Post Game Analysis against Cats / reality check

[AnnieH]

Again. A piss poor effort.

The thing that pisses me off the most, aside from the fact that we're not very good at getting it past the halfback line after a behind, is the insistence of "going up the wing and along the boundary" to get it into the forward 50. Way, way, way too much overhandling of the ball. Teams EXPECT us to take the ball up the boundary, and are there waiting to pounce.

I've been saying it for ages now ... what's wrong with going up the middle ... ESPECIALLY at the SCG. On the off-chance that they do go up the middle, it's only two quick effective kicks and you've got a shot at goal.

They're like the little bloody train that could.

[neilfws]

I expected a loss; only question was by how much and in what manner.

Disappointing on the whole. I like small forwards, I don't like that our only forward options are small forwards. They're there to crumb, not take contested marks. We really need more options.

My best tonight: Richards (carrying defence by himself again, can't get LRT and Tadgh back soon enough), Jack, Mumford, Kennedy. Points for effort: McGlynn. Cats game plan included shutting down Goodes for much of the night and it worked. Reid is still only a few games in, so gets benefit of the doubt unlike White, who's been a project for 2 years and is no better than the first time I saw him.

Plenty of times we could have gone through the middle but first instinct always seems to be go to a wing. Then hack it forward, in hope, to nothing. Disappointing.

Would very much like to see Pyke return - looked great in the ressies today, we have to stop thinking of him as "surprisingly good for a Canadian project", he's becoming an accomplished player in his own right. Would also like to see TDL, who at least has some forward smarts.

[Big Al]

The most fun I had tonight was stalking Wardy tonight with a pair of binoculars. She was in the Noble Stand and Big Al and I were in the Brewongle. Wardy, who was that Dutch girl sitting near you ?

Well apart from meeting up with Big Al and stalking Wardy, the rest of the night was abysmal.

Bas and I were like 2 naughty schoolboys. The flurry of texts flying between the NA Noble and Brewongle were hilarious.

[Cpt. Kirk]

Would very much like to see Pyke return - looked great in the ressies today, we have to stop thinking of him as "surprisingly good for a Canadian project", he's becoming an accomplished player in his own right. Would also like to see TDL, who at least has some forward smarts.

I think that you are correct on that issue although mumford is a superb athelete no-one could handle the sustained stress he puts on himself or other people put on him for several games in a row, I wonder where the coachs see pyke whether they see him before seaby for the second ruck position or after seaby i think that having him emergency these last couple of weeks has proved him to be their choice. Pyke was developing into a great ruckman at the end of last year and I think w/o the sub rule he would be getting the nod most games.

[Legs Akimbo]

Last night was weird in a few ways

1. There was no match thread on RWO. Couldn't be arsed starting one.
2. Weather was horrible
3. Our skills were horrible
4. The crowd seemed subdued, muted even
5. Never felt like we were going to win it

On reflection, I think out trip to Perth took a toll. The players looked lethargic and skills, even in the wet, were poor. I kept yelling out 'wet weather footy'. Kick long, don't muck around with it etc. etc. We are not a good wet weather team. Poor Reid, how many did he drop and miss last night? Agree on Mummy, Pyke has to come in against Carlton.

The first four rounds suggests that we are thereabouts but a fair few rungs below the top teams. We have the nucleus of a future team of guns, but basic skill level here and now is not exactly razor sharp.

[Hartijon]

The problem tonight was the same problem of the last 4 weeks but this time a good side made us pay. The only skill we are really good at is tackling. Our handballs are loose,our field kicking is 50:50 and our quick reflex kick is literally kick and hope.Too many players seemed to pick out Geelong players with their kicks. Love to see Reid given a go but his inexperience cost us 4 goals and he needed the experienced players to settle him down.Horse was outcoached and in the end appeared to have the team set up to prevent Geelong winning by too much rather than to give us a chance of winning.Scarlett a loose player=suicide. The weather was horrible and favoured the boys from South of the border and the trip to WA last week is always hard to follow up so all is not lost. At least we know who can handle a team like Geelong and who can't .The big question is will we act on this knowledge???

[India'sDad]

At least there are two weeks to get over it. Courage is needed to drop players for poor form. Roos made the comment in 2010 that he wanted to drop some guys but there was no-one in the ressies who were putting up there hand (looking at you Vespremi and Barlow) but that is hardly the case now.

