Tough Times

[geelong_crazy26]

the intensity is simply not their atm.I hope that we dont go too far with this peaking at the right time of the year tactic to the point where we dont get enough wins on the board early on .We need to win our next 4 games

the biggest concern IMO is steve johnson , he looks slow and no where neas as dangerous as he used to be and sadly i think we have seen the best of him.

duncan and simpson will be very good players for the next 10 years for us and please please never give another game to gamble hes worse than blake

 

[-Junior-]

Agreed. Bomber loves him and i reckon his in our best 22 anyway.

 

[Mr_Bojangles]

Today we showed glimpses of form. But some things are never clearer. We need a goal kicking tall forward, we can't give up clear cut opportunities game in game out.

Gamble is and continues to be shite. Waste of time

Simpson showed glimpses. Blake taps, that is all. He is a waste of time.

Woj time is catching up with him.

Ling needs help, he can no longer run all day in the middle.

Need another Taylor

Johnson needs to have a fine every time he tries to milk a free kick, as it costs us.

Stokes will walk into this team.

ahhhh

Copied, kept and to be pasted on a later date.

Seriously some of you people have to get on anit-depressents the way you go on. Injuries, short turn around, playing a form team in Perth who were the better team today. Jesus H Christ..

 

[Poetic Justice]

Byrnes is so very lucky to be in this squad. His AFL career could not have been sustained at any other club. He has no right foot and is ordinary on his left. He can't even handpass with his right hand....

Liked most of what you said in your post but certainly didn't like this. Sure, he didn't play up to scratch. However, he did go off with some sort of minor injury which could have been excuse.. but let's not discount the fact that plenty of others were also average today.

Byrnes is far better than his previous self.

 

[True Blue Cat]

the biggest concern IMO is steve johnson , he looks slow and no where neas as dangerous as he used to be and sadly i think we have seen the best of him.

Stevie J never looked super dangerous in the past. He played half a dozen great games and now everyone expects him to play like that for every game for the rest of his career? Has been doing my head in that if he doesn't kick 4 goals and have 30 touches then he is said to be playing shit.

 

[meto]

Mooney and Hawkins will have to earn their game time from now on, Pods should be given bench space to keep these two honest.
A first gamer over in the West, and he plucks 11 marks for a start!!!
Not bad.

 

[geelong_crazy26]

Stevie J never looked super dangerous in the past. He played half a dozen great games and now everyone expects him to play like that for every game for the rest of his career? Has been doing my head in that if he doesn't kick 4 goals and have 30 touches then he is said to be playing shit.

in the first half of last year he was the 3rd best player in the comp after ablett and judd in most peoples opinion.
over the last 3 year he has been one of the top 20 players in the comp
he is still a very good player but he looks like he has slowed down to me , perhaps the hip will never be at 100% again ?

 

[OldStyle2007]

Liked most of what you said in your post but certainly didn't like this. Sure, he didn't play up to scratch. However, he did go off with some sort of minor injury which could have been excuse.. but let's not discount the fact that plenty of others were also average today.

Byrnes is far better than his previous self.

He's okay as the 22nd player in a full strength Cats outfit, but take a few senior players out and rank Byrnes at say #15 or 16 out of the 22 and he seriously struggles. So my point is mainly that he wouldn't have made it at any other club

To be honest, I always prefer Varcoe and would have preferred if we kept Davenport instead of Shannon

 

[Vdubs]

This was always going to be a TOUGH ask. Rd 1 2008, we were so lucky to win that game. We got beaten today by a very good team that has sorted out a lot of their weaknesses, in good form , in WA, on a warm day, after a short recovery time. They always smash us in the ruck Sandilands monsters everyone.

Not enough credit, respect for Freo. They did not know how to beat us but finally willed it to happen, and I for one hope they go very deep in September. They play an exciting brand of footy and have stars all over the ground.

Seems the delayed starts for Wojo and SJ may be relevant with their below average performances.

Sandilands gave Simpson no respect and allowed him several easy possessions, and he looked ok. I thought this was Blake's best performance so far this year around the ground, given he was smashed in the hitouts. Reading posts today, there's a lot of hate for Blake.

