Cats stars back as four managed; Lions regain flag duo for GF rematch<\/a><\/p>\n\u201cJosh Fraser has a blank canvas now,\u201d Montagna began on Fox Footy\u2019s First Crack: Preview.<\/p>\n
\u201cTo say: \u2018Right, what do we want our team to look like? How do we want them to play? And how can we best set this club up for 2027?\u2019<\/p>\n
\u201cYou can\u2019t have a side (that old) going through a rebuild and planning for 2027, so they\u2019re going to have to make some changes. <\/p>\n
\u201cSome of these might seem harsh of feel harsh, but I think they should be looking to blood the youth. <\/p>\n
\u201cThere are some names have been great servants for the footy club. But if I\u2019m in charge, I\u2019m saying: \u2018Thank you for your time, but we need to start giving games to these younger players\u2019.<\/p>\n
\u201cAnd find out which of the young guys can make it and can be part of the future, and which ones maybe aren\u2019t quite up to it.<\/p>\n
\u201cBut at least give them 10 to 12 games to have a look.\u201d<\/p>\n
While Cerra is still only 26, Montagna believes he should be moved out of the midfield, if nothing else.<\/p>\n
\u201cEveryone talks about you can\u2019t have George Hewett and Patrick Cripps in the same team because of their leg speed. I would be thinking you can\u2019t have Hewett and Cerra because of their lack of leg speed and lack of power out of stoppage,\u201d the dual All-Australian added.<\/p>\n
\u201cSo maybe for Cerra, if it\u2019s not (out of the team), it\u2019s not in the midfield and give the keys to young Cooper Lord and throw some others in there.<\/p>\n
\u201c(Cerra) Just doesn\u2019t perform. He\u2019s rated 68th out of 75 midfielders in the competition this year, he\u2019s not doing enough for me.<\/p>\n
\u201cThere\u2019s still enough experience \u2014 Mitch McGovern, Jacob Weitering, Cripps, Hewett and the boys who have come in from other clubs.\u201d<\/p>\n
Proposed Blues changes for Round 10<\/p>\n
Out<\/p>\n
Nic Newman (age 33)<\/p>\n
Nick Haynes (33)<\/p>\n
Adam Saad (31)<\/p>\n
Zac Williams (31)<\/p>\n
Adam Cerra (26)<\/p>\n
Francis Evans (24)<\/p>\n
In<\/p>\n
Talor Byrne (18)<\/p>\n
Wade Derksen (24)<\/p>\n
Jack Ison (19)<\/p>\n
Hudson O\u2019Keeffe (21)<\/p>\n
Ashton Moir (21)<\/p>\n
Cooper Lord (21)<\/p>\n
ALARMING PIES NUMBERS EMERGE AS GREAT FLOATS STAR SWITCH<\/p>\n
Perhaps Gerard Whateley put Collingwood best: \u201cThey are as average as you can get.\u201d<\/p>\n
They have four-and-a-half wins from nine games with a percentage of 99.9 to sit right on the edge of the top 10.<\/p>\n
In what\u2019s been a patchy season to date for Craig McRae\u2019s troops in a year they\u2019re expected to tumble down the ladder, last week\u2019s 54-point loss to Geelong was a low-point. <\/p>\n
And ahead of a daunting trip to the SCG, there\u2019s multiple issues that are starting to build up.<\/p>\n
We know about Collingwood\u2019s forward-half woes, while it also has a problem at the centre bounce. <\/p>\n
Since Round 4, the Pies have ranked 13th in points from clearances and 15th in points against.<\/p>\n
They\u2019ve also rated 18th in first possession, 15th in first position to clearance and 15th in effective clearance to score over that span. <\/p>\n
It still feels very Nick Daicos or bust in that midfield, with Hawks legend Jordan Lewis noting the superstar \u201cprobably can\u2019t do any more than he\u2019s doing at the moment.\u201d<\/p>\n
Pies urged not to rush stars back | 01:05<\/p>\n
As such, Lewis called for Josh Daicos to spend more time with his brother on the ball, given how effective the numbers read. <\/p>\n
Though predominantly playing across halfback, Josh Daicos has remarkably had the most impact as a midfielder of any player to have played 250-plus midfield minutes in the last two years.<\/p>\n
