The Cats - Saints Difference...

[Teflon]

Aside from personell, fwd lines and midfields etc after watching Geelong closely tonight (and in several other games they have played this year) the key difference is defensive pressure - Geelongs is ordinary.

Sure they have a solid defence - but across the field their defensive pressure is ordinary.....10 players no tackles and 41 v 60+ Carlton tackles tonight....Geelong love attack, love posession footy and the antidote to this? - frontal pressure and we have it in spades at our best...

I now KNOW that our BEST will beat Geelongs BEST because our game plan/structures limits theirs.

Over the last 3 years no side (except Collingwood in the odd 89pt belting of Geelong and the Hawks) have really been able to pressure Geelong for 4 full qtrs - at our best our style does.

Lyon is a very astute coach.

[Iceman234]

Summed up I thought in the FIRST quarter, and the commentators made an issue of it, Baby Huey Hawkins - what a pathetic overrated clown he is.

Anyone who saw his efforts on the half back flank with about 9 to go in the 1st will know what I mean.

At the time, before the commentators said anything, I thought Ross would have had Tom's nuts cut out for that pathetic effort.

Can't wait to see our second tier re-create the same pressure tomorrow that the seniors have shown all year so far.

[PJ]

Another fairly glaring difference

Target forwards

St.Kilda: Roo & Kosi

Geelong: Mooney & Baby Huey(Hawkins)

Chalk & Cheese, Caviar & Pal or Sh*t & Shinola whichever you prefer.

[saintsRrising]

For years now Geelong's biggest adavantage has been their confidence.

They knew they were good...and played like it.

Cracks are starting to appear...and confidence is slipping. Seeds of doubt are being sown.

That provides an in...if you are good enough.

[plugger66]

For years now Geelong's biggest adavantage has been their confidence.

They knew they were good...and played like it.

Cracks are starting to appear...and confidence is slipping. Seeds of doubt are being sown.

That provides an in...if you are good enough.

Totally agree and that is why resting guys tomorrow is a huge decision. I think and hope in the long run it will work out in our favour.

[BakesFan]

We have Bakes... they don't.

[Devilhead]

After watching Geelong get pumped by an average Carlton outfit I cant help think that the 2009 flag is ours

As much as I with an absolute passion hate Carlton last night drubbing of Geelong just completely consolidated my faith in us winning this years Premiership

Yes the lid has been well and truly discarded

[SainterK]

They looked broken last night, like the are beginning to doubt their ability.

I find it more surprising that the problems from last season have not been addressed, their goal kicking is worse. Instead of improving or trying a different lineup, they are instead pinning their hopes on Brad Ottens coming in and being the answer.

[Raven]

Write the Cats off at your own peril.

Count on them finding another gear in September.

[midas_touch]

Cats had heaps of personnel out last night. Are still a very dangerous team when full strength.

[asiu]

For years now Geelong's biggest adavantage has been their confidence.

They knew they were good...and played like it.

Cracks are starting to appear...and confidence is slipping. Seeds of doubt are being sown.

That provides an in...if you are good enough.

agreed

was thinking same as i watched the replay

good

[SainterK]

Cats had heaps of personnel out last night. Are still a very dangerous team when full strength.

The key word in this sentence is "when" and can you see them being full strength and in form by September?

[Teflon]

I certainly havent written the Cats off by any stretch BUT what I believe they are struggling to come to grips with is that sides are now getting better at putting their posession game plan under sustained pressure - Fevola comments after the game "our pressure was amazing"....I actually didnt think so......thought it was ok and 60 tackles is good.....but it aint near our 80 at our best all over the ground is it?

Carlton did apply enormous pressure to us also - difference is? we had the capacit/structure/game plan whatever its called to withstand that and give some back.

Cats have attack, attack attack - they love to score and thats great....but the old adage..."its easier to destroy than create" rings true.....

Sure I know their defence has been very good - but it seems thats isolated to that part of the ground - their defence. Ours is well documented as starting in our fwd 50.

All sides playing Geelong now will surely have the mantra - 'apply sustained pressure to the ball carrier' - the Collingwood game some time back demonstrated that was the key......just not everyone could carry it off for long enough (and sooner or later the Cats machine kicks a lazy quick 6 and its game over).....not now..

We are ahead of the pack in this regard thanks to Lyon IMHO.

Footnote: I know Cats had some key players out...but go back 12 mths and look at how everyone marvelled at Geelongs "amazing" depth.....how they could field their depth players an not miss a beat.......they still had their best midfield in last night and were put to the sword....its not just explained away by personnell missing...

