Autopsy Marsh Series Week 1 - Gold Coast vs Geelong, Metricon Stadium, Saturday 22nd February

[Mt Isa Mustang]

Was just thinking that. Goes against the whole local footy feel they are obviously trying to push for the preseason. Even more baffling is that's it's a club that they are desperate to expand. Maybe no other grounds with lights in the area?

Can confirm, there is no other ground that you could really play an AFL game at night on. the GC. Southport is probably close - but is far more 'central' GC than Metricon. Maybe somewhere like Ballina might have a suitable cricket ground.

In previous seasons we've played at Mackay - about 1000km away.. can't remember where else.

 

[Danger2Selwood]

#sackscott
#SackWells
#Stephensisabust
#playthekids
#Guthrieisahack

Am I doing this right?


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[frggr]

He might want it. The players are not up to it yet. Looked like 44 has turned up to play this game with zero preparation

Oh come on, V - if he wants it, then it's his job to get the players up to it. If they're not up to it after 10 years under his tutelage (or a good chunk of that 10 years for many of them), then there's got to be a question asked.

 

[Vdubs]

That forward 50 entry then was our night in a nutshell. A loopy no-look snap over the shoulder to a one-on-four match-up which resulted in a turnover and goal down the other end.

Lazy, pathetic, careless football. I know it's only a practice match in February, but it's going to be a long season if this is any indication.

Not if we don't make finals..

 

[Vdubs]

Oh come on, V - if he wants it, then it's his job to get the players up to it. If they're not up to it after 10 years under his tutelage (or a good chunk of that 10 years for many of them), then there's got to be a question asked.

What is CS meant to say?
"We have turned up relatively underprepared compared to GC, we are missing a good 9 senior players, it'll be good to get the run into their legs.."



They are up to it when they're well prepared, and clearly, tonight was our first proper hit out for many players. Stewart has never looked so off the pace.
Seriously, February and some people are carrying on as if this game means anything.
No injuries.
Let's see how we handle GWS in rd 1. Even that is too early to tell anything in a marathon season like we have.

 

[STPer18]

Too early to start drawing conclusions, but I'm going to anyway. I've never understood the admiration for Bews and Z.Guthrie, and it's probably fair to say based on tonight they've got a lot ahead of them to be genuine best 22. They've got another preseason game to impress, but it looked like more of the same.

 

[Chinacats]

Nice February touch up!
Only positive is we should take them seriously in round 2.
Can’t see 3 talls working in F50 . Rata & Jenkins simply don’t get enough of it over their careers.
Newbies & fringe players not ready for Rd 1.
Get to work now lads....

 

[Gunf]

Nice February touch up!
Only positive is we should take them seriously in round 2.
Can’t see 3 talls working in F50 . Rata & Jenkins simply don’t get enough of it over their careers.
Newbies & fringe players not ready for Rd 1.
Get to work now lads....

I would like to give it one more go with 3 when the side actually gives a crap but if we do go with 2 Sav looked better to me tonight

 

[goyoucatters]

Had a pretty shocking feeling about this match leading up to the game. Resulting in the best decision anyone associated with the Cats made today...I decided not to drive down from Brisbane to watch it live.

Still, watching portions of it on the AFL app was appalling enough. Pitiful effort from many, many players. And one of those games where all those who didn't play in it suddenly look like far better options at the selection table for Round 1. It really was that pathetic.

Still, as noted by others earlier, there are plenty who would rightly be considered preferable to those out there.

I have:

Parf
Kolo
Steven
Selsy
Duncan
Henry
Dahl
MOC

all back in that team as soon as they are available. Hopefully those additions (particularly around the ball) might make a real difference.

In the end, most of all, tonight proved one time-honoured footy maxim to perfection. There really is no substitute for effort.

 

[Gunf]

Had a pretty shocking feeling about this match leading up to the game. Resulting in the best decision anyone associated with the Cats made today...I decided not to drive down from Brisbane to watch it live.

Still, watching portions of it on the AFL app was appalling enough. Pitiful effort from many, many players. And one of those games where all those who didn't play in it suddenly look like far better options at the selection table for Round 1. It really was that pathetic.