But Lewis believes Josh Daicos hasn\u2019t had as many midfield opportunities because Magpies on-ballers Scott Pendlebury and Ned Long are limited at playing other roles.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe player I think they haven\u2019t utilised as much as they possibly could is Josh Daicos,\u201d the four-time premiership Hawk said on Fox Footy\u2019s On the Couch.<\/p>\n
\u201cI look at the other players in there and maybe they don\u2019t have a secondary position.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s unfortunate for Josh that he\u2019s a really good halfback as well. <\/p>\n
\u201cBecause they don\u2019t have other positions to go to, you\u2019re potentially sacrificing your second-best centre bounce player in the need of others.\u201d<\/p>\n
Collingwood\u2019s groundball game has also become a real issue.<\/p>\n
In fact, the Pies are on track to be the second-worst forward 50 groundball team on record.<\/p>\n
And while they\u2019ve desperately missed Bobby Hill, former Collingwood coach Nathan Buckley said the Norm Smith medal list is \u201cnot going to be the panacea to all of Collingwood\u2019s ills.\u201d<\/p>\n
McRae dismisses links with Carlton | 02:46<\/p>\n
\u201cWhen you think about Collingwood at their best and when Fly (McRae) came in, not too dissimilar to the Richmond style, relying on that fierce pressure in front of the ball,\u201d former Collingwood coach Nathan Buckley said. <\/p>\n
\u201cThey just haven\u2019t been able to find a way to put enough pressure on the groundball.\u201d<\/p>\n
Buckley declared McRae has \u201ccoached the ears off this side throughout his tenure,\u201d but noted the looming \u201ccliff\u201d coming for the AFL\u2019s most experienced team.<\/p>\n
\u201cI think we need to separate a bit about what the coach has at his disposal v list management,\u201d Buckley added.<\/p>\n
\u201cLet\u2019s not beat around the bush, the age cohort and experience is a question that\u2019s been asked for two or three years now. And they\u2019ve done extremely well.<\/p>\n
\u201cScott Pendlebury (age 38), Steele Sidebottom (35), Jack Crisp (32), Jeremy Howe (35), Jordan De Goey (30) and Jamie Elliott (33) have been excellent contributors over a long period of time. Longer than most would\u2019ve suspected.<\/p>\n
\u201cBut when you get on, the cliff can come pretty quickly. Whether we\u2019re there or not, I think we were asking the same thing near on 12 months ago.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt does come eventually and who you have underneath to come up is going to be Collingwood\u2019s challenge.<\/p>\n
\u201cThere will be a point where you need the youth to stand up and take more responsibility.\u201d<\/p>\n
Carlton have first run out without Voss | 00:47<\/p>\n
\u2018LATEST EVOLUTION\u2019 OF CATS IS \u2018SCARY\u2019\u2026 AND FURTHER PROOF OF COACH\u2019S \u2018GENIUS\u2019<\/p>\n
The \u201cgenius\u201d nature of Geelong coach Chris Scott has been on full display across recent weeks.<\/p>\n
And what he\u2019s pulled off at the Cats so far this season \u2013 his 16th at the helm \u2013 is a feat that\u2019s \u201cscary for the rest of the competition\u201d, according to dual All-Australian Leigh Montagna.<\/p>\n
The Fox Footy analyst said the Cats produced a \u201cpowerful statement\u201d against Collingwood last week. Defensively sound across their first eight games, the Magpies were \u201ctotally dismantled\u201d by Geelong in a second half that saw Scott\u2019s side kick 11.8 to 4.6 on its way to a 54-point win.<\/p>\n
It was the latest breathtaking offensive display from the Cats, who\u2019ve now kicked 120-plus points in each of their past four wins over the Eagles, Bulldogs, Kangaroos and Magpies.<\/p>\n
