Autopsy Port Downs Cats by 38

[cats_09]

 

[Play it Sam]

I try not to react to what goes on inside the club, as so much happens without our knowledge that it's ultimately redundant.

But I will say, he has been different in the last couple weeks. I think like many here (including myself) Scott assumed that it would just 'click' eventually, and it hasn't.

It would be frustrating for him. He knows our best is good enough but we see it in such scarcity that it hasn't amounted to anything this year.

I want to preface this by saying I by no means want him out, nor have I heard anything..but I do expect Cook and Carlton to throw the chequebook at him this off-season.

It'll be interesting to see, as it all depends on how he views our list. Ala Dimma, if he thinks there's another flag around the corner then he'll stay on...but also like Dimma, if he sees a changing of the guard taking place, it could sway his decision making.

Not sure he'd have the energy for the likes of the baby Blues, or disrupt his family when he went to such great confessional pains last year to tell us how hard it's been for them. He must be loaded, so where's the motivation?

 

[Finknottle]

I was hoping we would click when we got a bunch of our injured players back but alas not so. Blicavs in the ruck was a disaster. It robbed us of our best midfielder. It assumed Danger and Holmes would match Port's midfield. DF was very very rusty until he got injured, Holmes was ok. Blicavs was man handled and pushed around, Lycett was all over him like a cheap suit. Lycett gave Port midfielders a distinct advantage. Cameron has fallen off a cliff. Tonight 10 disposals at 30% efficiency, 1 mark, 1 goal, zero tackles. The net result was we were playing a man down. Maybe he was kidnapped by aliens who removed part of his football brain. Stengle was often one out with a backman twice his size and we bombed it into him. I kept wondering what happened to the other forwards. Same as the GWS game. Anyway, whatever, life goes on . Just got a dose of reality.

 

[Footy Smarts]

Our midfielders are cursed this year. Can't see either bring right for next week with those.

 

[ShaunWDT]

Bowes might go down as our most overpaid player ever, looked every bit the spud that couldn't get a game at Gold Coast tonight, hope he gets a serious rocket from the coaching staff.

 

[catsfootyfan89]

Said it before and I'll say it again - coming back fat and unfit to start this season was a really stupid mistake by the club and right now we're reaping the rewards. Personally for me, it shows a huge lack of leadership from the club and the senior players. It's not just about us fans, but all the young guys who missed out on a Premiership and could've had a shot at one this year. Holmes, Knevitt, Bruhn, Bowes, Simpson etc.

 

[Finknottle]

O'Connor's 100th game and Stengle's 50th. Great achievement by both of them considering the obstacles they faced. Both tried hard tonight.

 

[Kitcat]

Everyone here has made one great call over the journey. If you throw enough darts, you'll get one right eventually.

To be totally honest I judge a lot of posters here by how they hold their emotions. I understand that footy can bring out the best and worst in people...but seriously, some of the stuff said on here even just this year is comical.

Depending on how the week goes, you'll see something like this:

Good week: "Holmes, Bruhn, Knevitt and Bowes look the goods, Clark, Willis and Conway developing in the VFL....I think our midfield is set for 10 years"

Bad week: "We're over the hill and the kids aren't showing enough. I think it's time that we hit the draft hard and trade anyone with currency"

Good week: "The Cats are back! and with our youngsters I reckon we can compete for flags for years to come! Parish and TDK would be nuts not to come here, who wouldn't?"

Bad week: "It's time to tear it all down. We've had a good run but trading in players won't move the needle. It's time for a couple years down the bottom"

See what I mean?

What I'm trying to say is the truth is somewhere between the middle of these statements...but on here we seem to go all in, or not at all.

Footy's not perfect. Even a club as successful as ours only has 10 flags in 160 odd years. If you judge seasons so frenetically you're going to end up terribly disappointed far more often than not.

If we could just take the good (and there's been a hell of a lot of good over the years) with the bad, we'd all get along much better in here.

It is 17 flags in 160 years.

 

[Schmegg]

Concerned that we brought in three underdone mids against the hottest team in the comp, and yeah that was pretty much it.

We were outworked after quarter time and really didn’t look like it, the ruck/midfield is where it started and where it ended, you can’t win games of footy when you can’t get possession through the middle of the ground. The defenders struggled due to the enormity of repeat entries and our forwards were starved of opportunities.

Reality is we are a mile off it this year, with the Dee’s up next it might be time to give a few guys who’ve done plenty of work a few weeks off and try some kids. Was hoping we’d turn the ship around but form/injuries just hasn’t fallen into place this season.

 

[calder_daddy]

This is just getting ridiculous

 

[Romeoh1]

This is just getting ridiculous

This one is just a media outlet finding something to talk about - not even worthy of a mention. Move on.

 

[calder_daddy]

I woke up disappointed after last night, not due to the fact we purely lost.
I had faith after the dogs game and getting back some mids our season would turn around.

