How about… Thank God for Bomber Thompson’s boys single handedly destroying the negative boring flooding game plans that were the norm in the mid noughties. The game was bordering on unwatchable back then.
And…, what you’ve gotta understand is us oldies remember when the Cats were bog ordinary for all of the 70’s and most of the 80’s. Then again. maybe our memories aren’t so good anymore??
Won’t make the 8, although their midfield boasts Ablett, Selwood and Dangerfield they are ageing and none of those guys have a defensive bone in their body. Their depth is absolutely atcrocios and they hardly have any guns that are aged between 22 - 28, Right on the edge of the cliff and just about to tumble over it
I wouldn’t be surprised if they have a better 2019 than most expect… If…
Nakia Cockatoo plays close to 20 games.
Big Esava plays close to 20 games and becomes the foil Tommy needs.
Dahlhouse gets back to his best pressure footy
I also think Dangerfield wasn’t at his best in 2018 and I expect him to bounce back, He’s shed some weight and looks in ripping nick.
Gary Rohan will look a better player in an attacking system as well.
Jordan Clark will play most games and become one of the better picks from the 2018 draft.
This. I’m sick of their entitled supporters feeling like they have a divine right to win finals every year and get upset even when they do. When Geelong lose, the town goes into a few good days of peace and quiet. I’m looking forward to a few more of those days this year.
Last roll of the dice for the Cats but I think they’ll make the 8 based on their draw and home games. They may even get up in their first final but will crash out again quite badly as their lack of consistency rears it’s head.
Ablett, Dangerfield and Selwood’s beaten up body’s will end any hope of finals after this year.
It’s all on how they start the season. They could easily be 1-2 wins after 8 rounds. The pressure will be on early and if they fail and lose all confidence the easy finish becomes harder. If they break even or better they are just making up the numbers in finals again. Boring.
I hope Geelong, Hawthorn and Sydney all miss the 8.
There importing has gone from Dangerfield to Dalhous and Rohan. It’s a sign of how much they are trying to plug holes from little volume talent coming through in drafting.
I think the cliff is very close and may finally come later this year with some injuries.
And I think ablett is cooked and will be a liability even if he does get on the park. He is 35 this year and looked like an old man last year.
At least Clarkson had the guts to move Hodge and Mitchell rather than face mass extinctions of their dinosaurs all in one year. At Geelong, they still have dinosaurs, Ablett, Selwood, Taylor, Hawkins. Its going to be a superannuation year for them, and the last chance for the "midfield of the century " to strut its stuff if they still have it in them and can actually play for the team and not themselves.
Get out the zimmer frames guys. Its going to be a long walk to the centre of the G.
(Apologies for the ageism in this post. I know its not pc, but I am old so I can say it , right? )
This cliff they’re supposed to be close to has been there since 2010.
I wish our periods of success lasted as long their ledge from the cliff face they’ve had.
Ablett shouldnt be allowed near the midfield for the majority of the game.
Only use it as a change up. Ablett/Selwood/Danger all run one way. they need someone defensive minded in there as well.
Only send Ablett in when Danger rests forward.
Should help him Ablett injury free as well, they used him too much in the midfield last year.
He could be a 50 goal forward
Their home ground advantage is still one of the best in the league, and should ensure them enough wins to scrape into the lower rungs of the final 8. That is where they will be embarrassed, on the road against quality opposition. Kudos to Sheeds for moving our game against them away from Kardinia Park to the Gee.
Yeh. Geelong seem to be a persistent top 8 team. They are a bit like toenail fungus. Tough, persistent and really hard to get rid of, troublesome, but not a serious threat.
Last home & away game of 93 was the last time we played there. We’d moved from Windy Hill 2 years earlier because we were too big for suburban grounds so it was only logical that we stopped playing at KP as well. No idea if Sheedy actively played a part in that being our last game there beyond being a major reason why we were so popular.