And it\u2019s been triggered by a significant gamestyle shift that mirrors some of this year\u2019s premiership contenders.<\/p>\n
Like the Swans and Suns, Geelong has adopted a high handball-metres-gained approach, particularly in the past month.<\/p>\n
According to Champion Data, the Cats had 636m gained by handball against the Magpies \u2013 their second-highest number for a game since 2015. Their ability to draw the Collingwood defence out of position and pull it apart was clean and clinical.<\/p>\n
Razor’s Edge – Umpire Contact | 06:22<\/p>\n
Speaking on Fox Footy\u2019s First Crack, Montagna said the footy world \u201csaw the latest evolution of a Chris Scott-coached team and what they are trying to do\u201d against the Pies.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe reason why we love Chris Scott \u2013 and why I think he\u2019s clearly the best coach in the league and why Geelong are consistently contending for the top four \u2013 is their ability to forever evolve in their gamestyle and chase ways to get better,\u201d Montagna told First Crack. \u201cWhether it be with the list, with position or now with their gamestyle.<\/p>\n
\u201cI think Geelong watched the first month of the season and thought: \u2018Right, we need to get up to speed with what the best teams in the competition are doing\u2019 \u2026 and he noticed this (handball game) was evolving. I think this has been evolving before our eyes over the last month.\u201d<\/p>\n
Montagna pointed out the Cats have been trending towards emphasising handball more than kicking. Champion Data numbers indicate the Cats had dropped from the No. 1 ranked team for kick-to-handball ratio (1.7:1) last year to eighth (1.4:1) so far in 2026. And in the past two weeks, they\u2019ve been ranked 15th (1.2:1).<\/p>\n
\u201cIn the past, Geelong has been a kick-first team \u2026 You can picture Geelong coming out of defence, they trust the contest ahead of the ball, they\u2019d kick long and surge \u2013 that was their style,\u201d Montagna said.<\/p>\n
\u201cBut the trajectory now \u2026 and why this could be scary for the rest of the competition is the ability for these players to execute, and they\u2019ve got the capacity. They\u2019ve got the talent and the personnel to do this.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis is why Chris Scott is a genius because he sees it, understands where the game is moving, and he wants to be ahead of it.<\/p>\n
\u201cHe\u2019s got to a stage where, instead of spending a whole pre-season wedded to one system \u2013 and if that doesn\u2019t work or gets taken away, you\u2019re trying to do it throughout the year \u2013 the group knows what to do. I think they\u2019re coachable \u2013 one of the highest-footy-IQ teams in the competition \u2013 and they\u2019ve got the running power. That\u2019s the thing, you\u2019ve got to have the personnel to be able to play this way. They certainly do, and it looked awesome (against Collingwood).\u201d<\/p>\n
The Cats\u2019 new style \u2013 and their overall premiership credentials \u2013 will be tested over the next fortnight with clashes against Brisbane (at the Gabba) and the Swans.<\/p>\n
\u201cIf they beat one of those two teams, I think everyone will start having different conversations about the Cats \u2026 We\u2019re talking about them being a top-four team and a preliminary finalist,\u201d Montagna said.<\/p>\n
“No idea how to be successful” | 02:57<\/p>\n
TELLING WINS PROVE FREO \u2018A PRELIMINARY FINALIST WAITING TO HAPPEN\u2019<\/p>\n
Are you a Fremantle believer yet?<\/p>\n
The doubters would suggest they need more evidence, more genuine convincing four-quarter performances and perhaps another win or two against a premiership contender.<\/p>\n
