Probably played really good footy as a back pocket from memory.
Got flicked around a bit due to versatility.
Was a good stopper from memory.
Solid squad player I guess... Unlikely to be on good coin so it's all G having him on the list.
Strategy Best 23, Post Draft edition for Season 2025 (updated)
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Got flicked around a bit due to versatility.
Was a good stopper from memory.
Solid squad player I guess... Unlikely to be on good coin so it's all G having him on the list.
Body permitting he'll play a lot of footy the next 3 years. But we never know what these injuries end up amounting to. Sometimes it just turns into an extended poor run and time away from the game is never good.
But otherwise, if healthy, he's one who really should play more games than a sizable chunk on this board will be happy with.
- Aug 18, 2018
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Once he did a number on Lachie Neale and the Lions made some phone calls about it to afl house that was basically the end of his tagging career. He would get pinged for anything, though I did feel that if he started in the backline and then moved into the middle through the game then he was called normally.
Think its a Pretty simple 23 for R1 (Given everyone is fit)
B: Kolo J Henry Z Guthrie
HB: Stewart SDK Humphries
C: Blicavs B Smith Dempsey
HF: Close Cameron Miers
F: Stengle Neale O Henry
R: Conway Holmes Danger
I: Bruhn C Guthrie Bowes Mannagh
B: Kolo J Henry Z Guthrie
HB: Stewart SDK Humphries
C: Blicavs B Smith Dempsey
HF: Close Cameron Miers
F: Stengle Neale O Henry
R: Conway Holmes Danger
I: Bruhn C Guthrie Bowes Mannagh
O' Connor is a valuable squad member. Versatile, big body run with player, and still has development to go.
He does need to work on his tan tho. Obviously, he didn't see much sunlight back home.
- Dec 11, 2009
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Quad tendon....achilles tendon....coming up fast on 33 years of age...
It'd be good to see him make a good contribution to the team, but he'll have some demons, some uncertainty, and some rust from a long lay off, so I really don't know what to expect - hence my stance that I have no expectations, so anything will be a bonus.
- Apr 6, 2017
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Nah, I called it at the time.
I said we were going to break him. (was laughed at)
He did an interview and said he'd never played a role so hard. He honestly looked like he couldn't walk.
2 weeks later, he broke.
Hopefully just there to get to 300.
A few games perhaps, when the result is not on the line.
May be payback for sticking with the cats despite big offers to move west.
Vdubs
Hall of Famer
We really have a squad of 30-32 top players, and that is healthy, and will vary all year.
Vdubs
Hall of Famer
Not guilty, rarely go there.
Agree.
Depth is not our issue. MF depth may have been an issue last year.
This is why DB that I'm so bullish about the Cats making top 4 and being a big show for 2025 flag, mind you Freo, Lions, Hawks, Pies, Blues, Swannies and a few others might have something to say about that as the competition is more competitive than it's ever been. But regardless, I'm also a little surprised to see more than not including some Geelong fans, not having the pussycats in the the top 4 at home and away completion. Cats were 'awesome' thrashing Port Adelaide in final on their home deck, as good as it gets and yet in the prelim against the eventual flag winners Brisbane, we were a Holmes non-injury away from probably winning the granny ourselves.
It's also grossly underestimated how many top up and coming young players we have, which I'll also include Shaun Mannagh and Lawson Humphries onto that list, coz they're still young in mind and with their bodies that haven't been AFL overloaded in any shape or form, it's only all upside for those two. Then on top of all that we didn't have three young top talls in Sam De Koning, Connor O'Sullivan or Toby Conway play in finals but all three will develop into outstanding young talls for us and hopefully we can add Shannon Neale onto that list and it's worth noting that having top-class 'young' tall players is a 'priceless commodity' that should 'never' be undervalued or underestimated.... it's pure 'GOLD'.
So yeah, I'm extremely bullish on our pussycats for this 2025 season with our depth which you quite rightly pointed out being SOLID. So life is looking pretty awesome for us Cat supporters for 2025 barring a 2023 injury run and lastly, we also do 'finally' have our 'extra home game' which also is pretty awesome and...... GO CATS !!!
One thing about Duncan was that he could have a layoff, for whatever reason, and slot back in with a good performance first game back ( not so much subsequently)
Maybe he can be a 3 weeks off 1 week on type of guy…
I think they fell into a trap of overplaying him in 2024, based on good form, and then he was cooked for that final stretch of the season.
Duncan's proven that he's not a good option for sub. You either play him from the start, or you rest him completely. The prelim sub was a disaster, when Mullin could've broken the game open if injected into the second half (both he and Bews starting in defence...did not work).
