Review Rd 21 Cats stone Crows by 5 points

[The_Koulouriotis_Fan]

This is my biggest “beef” with our game style. And it is the older players. Danger, Stewart, 2E, Blitz etc who all have massive kick to handball ratios. We get out handballed by 25% every week so it must be a plan or mindset rather than capability. When we do it we can look as good as others - we just don’t. Other teams use the handball to release and also get it into the best and smartest users. We have a couple of elite young decision makers in Dempsey, Miers, Mannagh and now Lawson it looks like etc but rarely choose to handball them the ball when opportunity arises…

I get very frustrated watching this part of our plan.


Agree with most of the other points too

Good point, Dempsey, Miers, Close and Humphries are our most dangerous with the ball, if they’re getting a lot of it we rarely lose. Even getting Holmes freed up with handball more would allow him to run. Maybe next year with the development of these guys the MC will add this to the gamestyle?

I didn’t mention Mannagh as I see him more as a dangerous chaos wrecking ball

 

[RegHickeyStand]

Play like we did yesterday and we are indeed cactus. We can't rely on the ineptitude of others.

Then again, if ever there was a year for a Bradbury flag this is it.

If we end up stumbling into the GF and play this weeks Swans, we should win by 80 points.

 

[Mangy Carl]

They play them 60% game time because they haven't got the tanks to play more than that. Been doing it for years.

There is ZERO chance that seasoned AFL midfielders with full AFL pre-seasons do not have a tank to run out 80% of an AFL game. That just makes no sense.

We just dont seem to rotate 3-4 of our mids, through any other position on the ground. Its Midfield or bench only.

We then rotate a couple of half back flankers through the midfield (Holmes/Stewart).

I think we need to keep our main mids in there more, and rotate the others less... And for god sake, keep Blitz out of the midfield (barring ruck) rotation..

 

[Strange Cat]

If we end up stumbling into the GF and play this weeks Swans, we should win by 80 points.

The swans would never recover from something like that imo

 

[Mangy Carl]

Kolo has one bad game this year and the haters are quick to pounce and sink the boots in.
Will be top 5 in the b&f this year and deservedly so.

He's actually losing over 28% of one-on-one contests... This is very poor.. Some of them just seem to lack any real effort... Henry can be the same... Actually, DeKoning has had a number of these efforts this year also..
A one-on-one contest where the opposition isn't in a 'prime' position, but then just wins a simple mark, leaving the viewer to question the effort of our tall defender..

You dont see the opposition talls really tough out and really WIN a one on one against our defenders... You dont think, wow that forward really earnt that mark, he was just too good... Its more like, wow, that was too easy...

 

[Jeff76]

I’m thinking Bowes might have been nursed through this week, there’s no way 2E plays before him. And on the O Henry subject, he has the ability but just can’t get it together, Rohan comes in and Henry goes out or Sub.


Sent from my iPhone using BigFooty.com

 

[Zouz Kitty]

They would know what it is, if I was to guess could be a loose floating body within the joint that becomes lodged into the joint causing it to give. If it's something like that it would require surgery and they are probably just waiting for seasons end or until it's absolutely necessary.

Could be, if so it’s a simple arthroscopy to remove it.
Knee instability, is usually due to a ligament injury.
Two treatments:
Muscle strengthening to stabilise ligaments around the joints, or reconstruction surgery to tighten ligaments.

SDK had no ice, no crutches + didn’t ‘appear’ to be in pain. Plus he was happy after the game. You’d think if he was injured he’d be really down ???

 

[Mr Meow]

He's actually losing over 28% of one-on-one contests... This is very poor.. Some of them just seem to lack any real effort... Henry can be the same... Actually, DeKoning has had a number of these efforts this year also..
A one-on-one contest where the opposition isn't in a 'prime' position, but then just wins a simple mark, leaving the viewer to question the effort of our tall defender..

You dont see the opposition talls really tough out and really WIN a one on one against our defenders... You dont think, wow that forward really earnt that mark, he was just too good... Its more like, wow, that was too easy...

Anything in the 20s for 1v1 loss rate isn't really amazing or terrible. It's average.