The believers, though, would point to the fact the Dockers are sitting second on the ladder with an 8-1 record, a percentage of 131.6 per cent and the title of the league\u2019s No.1 defence.<\/p>\n
Melbourne champion Garry Lyon sits in the latter category. The Dockers can no longer be ignored, especially after four telling wins in the past six weeks.<\/p>\n
In Rounds 4 and 5, Justin Longmuir\u2019s side trailed Adelaide and Collingwood respectively in the final quarter, before kicking two late goals to seal consecutive tight victories.<\/p>\n
Against the Western Bulldogs in Round 8, the Dockers trailed by 26 points midway through the second term, kicked 11 of the game\u2019s next 13 games then saw off a late Bulldogs fightback to claim a 12-point win<\/p>\n
And last Thursday against a flag fancy in Hawthorn, Freo turned a 22-point third-quarter deficit into a 15-point win.<\/p>\n
Potential Voss replacements at Carlton | 02:24<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m a massive fan,\u201d Lyon said of the Dockers on Fox Footy\u2019s AFL 360.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat we need to see from last year when they came up short in the finals was development in areas. The development in the playing list was there, the development in the talented players on the list was there and now we needed to see resolve, resilience, steel and backbone \u2013 and that\u2019s what these games tell you.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis builds belief. We can throw all the stats at you and show you all the vision, but the intangibles sometimes are what separates \u2018good\u2019 from \u2018great\u2019 \u2013 and \u2018great\u2019 from premiership teams.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis is not a \u2018great\u2019 team yet, but they are on their way because this intangible of belief, resilience \u2026 they\u2019ll sit in a room, look at each other and go: \u2018Right, we know.\u2019<\/p>\n
\u201cThe great teams we played against back in the day, they just knew. They had an arrogant belief that wherever they were, they\u2019d be able to find a way. <\/p>\n
\u201c(The Dockers) haven\u2019t rubberstamped this, but that\u2019s what they\u2019ve added to their make-up, to their profile of the team \u2013 they can do this to you, which is a powerful thing.\u201d<\/p>\n
Before its eight-game winning streak, Fremantle suffered its sole loss of the season to date to Geelong at GMHBA Stadium. The team was up by 35 points late in the second term but ultimately lost by 10 points.<\/p>\n
\u201cRightfully and understandingly (after the loss to Geelong), we went \u2018hmm, not yet\u2019,\u201d Lyon said.<\/p>\n
\u201cEight weeks down the track, we go \u2018yeah I think so\u2019 \u2013 because they learn and then they go and put it into place.\u201d<\/p>\n
Lyon said the Dockers were now \u201cbeautifully placed\u201d to have a crack a flag tilt this year.<\/p>\n
\u201cThey\u2019re a preliminary finalist waiting to happen \u2013 and from there, anything can happen,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
\u201cBut they should remain in the top four. They should host home finals, should win that first final and then the old city of Perth will go bonkers.\u201d<\/p>\n
‘A pretty sh*** position’ | 13:03<\/p>\n
ROUND 10 AFL FIXTURE AND FOX FOOTY COMMENTATARY ROSTER<\/p>\n
BRISBANE LIONS vs GEELONG CATS<\/p>\n
Thursday May 14, 7.30pm at The Gabba<\/p>\n
How to watch on Fox Footy: From 6.30pm on Channel 504, hosted by Sarah Jones, Jason Dunstall, Leigh Montagna and Jon Ralph, with commentary from Matt Hill, Mark Howard, Jack Riewoldt, David King and Alastair Lynch.<\/p>\n
