The Cats - Saints Difference...

[saintbrat]

Anyone see the footage of Mark Thompson at the Geelong 150 celebration on one week at a time?

what was it?

[SainterK]

Sorry for the delay....

During his speech at the function he turned to his players and said along the lines of....and quite emotionally...."Can we find anything, or are we going to fade out"

Quartermain tried to put a positive spin on it, saying it's great that Bomber has put it back on the players. Wallsy and Darcy were the opposite view, they both found it quite alarming and that it doesn't fill them with a lot of confidence about Geelong moving forward.

[LENNY LEADS THE WAY]

To me it seemed like a speech of desperation and wasn't inspiring at all.

[gooner]

To me it looked like he'd had a few.

[SainterK]

To me it seemed like a speech of desperation and wasn't inspiring at all.

Exactly how I saw it, and if it's come to the point where you have to provoke players in front of 1500 or so people??

[widereceiver]

i wouldn't write of any team in the top four just yet. If we are not cruelled by injury and bring it, we'll be tough to beat in September.

I've seen supposedly inferior Carlton & Collingwood teams win finals too many times to unscrew the lid just yet.

[saint75]

I am confident in our team and their abiity and thoroughly enjoying the season so far. I believe we really have a fantastic shot at the flag this year and the lid is lifting! However, I would never be arrogant enough to write off the other teams in the finals ESPECIALLY Geelong. They are weakened, but there is still 3 weeks to go until the finals. Plenty of time to get back on track. Also, Ottens is a wild card that can and will make a massive difference to this team if he makes it back this year.

Every game we play we must approach with caution, focus and a steely determination. Once you think you are automatically going to win is the day you will have your pants pulled down! Even the teams we play in round 21 & 22 we need to show due respect regardless of their position on the ladder.

[bozza1980]

Major difference.....our coach actually has some belief in his players!

Anyone see the footage of Mark Thompson at the Geelong 150 celebration on one week at a time?

I thought that was a great "laying down of the gauntlet" moment.

I don't like Bomber at all, but you could feel the emotion in his voice, the players would have had the hair on their necks stand up, it was a great moment.

Hopefully a great moment in a failed premiership campaign.

[bozza1980]

To me it seemed like a speech of desperation and wasn't inspiring at all.

Exactly how I saw it, and if it's come to the point where you have to provoke players in front of 1500 or so people??

I can see your view point but I disagree.

It was in response to a question and he has basically said that two paths lay in front of them they can find something and become the great side they believe they are or fade away and waste 3 seasons of domination.

I think the moment was the right, in an honest moment with very noticable emotion on a great night in the clubs history, he's said he's team is on the verge of greatness. Stirring stuff.

[bozza1980]

I am confident in our team and their abiity and thoroughly enjoying the season so far. I believe we really have a fantastic shot at the flag this year and the lid is lifting! However, I would never be arrogant enough to write off the other teams in the finals ESPECIALLY Geelong. They are weakened, but there is still 3 weeks to go until the finals. Plenty of time to get back on track. Also, Ottens is a wild card that can and will make a massive difference to this team if he makes it back this year.

Every game we play we must approach with caution, focus and a steely determination. Once you think you are automatically going to win is the day you will have your pants pulled down! Even the teams we play in round 21 & 22 we need to show due respect regardless of their position on the ladder.

I'm with you.

They are defintely wobbly, but like Collingwood in 2002 showed (or nearly showed 8point GF defeat) the finals are a start of a new season and what's gone before them doesn't count for much.

[bigcarl]

I would never be arrogant enough to write off the other teams in the finals ESPECIALLY Geelong. They are weakened, but there is still 3 weeks to go until the finals. Plenty of time to get back on track.

well said. i just can't buy into this "premiership is st kilda's to lose" stuff.

if we make the gf and are 10 goals up at half time then, and only then, will it be ours to lose.

geelong are a very good side, proven over a number of years. collingwood's playing great football. others, like brisbane and carlton, have challenged us this season.

the finals system is flawed in that it doesn't neccesarily and always reward the best performed team over the season. however those are the rules that we sign up to play play under.

we're just going to have to prove we're the best team all over again once the real season starts.

[Thinline]

To me it looked like he'd had a few.

To me it looked AND sounded like he'd had PLENTY.

[Thinline]

Major difference.....our coach actually has some belief in his players!

Anyone see the footage of Mark Thompson at the Geelong 150 celebration on one week at a time?