For key defenders (which include 3rd talls), Kolo is rated 37th and Henry is 21st. Out of about 60 players to play 5 games or more this season. But within that group you'd need to sort the players based on whether they take the best, second best or third best forward. It gets complicated.

I do agree that they have games where they make it far too easy though.

 

[Heckler]

No.

Hawkins is as mobile as a garage slab now, and the lay off won't do him any good. Not a criticism - Father Time has caught up with him big time is all.

Ollie is still learning and has potential.

Sure, Hawkins has experience, but his body can't do what his mind tells it to do anymore.

Hawkins started last year returning from foot surgery.
It impacted his fitness and he struggled to find form.
Extra weight had slowed him down considerably.
Thought Tom needed to drop weight for season 2024.
Unfortunately her returned with additional weight.
As displayed with sub par performances this year.
Tom let himself down by not doing the fitness work.
Predictably the consequence is another foot injury
Will Tom return and perform as required? ..Unlikely!

Tom is a Cats champion and deserves a final send-off
Sure Chris and Tom will have something planned
(edit)
Perhaps as Sub coming in for a Final Quarter

 

[Hinkley29]

I actually think this is an emerging point? Our game style is more suited to the larger grounds? At KP we don’t use the handball overlap and seem to avoid using the wings/pockets. Which has historically made sense I suppose with Hawkins and Jezza dominate key targets…but our strength now is the mobile forward (including Jezza) so we need to create that run and space…

Now Marvel is an unknown ground to us so not sure whether that is better? Certainly the Saints is no way a gimme

I don’t think it is emerging.

I actually think the whole “Geelong is invincible at KP” is overblown. We have been invincible at kp for so many years because we have only played interstate teams and incompetent Victorian minnow clubs. It has skewed the odds towards us.

 

[Mangy Carl]

Anything in the 20s for 1v1 loss rate isn't really amazing or terrible. It's average.

For key defenders (which include 3rd talls), Kolo is rated 37th and Henry is 21st. Out of about 60 players to play 5 games or more this season. But within that group you'd need to sort the players based on whether they take the best, second best or third best forward. It gets complicated.

I do agree that they have games where they make it far too easy though.

Its frustrating because both he and henry can do some super stuff. Kolo especially can take some great contested/pack marks. Its just that both of their efforts can be so inconsistent..
Awesome grabs/intercepts mixed in with pisspoor defensive efforts and brain farts..

 

[Hinkley29]

I disagree. Decisions are scrutinised. The umpires ? Can you name the umpire that made the decision not to pay a free to Cameron. In general I have no idea if it is all umpires that are making errors late in games that effect the results or if 1 umpire makes 90% of those bad decisions because the umpires are not individually scrutinised as the players are. I understand it is hard to get umpires and they are critical to the game and the AFL tries to protect them but sometimes I think I would like to see a bit more transparency and critical analysis.

so when you go to work you have 50k people scrutinising/criticising you in the moment, and if you make a mistake you are the subject of scorn?

I bet you mistakes in your job every day and no one even notices (including yourself). And I bet the consequences of those mistakes to you are nominal or more likely zero.

If you want personal accountability for every umpire (ie. name and shame) then get used to the standard of umpiring going to rock bottom. Because who apart from the most power hungry narcissist would want to be an umpire in that environment? You would attract incompetence.

 

[Kitcat]

If he recovers fitness,

The challenge is that it will be impossible for the coaches to omit Hawk for a finals campaign. The only way I could see it happening is if Hawk retires before H&A season is done and has the WCE as a farewell - but what happens then if Jez gets injured in finals week one and Hawk is needed beyond then?

Hawk will not retire at the end of the season, as the club will want him as backup and he will want to get back in for finals, one way or another.

 

[Seeds]

No - it is because Hawk dropping out cleared some room for Neale to function better and our small forwards have space to create or win the ball at neales feet.

Cameron and Rohan are not really doing anything different.

Neale and hawk cannot play together.

It is one or the other.

Rohans not doing anything different? He literally was not in the team. He was injured for the first 9 games and then sub for multiple games afterwards.

