting to see if they try to hang around the bottom half of the eight for the next few years or pack it in and start a full rebuild.
I'd love to get some thoughts on these matters from Geelong posters like Son of God who've been very active on our board the past fortnight.
Their autopsy thread was a lot more humble in defeat tbh.
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