I thought that was a great "laying down of the gauntlet" moment.

I don't like Bomber at all, but you could feel the emotion in his voice, the players would have had the hair on their necks stand up, it was a great moment.

Hopefully a great moment in a failed premiership campaign.

To me he just seemed drunk.

[bozza1980]

Major difference.....our coach actually has some belief in his players!

Anyone see the footage of Mark Thompson at the Geelong 150 celebration on one week at a time?

I thought that was a great "laying down of the gauntlet" moment.

I don't like Bomber at all, but you could feel the emotion in his voice, the players would have had the hair on their necks stand up, it was a great moment.

Hopefully a great moment in a failed premiership campaign.

To me he just seemed drunk.

May well have been, didn't actually think about that as a possibility.

But who hasn't felt passionate after a few alcoholic refreshments??

[roxanne]

He was out of his gourd.

[StSteven]

I am very wary. There is something going on down there at Catland. Today's press conference seems to indicate that by Round 22 they will have almost all their team back. They don't get to play 3 years of footy at the best level and drop away in three weeks.

They are up to something and I think they may enjoy the pressure coming off.

They and the Pies worry me.

BUT please NO INJURIES this week as it is injuries that will decide the Premiership.


I cannot (although I try) get too excited about H&A records etc. It is winning in finals that count and so far we have not done that.

[Teflon]

I am very wary. There is something going on down there at Catland. Today's press conference seems to indicate that by Round 22 they will have almost all their team back. They don't get to play 3 years of footy at the best level and drop away in three weeks.

They are up to something and I think they may enjoy the pressure coming off.

They and the Pies worry me.

BUT please NO INJURIES this week as it is injuries that will decide the Premiership.


I cannot (although I try) get too excited about H&A records etc. It is winning in finals that count and so far we have not done that.

Come finals everyones under pressure.

I too wondered if they were orchestrating this mini demise....but I genuinely do believe players like Harley are struggling..

As for the pressure - Geelong cant escape the fact (and their coaches weird pleadings which bordered on Mr Burns like...) told me they NEED another flag. To me thats more pressure than our "win run".

IF they dont win it this year Geelong have massively underachieved.

[bozza1980]

I am very wary. There is something going on down there at Catland. Today's press conference seems to indicate that by Round 22 they will have almost all their team back. They don't get to play 3 years of footy at the best level and drop away in three weeks.

They are up to something and I think they may enjoy the pressure coming off.

They and the Pies worry me.

BUT please NO INJURIES this week as it is injuries that will decide the Premiership.


I cannot (although I try) get too excited about H&A records etc. It is winning in finals that count and so far we have not done that.

Come finals everyones under pressure.

I too wondered if they were orchestrating this mini demise....but I genuinely do believe players like Harley are struggling..

As for the pressure - Geelong cant escape the fact (and their coaches weird pleadings which bordered on Mr Burns like...) told me they NEED another flag. To me thats more pressure than our "win run".

IF they dont win it this year Geelong have massively underachieved.

True, I can't see how we'll have any more pressure on us than the cats.

If they can't nab the flag this year all the talk of greatest ever team etc is just that, talk. It will mean 3 years of dominance and the same amount of flags as two other sides

[ace]

Major difference.....our coach actually has some belief in his players!

Anyone see the footage of Mark Thompson at the Geelong 150 celebration on one week at a time?

I thought that was a great "laying down of the gauntlet" moment.

I don't like Bomber at all, but you could feel the emotion in his voice, the players would have had the hair on their necks stand up, it was a great moment.

Hopefully a great moment in a failed premiership campaign.

To me he just seemed drunk.

So he was setting an example for the players

[degruch]

Sure they have a solid defence...

Their defense over the last month has be very ordinary...taking into account that Harley, Milburn, Taylor, Williams and Scarlett have all been recent omissions for at least one game each, but it seems to have shaken their structure. They're particularly fragile when pressured...t'would be great if they kept their poor form up for another 6 weeks or so.

[InkerSaint]

Their defense over the last month has be very ordinary...taking into account that Harley, Milburn, Taylor, Williams and Scarlett have all been recent omissions for at least one game each, but it seems to have shaken their structure. They're particularly fragile when pressured...t'would be great if they kept their poor form up for another 6 weeks or so.

It's an interesting one... take out a key piece and they are considerably weakened. They are either far more "personality-based" than the Saints, or rely on top-shelf skills execution. Either way it's a house of cards.