Still, as noted by others earlier, there are plenty who would rightly be considered preferable to those out there.

I have:

Parf
Kolo
Steven
Selsy
Duncan
Henry
Dahl
MOC

all back in that team as soon as they are available. Hopefully those additions (particularly around the ball) might make a real difference.

In the end, most of all, tonight proved one time-honoured footy maxim to perfection. There really is no substitute for effort.

Add Gola and seems about right

I had the luck of car breaking so didn't get the choice to watch live thank god

 

[Danger2Selwood]

Not if we don't make finals..

I know you're cautious by nature, but even you would have to put some if not most of the blame on Scott if we miss finals this year. Kelly was a 5 star player, we've replaced him with Steven who at his best is probably a 4.5. With continued development from Narkle and Constable etc, it's not out of the question that not only have we replaced Kelly, we might have even gotten better. Throw in the mythical unicorn which appears to be Cockatoo, who is effectively an added bonus at this point, and we've definitely improved.

This is a team that finished on top of the ladder last year, and looked relatively dominant for at least half the year. A team that was it's All Australian full forward away from a Grand Final berth and probable Premiership, or dare I say, just putting our near All Australian fullback on Tom Lynch rather than the wing might have had the same effect. We've brought in an adequate replacement for Kelly, a foil for Hawkins and another year of development into youngsters namely Clark, Constable, Narkle and Sav. While also bringing in a Mid in Stephens who's a big body and while not the most talented, appears to be readymade.

To conclude, barring disaster of injuries and alike, not making finals this year would be a complete and utter disaster and I think everyone here knows it. Maybe everyone except you.


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[frggr]

What is CS meant to say?
"We have turned up relatively underprepared compared to GC, we are missing a good 9 senior players, it'll be good to get the run into their legs.."
They are up to it when they're well prepared, and clearly, tonight was our first proper hit out for many players. Stewart has never looked so off the pace.
Seriously, February and some people are carrying on as if this game means anything.
No injuries.
Let's see how we handle GWS in rd 1. Even that is too early to tell anything in a marathon season like we have.

I don't think anyone's suggesting he say that exactly, but he can say other things that don't directly relate to the gameplan (ie looking to take the game on) that can be easily, verifiably disproven after a quarter of footy.

 

[goyoucatters]

Add Gola and seems about right

I had the luck of car breaking so didn't get the choice to watch live thank god

Mena's one of those that I have right on the cusp of 'demanding' selection when the team is up and going.

Still, based on tonight, he's in with a bullet at this point.

 

[frggr]

A team that was it's All Australian full forward away from a Grand Final berth and probable Premiership, or dare I say, just putting our near All Australian fullback on Tom Lynch rather than the wing might have had the same effect.

Until the day I die, what this sentence represents will make me angry

 

[Danger2Selwood]

Until the day I die, what this sentence represents will make me angry

Don't you worry, the feelings are most certainly mutual.


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[Vdubs]

I know you're cautious by nature, but even you would have to put some if not most of the blame on Scott if we miss finals this year. Kelly was a 5 star player, we've replaced him with Steven who at his best is probably a 4.5. With continued development from Narkle and Constable etc, it's not out of the question that not only have we replaced Kelly, we might have even gotten better. Throw in the mythical unicorn which appears to be Cockatoo, who is effectively an added bonus at this point, and we've definitely improved.

This is a team that finished on top of the ladder last year, and looked relatively dominant for at least half the year. A team that was it's All Australian full forward away from a Grand Final berth and probable Premiership, or dare I say, just putting our near All Australian fullback on Tom Lynch rather than the wing might have had the same effect. We've brought in an adequate replacement for Kelly, a foil for Hawkins and another year of development into youngsters namely Clark, Constable, Narkle and Sav. While also bringing in a Mid in Stephens who's a big body and while not the most talented, appears to be readymade.

To conclude, barring disaster of injuries and alike, not making finals this year would be a complete and utter disaster and I think everyone here knows it. Maybe everyone except you.


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If we don't make finals, there will be multiple good reasons for it. And no, it is never a disaster. Something good will evolve from it. Look at Hawks 18- top 4, Hawks 19- no finals. It takes very little for teams to be just off. I look at our second half last season, 5w, 5l, and that to me is more realistic than the 11-1 we had to start with.
And if, at the end of the season of not making finals, it looks as if CS has run his race, action may happen. So you'll all be happy anyway.

