The Moment: Round 14, 2020 vs Geelong Cats

[Yankee Hotel Foxtrot]

The moment, the best, most courageous moment that caught your eye in tonight's game against Geelong. Was it the moment that told you 'we've got this' or 'we lost this one right here'? Or was it the moment that you went 'wow....that is crazy courage.'

[comrade]

Bruce missing.

[EasternWest]

I thought Gardner's big contest and Hayes little derring do was pretty sweet.

[bornadog]

JJ missing that goal in the second, then they take it up the other end and JJ stuffs up I think it was a handball and they goal. 12 point turnaround.

[westbulldog]

JJ missing that goal in the second, then they take it up the other end and JJ stuffs up I think it was a handball and they goal. 12 point turnaround.

this for me too

[Sedat]

Chipping backwards and needlessly giving up field position when we were 37 points up early in the 2nd qtr (after JJ's poor miss). We went from having the ball on attacking 50 to giving it up on the defensive side of the square without them touching it. Then one possession after the turnover and they have a shot at goal and get into the game. We woke them up and got them into the game.

[Remi Moses]

Johannisen’s miss
Fumbled handball

[jeemak]

JJ missing that goal in the second, then they take it up the other end and JJ stuffs up I think it was a handball and they goal. 12 point turnaround.

Yeah, this for me as well.

Not good enough for a leader all night. He needs to get some help because his head is all over the place and his form is too hit and miss.

[Happy Days]

Chipping backwards and needlessly giving up field position when we were 37 points up early in the 2nd qtr (after JJ's poor miss). We went from having the ball on attacking 50 to giving it up on the defensive side of the square without them touching it. Then one possession after the turnover and they have a shot at goal and get into the game. We woke them up and got them into the game.

It was like we decided playing tempo footy was what we were meant to do.

[Sedat]

It was like we decided playing tempo footy was what we were meant to do.
It was bizarre seeing us twice play defensive tempo footy and give up field position, gifting them their first 2 goals. It was the opposite of what we did in the first qtr. I was worried at that moment that we would lose our dare and allow a seasoned, well coached and experienced team back into the contest. Unfortunately that's exactly what happened.

[comrade]

It was bizarre seeing us twice play defensive tempo footy and give up field position, gifting them their first 2 goals. It was the opposition of when we did in the first qtr. I was worried at that moment that we would lose our dare and allow a seasoned, well coached and experienced team back into the contest. Unfortunately that's exactly what happened.

That has to be a coaching direction, straight after the break.

[ratsmac]

JJ and Bruce miss in the 2nd was telling. Had a real chance to really space them

[Eastdog]

JJ missing that goal in the second, then they take it up the other end and JJ stuffs up I think it was a handball and they goal. 12 point turnaround.

Yeah will take this one as well BAD. Momentum shifted against us after that.

[Grantysghost]

Quarter time. It was my favourite part.

[The bulldog tragician]

We were 10 points up last qtr, tails up, streamed down the wing, JJ fumbled...that was it, for me.

Special mention : any moment when Dunkley rucked v Hawkins in the forward line.

[comrade]

We were 10 points up last qtr, tails up, streamed down the wing, JJ fumbled...that was it, for me.

Special mention : any moment when Dunkley rucked v Hawkins in the forward line.

Geelong just didn't make these types of mistakes. Dickson made an errant handball when we were out, Bruce also.

We crumbled under pressure, Geelong didn't. Game over.

[jeemak]

Another moment for me was when Hunter gave up so much field position in the second and we ended up conceding a goal, albeit indirectly. It showed what our mindset was at that stage of the game, when Geelong's pressure was clearly up and they were pressing well we should have been trying to get it down the line and killing the contest.

I love what Hunter brings and he's always putting in the yards but he is too clever by half a lot of the time and it's frustrating. He didn't need the perfect play then as we had enough numbers to contest and force the ball out and take field position which is the most important thing when a side like Geelong has you under the pump pressing up.

It actually reminded me of a game in 2017 where we pushed it back against GWS and Lewis Young turned it over. You could see it coming and it eventually did.

[SonofScray]

Depends how optimistic you were that we could win once we were two men down. If you believed, then it was JJ's fumble. If you didn't believe, it was JJ's miss. His errors have been brutal on him and us. I feel really awful for him.

