Preview Rd 24 Geelong v West Coast Sat Aug 23 2024 145pm @ GMHBA

[Johanpetro]

I actually think Clohesy has a brighter future at the Cats than Hardie.

I mean that’s not hard considering Hardie doesn’t have a future at Geelong as soon as VFL finals finish this season

 

[Kobe Gryant]

I think Clark and Mullin have attributes that will ( eventually) make them AFL regulars.
I'm all in on Bruhn but he does need to find more of the football - needs to be 20+ regularly in 2025.

I want to believe in Knevitt - 194cm , athletic and solid skills - ideal for the modern game.
It's all there except confidence and intensity , he looks timid in AFL compared to VFL where he digs in hard and is prepared to take contact. Time is running out though , must make 2025 a breakout year..................

Which basically means he needs to build his tank.

His possession per TOG% is fine, and his clearance total is exceptional per TOG%, but we need him out there for longer.

With a bigger tank, if he can provide what he did in that first quarter against Hawthorn early in the year regularly and across 3-4 quarter's he'll be a star in waiting.

All up to him now.

 

[Farmer2Goggin]

Which basically means he needs to build his tank.

His possession per TOG% is fine, and his clearance total is exceptional per TOG%, but we need him out there for longer.

With a bigger tank, if he can provide what he did in that first quarter against Hawthorn early in the year regularly and across 3-4 quarter's he'll be a star in waiting.

All up to him now.

Agree KG
Slight concern for me is he's been in the system a while now , hopefully he'll build more endurance over this preseason.

 

[My Tilly]

I want to believe in Knevitt - 194cm , athletic and solid skills - ideal for the modern game.
It's all there except confidence and intensity , he looks timid in AFL compared to VFL where he digs in hard and is prepared to take contact. Time is running out though , must make 2025 a breakout year..................

Didn't Knevitt make the top 10 in a few draft combine results?
I have to be honest, looking at him today, it's difficult to see how because he isn't that fast but he can take a solid overhead mark.

There's a long line of impressive tall midfielders who eventually tapered out to become nothing more than decent local league footballers.
We all remember Drum, Jansen & Smedts.
Menegola was pretty good and he would be the perfect type of player to accommodate this midfield right now.

 

[Farmer2Goggin]

Looks like the Budgies have thrown in the towel - McGovern , Barrass , Ryan and Gaff to miss with Allen , Darling and possibly Waterman doubtful.
Not ideal for us on the eve of Finals , hoping for a full four 1/4 pressure game from us though.

 

[Kobe Gryant]

Didn't Knevitt make the top 10 in a few draft combine results?
I have to be honest, looking at him today, it's difficult to see how because he isn't that fast but he can take a solid overhead mark.

There's a long line of impressive tall midfielders who eventually tapered out to become nothing more than decent local league footballers.
We all remember Drum, Jansen & Smedts.
Menegola was pretty good and he would be the perfect type of player to accommodate this midfield right now.

I've had a theory on him for a while that it's all confidence and mentality related.

You're right that for whatever reason his on paper attributes don't seem to translate to what we see on the field.

Rarely does he burst out of stoppage, find a gallop in space, or show agility around the contest.

A bit like Holmes early days, I do wonder if it's confidence and a lack of self belief that he belongs out there, and we'll probably only know that for sure after an extended stint in the side.

There's the alternative that he's just not very good too, but we're not quite there yet IMO, where as we probably will be next year if his struggles continue.

 

[Goggin Our Best]

Agree KG
Slight concern for me is he's been in the system a while now , hopefully he'll build more endurance over this preseason.

Thats it F2G - it is like that big CHF for Freo , hes been their 15 years ( or it seems like forever ) and he still isnt the finished product

 

[goyoucatters]

I actually think Clohesy has a brighter future at the Cats than Hardie.

This is definitely true. But it's also damning Ted with very faint praise, I believe. Credit to Mitch for sticking at it and putting up the numbers he has throughout the year; hopefully another club might throw him a lifeline in some form for the future.

But there is nothing surer than the fact that he won't be on Geelong's AFL list next season.

 

[Farmer2Goggin]

Thats it F2G - it is like that big CHF for Freo , hes been their 15 years ( or it seems like forever ) and he still isnt the finished product

Matthew Taberner ?
I've got otherwise very sensible Docker mates who literally lose their shit when he does some of the dumb antics he is infamous for

 

[cats_09]

Looks like the Budgies have thrown in the towel - McGovern , Barrass , Ryan and Gaff to miss with Allen , Darling and possibly Waterman doubtful.
Not ideal for us on the eve of Finals , hoping for a full four 1/4 pressure game from us though.

