Back from la la land.

[Jazz_84]

when the heat was on mid way through the 2nd qtr we looked as good as them but as soon as it slowed down again we got smashed... need to find a way to give a shit 100% of the game

[BenDoolan]

It's no secret, we're not even in the same postcode as Geelong. Even with Scarlett, Mooney, Ottens, Hawkins etc out of their side, they still have an even set of contributors who are seasoned finely tuned footballers. Why do we expect any different?

Geelong are going to raise the cup again this year - easily. 4 Grand Finals in a row and a 3rd premiership. And we crow about our 2000 side. Well they achieved 3/5's of f*** all compared to the likes of Brisbane and Geelong.

Anyway, in all seriousness, how the fack are we supposed to collectively stop Ablett, Selwood, Enright, Kelly, Chapman, Varcoe, Johnson, Byrnes etc with the limited quality in our side? That's the reality.

[Rossoneri]

Spot on BD!
I think what people are forgetting is that we played a team last night who are probably going to go down as the best ever, and we are a fair way behind them. Not only us, 14 other sides are minimum 4 goals behind them.
Keep in mind that a core number of our players who are the "future" have only been in the system 2-3 years (Hurley, Pears, Hooker, Paddy, Jetta, Gumby, Myers, Davey - though he is 23) and a couple of others. Of Geelongs main group of Ling, Ablett, Bartel, Chapman, Johnson, Mackie and a couple of others, they have been in the system for 8-10 years, these guys are in their prime.

Success does not happen overnight, and it rarely happens against a great side.

[Windy_Hill]

Its interesting how in the last 2 games that we have played Geelong, we have been blown away after failing to take our chances to get on top.

1) Neagle's crazy play on attempt in Round 1 - could have walked back taken his time and slotted a goal from 35m out - instead he plays on, spills the ball in a tackle, and Geelong, in a flash, run the ball the length of the ground and score - a 2 goal turnaround and they then kick 9 of the next 10 goals.

2) Gumbleton's Miss from Directly in front - 2nd QTR - Last Night. The Bombers were on a roll and actually had Geelong looking very nervous - Gumbleton marks, 40m out, directly in front - a goal would have put us in front just before half time. He misses, they run the length of the ground and score - 2 goal turnaround again and instead of being in front, we go to half time 12 points behind. They then get a very early goal in the third qtr and all of a sudden the game has slipped away.

So, the positives are, when we are on our game, we are as good as the best team in the competition

The negative is that we simply cannot sustain our game plan, mentally or physically. How many times this year have we allowed teams back into games or given up bags of uunaswered goals to our opponents.

Clearly this will improve with experience and maturity. I also get the feeling that whilst we have an impressive line up of key talls, we still lack 2-3 quality players in the midfield and in defense (small defender)

[s'dreams]

So, the positives are, when we are on our game, we are as good as the best team in the competition

The negative is that we simply cannot sustain our game plan, mentally or physically. How many times this year have we allowed teams back into games or given up bags of uunaswered goals to our opponents.

Meh ... being as good as the best team in the comp - for 10 minutes only in games against the best aint goint to cut it!

The main problems re our defence are (1) The midfield bleeds and (2) when the midfield is bleeding and the backline struggling, the coach refuses to play 7 in defence to stifle the scoring. This is bemusing given that our scoring doesn't seem to be based on long kicks to marking contests in our forward 50 ... but a run and carry game (so a 5 man forward line doesn't matter as much!).

C - sti

[nathanskinner]

It's no secret, we're not even in the same postcode as Geelong. Even with Scarlett, Mooney, Ottens, Hawkins etc out of their side, they still have an even set of contributors who are seasoned finely tuned footballers. Why do we expect any different?

Geelong are going to raise the cup again this year - easily. 4 Grand Finals in a row and a 3rd premiership. And we crow about our 2000 side. Well they achieved 3/5's of f*** all compared to the likes of Brisbane and Geelong.