There was a daring, slight mis-kick into the middle that I thought was appropriate, if not risky, that turned over and ended up in a goal. Gardner was the target and he just wasn't up to it. Any other player in RWB salvages that kick. Not his fault. He was there to be exposed and we should have not gone through him. But it was a horror few minutes. He was torched a few times and then copped the free kick against.

[KT31]

when my oldest pup text me and said what’s brilliant start.
Seriously though when Bruce missed the easy set shot early in the second.

[Yankee Hotel Foxtrot]

JJ's miss in the second, stands out as the proverbial...

Bruce's miss, ironically from JJ's deft pass a close 2nd

JJ's dodgy handball a close run 3rd

[FrediKanoute]

JJ missing that goal in the second, then they take it up the other end and JJ stuffs up I think it was a handball and they goal. 12 point turnaround.

This is it for me.....JJ kicks it and we are 7 goals up with momentum.

[AshMac]

JJ missing that goal in the second, then they take it up the other end and JJ stuffs up I think it was a handball and they goal. 12 point turnaround.

Yeh this one for me too, particularly considering Miers kick was pretty much same distance same angle as the kick JJ missed

[Bumper Bulldogs]

This was it. Really disappointing from a senior player

[Bulldog4life]

We were 10 points up last qtr, tails up, streamed down the wing, JJ fumbled...that was it, for me.

Special mention : any moment when Dunkley rucked v Hawkins in the forward line.

This was mine too. His bad miss early in the game in front of goals was a doozy but the fumble in the last was more crucial in my eyes. Poor JJ has had some moments this year that I reckon he would love to have again. Have to feel sorry for the guy.

[Happy Days]

This was mine too. His bad miss early in the game in front of goals was a doozy but the fumble in the last was more crucial in my eyes. Poor JJ has had some moments this year that I reckon he would love to have again. Have to feel sorry for the guy.

Outside of those couple of moments he actually had a very good game. (Now that I've calmed down a bit) I'm more agitated by the handful of players who gave us absolutely nothing.

[Stefcep]

Well the moment that fit the criteria was when Danger full body dived to spoil a mark to Hunter in the dying stages when the game was up for grabs. Summed up the difference between the two teams. Pity it was for the other team.

[1eyedog]

Another moment for me was when Hunter gave up so much field position in the second and we ended up conceding a goal, albeit indirectly. It showed what our mindset was at that stage of the game, when Geelong's pressure was clearly up and they were pressing well we should have been trying to get it down the line and killing the contest.

I love what Hunter brings and he's always putting in the yards but he is too clever by half a lot of the time and it's frustrating. He didn't need the perfect play then as we had enough numbers to contest and force the ball out and take field position which is the most important thing when a side like Geelong has you under the pump pressing up.

It actually reminded me of a game in 2017 where we pushed it back against GWS and Lewis Young turned it over. You could see it coming and it eventually did.

This was it for me too you summed it up perfectly.

[FrediKanoute]

Well the moment that fit the criteria was when Danger full body dived to spoil a mark to Hunter in the dying stages when the game was up for grabs. Summed up the difference between the two teams. Pity it was for the other team.

Add to that Gary ROhan running down English on the 50....first time we had the ball clear for a long time!

Fact is the intensity of the Cats, their willingness to get to a contest and affect if they couldn't win that contest was what won them the game......JJ's fumbles or Gardiners mishaps were the results of that pressure and intensity. Good team, better than I thought they were.

[Mitcha]

The moment for me came at quarter time, i just didn't know it at the time. Well coached sides are able to re-set and get the game back on their terms and Geelong altered their style and set-up and we went from playing outstanding run and gun football back to a slowish ball movement side with too many lateral and backward kicks which allowed them to defend the ground better.

[Ozza]

Outside of those couple of moments he actually had a very good game. (Now that I've calmed down a bit) I'm more agitated by the handful of players who gave us absolutely nothing.

Agree with this.

Its easy to point out JJ fumbling a hot handball and missing a shot at goal earlier - and I get it that these were stand out individual moments (and this thread is about moments)....but they also ignore the bigger reasons that we lost the game.

The biggest reason we lost the game was the ruck debacle. We gave up three goals that we didn't need to from D50 stoppages. I know they could happen anyway, but Dunkley rucking in D50 makes it highly likely.

