Apr 22 2008
Geelong Will Not Go Undefeated
I admit that I haven’t done a particularly great job keeping up with the AFL so far on here. The Premier League has gotten most of my attention lately, and after watching two live games on Saturday morning, staying on the couch and watching a recorded Aussie Rules match for another 2-3 hours only reminds me of my rapidly expanding gut.
Nevertheless, I did catch some of the Geelong Cats v. Sydney Swans game over the weekend. The more I watch Geelong, the more impressed I am with their style of play. They just run right down the central corridor like a force of nature, just daring you to stop them — and you can’t do it, can you? They’re running roughshod over this league.
Other teams can slow the Cats down for a little while, which the Swans did during the 2nd & 3rd quarters, but you almost feel like the Cats are just toying with their opponents. They’re just a plastic mouse, and the Cats will pounce on it at their leisure — BOOM! Goal, goal, goal, it’s over.
That said, someone will beat the Cats this year. There have only been two NFL teams that have gone undefeated in the regular season, and only one of them won a title. (Not sure about any undefeated teams in the AFL, and honestly, I’m too lazy to look this morning.) The AFL season is a longer slog than the NFL season — 22 games v. 16 — and eventually injuries, fatigue and the pressure built up from the press will drag a team down. Better to be dragged down in the middle of the season and take the pressure off to build up for a stretch run.
Sure, every team wants to win every game they play, but ultimately, that’s not the goal. The goal is to hoist the trophy at the end of the season. We saw with the New England Patriots in America how much pressure builds up as a team builds a huge winning streak. What happened? They finally lost a close one in the Super Bowl. I’m pretty sure these Cats don’t want that.
That said, they are looking awfully unbeatable right about now. The game I want to see, though, is Geelong v. Hawthorn, July 25. Lance Franklin is just raining goals from the sky right now. That could be the game of the year, couldn’t it?
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Essendon came very close to an undefeated season in 2000, only losing the one game. But, unlike the Pats, that loss was in the regular season (Rd. 21) and they went on to win the whole thing.
I think somebody will pop up and beat the Cats at some stage this year…but, apart from the Hawks, it is difficult to predict exactly who could pull it off.
Many fans are a bit disappointed that they have to wait another three months before Geelong and Hawthorn play each other but you’re right - if they each maintain their current form, that match will be massive!!
A surprise team will defeat Geelong and Hawthorn. Bit like Richmond did to Adealide a few years ago and the Bulldogs like Darren mentioned. I think a team has gone through undefeated before. Ill have to check that one out…
No Doubt Hawthorn v Geelong will be the most anticipated game of the year. But as you say someone will defeat them at some stage and I agree with Kick2Kick it will likely be a side that we are all surprised that they could actually get near them.
Maybe the Tigers can do it now that Richo has been reborn as a Wingman.
[...] The Cats have left out Prismall, West, Rooke and brought in Taylor, Gamble, Mumford. While the Dockers have left out Thornton and M.Carr in favor of Headland and Murphy. Matthew Pavlich plays his 150th consecutive game for the Dockers an is a fine achievement. He will need some help though if they are going to get anywhere near the Cats. It looms as a bit of a danger game though if the Dockers are up and about and the Cats are off their game then The Cats may find themselves having their first loss in some time and not go through year undefeated. [...]