Pyke was behind me in what looked to be a Swans box in the Brewongle - it would have embarrassed my daughter so I didn't ask him in a loud voice why he wasn't playing... B2 suited up in there too.

Oh and wet weather footy next time it is wet - up the guts please gents especially when under pressure. The Cats must have at least half their goals from our mistakes.

[erica]

This journalist obviously has low expectations: http://www.heraldsun.com.au/sport/af...-1226040303384

[707]

Yes I'm in agreement with everyone on here that we a going to kill Mummy by seasons end if he has to keep playing the number of minutes he has so far, and all those minutes in a crash and bash style.

Reports on Pyke seem to indicate that he has improved his game awareness to the stage where he should now be considered in place of either White or maybe Reid who is only just 19 so he needs to be carefully managed for his long term well being.

Pykes actual ruck work is really of a very high AFL standard so we would actually gain when Mummy comes off the ball compared to losing when White goes on ball. So get Pyke into the team and give Mummy more bench time and try Pyke rotating up forward for a few games, he takes a good grab, has pace and by your reports his kicking is much improved. I know we traded Seaby in but Pyke has moved past him.

On other selection matters,
I despair that Meredith is not going to make the grade, maybe bite the bullet and have a look at Parker next time we need a genuine midfield replacement.
TDL doesn't sound ready
Moore will be rushed into the seniors but for all his positives, I still worry about being exposed for lack of pace at senior level.
Not a good night to judge but is the Johnson experiment over for now?

[SCGonasunnyday]

Very simple analysis - we played great in all aspects of the game except kicking and marking.

[Matimbo]

Bas and I were like 2 naughty schoolboys. The flurry of texts flying between the NA Noble and Brewongle were hilarious.

How could you tell she was Dutch from the other side of the SCG???

[Go Swannies]

How could you tell she was Dutch from the other side of the SCG???

Seeing double?

[Cheer_Cheer]

I thought McVeigh was dreadful.. His disposal were very poor.. Same with ROK.. He fights hard yet when he wins the ball just kicks in hope.. The player I would drop though is Jetta.. He brings very little to the side.. I wonder how TDL would go on the wing ? 50/50 time between there and the forward line..

[Auntie.Gerald]

very strange game plan

ie looked like we wone the clearances and tackle count but we tended to kick blind and forward ????.......our guys are good enough to go backwards or sideways before just kicking downfield

i liked our midfield intensity and we looked very good in the midfield for large parts of the game but it became obvious to everyone we were kicking immediately forward from the contest and Scarlett just sat in the hole all night

I didnt like Goodes not being a target up front for half of the game as per recent weeks - I know it was wet conditions but at the end of the days the Pod worked as a very good target

I do feel a little cheated that 3 of their goals came from 70m kicks over the back of everyone

overall exciting potential and a full season for Reid, AJ and a fair few others will have us at a totally different level of experience...........Is there many other CHF and or HBF that have only played a few games and 18yrs of age ??? these guys will grow tremendously !!!

i) I was happy Hannes played tight tonight and not open for disposals as his decision making last few weeks has sucked a bit like Rok's and others need to be wider then him right now

ii) Smithy played well

iii) Mummy was awesome and can do a whole game on his ear just like Old man ottens did too

iv) McGlynn and Jack playing more open has looked great IMHO

PS - they are a class side with an exceptionally classy backline

Still our skills are below our best and maybe that has to do with such high focus on the contest and our defence which is the right foundation for the season anyway but the game plan of kick forward on a blind kick just pissed me off...............I realise that it was all about field position in the wet but Geelong countered that with guys in defence playing in the gap

[Nico]

I thought McVeigh was dreadful.. His disposal were very poor.. Same with ROK.. He fights hard yet when he wins the ball just kicks in hope.. The player I would drop though is Jetta.. He brings very little to the side.. I wonder how TDL would go on the wing ? 50/50 time between there and the forward line..

McVeigh doesn't like trying to win the hard ball and when he kicks he pokes it about 20 metres without purpose. I would rather see him play permanent HFF as he can read the play off the packs. As it is he usually leads to tight spots on the ground and stands there for an eternity after a mark, ala the 2010 Semi in the dying moments.