The next biggest reason we lost, is that we only went inside 50 30 times. Our midfield were trounced. Talk about JJ having a fumble, have you ever seen Macrae fumble several times in a game before? And we were unable or unwillingly to do anything major about Danger's dominance. I know he's hard to stop, but maybe stop having a shoot out with him at stoppages? Libba went home at half time.

[Ozza]

Add to that Gary ROhan running down English on the 50....first time we had the ball clear for a long time!

Fact is the intensity of the Cats, their willingness to get to a contest and affect if they couldn't win that contest was what won them the game......JJ's fumbles or Gardiners mishaps were the results of that pressure and intensity. Good team, better than I thought they were.

I lost my s$%# at English getting run down. How long did he think he had to wind up....it was like he thought he had a set shot.

[Danjul]

Agree with this.

Its easy to point out JJ fumbling a hot handball and missing a shot at goal earlier - and I get it that these were stand out individual moments (and this thread is about moments)....but they also ignore the bigger reasons that we lost the game.

The biggest reason we lost the game was the ruck debacle. We gave up three goals that we didn't need to from D50 stoppages. I know they could happen anyway, but Dunkley rucking in D50 makes it highly likely.

The next biggest reason we lost, is that we only went inside 50 30 times. Our midfield were trounced. Talk about JJ having a fumble, have you ever seen Macrae fumble several times in a game before? And we were unable or unwillingly to do anything major about Danger's dominance. I know he's hard to stop, but maybe stop having a shoot out with him at stoppages? Libba went home at half time.
In his previous 6 games he had under 20 possessions four times and low 20’s twice.

We made no attempt to stop him. So he gets a match winning 30+. And the ruck fiasco played into his hands.

Happy to be Fact checked.

[Sedat]

Agree with this.

Its easy to point out JJ fumbling a hot handball and missing a shot at goal earlier - and I get it that these were stand out individual moments (and this thread is about moments)....but they also ignore the bigger reasons that we lost the game.

The biggest reason we lost the game was the ruck debacle. We gave up three goals that we didn't need to from D50 stoppages. I know they could happen anyway, but Dunkley rucking in D50 makes it highly likely.

The next biggest reason we lost, is that we only went inside 50 30 times. Our midfield were trounced. Talk about JJ having a fumble, have you ever seen Macrae fumble several times in a game before? And we were unable or unwillingly to do anything major about Danger's dominance. I know he's hard to stop, but maybe stop having a shoot out with him at stoppages? Libba went home at half time.
The last two paragraphs are spot on and are generally the key reasons why we've lost any match in the last 2 seasons. Just on the first point, we very nearly conceded a stoppage goal in the last 2 minutes when our #1 ruckman (English) was far too easily brushed aside by their secondary ruckman (Hawkins). It's not just a Dunkley issue, although it is ludicrous that we are using him for up to 40% of ruck stoppages a game. If our #1 ruckman lacks the necessary core strength to hold his ground against an opposition secondary ruckman, it raises red flags big time. We still haven't unlocked the secret to utilising English's strengths to best benefit the team. I had hoped his rich vein of 3-4 weeks of form starting with the GWS game would be the catalyst for a far more consistent week-to-week output from English, but that hope has proven to be premature on his last 4-5 weeks of form.

On our midfield group, they really do put in collective shockers too regularly for my liking. I don't see the Geelong, Richmond or West Coast mids have collective poor performances on anywhere near as consistent basis. It says to me our midfield depth is thinner than we care to admit, and we also don't have sufficient 2-way runners in our midfield group - some pace and burst speed wouldn't go astray either (Smith aside). Libba still hasn't had a rest many weeks after Bevo suggested he needed one, and he looked completely cooked in the 2nd half on Friday. Smith, Bont and Macrae are "see ball get ball types", which is fine when they get the ball but no good when they don't. And of course Dunks is now a ruckman for the time being. We don't quite have the midfield mix right. We're not alone there - teams like Melbourne and GWS also have issues with their midfield mix despite having big reputation midfield groups like ours.

[Sedat]

In his previous 6 games he had under 20 possessions four times and low 20’s twice.

We made no attempt to stop him. So he gets a match winning 30+. And the ruck fiasco played into his hands.

Happy to be Fact checked.
Danger has been playing almost exclusively in the F50 the last few rounds, hence why his numbers have been low. Clearly he hasn't lost his burst speed or hurt factor from the middle when they need him in there, which they will come finals.