cats_09
Otters United
- Jun 21, 2011
- 68,049
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- AFL Club
- Geelong
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- #1
This week we have the clash of the Titans as the two most recent teams to break the 200pt barrier face off - though there's been 12 years between each teams feat
In 2011 when Geelong piled on 233 points and obliterated Melbourne to the tune of 186 in a coach killer game, we backed it up a week later with a 150pt win when we put on a lazy 188 against Gold Coast - Melbourne finished that season in 13th with 8 wins, while GC finished with just the 3 wins for the year
This week we'll be hoping that Sydney doesn't back up their score of 205 & 171 point win from Saturday, and while there may be some similarities between 2011 GC & 2023 WCE, surely we're currently better placed than Melbourne were the year
On Thursday night we knocked off one of the premiership favourites, and while the game was on our home deck we were missing a few regulars from the midfield with our captain on the sideline due to a punctured lung, and we then lost Jezza Cameron barely halfway into the first term & that stage his stat line listed a single turnover to his name... Enter Gary Rohan
Having accidentally collected his teammate with a shoulder in a marking contest, Gary's game was headed for one of two ways - either the clash with Cameron plays on his mind all night and we're essentially two players down before quarter time, or the boys get around him, remind him it was an accident & he needs to refocus on the game at hand. What we saw from Gary was close to his best game in the Hoops, probably only eclipsed by his 2022 QF efforts - it's not the 16 disposals, 4 tackles, 3 goals & goal assists that tell the story of his game, but how he went about things, his attack on the ball and ability to make his opponents look like they were running in quick sand. The challenge for Gary this week will be to bring that same level to the ground he called home for 9 years
We also welcomed back the much maligned Rhys Stanley who just gave another dimension to our midfield, and freed up Blicavs into more of a midfielder role which let him do what he does best. The other positive from the weekend was seeing the start of the next gen midfield team coming through - he may have cost us a first round pick at last years trade table, but 11 games into his career in the Hoops and Tanner Bruhn is starting to gain attention as the player to be leading our next gen in the midfield as we transition from the greats of Selwood and Dangerfield
Speaking of the captain, we know he's hopeful of returning this week but time will tell if that's really a possibility of not - no doubt he makes our midfield & team stronger with his presence alone, but unlike the start of the season where we seemed reliant on Paddy in the guts, as our younger guys get more games under their belt, it may become a case where he can return, play his role and not be expected to carry the load
This week will be a challenge, we know Sydney haven't necessarily had the best of seasons to date, but they're a team you don't take for granted, especially on their home deck
Bring on Friday night and our continued push for the finals
In 2011 when Geelong piled on 233 points and obliterated Melbourne to the tune of 186 in a coach killer game, we backed it up a week later with a 150pt win when we put on a lazy 188 against Gold Coast - Melbourne finished that season in 13th with 8 wins, while GC finished with just the 3 wins for the year
This week we'll be hoping that Sydney doesn't back up their score of 205 & 171 point win from Saturday, and while there may be some similarities between 2011 GC & 2023 WCE, surely we're currently better placed than Melbourne were the year
On Thursday night we knocked off one of the premiership favourites, and while the game was on our home deck we were missing a few regulars from the midfield with our captain on the sideline due to a punctured lung, and we then lost Jezza Cameron barely halfway into the first term & that stage his stat line listed a single turnover to his name... Enter Gary Rohan
Having accidentally collected his teammate with a shoulder in a marking contest, Gary's game was headed for one of two ways - either the clash with Cameron plays on his mind all night and we're essentially two players down before quarter time, or the boys get around him, remind him it was an accident & he needs to refocus on the game at hand. What we saw from Gary was close to his best game in the Hoops, probably only eclipsed by his 2022 QF efforts - it's not the 16 disposals, 4 tackles, 3 goals & goal assists that tell the story of his game, but how he went about things, his attack on the ball and ability to make his opponents look like they were running in quick sand. The challenge for Gary this week will be to bring that same level to the ground he called home for 9 years
We also welcomed back the much maligned Rhys Stanley who just gave another dimension to our midfield, and freed up Blicavs into more of a midfielder role which let him do what he does best. The other positive from the weekend was seeing the start of the next gen midfield team coming through - he may have cost us a first round pick at last years trade table, but 11 games into his career in the Hoops and Tanner Bruhn is starting to gain attention as the player to be leading our next gen in the midfield as we transition from the greats of Selwood and Dangerfield
Speaking of the captain, we know he's hopeful of returning this week but time will tell if that's really a possibility of not - no doubt he makes our midfield & team stronger with his presence alone, but unlike the start of the season where we seemed reliant on Paddy in the guts, as our younger guys get more games under their belt, it may become a case where he can return, play his role and not be expected to carry the load
This week will be a challenge, we know Sydney haven't necessarily had the best of seasons to date, but they're a team you don't take for granted, especially on their home deck
Bring on Friday night and our continued push for the finals