Gaff was never playing this week after having his farewell match last well

I'm not surprised by a few others missing either - with their last match of the year being on the other side of the country and minimal to play for, why would you fly injured/sore veterans over for the match, rather than getting game time into some youth

 

[CatToTheFuture]

FWIW , i dont think Knevitt will make it in the AFL

Through the journey there has been plenty like him who just cant cut the mustard at the highest level , but when they go to a lower level they excel

The late Tony Gilmore at a guess would have played 20-30 senior games for the Cats , however when he crossed to Geelong West in the VFA , he was an absolute super star centreman , a ball magnet

Also re Mullin , of the young players he is the one to get excited about , he is athetically gifted , got a real turn of foot , good o/head mark and a very nice penetrating kick . If he can do 2 things , understand the game of Aust rules better and 2ndly take the attitude that yes i am a good player and i belong out their , i just think he looks to be in awe of some Geel players

If those 2 things happen , i think he will be a far better player than both Bruhn and Clark

I don't know if he'll make it as a mid but Knevitt's only weakness really is his leg speed. He could be a good key defender at his height

 

[CatToTheFuture]

4 hours until melt time

So, for the last time in season 2024 (as I doubt we'd debut him in finals) - will Mitch Hardie be named for his senior debut:

Yes, or
No

?

Mitch Hardie for a Pickett style GF debut

 

[calder_daddy]

I actually think Hardie will get given his game and will be our sub

 

[cats_09]

Mitch Hardie for a Pickett style GF debut

Can he blind turn like Pickett though?

 

[cats_09]

I actually think Hardie will get given his game and will be our sub

I'm going with no

I think we'll try to select as close to our strongest side possible tonight in prep for finals, and those selected would be potentials come finals


And as much as AFL would always take priority over VFL, based on the eligibility rules of previous years, anyone playing seniors this weekend would be ineligible to play our VFL QF next weekend as our senior team has a bye - wondering if that may feature into the thinking for a few fringe players

 

[Mr Meow]

Which basically means he needs to build his tank.

His possession per TOG% is fine, and his clearance total is exceptional per TOG%, but we need him out there for longer.

With a bigger tank, if he can provide what he did in that first quarter against Hawthorn early in the year regularly and across 3-4 quarter's he'll be a star in waiting.

All up to him now.

Bruhn's biggest question mark so far is durability. Even if not all of them have caused him to miss games, how many knocks and niggles has he accumulated the past two seasons? Enough to disrupt form and fitness that's for sure, which is particularly seen in some of the stinkers he has first game back in the 1's.

He's played 33 of 45 AFL games since becoming a Cat. Less than 50% game time in 4 other games (that I think he copped knocks in). And his time on ground % is usually lower in his first game back. So I'd say Tanner's had about half of his Geelong games in a solid rhythm, which is where you start to see those better games until....the next disruption occurs.

Nothing beats match fitness and continuity during your development. I'd be delighted if Bruhn played every game in 2025 without further injury. If his body still can't handle it, then concerns will grow. There's a player there IF he becomes durable.

 

[cats_09]

 

[cats_09]

 

[Cataholic]

Looks like the Budgies have thrown in the towel - McGovern , Barrass , Ryan and Gaff to miss with Allen , Darling and possibly Waterman doubtful.
Not ideal for us on the eve of Finals , hoping for a full four 1/4 pressure game from us though.

I see it as a test of our 'killer instinct' which is something I don't think our playing group really has.

If they do they should absolutely obliterate the Eagles.

 

[Tomcat Waits]

Looks like the Budgies have thrown in the towel - McGovern , Barrass , Ryan and Gaff to miss with Allen , Darling and possibly Waterman doubtful.
Not ideal for us on the eve of Finals , hoping for a full four 1/4 pressure game from us though.

We get a week off anyway so any good form or bad form means nothing.

 

[cats_09]

Ins:
Out:


Nothing from 7

**** you

 

[cats_09]

From Fox:

GEELONG v WEST COAST EAGLES

Saturday August 24, 1:45pm at GMHBA Stadium

CATS

B: L.Humphries, J.Henry, J.Kolodjashnij
HB: M.Holmes, M.Blicavs, Z.Guthrie
C: M.Duncan, T.Atkins, O.Dempsey
HF: T.Stengle, S.Neale, S.Mannagh
F: B.Close, J.Cameron, O.Henry
FOLL: R.Stanley, P.Dangerfield - C, T.Stewart

I/C: Z.Tuohy, J.Bowes, G.Miers, J.Bews, T.Bruhn

EMG: G.Rohan, O.Mullin, M.Knevitt

IN: Z.Tuohy, J.Bews, T.Bruhn
OUT: O.Mullin (Omitted), M.Knevitt (Omitted), G.Rohan (Managed)

 

[cats_09]

Here's the WCE team:

EAGLES

B: T.Cole, H.Edwards, B.Hough
HB: L.Duggan, R.Bazzo, R.Ginbey
C: J.Hunt, E.Yeo, C.Hall
HF: J.Cripps, J.Darling, T.Dewar
F: J.Petruccelle, O.Allen - C, J.Waterman
FOLL: B.Williams, T.Kelly, H.Reid

I/C: C.Chesser, H.Johnston, J.Williams, R.Maric, J.Hutchinson

EMG: M.Flynn, Z.Trew, L.Rawlinson

IN: R.Bazzo, C.Hall, C.Chesser, R.Maric, J.Hutchinson
OUT: A.Witherden (Injured), J.McGovern (Injured), A.Gaff (Retired), L.Ryan (Personal Reason), Z.Trew (Omitted)

 

[Munich]

Bews, interesting.

 

[cats_09]

From the club