Post Match v Cats...all comments here thanks!

[Monco Matt]

Generally though I thought we played pretty well, even with our usual skill error crap. The effort was there by the majority of the group, the problem is we have too many kids still and many senior players are still not pulling their weight. Blair, Swan, Cloke & Young all stood out for me as players that really didn't give us anything near what we expect from experienced players, all were way down.

I think we are going to have a lot of these close losses this year where we have a big crack at it but fall short..........damn frustrating!

[AN_Inkling]

I think the full backs were the difference in the game. Lonergan was excellent on Cloke, whereas Hawkins got on top of Frost who put in a good effort but simply isn't strong enough one on one and makes a few too many simple errors for a full back. We need Brown back asap.

Overall a good performance from us tonight. I've said all along that this season will be a slow build for us, and tonight was about what I expected.

He was playing his 5th game.

He'll only improve.

I like him a lot. Just don't think he's a full back. Certainly not at this stage of career anyway. Like Reid, he'll be better as a third or second tall playing on more athletic forwards. We need Brown to play on the true power forwards of the comp.

[piedys]

Lonergan owns Cloke because he can match him for strength.

Not many can.

True, in fact Lonergan is the only real defender that can contain Cloke, apart from that pox Lake.

[blackandwhite4life]

Nothing to slash the wrists over. Can't complain about our effort and with a little bit of luck we could'e pinched it against a team that will be thereabouts for Top 4 this year.

So some good signs. Off the top of my head Maxwell, Lumumba, Grundy, Beams, Caff and obviously Elliot were my pick. Sidey, Cloke, Swan disappointing.

My belief in the Adams trade for Heater is getting worse by the week. I never wanted it but will obviously just have to build a bridge. If we had a full squad, he would be lucky to get into our top 30. (i.e. Brown, Sinclair, Reid, Williams, Seedsman, Thomas, Kennedy and even Kyle Martin from outside tonight's 22).

[Neil Appleby]

I thought there was probably one free that Cloke may have been paid. Considering how they umpire for ruckmen, why is it so different up forward? Not sure how we were in a position to win it.....oh wait.....I do. Geelong couldn't put us away and we had a pretty impressive back line that kept pumping it forward. Our centreline players however didn't work hard enough and we fumbled badly at crucial times. Still, that game will stand us in good stead.
We had some passengers didn't we? Reid would have been a handy forward tonight. Speaking of injuries, a Geelong bloke with a busted jaw is back before Freeman with a hammy. Both injured same game. That's 7 weeks for Freeman isn't it?

[E]

Got nothing from Cloke and Swan, if they had of contributed in a meaningful way we would have won that game.

In the last few minutes there were three key moments that cost us:

1.) That shit kick from Swan off the side of his boot to the wing that resulted in a turnover.

2.) Pendles not kicking it long inside 50 towards the boundary from the middle of the ground, instead holds on and causes a turnover.

3.) Sidey getting brushed off the ball by Duncun in the middle which resulted in Hawkins goal.

So frustrating as we can beat teams like this but our general poor skill execution, fumbling nature and poor decision making at key moments cost us this game, I hope we improve in these areas because losing winnable games is hard to stomach.

I thought the failure to call that dropping the ball decision on their ruckman after the Elliot goal had some say as well. I just don't get why guys like Harry get pinged last week for attempting a handball but not making enough contact and yet he can just drop the ball like that after having prior opp. Not a result changer, but gee it would have been nice to see us going forward there rather than the cats.

PS: I thought the last two weeks have proven we are going to be a pretty good side this year. cats, Swans and Dockers are three of the best 5 teams in the comp. We have a tough start to the year, but should be in good shape to go on a 10 of 12 streak through the middle of the season. I think we are looking really good.

Add Reid, Sinclair and Brown to the back half and we will trouble most sides. I guess we also have 4 first rounders who are developing/injured to come through as well. I am liking what I am seeing.

one concern is that Grundy is not going to play many games this year if we flog him like that every week. he needs a lot more help. Its a shame Witts is so far away from being an AFL footballer.

I agree with the commentary that young might not be the answer for us (he will probably lose his spot at some point - obviously Scharenberg is his obvious replacement).

the Cats did very nicely out of the Ablett trade. did they get both Guthrie and Caddy? not sure, but its pretty good.

Geeleong are going to be a good side so long as their core of Lonergan, harry T, Mackie, Bartel, Selwood, Stevie J and Kelly are in their prime. they are a formidable group and incredibly composed and canny.