Anyway, in all seriousness, how the fack are we supposed to collectively stop Ablett, Selwood, Enright, Kelly, Chapman, Varcoe, Johnson, Byrnes etc with the limited quality in our side? That's the reality.

Joel Corey as well.. who challenges ablett and selwood for touches most weeks :S

[little_ripper]

I think we have got pretty decent big blokes and whats left to do is to develop good smalls.
Thats where geelong killed us.(and where they kill most other sides).

carlton have good smalls, which is why I think when they are up, they can get over the cats.

I don't think it wasn't the best move(with benefit of hindsight) having to bring in so many smalls in Dyson, Slattery, Stanton (and Welsh in his second game back from a long break) at once.

They were all pretty average really.

[s'dreams]

What angers me the most - is that at least 10 players dropped their heads for the rest of game from the 5 minute mark of the 3rd quarter.

It is also bemusing that a couple of players (who seem to feature in the votes) heard footsteps and did not commit to the contest ... to the point of shamming efforts (one was even rebuked on field by the Capt).

I may be a dinosaur (read 40+) but to me the jumper means something. I don't give a stuff about a player's skill level or ability - what counts is what is in the ribcage and their effort, not the stats, gameplan or even result.

Maybe its just me ... not fully understanding the modern professional athlete's mindset or the dynamic of a modern AFL team (I am a dinosaur after all) - but bugger it I want to see more G&D from a number of players .. especially from those considered walk up players.

Cheers - STI

[Rossoneri]

It is also bemusing that a couple of players (who seem to feature in the votes) heard footsteps and did not commit to the contest ... to the point of shamming efforts (one was even rebuked on field by the Capt).

That dempsey one was very very bad. Thought he was good up until that point, but that was poor by him. Though I don't think he dropped his head after that, was one of the few players who kept trying to run an carry throughout the night and tried his guts out.

[uptick]

Hurley was very dirty about the loss, good to see.

[Ossie]

It's no secret, we're not even in the same postcode as Geelong. Even with Scarlett, Mooney, Ottens, Hawkins etc out of their side, they still have an even set of contributors who are seasoned finely tuned footballers. Why do we expect any different?

Geelong are going to raise the cup again this year - easily. 4 Grand Finals in a row and a 3rd premiership. And we crow about our 2000 side. Well they achieved 3/5's of f*** all compared to the likes of Brisbane and Geelong.

Anyway, in all seriousness, how the fack are we supposed to collectively stop Ablett, Selwood, Enright, Kelly, Chapman, Varcoe, Johnson, Byrnes etc with the limited quality in our side? That's the reality.

Quite correct. They are an impossibly good side. They have no weak links, no plodders, no guys who wouldn't get a game in every other team in the comp. They play as a team, they tackle hard, they share the pill and most importantly they DO NOT TURN THE BALL OVER (sorry for the Grassy caps). They just hit targets every time. We don't. That's the main difference. Any team that coughs it up against Geelong pays for it big time.
Write it off ... start again next week. Hawthorn aren't all that.

[Sismis]

I'm still happy. We fought back well after we could have been blown away in the first quarter. They are a magnificent side who go through periods where they simply do not make mistakes and punish the oppostion for every error.

We are on the verge of great things. We have our own style which is still developing and have some real talent coming through. The kick from Hurley to Gumby (even though he missed) just looked like something clicked.

We will win this weekend and win well.

[Rossoneri]

We will win this weekend and win well.

Pretty sure you put money on us to beat Geelong last week, didn't you?

You are a jinx!

[Sismis]

I put money on us every week. For the win and for 25+ (early 2000s it used to be 40.....). I am up this year. Although this was helped along by a free State of Origin bet and some WC bets too. But it has also been bought down by my wife insisting on betting on the lions...

I actually though we would win last week. I admit I was well in la la land.

Get on us this week $2.55 for the win ($5.50 for the 25+). Hawks have beaten nothing and are still a rabble. Contrary to Robbie's beliefs I think our defensive side has improved and our tackling pressure will bring them undone.