I'm not sure of the exact ratios for playing/resting Duncan should have, but it would've been foolish to delist him when Tuohy left and there are question marks over what MOC and Cam Guthrie will give us. You need a few rebounding half back options to get through a season. If he only plays 5 games because someone clearly goes past him, great. But there's every chance our injury run isn't as smooth in 2025 and we would need him in that case anyway.
I am happy they kept Duncan on the list. Not only does he deserve the 300, he can still play at that level. Whether it last for a full season or works with more regular rest…or even if it just works like Dal and Higgins in 2022 (good year that!)…he provides great optionality and depth at worst and great experience.
I do sort of hope that he gets squeezed out because it means that we are playing well.
I am also quite hopeful about Guthrie. His body should be fresh (!!) and if he has a run at it he could be a very handy recruit - potentially squeezing Duncan out of his role
Assuming full availability, SDK playing in the ruck and Holmes playing in the midfield, who are everyone's best 7 defenders heading into 2025?
J.Henry, Kolo, Blicavs, Stewart, Zuthrie, Humphries - these 6 seem simple enough.
The 7th I guess we have a choice of Mullin, Duncan, Cuthrie, Bews, MOC and maybe at a stretch Bowes (depending on team balance). Not an easy choice. Maybe they'll back Mullin in? Or perhaps this is the defensive slot from which we'll have a lot of rotations throughout the season.
J.Henry, Kolo, Blicavs, Stewart, Zuthrie, Humphries - these 6 seem simple enough.
The 7th I guess we have a choice of Mullin, Duncan, Cuthrie, Bews, MOC and maybe at a stretch Bowes (depending on team balance). Not an easy choice. Maybe they'll back Mullin in? Or perhaps this is the defensive slot from which we'll have a lot of rotations throughout the season.
Vdubs
Hall of Famer
What does it look like IF Conway actually gets fit and can play as a key ruck? As far as SDK?
At Blicavs age he may get managed a bit to extend his career. That might be 5 or 6 games as a key back for SDK. Say another 10 in the ruck. They may trial him as a swingman forward too, especially if Cameron or Neale pick up an injury. I could see him playing a number of positions this season. We've seen that if you put him around stoppages he can rack up 20 odd touches, so maybe even some time in midfield?
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- Aug 18, 2018
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Guthrie for me, Duncan second. The rest is just form dependent and happy for any really
We're not short of defensive options
Apart from the contact of the ruck contest he looked comfortable with the ute role .. I could see him being at home in a multiple role swingman contribution. It seems on the highlights package that he has spent some time forward. He looks like he is putting on some size so maybe he will be more comfortable with that side of ruck tasks. The other consideration is blending in COS as he too will bring similar charactistics
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The key word... Fit.
If all are fit and firing.
Jack Martin is a walk up start.
The man is all class.
Can play small, tall & in between. He is quicker/stronger than people think and has those sticky hands.
Remembering his u-17 & u-18 years.
There was no one really better.
Was considered one of the best three youngsters in the land.
Injuries are a kent.
If he or we can get him fit.
We have just pulled off the biggest heist since getting Danger for a few trinkets and bracelets from the crows.
Can't wait to see him in the hoops.
Fingers crossed lady luck is on our/his side in 2025.
Pure_Ownage
TheBrownDog
Sdk is in the best 7 clearly but he will probably be rucking.
Blicavs back as he's lost a yard of speed to play midfield.
The 7th spot depends on midfield-if atkins or Bowes get moved out of MF so we can put knevitt or Clark in there that's where they will go both have played HBF before. Otherwise mullin is a good shout I think given how they rate him. Although they may use mullin as a midfield tagger instead (it was done last year). It's also possible they play Clark off hb (afl or vfl).
To me Duncan and bews are in the vfl as coaching roles. I'd have cuthrie in the back 7 ahead of the other guys but his body seems cooked.
I'm surprised Mr Meow: that a few here on Geelong BigFooty don't realise that Toby Conway IS our preferred number one ruckman and the club very much sees it that way, he just needs to get on the park which hopefully in time he will. In the meantime Stanley is clearly still next in line, then we have SDK, Blicavs with them possibly in tandem (??) playing back and 2nd ruck or even SDK also going part-time forward if there was a need. Then we with Mitch Edwards making rapid progress, so these coming two practice matches are going to make for interesting viewing to be sure and there's no point in jumping the gun with who maybe or maybe not in side until these two games are finalised. With Guthrie and Duncan, it really comes down to whether they will be at hardened match-day fitness levels and I agree with you about Duncan not being a sub, it's just not his go, so these two guys need to get back to a more than satisfactory fitness level coz there is no doubt we have younger guys now pushing 'which is great' (I hope Knevitt makes it) and once again these next two practice games maybe telling, then we get into the 'real stuff' and only time one way or another will sort itself out to where we are at with the our best 22 to 26 to 30, it always does given form, fitness and injuries!.... and GO CATS !!!
