A TALE OF TWO GAMES

[Axis of Bob 11,912]

Midfield.

[Geddy Lee 582]

Midfield.

Midfield.

Midfield.

Just thought I'd agree with it thrice.

Jones' turnovers cost us a goal a game. Moloney and Sylvia were disgraceful. Trengrove was lacklustre. Morton and McKenzie battled hard, but aren't exactly game breakers. Bail was on the park.

Our defence and attack are really good.

Our midfield stinks.

EDIT: And don't get me started on Jamar. Jeff White he ain't.

[Goodvibes 3,596]

I don't think they're necessarily competing for the same spot. Rivers was cooked at the end of last season though. Too slow and not efficient enough by foot.

Rivers is all heart and I'll never have a crack at him but the sad reality is that he's not big enough for the gorillas and he's too slow for the medium forwards. His average at best disposal is the nail in the coffin. A back six of Frawley, Garland, McDonald, Strauss, Grimes and Bartram/Bennell would be my preference this year. It's not news that we need to find a couple of better kicks out of our backline to help us counter the press being used by almost all of our opposition. Strauss' return and continued development is really important. Grimes will get better with games.

[Striker475 696]

Rivers is all heart and I'll never have a crack at him but the sad reality is that he's not big enough for the gorillas and he's too slow for the medium forwards. His average at best disposal is the nail in the coffin. A back six of Frawley, Garland, McDonald, Strauss, Grimes and Bartram/Bennell would be my preference this year. It's not news that we need to find a couple of better kicks out of our backline to help us counter the press being used by almost all of our opposition. Strauss' return and continued development is really important. Grimes will get better with games.

Rivers is in B&F form. Ridiculous. Long-term, TMac is the replacement, but right now no way

[nedariks 22]

Jones' turnovers cost us a goal a game. Moloney and Sylvia were disgraceful. Trengrove was lacklustre. Morton and McKenzie battled hard, but aren't exactly game breakers. Bail was on the park.

Jones is the only reason we've stayed in any games, he has been great this season. Also it was Sylvias second game, coaches made a bad choice to bring him straight in. Rest i agree with.

[Goodvibes 3,596]

Rivers is in B&F form.

Not that I needed any further confirmation but we really are in a bad way if Rivers is leading our B & F.

[Friday 71]

You're all talking like we should have beaten the cats? That it was unbelievable our midfield got beaten by the Cats?

The reality is that Geelong haven't lost a game down there in 7 years. They

They have actually lost LESS games in 5 years than we lost in 2009 alone.

17 (19 including this year) games lost in total since the end of the 2006 season.

We stood up yesterday. Sure, it wasn't a win. Sure, there is so much more improvement to go it's not funny.

But I saw improvement again. Week on week I've seen improvement. Keep doing what they're doing and we'll get there.

[Lordweaver 235]

good game by the dees, sylvia and sellar not so good, morton good and liking tom mc donald moloney is great at finding space in tight, look forward to getting jurrah back.

[Lordweaver 235]

Can Jamar actually kick the ball sometimes rather than handball to a player under the pump??

[Sir Why You Little 37,342]

You're all talking like we should have beaten the cats? That it was unbelievable our midfield got beaten by the Cats?

The reality is that Geelong haven't lost a game down there in 7 years. They

They have actually lost LESS games in 5 years than we lost in 2009 alone.

17 (19 including this year) games lost in total since the end of the 2006 season.

We stood up yesterday. Sure, it wasn't a win. Sure, there is so much more improvement to go it's not funny.

But I saw improvement again. Week on week I've seen improvement. Keep doing what they're doing and we'll get there.

Not disagreeing Friday, but the Cats played a lot of kids yesterday..

They also kicked a lot of points. We were lucky to dodge a bullet. It wasn't a great effort. Beamer is running out of senior credits fast.

[pitmaster 3,589]

I don't think they're necessarily competing for the same spot. Rivers was cooked at the end of last season though. Too slow and not efficient enough by foot.

For goodness sake you two can't be watching too many games! Rivers would be close to leading the Bluey just now. He has been a rock most weeks.

Make it you three - that means you too Goodvibes.

[stuie 7,374]

This year I thought Moloney, Watts, Sylvia, and Jones would fire up with the change of coach, and guys like Rivers, Morton, Davey, Bartram may struggle, but so far it's almost the complete opposite, and I've had to (pleasantly somewhat) swallow my opinions on Rivers and Morton, at least for now. Morton is taking slow but steady steps, and Rivers has been fantastic thus far and we would have been absolutely destroyed without him.