That was the worst display by a Geelong team with kickouts that i have seen for many years. Seemed like there was noone to kick out to, and some of the kicks were deplorable.

I'll be very happy if we get up next week, have to enjoy each win as they are no longer a formality, not that I have ever thought they were, but you get the impression here on BF that that is the case.

 

[-Junior-]

Typical to jump back on Byrnes the minute we lose...the last two weeks the guy has been one of the rare few bringing the energy when just about everyone was down. The bloke is not a superstar and wont play out of his skin everyweek but he is much improved and for mine atm i locked in our side.

 

[Poetic Justice]

Well said Junior

 

[Vdubs]

Typical to jump back on Byrnes the minute we lose...the last two weeks the guy has been one of the rare few bringing the energy when just about everyone was down. The bloke is not a superstar and wont play out of his skin everyweek but he is much improved and for mine atm i locked in our side.

Pre game, Bomber said Byrnes is now a top 18 player, entrenched in the team.

 

[OldStyle2007]

My point about Byrnes is that "Yes, he's quick but what about the rest...."

Freo have built a whole damn side with dudes as quick as Byrnes. But they can kick, handpass, etc... and the don't have their steering wheels locked on full left

Byrnes is the reverse Derek Zoolander - he can only turn left

 

[Poetic Justice]

So Freo are now invincible when it comes to its players having a dud game?

****. He has played well this year, and for a bulk of last year. One down game and he's gone?

Seriously...

 

[Sydney Cat]

My opinion on this is I think Freo played the best they probably can, and we all know that we were not at our best and we only just lost in the last 5 minutes by 7 points. It was great to see Simpson and Pods play well in their debut senior game, and they will only impove, I personally would love to see them play Port next week. I am also of the belief that the longer the season goes on the better we will be. You don't win the Melbourne Cup in the first 200 metres.

 

[doodl]

the good thing is we have great depth with a lot of good players who will be available within a few weeks at most. the selection committee is going to have its hands full again and as long as that remains the case we will have a great year. i reckon geelong shoulda been a bit better prepared with different gameplans and playing gamble in the backline is baffling. maybe they tried it because it's going ok with lonners. we're entitled to have an off week every 17 or 18 games anyway haha. as long as it isn't a grand final (grrr!).

 

[-Junior-]

My opinion on this is I think Freo played the best they probably can, and we all know that we were not at our best and we only just lost in the last 5 minutes by 7 points. It was great to see Simpson and Pods play well in their debut senior game, and they will only impove, I personally would love to see them play Port next week. I am also of the belief that the longer the season goes on the better we will be. You don't win the Melbourne Cup in the first 200 metres.

Exactly what ive been saying over and over the last few weeks..In 08 we went 21-1 and lost the GF. Last year St Kilda went 20-2 and lost the GF. During Brisbanes reign from 01 to 04 i believe they only finished on top once if im right?

The point is we will lose games this year but for christs sake some people act like a loss is the beggining of the end when really IMO this loss was wel and truelly on the cards.

This is to you Chaos, dont be suprised there are a lot of Geelong people on this forum that that minute Geelong lose Byrnes name is on the chopping block despite anythng he has done in the past..no matter how much he has improved some people just cannot see it..

 

[Duskfire]

Exactly what ive been saying over and over the last few weeks..In 08 we went 21-1 and lost the GF. Last year St Kilda went 20-2 and lost the GF. During Brisbanes reign from 01 to 04 i believe they only finished on top once if im right?

The point is we will lose games this year but for christs sake some people act like a loss is the beggining of the end when really IMO this loss was wel and truelly on the cards.

This is to you Chaos, dont be suprised there are a lot of Geelong people on this forum that that minute Geelong lose Byrnes name is on the chopping block despite anythng he has done in the past..no matter how much he has improved some people just cannot see it..

Brisbane never finished first; 2nd, 2nd, 3rd, 2nd. Alot of people tend to forget that for all their dominance, Brisbane never finished top and started playing their best once the Finals begun. Similiar to us last year, and I would be willing to bet this year too.