Is it just me, or is Stevie J one of the biggest floppers in the competition?

[doriswilgus]

Disappointing result but not unexpected.We have a very patched up team and are lacking class at both ends of the ground.I feel we need a lot more pace both in defence and attack to beat the top teams.Cloke was woeful,and so was Swan,surely he's carrying an injury?That shanked kick of his late in the last quarter when we had all the running could well have cost us the game.

[E]

Nothing to slash the wrists over. Can't complain about our effort and with a little bit of luck we could'e pinched it against a team that will be thereabouts for Top 4 this year.

So some good signs. Off the top of my head Maxwell, Lumumba, Grundy, Beams, Caff and obviously Elliot were my pick. Sidey, Cloke, Swan disappointing.

My belief in the Adams trade for Heater is getting worse by the week. I never wanted it but will obviously just have to build a bridge. If we had a full squad, he would be lucky to get into our top 30. (i.e. Brown, Sinclair, Reid, Williams, Seedsman, Thomas, Kennedy and even Kyle Martin from outside tonight's 22).

Sidey was fantastic! Re-watch the game.

[TheJonesBoy]

2nd half against the Swans...Pies hierachy decide to shelve the "handball happy" game plan with immediate and brilliant results.

One week later, against a side renowned for their ability to score from turnovers....we revert back to that shithouse, one two, three, seven handball chain brand of football that only the very best teams can get away with.

We ARE NOT one of the very best teams.

Why do we try and overcomplicate the game?

Dont our esteemed coaches watch tapes from the previous week to see what worked, what didnt?

Case in point, 5 points down, get the ball from a turnover...Pendlebury gets the ball smack bang in the middle of the MCG...and instead of bombing it inside 50 at worst giving us a 50/50 or even a turnover possesion in our attacking half....he looks for a dinky di shitty little handball....it all unravels and Hawkins goal, bang...game over.

I love Pendles but that was poor. But when its hammered into these boys day in day out at training through pre-season...and they are too scared to back themselves...we should probably expect this sort of second guessing.

Really dissapointed. amazing to think we have a coach who was regarded one of the greatest kicks of all time, yet we are so horrible by foot.

Steel Sidebottom im looking at you....if I see him kick it to Clokes ankles one more time I'll lose the plot.

To think that despite all that, no input from Swan and Cloke and we still only go down by 11....well, not sure how too feel. Maybe even more dissapointed at a lost opportunity.

Umpiring also terrible. Just terrible.

[watt price tully]

Adams looks raw to me.

[E]

Lonergan owns Cloke because he can match him for strength.

Not many can.

True, in fact Lonergan is the only real defender that can contain Cloke, apart from that pox Lake.

Nice one: so what you are saying is Lonergan is the only one who can stop cloke other than the others that can.......

[watt price tully]

Nothing to slash the wrists over. Can't complain about our effort and with a little bit of luck we could'e pinched it against a team that will be thereabouts for Top 4 this year.

So some good signs. Off the top of my head Maxwell, Lumumba, Grundy, Beams, Caff and obviously Elliot were my pick. Sidey, Cloke, Swan disappointing.

My belief in the Adams trade for Heater is getting worse by the week. I never wanted it but will obviously just have to build a bridge. If we had a full squad, he would be lucky to get into our top 30. (i.e. Brown, Sinclair, Reid, Williams, Seedsman, Thomas, Kennedy and even Kyle Martin from outside tonight's 22).

Sidey was fantastic! Re-watch the game.

Sidey played a good game tonight.

[Breadcrawl]

It was the most entertaining game I've seen us in for years.

We had a decent crack and even had opportunities but we made costly mistakes.

The game plan is similar to something I tried to do with an amateur team years ago that we used to call 'the souffle' because when it worked it looked and was awesome but it could easily flop and look very ordinary when it did. I am glad we persisted with it even though it didn't work. As we practise it and bring in more of the key personnel it will flop less.

Elliott was awesome.

Swan wants his arse kicking. He better sort the petulance out or he can piss off where his mate went

[DT56]

In all fairness Cloke gets nothing from the umps .. clear cut push in the back going for a mark on the wing .. not sure about an earlier incident up forward where he was sandwiched, had the ball and then looked as though he was dragged down (they didn't show a closeup replay)

[Skids]

One thing ..... umpires .....one thing.