Season review thread

[Warhorse]

Firstly, I do not like the the OP, saying we dropped the cup and picked up our handbags. Seriously man! We lost a thriller to the eventual premiers, who won 14 of their last 16 games.

This year has exceeded expectations. If you told me at the start of the year we would be transitioning out of the team Hawkins, Rohan, Duncan and Tuohy, get virtually no games from Guthrie and not have a fit SDK by the end of the year - I would have though this was gonna be a tough rebuilding year. Instead, we finish 3rd and nearly make the Grand Final.

From last team, you could replace Blitz, Stanley & Bews with SDK, Conway and BSmith and suddenly you only have Danger, Cameron, Stewart as over 30s. Yes - they are 3 of our most valuable players. But once again, our amazing club has rebuilt while staying in contention. Have a think, since we won the 2022 flag we have introduced OHenry, Dempsey, Bruin, Bowes, Mannagh, Humphries, Neale, Holmes, Mullin. And have Clark and COS developing.

Does this guarantee anything in 2025 - no. But have a look at how Hawthorn or Richmond went in trying to rebuild on the run and tell me who you’d rather be.

We definitely exceeded expectations and Scott has done a phenomenal job coaching this year. We still shit the bed in the prelim. To be in a very good position to win a flag and not do so is a fail

 

[Catsace]

Reminds me of the 2004 Prelim vs Brisbane, in that it was the only game in a 10 year span that I recall Scarlett getting his arse handed to him

And that ridiculous game against norf in '08 when David Hale became peak Paul Salmon circa '84, kicking 8!

 

[PzBlinky]

We definitely exceeded expectations and Scott has done a phenomenal job coaching this year. We still shit the bed in the prelim. To be in a very good position to win a flag and not do so is a fail

Yep - both things can be true.

On balance, we shouldn't have made it as far as we did with the list we have, even with the new "discoveries" like Mannagh and Humphries. But you REALLY want to take advantage when you're 4 goals up in the third quarter of a prelim...and we didn't. And it's easy to say the future's bright (and it could be) but there are plenty of teams who made a prelim or two before dropping away (hi Bulldogs 08-10). We have defied the equalisation period waaaaaay longer than anyone else, but we won't forever, so losing opportunities like these is beyond frustrating.

 

[iameviljez]

And that ridiculous game against norf in '08 when David Hale became peak Paul Salmon circa '84, kicking 8!

Oh yeah, the Big Fish...

Seriously, within a three year span Essendon had Justin Madden, Simon Madden, Roger Merrett and Paul Salmon at the same club. What an embarrassment of ruck riches

 

[Kobe Gryant]

Well, let's test that theory now.

Who here would accept having a 0% chance at winning the flag next year to lose in a prelim to the eventual premier?

It took me all of 0.1 seconds answer NO to that.

Sure if we were a North, WC or Richmond... but we aren't at that level.

We can't be happy going into a season knowing we can't win the flag... well that's just me.

I want flags... you can showcase honourable seasons in the trophy cabinet.

You were imploring us to tank halfway through the year lmao. That in itself suggests you thought we were a mile off it.

His point stands. Only the biggest nuffie would have predicted what eventuated last year, or in the aftermath of the Carlton game this year.

Disappointing? Absolutely, but we can still celebrate growth and see it all as an honourable year.

Otherwise, we might as well all log off and just tune in post September in flag winning years in one big circle jerk.

 

[Mattttty]

You were imploring us to tank halfway through the year lmao. That in itself suggests you thought we were a mile off it.

His point stands. Only the biggest nuffie would have predicted what eventuated last year, or in the aftermath of the Carlton game this year.

Disappointing? Absolutely, but we can still celebrate growth and see it all as an honourable year.

Otherwise, we might as well all log off and just tune in post September in flag winning years in one big circle jerk.

Yeah, I think this thread is showing a huge difference between people who are able to enjoy their footy, and those who think anything but a flag every year is a failure. A bit sad, IMO.

Of course we all want flags. Every supporter does. Every player does. To get FAR further than most expected and to get so close is a brilliant effort. And we didn't choke or fall apart (like the Swans did). Brisbane have just proved themselves to be a really good team, and we got within a few minutes of beating them.

I want flags, too. And being a good enough club to have years like this against the odds is exactly how you win them. Lots of them.

Go Cats!

 

[D BRIDGE]

You were imploring us to tank halfway through the year lmao. That in itself suggests you thought we were a mile off it.

His point stands. Only the biggest nuffie would have predicted what eventuated last year, or in the aftermath of the Carlton game this year.

Disappointing? Absolutely, but we can still celebrate growth and see it all as an honourable year.

Otherwise, we might as well all log off and just tune in post September in flag winning years in one big circle jerk.

You know I was thinking about that after I posted.

Calling to tank halfway through a year is different to conceding the entire year before Rzero.

I just want flags and I want them in any way possible and as fast as possible.

As I said before... If we were at North or Richmond's level heading into a season... yeah that's when I'd probably be happy signing off on a prelim and giving ourselves a 0% chance of glory.

But we aren't at that level so I'm not down with locking in and being happy about a "perceived above-average season" at the expense of potentially winning a flag before a game has even been played.

The only way I am truly happy/content at the end of the season is if we are holding up the premiership cup.

 

[D BRIDGE]

Yeah, I think this thread is showing a huge difference between people who are able to enjoy their footy, and those who think anything but a flag every year is a failure. A bit sad, IMO.

Everyone has different levels of emotions.

Yeah It might suck that I probably do not enjoy a season where we made a prelim as much as most others.

But... on the other hand... when we do win flags I believe my level of euphoria would be higher than those who have a more compressed level of emotion.

Sadly most years we don't win flags though
But then again if we did, I wouldn't appreciate and crave them so much.

Clubs don't have "lost a prelim" reunions... Well, maybe St Kilda do.

 

[Mattttty]

Everyone has different levels of emotions.

Yeah It might suck that I probably do not enjoy a season where we made a prelim as much as most others.

But... on the other hand... when we do win flags I believe my level of euphoria would be higher than those who have a more compressed level of emotion.

Sadly most years we don't win flags though
But then again if we did, I wouldn't appreciate and crave them so much.

Clubs don't have "lost a prelim" reunions... Well, maybe St Kilda do.

Thanks for sharing. Each to their own, of course. I suppose the way I see it, it's impossible to win a Premiership every year. Probably impossible to win it more than once every five years on average, too. So no, we don't celebrate losing a prelim. But I'm not gonna get upset about failing to do something that's impossible. Sure, we watch the game season to season, and we hope that every year will be THE ONE. But, for me, as long as it feels like we're always moving in the right direction (and right now winning four in the last twenty years, perpetually competing, building fresh talent) I'm loving the whole ride - with big emotions to rival anyone whenever we win the Cup.

 

[Romeoh1]

Great year -loved the season. Even comp is a good comp.
Well done to our team. Did better than I expected and amazingly, had our chances to win it. Champions take their chances and we didn’t.
Quite happy for brissy to get the flag- they’ve done the hard yards and earned it.
Always enjoy the break, and looking forward to next year. Go Cats.