Cats/Hawks Discussion

Geelong 14.14.98

Hawthorn 9.13.57

Geelong into the Preliminary final. Hawks have to regroup, most likely without Buddy.

Big injuries. A tough game.

Cats fans are presumed happy. Hawks may feel the need to vent.

What did you make of it folks?

 

Comments

  1. Cats have beaten the two hot flag favourites in consecutive weeks. If the usual scribes review this they will likely suggest that the Cats are gone.

    Hawks targetted Selwood in first half.

    No 3 will be rubbed out for the second hit.

    Guerra is not the same since Selwood stood up to him earlier in season. He is not the player he was now he is scared of sniping.

    Some interesting games coming up.

    This season is now very open.

  2. My impression was that Cats big bodies and long kicking won out over Hawks precision game and skinny kids. The question is what that due to finals pressure or the wet? Eagles have big bodies and kick long but also more kids???
    Disappointing for Menzel and Franklin, but easier for Cats to cover their loss going forward. Bridge too far for the Hawks now?? Clarkson’s ability to cover the loss of key players over the season has been outstanding – but not this.
    Big advantage for winner of Eagles/Pies today – avoid Cats to GF, and opens up Saints/Swans prelim possibilities. Intriguing.

  3. Clearsighted says

    Watched the game again this morning on telly. Apparently Geelong won. Hard to tell from the commentary (only exception Tom Harley).

  4. Plenty to discuss from last night’s game. Buddy and Hodge threatened to tear the game from Geelong’s grasp but the Hawks had no one to go with the Cats big brigade. Ottens’ second quarter was a game breaker. Hawkins is starting to realise what he’s capable of (finally), Bartel, Chappy, Selwood did their usual thing. Varcoe was lazy and brilliant all at once. Lonergan stuck to his guns very well on a rampaging Franklin. Wojo had plenty of mojo. Mackie had a shocker.

    Phantom – agree with you about Guerra.

  5. Clearsighted says

    The wonderful Corey Enright (his nickname is ‘Boris’ but I prefer to call him ‘Dudley Doright’ – because he does just that) did his do-right-very-best in curbing the brilliant Mr Rioli.
    Agree with you, Phantom, that Guerra was certainly shaken and not stirred to play his usual role in his usual fashion.
    Disagree with you, Dips regarding Mackie – he managed some very potent spoils and worked the ball well out of defence. An intelligent player.
    Hodge was brave and inspiring and Sewell was his honest and fair self.
    Good win Cats. The scribes, as you pointed out Phantom, will find a way to make it not so.

  6. The Hawks have done well but there depth due to injuries or other was exposed as was their chip chip game style (they seem to change styles annually the hawks). Hawkins has had a great fortnight and for the first time in long time it is truly exciting watching a long bomb fall into the cats forward line, so many big options. The Trent west hanger and goal was my highlight. He’s a great kick Westy.

  7. Another great win for the Cats! We have now beaten Hawthorn 3 times and Collingwood twice in 2011 and have a good chance of playing in another grand final and winning the premiership. Last night was a great team performance with Ottens playing another great finals game and good performances from Enright, Ling, Johnson, West, Christenson, Hunt, Mackie, Hawkins, Kelly, Podsiadly, West, Bartel, Chapman, Selwood, Lonergan, Scarlett and Taylor.
    Who cares what the media buffoons say! Most of them do not know the difference between shit and clay.

  8. Geelong’s success will be overshadowed by what these scribes dubbed “The story of the season” on twitter last night. Another week, another narrative that doesn’t fit the plot, and the Cats continue to roll on underestimated.

    There is no lid.

  9. At the risk of drawing vitriol from the brown and yellow, I fear the Menzel injury is the potentially more significant knee casualty to come from last night’s game (even if predictions of Franklin’s acl are correct) both in the short term (Hawks had already lost the game when Franklin went down) and the medium- I don’t think, on last night’s showing, the Hawks were ever really going to threaten for this year’s flag. Furthermore, there was potentially much more “up side” with Menzel (who I reckon is a Stevie J on ritalin). Franklin is a known quantity, whereas Menzel has shown signs of adding something new to the Cats. Unfortunately, it looks like this won’t be on display until at least later next season (?? x factor finals 2012).
    Ps. Anyone read Anson Cameron’s piece in the opinions sections of yesterday’s Age?
    IMHO, nailed it in one!

  10. Agree with the Menzel view, 7 goals in past 1 and a bit games, Stokes must kick some goals in his absence. Trent west, what a mark! He’s a handy kick too.

  11. Stevie J needs to donate his brain in the interests of neuroscience.

    He is a footballing kook.

  12. I loved Anson’s piece. It was almost as funny as last year’s one about Collingwood. Woe betide Richmond if we ever get good enough for Anson to feel the need to write about us!

  13. Stainless, i shudder to think what he’d make of the Blues. :)

    I thought John Silvester’s piece was a hoot as well. From a strictly objective standpoint. Of course.

  14. Well I’ve been out to Pope Joan for breakfast and then on to Preston Markets, so what’s been happening here? Hi Mr Phantom, how many bloody Freedos do I owe you know? It might be easier if I just buy you shares in the company.

    I don’t think anyone had dismissed the Cats prior to this game and they certainly won’t now. On the betting markets for the Premiership, Geelong has eased into $2.75 and the Hawks have blown out to $15.

    As to the game itself, I thought it was a great contest. At the 20 minute mark of the third there was still only 3 points in it. But the Cats have an extra gear and when they slip into it, look out. In the 2nd and 3rd quarter they turned it on and the Hawks were left in their slipstream. Individually, there are many things I could note but a key difference was that Schoenmakers (playing at Centre Half Back) was exposed by the Cats forward line and Hawkins had the game of his career.

    Now I’m off to busy myself with more interesting pursuits like weeding. But have no fear, the Hawks will be back!

    Cheers

  15. Clearisghted says

    Yes, Belly, Anson Cameron’s article was a hoot and hit the spot.

  16. This is the second year the Cats have been labelled “too old”, “past it” and generally written off as not being a dominant force (and last year it was while we were still reigning premiers). This is the second year we’ve finished second on the ladder with less than five losses (think it may have been five last year) and while Collingwood made it seem like there might be some truth to all this in last years prelim, if anything, the Cats have improved again. I’m pretty sure I remember some rumblings to this affect after ’08 as well. People can say this as much as they want, as long as Geelong keep winning matches and standing up in September; it is flat out wrong. It might just be hopeful, wishing, dreaming.. but it’s got no base in fact.

    The kicker about touching up Hawthorn like that is we’ve sent them bruised and battered (Franklin, Bailey, Lewis should be suspended) towards a prelim with Collingwood, who struggled with West Coast but should dispatch of Hawthorn much easier now.

  17. Nevermind the Pies Zaac, the Swans are a force to behold.

  18. Dave Goodwin says

    Well done Cats. Contained Hawks’ strengths. Exploited our weaknessses. Scott a good coach. Shut-downs on Cyril and Mitchell were brilliantly executed and the high-risk triple teaming of Buddy paid off. Ottens superb. Schoenmakers a case study in the difference between the sides – speed, height, strength and skill (no right side) deficit relative to what he was up against.

  19. I think that’s MacRobertson (or were they taken over by Cadburys) Phantom now Rick.

    Just give that smart daughter of yours a Freddo the morning of the day the Cats play the Hawks in future.

    She will work it out.

    The way the Hawks are going she will have a weight problem for Schoolies.

  20. It’s my son actually Mr Phantom but point taken.

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