[saint-stu]

I would be interested to see the tackle counts for the Saints v Cats game this year.

That would have to be the highest pressure game the Saints have had to play this year?

[saint75]

Unfortunately, the Cats have been a victim of their own success. They did have a certain depth beyond their top 22 players, but that depth has been lost at the trade table over the last 3-5 years. King, Prismal and Maloney are to name but just a few.

Due to an amazing run with injuries, some super star players and salary cap issues, players that didn't look like they would regularly get a game with this side have moved on to greener pastures. Prismal and King would look pretty handy for them right now, don't you think?

[saint66au]

Agree on Hawkins

For a bloke who most thought would go No#1 if Geeling didnt get him with Father-Son pick, his attitude and workrate stink to high heaven

I know he's only a kid, but someone at Geelong needs to stick a rocket up his jacksie and tell him that reputation and a big body wont kick goals for him

His efforts last night made Fev look Roo-esque by comparison

[jonesy]

Chapman is there best player. Probably the most underated player in the league.
If he go's down in september they can't win it. Same applies with Stevie J. If they carry these two in september they'll struggle,but if they get back firing,the cats will be back

Let's hand some of that 04-06 saints september injury curse over to Geelong

[Animal Enclosure]

You don't write great teams off after a loss in round 19.

They are still the team to beat & all this 'Geelong are gone' talk will only help them get back what they are missing at present... the desire.

At the moment Geelong's pressure has dropped away, probably due to a mix of injuries, form & the fact that they won a flag less than 2 years ago. Compare that to the mission that the Saints, Dogs & Pies are on. None of those teams have tasted glory for a long while & you can see the desire in the eyes of the players.

Be confident in Ross & the boys but let's stay clear of this writing anyone off business.

If things go right for us they'll be plenty of time to gloat.

[saintly]

They looked broken last night, like the are beginning to doubt their ability.

I find it more surprising that the problems from last season have not been addressed, their goal kicking is worse. Instead of improving or trying a different lineup, they are instead pinning their hopes on Brad Ottens coming in and being the answer.

they were saying a number of weeks ago that that they were preparing for not just plan A, but B, C and D

maybe they are up to E now.

not that i think we have it won. but still they did get beaton by the blues. now collingwood is 3rd

[SainterK]

I would be interested to see the tackle counts for the Saints v Cats game this year.

That would have to be the highest pressure game the Saints have had to play this year?

Well on the weekend, Cats had 41 (Selwood 11 of those) to our 115

[Teflon]

I would be interested to see the tackle counts for the Saints v Cats game this year.

That would have to be the highest pressure game the Saints have had to play this year?

Well on the weekend, Cats had 41 (Selwood 11 of those) to our 115

Yep - no one is writing Geelong off their best is to good to do that BUT they play an attack brand and have not faced a side like us who NOW can consistently apply the pressure.

To me it has to much that can go wrong with it Vs our style built around the simple defemsive/pressure aspects of the game.

[Moods]

Don't forget that the hawks lost 5 games in the H&A season last year. They also lost to the tiges in Rd 21. Not sure nearly as much fuss was made of that back then, b/c the hawks were cemented in the top 2 at the time, like Geelong this year. Everyone is looking for cracks at the cats. They may or may not be there. I'm not prepared to write them off just yet, but gee they remind me of the bombers in 2001 - (and I was saying that b4 Leigh Matthews )

Have to admit every week I see an injury to a key cats player I smile. Cost us a flag or two, and it cost the crows a shot at a flag as well. It seems every year a team is cruelled by injury compromising it's run at a flag - we've had more than our share so I have NO sympathy for other clubs.

[Dis Believer]

In response to the OP:

We're winning and they're not !!

[SainterK]

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?

[Milton66]

Aside from personell, fwd lines and midfields etc after watching Geelong closely tonight (and in several other games they have played this year) the key difference is defensive pressure - Geelongs is ordinary.

Sure they have a solid defence - but across the field their defensive pressure is ordinary.....10 players no tackles and 41 v 60+ Carlton tackles tonight....Geelong love attack, love posession footy and the antidote to this? - frontal pressure and we have it in spades at our best...

I now KNOW that our BEST will beat Geelongs BEST because our game plan/structures limits theirs.

Over the last 3 years no side (except Collingwood in the odd 89pt belting of Geelong and the Hawks) have really been able to pressure Geelong for 4 full qtrs - at our best our style does.

Lyon is a very astute coach.

Good call. Nice to see you back posting T.