 

[thejester]

My point about Byrnes is that "Yes, he's quick but what about the rest...."

Freo have built a whole damn side with dudes as quick as Byrnes. But they can kick, handpass, etc... and the don't have their steering wheels locked on full left

Byrnes is the reverse Derek Zoolander - he can only turn left

Did you watch the previous two games?

 

[-Junior-]

Brisbane never finished first; 2nd, 2nd, 3rd, 2nd. Alot of people tend to forget that for all their dominance, Brisbane never finished top and started playing their best once the Finals begun. Similiar to us last year, and I would be willing to bet this year too.

There you go i new it was no more then once anyway but that just emphasises the point. I reckon losing 5-6 games throughout the year shows a lot more about what needs to be worked on and allows adjustments and changes to be made. Not to mention giving the players some adversity in games to work through instead of cruising through week after week because when it comes to the crunch in finals you need to respond. Not only that i reckon the coaching staff needs it. Its been highly talked about that Bomber didnt make enough moves in the 08 GF and was to slow to react. Well yes i do agree but how many times during that season did he have to make a move..not to many i wouldnt have thought. That dosnt excuse him but just saying a loss here and there isnt always the worst thing..

 

[cats2rise]

I think you are not giving Freo enough credit.

Was a great game of Footy... I dont think we could have done much more with the 22 we had on the field.

 

[Catman]

Some people on here need to have a good nights sleep before they post because there is some complete crap posted in this thread.

 

[vealesy]

I think you are not giving Freo enough credit.

Was a great game of Footy... I dont think we could have done much more with the 22 we had on the field.

I agree.

Freo were good today.

We were fair, at best.

The young guys were great, some of the senior guys were average.

Don't know why all the hate for Hawkins, he did really well today considering the pressure he was constantly under.

Lots of immature bitching in this thread.

I agree with the Mackie and SJ moaning though.

Both have been weak as shit the last few weeks.

 

[cynical]

We are still pretty flat.

My concern is the lack of defensive pressure.

I thought blake did ok

Joel Corey seems to be struggling, hasnt had any real impact this year.

Hawkins still doesnt get to enough contests.

SJ played better than last week but has to stand up a bit more.

Enright and wojo are a bit out of touch

mackie needs to put his body on the line a bit more

Duncan is a gun.

Dawson Simpson was good, glad we have a big ruckman.

Pods showed a lot

 

[MC Extra Dollop]

My point about Byrnes is that "Yes, he's quick but what about the rest...."

Freo have built a whole damn side with dudes as quick as Byrnes. But they can kick, handpass, etc... and the don't have their steering wheels locked on full left

Byrnes is the reverse Derek Zoolander - he can only turn left

Some of you need to cast your minds back to Fremantle vs Geelong at Subi last year. You know, when Shannon Byrnes was BOG and basically won us the match...

I'm happy with the effort today. I, too, thought Blake was pretty decent in contesting against Sandilands, Sandilands had easily his worst game of the year (though he was still good). He didn't destroy Geelong, like we were all expecting. Credit obviously goes to Dawson Simpson too, looks to be a real find.

I liked the glimpses I saw from Djerkurra today, as well. Didn't get a heap of it, but he showed a lot when he didn't have the ball. He needs time in the firsts. I think Pods can stay in against Port: with Chaplin; Carlile and Cornes. He definitely deserves to after his efforts today.

At the end of the day, Freo were terrific and thoroughly deserved the victory. They look every bit a top four team. I think our list is still looking very good. Add Scarlett, Ottens, Mooney, Rooke, Varcoe, Milburn, Hogan, Stokes, Gillies, Drum, West and Laidler and you're down to #34 on our depth chart. All of whom have shown to varying degrees that they can handle AFL football.

The Cats next two months look like this: Port at Skilled; Carlton at the MCG; Richmond at Skilled; Sydney at Skilled; Brisbane at the Gabba; Collingwood at the MCG; Melbourne at Skilled; West Coast at Subi. Does anyone think Geelong will be worse than 8-3 at the halfway mark?