We just need to go press ‘execute’
Cats know what’s required
CHRIS Scott says plotting Richmond’s Grand Final downfall has been “pretty easy” as Geelong shoots to farewell retiring legend Gary Ablett with a fairytale third premiership.
Ablett’s last flag came 11 years ago, when a 21-year-old Joel Selwood huddled his seasoned teammates in the MCG rooms and revved them up after a sluggish first half against St Kilda. Commentators Robert Walls and Malcolm Blight tore shreds off Stevie Johnson (zero disposals) at halftime while Paul Chapman, who ended up winning the Norm Smith, as well as T ra visVarcoe, Cam Mooney and even Ablett were also in their sights.
Selwood’s speech foreshadowed the leader he would become and he will captain the Cats for the 200th time in his fifth Grand Final and could become the club’ s inaugural fourtime premier ship winner.
The Cats have a 1-5 record against Richmond since the 2017 finals, and that sole win came largely against the Tigers’ VF L team last year.
But Scott said they knew exactly how to beat coach Damien Hardwick’s team – it was just a matter of executing.
“We’re aware our system has to stand up against them, and we’ve got a degree of confidence that’s the case,” Scott said.
“But the execution piece is so much harder than the planning. Working out what to do is pretty easy, actually being able to execute it against the
best in a pressurised situation is much, much harder .”
Scott said “great teams in history” were always transparent, but that didn’t make the many easier to stop.
The Tigers have zeroed in on Geelong’s contested ball dominance after Scott’s team monstered Collingwood and Brisbane in finals victories.
The Cats are ranked No.1 in differentials for contested possession (+10.8), post-clearance contested possession (+6.8), groundball (+12.2), looseball (+8.4) and No.2 for clearances (+4.5). But Richmond’s onball numbers have jumped through the roof in October. Scott nobly sacrificed his pay packet when C OVID hit so he could keep his assistants and, after 111 days on the road, stability has helped.