Time to swallow the pride guys, this year is panning out differently to what most of us would have thought as far as the players go, let's give credit (at least for efforts) where it's due.

[deanox 10,059]

...

Add to some of these our quick delivery into the forward line. Our forwards played in front today, they needed the quick kick into the forward line to be a chip kick into the space in front of them. Too often we bombed long blindly to the space behind them, resulting in a geelong mark.

This needs to be cleared up between the forwards and the flankers/mids. The guys getting the ball need to know where to kick it to if they have to kick it blindly.

Maybe they should have known and just executed poorly (i.e. moloney only ever kicks long regardless)? But either way, that is the sort of game plan issue that needs to be sorted out. Potentially 5-10 of our inside 50's were wasted by this, and I was surprised how many of geelongs seemingly blond/rushed kicks into forward line they marked. They obviously knew where their own team hotspot was.

[titan_uranus 25,212]

Interesting (sobering) stat: we've won 3 of the 24 quarters we have played.

GWS (having played one less game) have won 4. Gold Coast have won 5. Port have won 7, Richmond 8, and everyone else has won 10 or more.

Some of you are reacting as if the opinion "we are not a very good team" is news to you...

We were good in areas today (in the clinches, one-on-ones) and poor in others (spread from a stoppage, keeping the ball in the forward 50, skills), we were overawed for much of it but willing and hungry too.

The key difference that ruins us, and this is why we struggle even against a young Geelong, is that they are bred to TRUST their team mate to win the footy, beat their bloke, make that shepard. Malthouse touched on this quite a bit, our players get sucked into contests, and don't have a releasing handball, or leave their bloke to go up with Frawley to beat Hawkins and let their opponent get the crumb.

They have to respect the role of their team mate and trust them to do their job and be their for them where they can actually be of use; on the defensive side in space, at the foot of the contest, or sheparding to give their player space.

Malthouse was all over this, and he was right. Incidentally, I thought his commentary yesterday was brilliant. Usually he gets arrogant, egotistical, off topic, and annoying, but yesterday he just talked about tactics and coaching and football. Thought he added a lot.

As for the issue - our players still do not feel comfortable as a unit playing this gameplan. That will, hopefully, come over the next few weeks/months, as we continue to play this new style. It's why we don't really see Neeld moving players between the back line and the forward line. He wants them to settle into their roles and begin to learn how to trust one another; how to read where their teammates will go so that they know in advance what to do next.

[old55 23,848]

The reality is that Geelong haven't lost a game down there in 7 years.

The Sydney Swans believe otherwise.

[godees 902]

Interesting (sobering) stat: we've won 3 of the 24 quarters we have played.

GWS (having played one less game) have won 4. Gold Coast have won 5. Port have won 7, Richmond 8, and everyone else has won 10 or more.

There have been a lot that we have lost by less than a goal though (yesterday the 1st/4th quarters, last week we won the 2nd and lost the third by a point, against the dogs we drew the third and lost the 2nd by 6 and the last by 7, against rich: lost 1st by 13, won 2nd by 5, lost third by heaps, drew the last). In recent weeks we have managed to pretty much stamp out quarters when we get blown away which has been an big improvement. Hawthorn will be a huge test this week, they are the kings of killing the game in one quarter.

[Rhino Richards 1,467]

EDIT: And don't get me started on Jamar. Jeff White he ain't.

Good.

Not that I needed any further confirmation but we really are in a bad way if Rivers is leading our B & F.

Indeed.

[Dee Fan 3,247]

Rivers is all heart and I'll never have a crack at him but the sad reality is that he's not big enough for the gorillas and he's too slow for the medium forwards. His average at best disposal is the nail in the coffin. A back six of Frawley, Garland, McDonald, Strauss, Grimes and Bartram/Bennell would be my preference this year. It's not news that we need to find a couple of better kicks out of our backline to help us counter the press being used by almost all of our opposition. Strauss' return and continued development is really important. Grimes will get better with games.

Rivers is a very courageous player and a very good mark and I wouldn't mind seeing him play in the forward line.