Normally if I think we would win it would be because I think the other team is shit.
I don’t think port and shit and never did.
I just expected more from us

I’m sure of this in my head anyway.
We need to win the next 3 or we will get our very own top 10 draft pick

 

[calder_daddy]

This one is just a media outlet finding something to talk about - not even worthy of a mention. Move on.

I could name 5 tackles that were actually something to talk about but because it’s Patrick it’s news

 

[CHAWKTS]

On a positive note Bruhn's first quarter was the best he's played. Not just winning the ball but using it well. It's a pity the shoulder injury ended his night early. But seeing him and Holmes dominate the hottest team in the comp in the first quarter was a great sign.

I can see the future. But as they say on the tube in London we may have to “mind the gap”. Having said that we thought that 15 months ago (without the future being clear) and we rolled onto a flag. So I still think we are 3-4 losses away before the club moved fully into accelerating that future. In that scenario we might have some pain wins and losses but will have some excitement to watch at same time

 

[CHAWKTS]

I woke up disappointed last night, not due to the fake we purely lost I just had faith after the dogs game and getting back some mids our season would turn around.

Normally if I think we would win it would be because I think the other team is s**t.
I don’t think port and s**t and never did.
I just expected more from us

I’m sure of this in my head anyway.
We need to win the next 3 or we will get our very own top 10 draft pick

I think we will start favourites in the 3 games after melbourne. So even with a loss next week The club will still not lose faith. If we pinch a win next week then we could get on a roll

 

[Gavin Excell]

Lycett vs Blicavs - that's the game right there.

Yes
Never thought I'd say this but we are badly missing Rhys

 

[Gavin Excell]

I can see the future. But as they say on the tube in London we may have to “mind the gap”. Having said that we thought that 15 months ago (without the future being clear) and we rolled onto a flag. So I still think we are 3-4 losses away before the club moved fully into accelerating that future. In that scenario we might have some pain wins and losses but will have some excitement to watch at same time

I was thinking this too - at what point does the club put the cue in the rack, send players to have surgery and blood even more youth

 

[Jeff76]

No ruck obviously killed us, I rate Blitz highly as a mid and is such a waste as a ruck. Those giving stick to Bowes need to remember we only got him so we could get our hands on Clark, the money he’s on now will be transferred to Clark when Bowes is delisted. Knevitt should’ve been playing and I hope we don’t ruin his confidence after dumping him when he’s just played his best game for the club. And on Narkle the little grub, how good are people at lip reading? It was obvious what he said after he kicked that goal and grabbed his jumper like he’s a Power veteran of 200 games. Just play the kids now, we don’t have the spark to do any damage this year that’s a given.


Sent from my iPhone using BigFooty.com

 

[fpm84]

I want to preface this by saying I by no means want him out, nor have I heard anything..but I do expect Cook and Carlton to throw the chequebook at him this off-season.

Nah, Scott has repeatedly talked about how much of a toll coaching has on him and his family. He once joked that Brad shouldn’t return to coaching because ‘it’s the worst job in the world.’

I believe Scott will walk away when he feels he is done, and will not coach again. I hope that’s not at the end of this season, and we saw how emotionally invested he was at 3/4 time. But it will be his call and I would be shocked if he ended up at Carlton where he would be under pressure to deliver them a flag within 2-3 years.

 

[Jhye Clark 13]

I can't fathom how Zac Guthrie Is in peoples votes.

 

[kickazz]

I can't fathom how Zac Guthrie Is in peoples votes.

The defenders had the most work to do on the night and he may have been the best of them, even if his man beat him.

 

[kickazz]

Geez Scott was quite animated at 3Q time trying to get a special effort out of the boys.

They kept trying, especially attacking with the ball, but we're either not good enough or not quite up for the midfield contest.

We need to tackle more and keep a midfielder on the defensive side of the centre bounce

 

[catswhiskers]

I woke up disappointed after last night, not due to the fact we purely lost.
I had faith after the dogs game and getting back some mids our season would turn around.

Normally if I think we would win it would be because I think the other team is s**t.
I don’t think port and s**t and never did.
I just expected more from us

I’m sure of this in my head anyway.
We need to win the next 3 or we will get our very own top 10 draft pick

The club refused to use our F1 in trades last year for a good reason.

 

[mcwilrob]

Cats seriously need a Quality Ruckman
It has been our Achilles heel for too long
A Ruckman that will carry the midfield
Where is Stanley in his recovery?
Where is Shannon Neale this year?
Where is Toby Conway this year?
Why are all Cats ruckmen injured?
Are Cats still chasing Sean Darcy : Freo?
Why didn't Cats go hard for Grundy?
Why has every ruckman drafted failed?
Cats draft best available, don't rate ruckmen?
How can12 drafts since Ottens all miss?
Think Scott learned, need for a ruckman?

Nailed it - been an issue for years - got away with it last year with Stanley but am for issue now (along with enough grunt in the midfield to get clearances...)

 

[mcwilrob]

Yes
Never thought I'd say this but we are badly missing Rhys

Agreed - in large part because we are sacrificing Blicavs athletic running and around ground contributions when he has to take full time ruckman duties..