Autopsy PRESEASON - Geelong v Brisbane Thursday Mar 2 2023, 710pm @Holmes Arena

[Mr Meow]

It's all possibly true.
That hunger we had for that elusive flag is just not the same now. Other teams want it more than we do, no matter how much we supporters love that feeling. Going through the pain barriers last season, the list management, the absolute unfinished business ethic, that will not be there to that extent this year.
No Selwood.
No Hawkins for a while.
Cameron about to have a baby.
Henry missing most of 23.
Another year older for our already aged list.
Our MF is potentially a concern.
5-7 is still very competitive.
Many teams have won a flag and gone missing the next year.

Blah blah blah.

It's too early for this kind of nonsense.

 

[Mr Meow]

What attributes though? He’s not particularly fast or an elite runner, his kicking is decent but not elite and he doesn’t read the game like Enright to compensate for that. He’s more Darren Milburn than Mackie or another rebounding defender.

Where did I say that Henry was the Touhy/Mackie-esque rebounding specialist I described? It was an entirely separate point talking about Jack's situation.

Henry is another hybrid type player in that he is indeed quick but can intercept and play fairly tall if need be. Your Milburn description is still just as flattering as any team is lucky to have players giving them the qualities Milburn did.

 

[Vdubs]

Blah blah blah.

It's too early for this kind of nonsense.

You can see why that could be perceived though, surely. I'm not saying that's what will happen, but these factors are being bandied about everywhere.
I still think we have the talent and hunger to go top 4, otherwise Smith, Stanley, Tuohy, Hawkins, Duncan may all have joined Selwood.

 

[Vdubs]

Heard a lot of this story before.
No Danger for a while, Henry missing for a chunk of the season, list is another year older...

Our midfield a concern? Its largely the same midfield from the GF but swapping Joel for either Holmes, Bruhn or Bowes, and what we have seen from Bruhn so far I think we are going to be fineeee.

They were not my thoughts. As I said the other day, we were pretty average for the first 2 months last year.

 

[Mr Meow]

You can see why that could be perceived though, surely. I'm not saying that's what will happen, but these factors are being bandied about everywhere.
I still think we have the talent and hunger to go top 4, otherwise Smith, Stanley, Tuohy, Hawkins, Duncan may all have joined Selwood.

Yeah I know. The narrative this year is going to be people doubling down on the "too old, too slow" narrative from last year as a lot of people's brains imploded with just how dominant these pensioners ended up being. But what a lot of people don't realise is our sub 30 year old list, especially with the new additions, is still a good side. I fully expect Geelong to start a little slow and for everyone to write them off. I won't be panicking if we are 3-3 or something to start.

 

[Jhye Clark 13]

Stick a fork in us, we're done...

He looks as dumb as he sounds.

 

[DanA]

Where did I say that Henry was the Touhy/Mackie-esque rebounding specialist I described? It was an entirely separate point talking about Jack's situation.

Henry is another hybrid type player in that he is indeed quick but can intercept and play fairly tall if need be. Your Milburn description is still just as flattering as any team is lucky to have players giving them the qualities Milburn did.

Appologies, I quoted the wrong post, I was talking about Zuthrie.

 

[Gunf]

He looks as dumb as he sounds.

I love this time of year when most fans overrate or underrate teams based on pre-season games and get cocky about teams they don't like.

I can't remember the last time Geelong took pre-season games seriously.

 

[DanA]

Yeah I know. The narrative this year is going to be people doubling down on the "too old, too slow" narrative from last year as a lot of people's brains imploded with just how dominant these pensioners ended up being. But what a lot of people don't realise is our sub 30 year old list, especially with the new additions, is still a good side. I fully expect Geelong to start a little slow and for everyone to write them off. I won't be panicking if we are 3-3 or something to start.

I agree.

The thing about the second half of last season was the injection of energy we got from Blicavs and Atkins as midfielders. I think we get another shot this year from Bowes and Bruhn. We no longer live and die by the ability of Danger/Selwood to win contested ball.

 

[Drunkcat]

I love this time of year when most fans overrate or underrate teams based on pre-season games and get cocky about teams they don't like.

I can't remember the last time Geelong took pre-season games seriosly

That's why after 10 mins i recorded the game and watched storm, could see that early we did not care, we go to bris for a holiday

 

[And_ROOS]

I agree.

The thing about the second half of last season was the injection of energy we got from Blicavs and Atkins as midfielders. I think we get another shot this year from Bowes and Bruhn. We no longer live and die by the ability of Danger/Selwood to win contested ball.

I also think this year our improvement will come from Atkins, Close, Miers, Zuthrie, SDK having better seasons, and I bet we see big input from Bowes and Bruhn and Henry. Maybe not consistent but we will see games where OHenry will kick 4 and be a big reason we win specific games.

 

[Vdubs]

I also think this year our improvement will come from Atkins, Close, Miers, Zuthrie, SDK having better seasons, and I bet we see big input from Bowes and Bruhn and Henry. Maybe not consistent but we will see games where OHenry will kick 4 and be a big reason we win specific games.

I'm adding Sav, Parfitt and Holmes- they all must improve for us to be great again, and I think they all can.

 

[dont stop me meow]

will put it this way; i think we took alot more from that game than brisbane took away from theirs.

we got to see one of the top four contenders best 22 on the park with their gameplan in full flight, while having 7-8 of our b22 missing and treating it like a practice run.

the dissection the coaches will be able to take away from that game will be much more than brisbane will take away from theirs.

