CATS AND DOGS by George on the Outer

Posted July 12, 201411 yr

Usually the phrase "cats and dogs" is reserved for heavy downpours of rain and bad weather. And with the weather at the MCG showing a temperature that barely got into double figures, it was a similar scoreboard outcome for the Demons when they turned up to play the Cats.

And Cats and Dogs it was.

The Cats rained goals and the Demons played like Dogs.

Not a solitary goal in the first quarter again, and trailing by 10 goals at half time, the supporters were hoping that the heavens truly opened to slow down the Geelong scoring.

Whether they took the foot off the accelerator or just stopped trying too hard in the second half, the final score showed a similar margin at the final bell.

Paul Roos said before the game,

"We've still got seven dress-rehearsal games for pre-season, that's the way I look at it,".and "For some of them you can shape your career in a pretty short space of time."

Well today some had their careers truly shaped and it wont be the way they would like.

Luke Tapscott marked his cards with a 4 kick and zero mark performance. Jack Watts has probably got trade at all costs on his ticket, after yet another lacklustre performance.

Yet Aidan Riley with a 17 disposal and 7 tackle game, not to mention the G & D that he shows all the time has his card marked as a keeper for 2015.

When we see Lynden Dunn playing forward, James Frawley down back again and Cam Pedersen making his mark around the ground, then we know that Roos is true to his word. He now knows a thing or two about those sorts of players and what he can do with them in the future its the fringe players who are either choosing not to or are incapable of performing at the standard required by Roos who are writing their tickets right now.

In contrast Geelong showed little which would suggest a Grand Final appearance this year. Yes they are methodical and their players are willing to run to space and provide options, but there are an awful lot of ordinary players in that side now, who are being held in good stead by the likes of Johnson, Bartel, Selwood and Kelly.

Would that the Demons had players of that quality to rely upon!

Unfortunately, we depend on second year players like Jack Viney to show how the game should be played, or Mark Jamar who showed resilience and fortitude all day long in the ruck.

We all know these couple of games are a real test for the club, as they have to play 5 of the top 6 sides in an 8 week period. We could not expect to win against such quality at this end of the season, but the team is being let down again by those who capitulate all that easily when the game gets a little tough.

Roos job is being made really, really easy. There wont be players who are marginal, there wont be an argument about whether they can or cant. The proof is being made all too obvious through actual performance.

There will be no room for Dogs in a Demons side in 2015.

Melbourne 0.2.2 2.5.17 4.6.30 5.6.36

Geelong 3.7.25 11.10.76 12.13.85 14.18.102

Goals

Melbourne Howe 2 Keny Pedersen Vince

Geelong Hawkins 3 Johnson Kersten 2 Bartel Christensen Duncan Guthrie Hartman McIntosh Motlop

Best

Melbourne Riley Viney Garland Howe N Jones Frawley

Geelong Selwood Motlop Johnson McIntosh Mackie Kelly Guthrie

Injuries

Melbourne Nil

Geelong (knee)