Preview Rd 22 - Geelong V Saints - Sat Aug 14 2021- 435 pm @ GMHBA

[And_ROOS]

If Stewart is done for the year, you don't try and replace him or fill his roll, you change your structures to suit what you have.

We have guys who are great at intercept marking like Henry, but he isn't quick with his ball use like Stewart. So you would have to go with
Henderson and Kolo as lock down defenders, Blicavs and Henry as floating defenders and try and repurpose two guys who are elite ball users off half back.

Frustrating that Duncan and Tuohy are both injured because they are the next best fit, so maybe O'Connor? Depends how far off Atkins is too.

But we still have the talent to win the flag if Stewart is done for the year, its just going to require the coaches to come up with something brilliant.

 

[Cursed Cat]

If Stewart is done for the year, you don't try and replace him or fill his roll, you change your structures to suit what you have.

We have guys who are great at intercept marking like Henry, but he isn't quick with his ball use like Stewart. So you would have to go with
Henderson and Kolo as lock down defenders, Blicavs and Henry as floating defenders and try and repurpose two guys who are elite ball users off half back.

Frustrating that Duncan and Tuohy are both injured because they are the next best fit, so maybe O'Connor? Depends how far off Atkins is too.

But we still have the talent to win the flag if Stewart is done for the year, its just going to require the coaches to come up with something brilliant.

Yep.

edit: does that mean you ditch Dahlhaus last minute?

 

[Catsmaninamerica]

No bog deal. Zuthrie will cover him. One soldier down, another takes his place. Cats by plenty

 

[Cursed Cat]

No bog deal. Zuthrie will cover him. One soldier down, another takes his place. Cats by plenty

Crows 97-98, is what I am gunning for.

 

[FredLeDeux]

If Stewart is done for the year, you don't try and replace him or fill his roll, you change your structures to suit what you have.

We have guys who are great at intercept marking like Henry, but he isn't quick with his ball use like Stewart. So you would have to go with
Henderson and Kolo as lock down defenders, Blicavs and Henry as floating defenders and try and repurpose two guys who are elite ball users off half back.

Frustrating that Duncan and Tuohy are both injured because they are the next best fit, so maybe O'Connor? Depends how far off Atkins is too.

But we still have the talent to win the flag if Stewart is done for the year, its just going to require the coaches to come up with something brilliant.

Smith plays further back, just a bit more than he already does, with Simpson backing him up by rotating wing to high half forward

 

[ShaunWDT]

I wouldnt be surprised if we actually tried Simmo at half back, some of those games last year that he played on the wing he was basically the rebounder out of defence.

Higgins and Smith are both equally as capable I really dont think we are short on options.

 

[catempire]

In terms of restructuring, it is an interesting one - do we try to fill the role that Stewart had been playing or just let the defensive core play to their respective strengths?

If we're looking for someone to even attempt the Tom Stewart role then I suppose it has to be Jack Henry, even though he has been highly effective playing FB.
He has the aerial judgement, aerobic capacity and much of the skill required to fill that void.
Stewart is a lot quicker to sum things up with a relieving kick off half-back though; no one will be able to replicate that, Henry can't.

If Henry vacates the full back post then who plays FB? Has to be Blicavs.
Which might mean Ratugolea has more rucking to do, along with his stints up forward.

It'd be an interesting reshuffle, I actually don't think it looks too bad on paper.

Obviously Tom Stewart makes the side a million times better. But if he is in trouble then the club would be planning how best to cover his loss right now.

The other option is to just let the defenders play their natural roles, and keep Blicavs in the Mystery Mid role (i.e. back-up ruckman/defensive space filler) that he's been playing this year - this might necessitate making the hard call on Ratugolea once Rohan is fit to play.

There's been a bit of talk about Matthew Egan in this thread; I absolutely loved the way he was playing in the couple of seasons culminating in our '07 breakthrough - he was probably my favourite player around that time behind Scarlett and Chapman.

We lost him on the eve of Finals that year and were good enough to overcome the blow.

This 2021 Ford Cat isn't as powerful as the 2007 model, but it is a different competition now and we might just have enough depth of talent to still give it a really good shake even without access to our very best 22.

Just saw we have very similar thoughts on Henry. Great minds etc.

 

[cat_fanatic]

I'd put Zuthrie in Stewart's spot and see how he goes. He won't do the same job as Stewart is elite but if we can cover a percentage of the roll then it doesn't hit as hard.

 

[Pollywaffle]

Why is everyone writing Stewart off for the season? Do we know the full extent of this injury ?

 

[Turbocat]

No bog deal. Zuthrie will cover him. One soldier down, another takes his place. Cats by plenty

He will get an a big chance now

 

[Turbocat]

Why is everyone writing Stewart off for the season? Do we know the full extent of this injury ?

I think there is a lot of prognostication and reading the tea leaves..

 

[Whiskers]

Why is everyone writing Stewart off for the season? Do we know the full extent of this injury ?

