Geelong still in mix despite loss: O’Bree
GEELONG VFL coach Shane O’Bree has not given up hope of playing finals, despite dropping yet another winnable game, this time to Sandringam by 27 points at Simonds Stadium on Saturday.
The Cats must win against Northern Blues away from home on Saturday but they face an uphill battle from there with Box Hill (second), Richmond (fifth) and Essendon (sixth) in the run home.
“I’m definitely not giving up hope because I think we’re capable of beating any team,” O’Bree said.
“Teams keep on losing around us, they keep us in the hunt. It’s just one of those things, we’ve got a lot of players in our team who are inexperienced, but we’re getting games into them, so hopefully it helps them in the long run.”
After leading by 10 points at quarter-time, the Cats were smashed at the clearances, with experienced ruckman Tom Hickey leading the Sandringam charge.
It won the clearances 13-0 in the second stanza to lead by 14 points at halftime.
“The second quarter, to not win a clearances, effort, method, mindset (was not there),” O’Bree said.
“We didn’t win any clearances or contests, which hurt us a bit.
“Our midfield mix, we’ve got to do something about that when the cattle comes back.
“The disappointing thing was our lapse in concentration when a team comes at us again. They obviously got a rev-up at quartertime, the way we were playing and moving the ball and attacking through them.
“They definitely stopped us switching the ball. As a young group, that was our method early and we wanted that and we were working really well. But after that we didn’t work hard enough to keep doing what we wanted to do.”
The Cats kicked the first two of the third term to get within four points, but that was as close as it got, as the Zebras ran away.
Timm House (19 disposals, nine marks) impressed for the Cats up forward and in defence, and would be coming into calculations for an AFL debut, while Aaron Black (six marks, three goals) also put his hand up to replace out-ofform Rhys Stanley.
“I thought as a forward he went really well,” O’Bree said of House.
“His pressure when the ball hit the deck for a big fella, that’s what he’s been working on. It was good to see him lay some tackles. He’s got that flexibility to go back but he’s still working on his back craft as well.”
Jackson Thurlow, who flew back from Adelaide after being standby AFL emergency, had an impact on the contest in the first and fourth terms but was quieter in between, finishing the match with 29 disposals and two tackles.
With Mark Blicavs suffering a lower leg injury, Thurlow remains in strong contention for a recall.
Meanwhile, St Joseph’s small forward Luke Webb showed positive signs on debut, booting two goals.
The day was further soured with a concussion to Jamaine Jones, which sidelined him midway through the second term.
However, the small forward is confident he will be right to face Northern Blues at Princes Park this Saturday. Ticked all the boxes for a player looking to force his way into Geelong’s AFL forward line. Found himself free numerous times inside 50 in the first term and nailed two goals, before marking strongly on the lead and adding his third just after halftime. With Rhys Stanley out of form, Black and House could consider themselves a chance. Knocking the door down for an AFL debut after a consistent game in attack and defence. Started the game across halfforward, providing a lead-up target before moving into defence as loose man to stop the bleeding in the second term. Swung between attack and defence in the second half and held his own in both areas. Finished with 19 touches and nine marks. Was not overawed against Tom Hickey in the ruck with 27 hitouts to Hickey’s 35, but the Cats’ midfield proved no match for the Zebras’ on-ball brigade, highlighted in the second quarter when it was smashed 13-0 in clearances. Abbott took a few nice grabs in the first half and looked to follow up his work, but was eventually outworked by his more experienced opponent. Abbott finished with only 10 touches while Hickey amassed 29 and a goal. In and out of the match, playing on the wing for most of the game. Had six disposals in the first quarter, five in the last and only three in between. While his skills, speed and defensive pressure get him a long way, he needs to find four consistent quarters. SANDRINGHAM 2.4 7.9 12.14 16.17 (113) GEELONG 4.2 5.5 8.7 13.8 (86) Goals: Sandringham: Battle 4, Connellan 3, Weller 2, Fisscher 2, Answerth, McKenzie, Hickey, Atkins, Bailey. Black 3, J. Guthrie 2, Webb 2, Dobson 2, Henry, Kol, Reid, Berry. O’Kearney, Atkins, Hickey, Weller, White, Fisscher. Reid, Thurlow, Tsitas, Black, House, J. Guthrie.