Are Geelong mountain cats or moggies?
Roar Guru By Redb, 15 Jul 2009 Redb is a Roar Guru
- Tagged:
- AFL, Geelong Cats, Jimmy Bartel, Joel Selwood, St Kilda Saints, Steve Johnson, Tom Hawkins
All of a sudden Geelong look fragile. Their epic clash with St Kilda in Round Thirteen seems to have left them severely wounded and they were forced to make ten changes to their team for the game against Brisbane last weekend.
They subsequently lost by seven goals.
All year Geelong haven’t looked quite right. Sure, they’re still a Top Four team and will beat most teams on their day. But something is missing.
The 2008 Grand Final loss has wounded them mentally, especially Cam Mooney, whose goal kicking radar has been completely unplugged.
Tom Hawkins isn’t quite up to the hardness required, thus they have to rely on Steve Johnson to kick miraculous goals from often obtuse angles to win.
Geelong’s midfield remains all class: Ablett, Bartel and J Selwood are great players, no problems there. But the ‘book ends,’ through injury and mental fatigue, are looking fragile.
When was the last time Geelong belted out their club song with gusto after a win?
They sing the song as if it’s a funeral dirge or with the excitement of a US President whimpering his way through the Russian national anthem. Geelong fans I know are disappointed with their lack of passion.
Does this come from winning 55 out of 59 games over the past three seasons?
The loss to St Kilda may be more significant than many fans realise. The Saints came out of the game with few injuries, and whilst they looked a little wobbly against the Eagles in Perth, they did enough to win.
St Kilda have done to Geelong what Brisbane did to Essendon in 2001: “If it bleeds you can kill it.”
Perhaps only through the heroics of Garry Ablett, along with Jimmy Bartel and Joel Selwood, do they have a chance in 2009.
But I think Geelong are gone.
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- AFL, Geelong Cats, Jimmy Bartel, Joel Selwood, St Kilda Saints, Steve Johnson, Tom Hawkins
July 16th 2009 @ 8:36am
Redb said | July 16th 2009 @ 8:36am | Report comment
Thanks Big Al. Yeah how good was that Saints – Cats game. Come September I may feel a big mountain cat’s claws down my back.
Michael D,
Agree on the talls. Blake is next to useless around the ground, even a negative with his kicking. They need Ottens back but his match fitness must be questioned. Take your point though on returning players they could provide the spark that is needed.
Ian T,
I think what strikes me about St Kilda is that like certain teams who ultimately succeed they seem to get a very good run with few injuries to key players throughout the season. I’m thinking Geelong in 2007 and Essendon in 2000. If injuries do occur to key players we would have to re-assess for sure, God forbid but bloody Collingwood could be a contender.
Redb
Redb
July 24th 2009 @ 1:38pm
Redb said | July 24th 2009 @ 1:38pm | Report comment
This from Lethal:
http://www.news.com.au/heraldsun/sport/afl/story/0,26576,25828446-19742,00.html
“Leigh Matthews has drawn a comparison between the current Geelong side and Essendon at the end of 2001. ”
“The Cats have started to lose their air of invincibility, losing two of their past three matches and
this week face a rejuvenated Hawks outfit without key forward Steve Johnson, James Kelly and skipper Tom Harley.”
Redb
July 24th 2009 @ 1:57pm
Pippinu said | July 24th 2009 @ 1:57pm | Report comment
The parallels are there.
In Essendon’s 1999-2001 run, they pretty much came from the middle of the ladder in 1997-98 to dominate the comp for three years – but then dropped just as quickly as they had risen.
Go back to Geelong’s premiership season, 2007, and five rounds in, no one was talking about Geelong winning a flag, let alone them dominating for years to come.
These things seem to come and go very, very quickly, without too much warning.
Reasons:
1. Lists are relatively even;
2. runs with injuries are ultra important (look at Sydney’s premiership season, the very best run with injuries I’ve seen in my entire life)
3. there is something to be said about momentum, a team being in the zone, gelling, hitting the right notes, coach walking on water, call it what you like – but one thing is for sure, it rarely has a life of beyond 3 seasons (the Lions only just managed to push it out to four) – without the need to go back to the drawing board and rediscover it. We saw this in the Carlton team of 1995. In the Dons of 2000. The Roos came pretty close to keeping it going for around six seasons with an astute coach and the best player in the comp at the time – but even they had to experience ups and downs during those six seasons (that delivered 2 flags and one runners up)
July 24th 2009 @ 2:08pm
Redb said | July 24th 2009 @ 2:08pm | Report comment
Pip,
The Cats are coming up against a resurgent Hawthorn out to prove their still contenders – we will see some unsociable football from the likes of Brown, Hodge, Franklin,etc – “If it bleeds you can kill it” will be ringing in their ears. The Cats are wounded – never been a better time. Hope it doesn’t go too far.
Redb