NON-MFC: Round 18, 2022

[layzie 28,721]

The world really needs Collingwood to lose, I'm confident when it happens that they will just lead balloon the whole thing. They are a stupid, stupid football team that has no business being in our era of goodness. Knock em out. 

I'll go get my gun.

[Pates 9,536]

Biggest thing we need to recapture over the last rounds of footy is the finals like pressure that defined us. We don't have to go all out to the point it'll exhaust us before the finals but we need to bring a lot more heat than we have in recent times. The likes of Nibbler, Spargo, and Kozzie need to up it to 2021 levels, while there's been issues with the key forwards for me it starts with pressure. Swan's system won tonight but they suffocated Freo at the fall of the ball.

[dazzledavey36 48,734]

Just now, Redleg said:

Our big problem is we probably have the worst key forward options in the AFL atm. I just don't see how we fix that, unless JVR comes in and plays well, or we change our game plan, to utilize a small forward line. That would mean kicking to space and along the ground entering the forward 50 and not just bombing it long to 1 on 3.

We haven't fixed it all year and there no way we're fixing or with 6 games to go.

[1964_2 2,357]

3 minutes ago, Redleg said:

Our big problem is we probably have the worst key forward options in the AFL atm. I just don't see how we fix that, unless JVR comes in and plays well, or we change our game plan, to utilize a small forward line. That would mean kicking to space and along the ground entering the forward 50 and not just bombing it long to 1 on 3.

If only we had a big bloke who has kicked 5 in a prelim  :) 

Goody please, please play Max forward tommorow! 

[Pates 9,536]

1 minute ago, dazzledavey36 said:

We haven't fixed it all year and there no way we're fixing or with 6 games to go.

This is exactly it, but the mistake I think we're falling into is thinking that needs to be the problem that gets solved. We can kick a winning score with a smaller forward line and midfielders kicking goals (like the Brisbane match), it starts with making sure when the ball hits the ground the opposition is under such immense pressure they stuff it up.

[layzie 28,721]

The hole in the forward line is one hell of an issue but the one hole we won't be able to fix is the one in my soul if we can't get it right.

Edited July 16, 2022 by layzie

[dl4e 5,583]

5 minutes ago, layzie said:

The world really needs Collingwood to lose, I'm confident when it happens that they will just lead balloon the whole thing. They are a stupid, stupid football team that has no business being in our era of goodness. Knock em out. 

I'll go get my gun.

Don't worry the druggos will smack them down next week.

[Demon17 4,543]

45 minutes ago, Mr Steve said:

This makes our current form look not as bad as I thought.

Thats what t reckon.

Played poorly yet still with the cats 10 minutes to go.

And at Kardinia park little league ground. 

We'll await them at the G

[layzie 28,721]

9 top 4s for Chris Scott.

[Demon Dynasty 15,413]

17 minutes ago, Redleg said:

Our big problem is we probably have the worst key forward options in the AFL atm. I just don't see how we fix that, unless JVR comes in and plays well, or we change our game plan, to utilize a small forward line. That would mean kicking to space and along the ground entering the forward 50 and not just bombing it long to 1 on 3.

That boat's sailed i think Red.  If he didn't get picked after last week's results, Seniors and Casey, i doubt he'll get a look in this season unless we have a few  injuries to taller forwards.

Played a solid game last week & unlucky not to be in for Spargo or Bedford.

Edited July 16, 2022 by Demon Dynasty

[Jaded No More 57,820]

16 minutes ago, layzie said:

9 top 4s for Chris Scott.

Means nothing if you don’t win the flag. 
Much easier to finish top 4 when you get basically 10 easy wins at a ridiculous ground only you know how to play at every single year. 
I will never support the theory that Geelong are genuinely still good. Never. [censored] them all to hell!!!!!!

[picket fence 15,137]

55 minutes ago, dees189227 said:

Yeah they are just perfect in what they do. They don't miss tackles, they use the ball correctly, no stupid handballs, aren't selfish in there forward line and they rarely fumble. 

Sounds like us.... er in 2021, not as sure about 2022

[layzie 28,721]

1 minute ago, Jaded No More said:

Means nothing if you don’t win the flag. 
Much easier to finish top 4 when you get basically 10 easy wins at a ridiculous ground only you know how to play at every single year. 
I will never support the theory that Geelong are genuinely still good. Never. [censored] them all to hell!!!!!!

It took me by surprise Jaded, 9 top 4s and 5 top 2s I'd have pencilled them in for two flags absolute minimum. 

[Stu 846]

45 minutes ago, Wells 11 said:

Except when i see them post game they look like they’re cruising. Not too excited or pumped up. They seem to have a lot in their tank still. 

When considering the Cats, I always remember that they have a very experienced (aka "old") team. That experience brings consistency and, to me explains the Cats regular season sustained success. As a result, the gap between their best and worst is smaller than any other team. 

The question you need to ask is: when the finals begin and other teams go up a level, do the cats have further to go? Or is what we've seen the last few weeks the best they have? 

Further, Scott's approach to games (willing to modify his game plan to get wins) means that they look great in any given game. However, that comes at the expense of the type of muscle memory you saw from Dees players last September. This is the same as the Swans where Longmire changes things quite significantly in order to win any given name, least of all the Freo game this round.