Moonboots, Crutches, Specialist.
It’s ugly reading, so assume the worst now so only good news is possible later.

 

[Footy_Fan2007]

Why is everyone writing Stewart off for the season? Do we know the full extent of this injury ?

The word “specialist” has scared everyone.

 

[CatToTheFuture]

I think there is a lot of prognostication and reading the tea leaves..

Panic reactions more like

 

[xtatik222k]

I think there is a lot of prognostication and reading the tea leaves..

We've seen so many great players lost to injuries. The Egan navicular still stings. Plus, Geelong have been stumbling at the final hurdle now for a decade - sometimes injuries like this have been the final nail in the coffin. Supporters are fatigued by it. You get to this point every season and I think people are saying to themselves "Of course something is going to go wrong, something always goes wrong for us at the wrong time." It's almost like watching a Greek tragedy. You know it's going to end badly, you're just watching to see exactly how it all falls apart. Like an episode of Air Crash Investigation.

Terribly pessimistic I know, but that's what long periods of failing to capitalise do to supporters. Everybody expects injuries to ruin our finals. Or for Stanley to shit the bed in a big game. Or for Hawkins to do something dumb, get rubbed out and cost the team. Or for Cameron to tweak a hammy, or for a shit team to play a blinder against us and knock us out, or for Chris Scott to make an insanely stupid decision in a final and cost us another season, or an injury in a Grand Final to the greatest man who ever played the game and then everything collapses. You keep seeing these patterns long enough, and optimism becomes a cost that many people can no longer afford. It's like being cheated on by a partner - you're probably going to become a cynical wretch, because trusting someone is a cost you can't bare anymore.

It's really hard to stay the course. A decade is a long time to keep getting slapped across the face. For what it's worth, I still think we can do it this year.

We're gluttons for punishment.

 

[Drunkcat]

If he is out i don't think it is the end, sides would have planned for stewart now they won't know what our backline mix will be,

 

[Turbocat]

We've seen so many great players lost to injuries. The Egan navicular still stings. Plus, Geelong have been stumbling at the final hurdle now for a decade - sometimes injuries like this have been the final nail in the coffin. Supporters are fatigued by it. You get to this point every season and I think people are saying to themselves "Of course something is going to go wrong, something always goes wrong for us at the wrong time." It's almost like watching a Greek tragedy. You know it's going to end badly, you're just watching to see exactly how it all falls apart. Like an episode of Air Crash Investigation.

Terribly pessimistic I know, but that's what long periods of failing to capitalise do to supporters. Everybody expects injuries to ruin our finals. Or for Stanley to sh*t the bed in a big game. Or for Hawkins to do something dumb, get rubbed out and cost the team. Or for Cameron to tweak a hammy, or for a sh*t team to play a blinder against us and knock us out, or for Chris Scott to make an insanely stupid decision in a final and cost us another season, or an injury in a Grand Final to the greatest man who ever played the game and then everything collapses. You keep seeing these patterns long enough, and optimism becomes a cost that many people can no longer afford. It's like being cheated on by a partner - you're probably going to become a cynical wretch, because trusting someone is a cost you can't bare anymore.

It's really hard to stay the course. A decade is a long time to keep getting slapped across the face. For what it's worth, I still think we can do it this year.

We're gluttons for punishment.

Maybe but look at the world we are in atm...look at other clubs. Id suggest that we visit Bunnings. and get on with it...

 

[JohnZ]

It's gameday

 

[Down at K Park]

If he is out i don't think it is the end, sides would have planned for stewart now they won't know what our backline mix will be,

It makes it easier for them to plan actually.

 

[standupand]

Why is everyone writing Stewart off for the season? Do we know the full extent of this injury ?

It's what psychologists call cat-astrophising.

 

[Drunkcat]

It makes it easier for them to plan actually.

No it don't

 

[Footy_Fan2007]

If he is out i don't think it is the end, sides would have planned for stewart now they won't know what our backline mix will be,

Yep I agree. He’s a huge loss and will make things harder, but it also makes us less predictable.

 

[xtatik222k]

Yep I agree. He’s a huge loss and will make things harder, but it also makes us less predictable.

Just can't bring myself to see it this way. We're a worse team without him, no matter how you spin it. It'd be like suggesting Richmond are better without Dusty, as teams weren't planning on him not being there.

 

[winty]

This sounds promising...

 

[Footy_Fan2007]

Just can't bring myself to see it this way. We're a worse team without him, no matter how you spin it. It'd be like suggesting Richmond are better without Dusty, as teams weren't planning on him not being there.

What do you want the team to do? Completely give up because 1 player Is injured?
The only thing to do is somehow turn it into a positive.
There isn’t any amazing teams this year. The main contenders have all lost a key player except maybe Melbourne.
Bulldogs lost Bruce
Brisbane Hipwood.

We can either sulk and give up on the season or wait to see how it all unfolds.
I know which one I’ll be doing.