I thought exactly the same thing sitting on the couch watching it

 

[Goggin Our Best]

I love this time of year when most fans overrate or underrate teams based on pre-season games and get cocky about teams they don't like.

I can't remember the last time Geelong took pre-season games seriously.

I reckon it was either 2009 or 2011 Geel beat Coll in the final of the preseason at a packed Docklands - Balme and Co in the coaches box were shaking hands and very happy with the win - why i think it was one of those years i listed - was Geel were coming off either a GF or a PF Loss - and the Pre Season Cup win set the Cats up for a great year - as in we know what happened last year - but this is a great start to the new season

Just another thing the AFL has let die on the vine

 

[4quarter_cat]

May as well pull up the roots at this point, and just make the season 2 weeks longer.

 

[geelong_crazy26]

I'm adding Sav, Parfitt and Holmes- they all must improve for us to be great again, and I think they all can.

Holmes will improve. not putting a question mark next to it.

I think the interesting one is Parfitt. I know your a big fan, but i am struggling to see how he fits into this current side as a regular if everyone is fit. He doesn't have flexibility to play multiple roles like other players have. It seems to be inside midfielder or nothing in terms of his impact level, and his not at the level of a tom liberatore in this regard either or a sam mitchel. I think what makes it very hard for him to have a big impact in other positions is his deficiencies both god given and talent wise restrict him. He is average paced with good side step and zip, but he is not quick enough to play that HF pressure role up and down the ground like close or stengle. He lacks the ability to compete aerially as well, alot of this due to his height i imagine, and he has a very short non penetrating kick.

I rather like him as an ok inside midfielder as he has a decent footy brain as well as a good zippy side step through congestion.. but his bag of tricks is limited beyond this and is falling behind with our new style of flexibility and heavy rotations through different positions on the ground.

 

[CatToTheFuture]

Blah blah blah.

It's too early for this kind of nonsense.

No no, let him go on

 

[winty]

I love this time of year when most fans overrate or underrate teams based on pre-season games and get cocky about teams they don't like.

I can't remember the last time Geelong took pre-season games seriously.

Was probably 2009 when they still had the pre-season cup, although even then we rested a bunch of players in the semi final, but were still good enough to make it through to the final.

 

[And_ROOS]

Facebook memories reminded me today that on March 5th, 2011, we got smashed by Port 51 to 135. Wonder how that season ended up.

 

[Farmer2Goggin]

We obviously took this one very easy apart from IMHO the following
Sav - big tick , so much better behind the ball and looks to be very agile- he plays
Bruhn - baby face , plays hard and tough inside- big tick
Whyte- really like him , has AFL attributes , quick , good judgement and great leg - probably doesn’t start but great depth as a defender
Bowes - pity he didn’t play but as they said in the Show me the money” doco - he’s got a spot in the side.
Ollie H - he’s going to take time but there’s something very special about Ollie

 

[gogeelongcats]

I also think this year our improvement will come from Atkins, Close, Miers, Zuthrie, SDK having better seasons, and I bet we see big input from Bowes and Bruhn and Henry. Maybe not consistent but we will see games where OHenry will kick 4 and be a big reason we win specific games.

I can't see how they can improve much more.
The improvement will come from the new players. Bowes in particular.

 

[And_ROOS]

We obviously took this one very easy apart from IMHO the following
Sav - big tick , so much better behind the ball and looks to be very agile- he plays
Bruhn - baby face , plays hard and tough inside- big tick
Whyte- really like him , has AFL attributes , quick , good judgement and great leg - probably doesn’t start but great depth as a defender
Bowes - pity he didn’t play but as they said in the Show me the money” doco - he’s got a spot in the side.
Ollie H - he’s going to take time but there’s something very special about Ollie

I don't know how many games Esava gets, but after watching the Dogs with 4 talls up forward, and Melbourne with Grundy, Brown and Gawn, he will at the very least get two games this season.

 

[And_ROOS]

I can't see how they can improve much more.
The improvement will come from the new players. Bowes in particular.

Atkins strikes me as the type who will see the gap Joel has left, and he is going to want to fill that gap. His best games last year were in match winning roles, but they weren't consistent enough. His improvement comes from exerting his influence more often.

Zuthrie, Miers and Close haven't even hit the 100 game mark.
SDK is a 22 year old with 24 games.
Plenty of improvement there.

And yeah, we have Bowes and Bruhn who should be in the starting 22 and will make immediate impact. But I think theres more to come from our players in the 22 to 26 age bracket.

 

[gogeelongcats]

Atkins strikes me as the type who will see the gap Joel has left, and he is going to want to fill that gap. His best games last year were in match winning roles, but they weren't consistent enough. His improvement comes from exerting his influence more often.

Zuthrie, Miers and Close haven't even hit the 100 game mark.
SDK is a 22 year old with 24 games.
Plenty of improvement there.

And yeah, we have Bowes and Bruhn who should be in the starting 22 and will make immediate impact. But I think theres more to come from our players in the 22 to 26 age brack

Miers and Close haven't even hit the 100 game mark.

STK, Miers and Close exceeded expectations at a young age. They played very well last year.
They were perhaps at all Australian levels. How much more can they improve?

Zuthrie on the other hand will improve.

I see the upside being Bruhn in the midfield which has to be bolstered, and Bowes for his run.

 

[TheGreatGrundy]

I also think this year our improvement will come from Atkins, Close, Miers, Zuthrie, SDK having better seasons, and I bet we see big input from Bowes and Bruhn and Henry. Maybe not consistent but we will see games where OHenry will kick 4 and be a big reason we win specific games.

Grrrr to the 'Henry will kick 4' bit!