 

[Vdubs]

I don't think anyone's suggesting he say that exactly, but he can say other things that don't directly relate to the gameplan (ie looking to take the game on) that can be easily, verifiably disproven after a quarter of footy.

Maybe.
Why after all these years, does anyone take anything seriously that is said by a coach etc just before a preseason warmup game?

The teams that need to do something, like wooden spooners GC, will have earmarked this game ages ago. Means a lot more to their structure and season than a team like Geelong which has actually proven year in, year out, they know how to make finals.

 

[TheWoodenSlug]

Just finished watching - what a stinker!

One of the things I was keen to see was whether we'd worked on transitioning out of defence. Needless to say

 

[Danger2Selwood]

If we don't make finals, there will be multiple good reasons for it. And no, it is never a disaster. Something good will evolve from it. Look at Hawks 18- top 4, Hawks 19- no finals. It takes very little for teams to be just off. I look at our second half last season, 5w, 5l, and that to me is more realistic than the 11-1 we had to start with.
And if, at the end of the season of not making finals, it looks as if CS has run his race, action may happen. So you'll all be happy anyway.

Last time I checked losing your Brownlow Medalist and obvious best player is a pretty clear reason for falling off, and even then, they nearly made finals. Finals should be the passmark for this team, a lot of you will hate this, but that's why Hawthorn are so successful, they set standards, and that standard is premierships.


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[Vdubs]

Last time I checked losing your Brownlow Medalist and obvious best player is a pretty clear reason for falling off, and even then, they nearly made finals. Finals should be the passmark for this team, a lot of you will hate this, but that's why Hawthorn are so successful, they set standards, and that standard is premierships.


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We lost the best player in the comp in 2010, and went on to win the GF the following year. Yes, BOTH Hawks and Geelong have been the gold standard.

 

[frggr]

Maybe.
Why after all these years, does anyone take anything seriously that is said by a coach etc just before a preseason warmup game?

The teams that need to do something, like wooden spooners GC, will have earmarked this game ages ago. Means a lot more to their structure and season than a team like Geelong which has actually proven year in, year out, they know how to make finals.

Because what the coach says matters, be it before a pre-season game or before a grand final.

I agree that the Suns probably earmarked this as one to draw a line in the sand and that Geelong probably didn't take it too seriously, but Scott could easily change a few things to make the coach/playing group seem more cohesive and on the same page.

Do Hardwick and Clarkson spout the sort of contradictory-to-reality stuff Scott does? I can't recall

 

[Danger2Selwood]

We lost the best player in the comp in 2010, and went on to win the GF the following year. Yes, BOTH Hawks and Geelong have been the gold standard.

I don't see a point in going back and forth so I'll end this here. But are we going to ignore our all time great midfield in that era? Ridiculous to compare ‘19 Hawthorn and ‘11 Geelong. The Cats could cover the loss of Ablett due to having Corey, Selwood, Bartel, Ling etc while also having Duncan and Christensen step up. Who did the Hawks have? An O’Meara who is made out of glass and a yet to emerge Worpel? Yep, exactly. And what did they do? They still nearly made finals. We’ve got no excuses and you know it.


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[BennyGan]

Just like to point that since since 2015 we have only won 3 preseason games, tonight loss means nothing and nobody should be panicking lol.

 

[BlakeyNoFlakey]

Yet the Suns are continually one-grabbing everything...

Nah, I saw them drop plenty of easy marks tonight. But I agree they handled the slippery ball better than our lads,

 

[Live in hope]

There’s only two things I would be worried about from this match -

- if we got an injury ... and we haven’t so not an issue.
- the other is the real concern - that even Smith (who I have no problems letting go of - he will definitely have knee issues again, soon) has highlighted that our lack of ruck quality is going to hurt. Big mistake making Abbott a rookie - I’m not sure would have made a huge difference tonight, but still more of a genuine ruck compared to Stanley, Fort and of course Sav.

If Clark, Atkins and Constable showed good signs and the other youngsters got a taste then perhaps no a wasted game.