[Dee Fan 3,247]

Interesting (sobering) stat: we've won 3 of the 24 quarters we have played. GWS (having played one less game) have won 4. Gold Coast have won 5. Port have won 7, Richmond 8, and everyone else has won 10 or more. Malthouse was all over this, and he was right. Incidentally, I thought his commentary yesterday was brilliant. Usually he gets arrogant, egotistical, off topic, and annoying, but yesterday he just talked about tactics and coaching and football. Thought he added a lot. As for the issue - our players still do not feel comfortable as a unit playing this gameplan. That will, hopefully, come over the next few weeks/months, as we continue to play this new style. It's why we don't really see Neeld moving players between the back line and the forward line. He wants them to settle into their roles and begin to learn how to trust one another; how to read where their teammates will go so that they know in advance what to do next.

Do you get the feeling that Malthouse is our unofficial Assistant Coach? He seems to have a very keen interest in us and obviously has a great deal of respect/admiration for Neeld and it would be interesting to see what interaction there is between the two of them.

[Sir Why You Little 37,342]

Interesting (sobering) stat: we've won 3 of the 24 quarters we have played.

GWS (having played one less game) have won 4. Gold Coast have won 5. Port have won 7, Richmond 8, and everyone else has won 10 or more.

This does not read well at all, when you look at the transformation of Essendon, who the MFC has beaten regularly lately. Essendon has injuries and a new gameplan. They just learn it & go.

The MFC seems to wallow and baulk.

Some of our players are soft as. That is a reality.

Should Brent Moloney & Colin Sylvia be teaching Jack Viney the finer points of the senior midfield position next season 2013 ??

Personally i think not.

[cowboy_from_hell 2,390]

Can Jamar actually kick the ball sometimes rather than handball to a player under the pump??

Spot on that does my head in! I think his foot is painted on. The opposition know he won't/can't kick and is a massive liability with the ball in his hands.

[Pennant St Dee 13,415]

Just thought I'd agree with it thrice.

Jones' turnovers cost us a goal a game. Moloney and Sylvia were disgraceful. Trengrove was lacklustre. Morton and McKenzie battled hard, but aren't exactly game breakers. Bail was on the park.

Our defence and attack are really good.

Our midfield stinks.

EDIT: And don't get me started on Jamar. Jeff White he ain't.

That is true Jamar has far less talent and the heart of a lion, White had an abundance of talent probably to much to warrant him working his arse off. He never came to terms with the ruck change to combat the PCL curse. We talk of our bad culture and from afar it is the likes of Trapper, Yze, White and similar gifted players who Danners stuck with who set this culture in stone and one of the reasons we are lacking leadership now

[Straight Sets Simon 23,113]

The slowness of the team I believe has a lot to do with poor acceleration (not necessarily top speed). I've mentioned this many times but Trengove's biggest weakness is his first five steps. It's interesting watching Jurrah who might not have the greatest top speed but over his first ten metres he really fires up. This needs to be how all the players are, it creates space and gives them more time and opportunity to dispose of the ball. This will also help increase disposal efficiency as players aren't forced to hit targets under as much pressure. This would also help with the spread, as I mentioned earlier Geelong think two or three possessions ahead, they move for one and other to create opportunities instead of just ball watching all the time.

Even watching GWS today, the players always looked to be light footed, never standing around always moving and when then did move their acceleration was quick. I hope the coaches have noticed this too because it is glaringly obvious.

[deejammin' 2,379]

You're all talking like we should have beaten the cats? That it was unbelievable our midfield got beaten by the Cats?

The reality is that Geelong haven't lost a game down there in 7 years. .

They lost to Sydney there last year and could easily have been beaten down there by Richmond this season, your point is good and well taken but get your facts straight

[Geddy Lee 582]

That is true Jamar has far less talent and the heart of a lion, White had an abundance of talent probably to much to warrant him working his arse off. He never came to terms with the ruck change to combat the PCL curse. We talk of our bad culture and from afar it is the likes of Trapper, Yze, White and similar gifted players who Danners stuck with who set this culture in stone and one of the reasons we are lacking leadership now

Comparing Trapper to White shows you have NFI about football. The amount of revisionist [censored] hung on good players like White and a good coach in Danners around here is an absolute disgrace. We contested six finals series from 98 to 06 and Jeff White was superb in this period, particularly in 04, when he was the best ruckman in the land. You imply White had no heart, well he showed steely resolve against the Dogs in late 05 to get us into the finals and got his face destroyed by Geelong's Steven King trying to contest a ball for his troubles. Guys like Jamar, always conspicuously absent from the leadership group, are the reason we lack leadership; not fantastic players from a decade ago.