The Cats do look great right now, and seem to be in the best position to win the flag for some time. I guess we will get an answer to whether a tactical coach (Longmire / Scott) can best a system coach (Goodwin / Longmuir / Fagan). 

For the Cats, you feel that it will soon be... now or never.

Edited July 16, 2022 by Stu
A couple of omissions

[DEE fence 4,451]

1 hour ago, Demon Dynasty said:

When we speak of learnings i hope our club has learned not to stand the line when marking an OOTF.

The Doggies clever.  Started using the outside 5 rule to protect the inside play on or kick from this situation a fair while back.

Cats & the Blues have now learnt and are also doing this tonight.

As of last week we were still standing the line.

Good insight, totally 👍 

[Bombay Airconditioning 5,876]

19 minutes ago, Demon Dynasty said:

That boat's sailed i think Red.  If he didn't get picked after last week's results, Seniors and Casey, i doubt he'll get a look in this season unless we have a few  injuries to taller forwards.

Played a solid game last week & unlucky not to be in for Spargo or Bedford.

My theory (purely guess work & way off the mark) is that had Oliver and Petty not missed JVR would play this week, in an attempt to get us back to our normal structure. But to play him with an already weakened side puts us under a lot of additional pressure if he doesn’t find his feet straight away. 

[Sir Why You Little 34,443]

Tomorrow is an 8 point game for the MFC. Wish it was at the MCG. 

Uncle Bitters and i are worried about Melksham and Tomlinson, but we just have to get something out of them

Huge stakes rest on this one 

[Sir Why You Little 34,443]

4 hours ago, Sydee said:

On recent form that would be a major switch 

I have a bad feeling about them and what the next game against them may mean fir our top 4 chances - hopefully I’m way off 

Yes I always have a bad feeling about them, nothing new in that

[layzie 28,721]

Time to bring out the big artillery 

[Stu 846]

1 hour ago, Maldonboy38 said:

I don't understand this season. 

The ten top teams have all looked like gods or clowns at various times of the year. Tipping is a nightmare, form is as variable as the stock exchange in a crisis, and to top it all off, the form sides now are the &%$##%@ Cats and Pies. 

If we get our form together we will route this rabble - but our form is just as unpredictable.

I need a nicely laid down Shiraz or a deeply matured Single Malt. 

I can't agree more. If (and this is the big IF) we can maintain our best through the last rounds and the finals I think we're a cut above the rest. The evenness of this season is only possible by our form drop since after Round 10. Before that it was "the Demons by how much". Should we get our best back in time for the finals, I strongly believe it will be too good for any of the teams rated as contenders.

[layzie 28,721]

18 minutes ago, Stu said:

When considering the Cats, I always remember that they have a very experienced (aka "old") team. That experience brings consistency and, to me explains the Cats regular season sustained success. As a result, the gap between their best and worst is smaller than any other team. 

The question you need to ask is: when the finals begin and other teams go up a level, do the cats have further to go? Or is what we've seen the last few weeks the best they have? 

Further, Scott's approach to games (willing to modify his game plan to get wins) means that they look great in any given game. However, that comes at the expense of the type of muscle memory you saw from Dees players last September. This is the same as the Swans where Longmire changes things quite significantly in order to win any given name, least of all the Freo game this round.

The Cats do look great right now, and seem to be in the best position to win the flag for some time. I guess we will get an answer to whether a tactical coach (Longmire / Scott) can best a system coach (Goodwin / Longmuir / Fagan). 

For the Cats, you feel that it will soon be... now or never.

All eyes will be on Qualifying final week for the men in Hoops.

[3183 Dee 2,602]

1 hour ago, Redleg said:

Our big problem is we probably have the worst key forward options in the AFL atm. I just don't see how we fix that, unless JVR comes in and plays well, or we change our game plan, to utilize a small forward line. That would mean kicking to space and along the ground entering the forward 50 and not just bombing it long to 1 on 3.

This will prove our undoing this year, unfortunately: in fact, we’ve done very well to stay up top for so long, with our key forward options. TMac’s absence has just highlighted how valuable he is in providing a contest, taking a mark, gut running, but most of all providing an effective foil for Ben Brown.

If our smalls are not firing (as has happened quite frequently this year) we have an ineffective forward line - this could ultimately cost us this year. The bright light, perhaps, is that JVR looks like he could really be the goods for the future.

[3183 Dee 2,602]

45 minutes ago, Stu said:

I can't agree more. If (and this is the big IF) we can maintain our best through the last rounds and the finals I think we're a cut above the rest. The evenness of this season is only possible by our form drop since after Round 10. Before that it was "the Demons by how much". Should we get our best back in time for the finals, I strongly believe it will be too good for any of the teams rated as contenders.

I agree that our best is scintillating, but the lack of cohesion in our forward line could well prove the difference this year. 

[layzie 28,721]

I wish some nutrimedics chiropractor freak would wave a fish bone over Tom's foot and fix it. 

Edited July 16, 2022 by layzie

[YesitwasaWin4theAges 5,795]

2 hours ago, 1964_2 said:

Agree. Good night for us. Cats not a threat come finals. Blues will struggle to finish above us from here. And the risk of playing Freo at their home first final reduced. 
 

But Optus is our home away from Home, that ground holds nothing but good memories.