Cameron clearly moved back to play more in the foward line after hawkins got injured.

Neale is looking better and does probide jump that hawkins doesnt but he has kicked 7 goals in 5 games and has hardly been our focal point up foward even with hawkins gone. He aint dominating. He is contributing. Plus neale was in the side before hawkins went out anyway. Hawkins wasnt stopping neale jumping at contests and clearing space for smalls.

 

[Zouz Kitty]

38K views · 149 reactions | Mitch Cleary on Sam De Koning | "He could've easily played on." It's good news for Sam De Koning, reports Mitch Cleary 👇 | By 7AFL | Facebook

"He could've easily played on." It's good news for Sam De Koning, reports Mitch Cleary 👇

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That’s a classic case of SDK’s knee giving out.

Happens without notice, knee goes to water + it’s unnerving. I can be walking + then I’m on the floor.

 

[Seeds]

If he recovers fitness,

Hawk will not retire at the end of the season, as the club will want him as backup and he will want to get back in for finals, one way or another.

I could only see hawkins not retiring if he agrees to spend most of the time in the vfl. I doubt he would agree to that.

 

[Seeds]

Good point, Dempsey, Miers, Close and Humphries are our most dangerous with the ball, if they’re getting a lot of it we rarely lose. Even getting Holmes freed up with handball more would allow him to run. Maybe next year with the development of these guys the MC will add this to the gamestyle?

I didn’t mention Mannagh as I see him more as a dangerous chaos wrecking ball

How you have described mannagh is how I would describe danger or holmes or even stewart but not mannagh. Mannaghs a greater passer. Better then close and humphries.

 

[Zouz Kitty]

Is this the most recent update on SDK

Totally OT

Ooooh! Your mate Schmuggets (???)
As I’m in Geelong, what’s the name of the FF schnitzel place? Have to try it.

Although, on Wednesday night had fantasmagorical schnitzel at a Hungarian restaurant in Sydney

 

[Hinkley29]

Rohans not doing anything different? He literally was not in the team. He was injured for the first 9 games and then sub for multiple games afterwards.

Cameron clearly moved back to play more in the foward line after hawkins got injured.

Neale is looking better and does probide jump that hawkins doesnt but he has kicked 7 goals in 5 games and has hardly been our focal point up foward even with hawkins gone. He aint dominating. He is contributing. Plus neale was in the side before hawkins went out anyway. Hawkins wasnt stopping neale jumping at contests and clearing space for smalls.

Rohan and Cameron are doing what they always do.

Cameron is not playing closer to goal. He is all over the field as always.

Yes, Neale is not dominating, he is contributing. Hawkins wasn’t even doing that. Would Hawkins have been able to take that massive pack mark midway through the last qtr yesterday to get us within 1 goal? That is the sort of target I am talking about. He is either taking those marks, or bringing it to ground for Stengle/dempsey/mannagh/close to feed off. Hawkins is not doing that.

There is so much more space in the forward line with a more mobile Neale playing as our deep target. Hawkins just doesn’t provide that target anymore.

It is not a coincidence that our small forwards have looked way more potent since Hawk went out.

I am not anti-Hawk, he is probably one of my 5 all time favourite cats (and I have followed them for a long time). But for the benefit of the team, he is not in our best 22 if Neale is fit.

 

[Zouz Kitty]

It is same thing…knee cap “comes out”. Been an issue for 18 months. Issue now is that it has happened a few times in quick succession.

Not sure what that means in now in terms of whether they just keep going or try to do something

If SDK’s patella is floating, might just need to increase strength of quadriceps muscles, particularly the Vastus lateralis + Vastus medialis. These muscles connect your thigh bone to your kneecap. Strengthen will help ligaments + stabilise patella.

As said previously, or if more serious a knee reconstruction to tighten ligaments.

 

[And_ROOS]

I would absolutely love if the April/May/June/July Premiers in Sydney miss the top 4.

Pies will be up for it at the SCG with finals on the line, its a shame Sydney have a gimme in Essendon at Marvel the week after, and then the Croms at the SCG will find a way to bottle it.

 

[Heckler]

Have you watched how much better the forward line functions since Hawk dropped out?

