Our Center Line

[bunyip]

With Gazza gone we have Selwood, Bartell, Joel Corey, James Kelly, Lingy with help from Chappy, Varcoe and Byrnes.
Still a pretty good set up.
With Mitch Duncan, Taylor Hunt and Simon Hogan to cover injuries, they should be able to cut it with most other teams.
Some people have said Lingy should go, but I think he's to good to just drop, I think they will find another roll for him. He's never been a quick player, but he's been around, and can read the play well. Maybe a forward line roll?

[ossie85]

Cameron Ling is a great player.... but he could turn into a Brad Johnson and really struggle to finish the year out strong. Love to see him prove me wrong!

Selwood/Bartel/Corey/Chapman v Swan/Pendlebury/Didak/Ball v Hayes/Dal Santo/Montagna/Goddard

Yeah, the Cats still have plenty of strength

[bunyip]

Gazza leaving creates an opportunity for someone, and Lingy may be given a new roll away from the center, so that might create another one, unless Lingy just swaps with say Stokesy.
There's definately room there to mix and match. I think it's safe to say though that next season our center line won't be as strong. Which means we may have to improve somewhere else.
Geelong have to catch up to Collingwood, as the Maggies are not going to weaken in the next year or so.
Given we are going to have mostly the same players, (as is every other club), then we need to find ways to make ourselves better. That means either a tactical change or a different mind set.
Scotty has said that Geelong supporters should expect success next season, so there will be no radical changes to the team.
The center line IS an area though, where some new players may get a chance.
ps. Lingy will be 30 when the next season starts. You would think he would have 1 or 2 seasons left in him.

[BoredSaint]

Cameron Ling is a great player.... but he could turn into a Brad Johnson and really struggle to finish the year out strong. Love to see him prove me wrong!

Selwood/Bartel/Corey/Chapman v Swan/Pendlebury/Didak/Ball v Hayes/Dal Santo/Montagna/Goddard

Yeah, the Cats still have plenty of strength

cats are strong but corey is starting to get old and chappy is risky with injuries
gotta say the saints are the best here :P

[Barlow 21]

Sadly have to agree! :P

[Cicjose]

Im hoping the Dockers will take that mantle in 2 years time :)

here is the depth list i have looked at for possible midfielders this year
mundy
palmer
suban
hill
deboer
ibbotson
crowley
morabito
van berlo
barlow
fyfe
bollenhagen
michie
mellingham and;
pitt
in the same team together?

[bunyip]

I agree with you guys to a point. I don't think age will be an issue next season, but Joel Corey was injured last season and did not have a good year, and Chappy is vulnerable to soft tissue injuries.
If they can stay fit though, hopefully we have only slipped back a few places. Collingwood and St.Kilda are definately in front of us, and a few of the other teams have improved.
If we can stay in the top half of the stats, we've got a show next season.

[Milton]

One guy you're all forgetting for the Cats centre line is James Kelly .. both he and Bartel have played bit parts in the midfield in recent times .. Kelly is in brilliant form and I could see our 4 main onballers being Selwood, Bartel, Kelly and Chapman .. that's a really hard tough group

Kelly's really hard at it but his midfield role depends on us being able to strengthen the backline and I hope that Enright, Corey and Mackie rotate between the midfield/wing/hb .. which would free Kelly up more

What happens with our backline will have a big say in shaping our midfield .. also hope that Drum can step up after an injury ridden season

[bunyip]

Agree Milton. I did mention Kelly initially. He had a great year last season. As I said, probably room for a new player on this line.

[j959]

hey bunyip, what order do you think opposition tags will be for your Cats this coming season?

my guess is,

Chappy
Selwood
Bartel
Kelly

[bunyip]

I would tag Selwood first. He will probably take the roll in the center that Gazza had. He will relish this opportunity to take command in the center, he's a born leader.
Selwood
Bartell
Chappy
Kelly

[nas]

Whilst floating the ideas re the center line what about Duncan then? More suited to the forward structure then?

[ossie85]

I would tag Selwood first. He will probably take the roll in the center that Gazza had. He will relish this opportunity to take command in the center, he's a born leader.
Selwood
Bartell
Chappy
Kelly

Drawn a line through Corey?

[McRooster]

Things won't change drastically to begin. The new coach will maintain a sort of modus operandi and then begin to tweak it, rotating more people throught that mid than before Collingwood style.
The jets will fly early so get on board them (Bartel, Kelly, Chappy and Selwood) and as the season takes toll jets Bartell and Chappy may need to be hangared.

I'm really looking forward to seeing how Hogan and young Jesse Stringer from Port Magpies goes and how they fit in to that mid structure. Jesse has similar size to Hogan and plays similar, could be one to watch if elevated.

[bomberboy0618]

will menzel get a game down at the cattery?