Henry has potential i agree. But not in the role he is playing. And they wont change that role this year.

could that be because they put Cameron back in the forward line and Rohan came back in to give them defensive pressure both on the ground and in the air? Mannagh has also helped.

Neale has also improved.

Both Neal and Ollie have a lot to offer
Perhaps positional adjustment will help
Play Ollie leading from the goal square
He is most dangerous near the goals
Also will limit his lack of defensive effort
Neale at CHF make great marking target
Has a long accurate kick. Uses the ball well
Rotating these two positionally at times
Their strengths could be better utilized
While building their work rate and stamina
Neale CHF allows potential for Hawk at FF

 

[calder_daddy]

Kolo has one bad game this year and the haters are quick to pounce and sink the boots in.
Will be top 5 in the b&f this year and deservedly so

People are allowed to point out when someone has a bad game.
Agreed he is one of our first magnets picked but last night was as bad of a defensive effort I’ve seen him have.
People sinking the boots into Bews is more confusing for me IMO

 

[cats_09]

I would bet it is a strategy and not about tank - can’t be sure but would be surprised if they couldn't play 80% if needed. Indeed I bet they are frustrated that they don’t but have come to accept it.

My memory is that this was our point of difference in 2022. Other clubs had MF who played 85%+ every week and got tired in games and to end of season. We had our champions (danger, guthrie and selwood all had tanks!) play in the 70% most weeks. In fact Guthrie played 80%, Atkins and Danger 75% and Selwood 70% throughout the year.

In finals it was even more stark with only Danger playing 75% and the rest of midfield playing in 60s%. That can’t be fitness - must be tactics

Last year no MF played above 75% with some in the low to mid 60s%

Again this year it is similar to 2023 which has ratcheted down a little from 2022 but similar strategy.

If I was a mid I would be frustrated as it seems hard to get into a rythm but I suppose if they didn’t do it this way they would select one less mid

Best example of that is Stewart and how his TOG has changed since his role in the team has changed

Looking at his games through to the Carlton clash when he was playing his purely defensive role, he averaged 84.5% TOG from 12 matches (I've excluded the Brisbane clash due to being subbed out at halftime with concussion). And in only 2 of those matches did he play less than 80% TOG - 75% versus Richmond & 76% versus Sydney

Starting with the Essendon match when he moved into the midfield rotation, he's TOG average has dropped to 76.6%, and his 82% against Essendon is the last time he played over 80%

Stewart made a cheeky comment last week after the match, that one benefit of moving into the midfield is that they get looked after a bit better during the match by getting a couple of breaks on the bench each quarter compared with other roles


Guys like Tanner probably could average closer to that 75%+ TOG if playing in a different team, but it's clearly a strategy we're going with where we will rotate our core midfielders to the bench more than other teams do - ignoring Stanley as ruck, Bowes who came on as sub and not quite sure on Blicavs role from yesterday but guessing it was his usual hybrid/2nd ruck role, we can see we ran 5 core midfielders through the centre bounces and we can we none of them played 80% TOG




And for those wondering, that's the full list of CBAs for us from yesterday's match, and here's the stats for Adelaide - we can see they had a couple of midfielders play 80%+

 

[bombersboy]

so when you go to work you have 50k people scrutinising/criticising you in the moment, and if you make a mistake you are the subject of scorn?

I bet you mistakes in your job every day and no one even notices (including yourself). And I bet the consequences of those mistakes to you are nominal or more likely zero.

If you want personal accountability for every umpire (ie. name and shame) then get used to the standard of umpiring going to rock bottom. Because who apart from the most power hungry narcissist would want to be an umpire in that environment? You would attract incompetence.

If we follow your logic why should players have to put up with the analysis and scrutiny they do? Every player including 18 year olds are held to a level of personal accountability. Should we shut down all the supporter boards, reporting on games and TV analysis shows? Do away with the publishing of individual stats?

Perhaps the way to get more umpires and as a result lift the quality of umpiring is to pay more. Current AFL umpires earn between $40,000-$150,000 per year. Why not raise that to at least the average AFL player salary? With that though comes increased scrutiny