SYDNEY SWANS vs COLLINGWOOD<\/p>\n
Friday May 15, 7.30pm at SCG<\/p>\n
How to watch on Fox Footy: From 6.30pm on Channel 504, hosted by Garry Lyon, Tom Hawkins, Nathan Buckley, Jordan Lewis and Jon Ralph, with commentary from Anthony Hudson, Gerard Whateley, Jason Dunstall, Alastair Lynch and Cameron Mooney.<\/p>\n
GOLD COAST SUNS vs YARTAPUULTI<\/p>\n
Friday May 15, 8.10pm at TIO Stadium, Darwin<\/p>\n
How to watch on Fox Footy: From 8.00pm on Channel 503, with Dwayne Russell, Brad Johnson, Gerard Healy and Shaun Burgoyne.<\/p>\n
KUWARNA vs NORTH MELBOURNE<\/p>\n
Saturday May 16, 1.15pm at Adelaide Oval<\/p>\n
How to watch on Fox Footy: From 12.30pm on Channel 504, with Leigh Montagna, Mark Ricciuto, Ken Hinkley and Ben Dixon.<\/p>\n
NARRM vs HAWTHORN<\/p>\n
Saturday May 16, 4.15pm at MCG<\/p>\n
How to watch on Fox Footy: From 4.00pm on Channel 504, with Mark Howard, Jason Dunstall, Garry Lyon and Ruby Schleicher.<\/p>\n
CARLTON vs WESTERN BULLDOGS<\/p>\n
Saturday May 16, 7.35pm at Marvel Stadium<\/p>\n
How to watch on Fox Footy: From 7.15pm on Channel 504, with Anthony Hudson, Jack Riewoldt, David King, Nick Dal Santo, Kath Loughnan and Jay Clark.<\/p>\n
ESSENDON vs FREMANTLE<\/p>\n
Sunday May 17, 1.10pm at MCG<\/p>\n
How to watch on Fox Footy: From 12.30pm on Channel 504, with Anthony Hudson, Jess Webster, Jordan Lewis, Cameron Mooney, Sarah Jones and David Zita.<\/p>\n
EURO-YROKE vs RICHMOND<\/p>\n
Sunday May 17, 3.15pm at Marvel Stadium<\/p>\n
How to watch on Fox Footy: From 3.00pm on Channel 503, with Dwayne Russell, Matt Hill, Nick Dal Santo, Tom Hawkins, Ben Dixon, Kelli Underwood and David Zita.<\/p>\n
WAALITJ MARAWAR vs GWS GIANTS<\/p>\n
Sunday May 17, 6.15pm at Optus Stadium<\/p>\n
How to watch on Fox Footy: From 6.00pm on Channel 504, with Adam Papalia, Brad Johnson, Gerard Healy, Will Schofield and David Zita.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Out with the old and in with the new. That\u2019s what an AFL great wants to see Carlton…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":669039,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[560],"tags":[19102,48046,1146,638,322909,322928,19057,64,63,689,55,639,684,7491,3423,322920,321443,14349,37351,49775,322915,13120,20536,252224,322913,246589,10143,1818,8011,322914,322921,12090,322910,322918,45742,322912,667,659,26521,9125,10124,10145,13659,17982,31756,61,2485,9130,301519,322926,52619,54980,54902,6086,42717,91805,1823,36878,12149,19125,10132,30404,19074,681,27725,19080,168801,10400,19087,7484,82838,3465,19096,31708,19117,322919,322923,647,3257,52603,35647,25556,26511,17986,13152,25574,322917,677,29115,7800,46,322916,322922,16684,13219,59288,60969,48825,1138,19093,19083,322924,102480,85,100039,36848,20439,7663,14478,322925,5338,322911,19118,69024,322927,660,3439,698,45705],"class_list":["post-669038","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-afl","tag-adam-papalia","tag-adam-saad","tag-adam-simpson","tag-afl","tag-age-cohort","tag-alarming-pies-numbers","tag-alastair-lynch","tag-au","tag-australia","tag-australia-and-new-zealand","tag-australian-football-league","tag-australianfootballleague","tag-ben-cotton","tag-ben-dixon","tag-ben-waterworth","tag-blank-canvas","tag-blues-star-trio","tag-bobby-hill","tag-cameron-mooney","tag-caretaker-coach","tag-cats-stars","tag-centre-bounce","tag-coaching-job","tag-commentary-roster","tag-contactrazor","tag-cooper-lord","tag-craig-mcrae","tag-david-king","tag-david-zita","tag-disposal-v-list","tag-eight-game-winning-streak","tag-final-quarter","tag-fixture-preview","tag-flag-duo","tag-flag-tilt","tag-floats-star-switch","tag-footy-club","tag-footy-world","tag-four-time-premiership","tag-francis-evans","tag-fremantle-dockers","tag-garry-lyon","tag-geelong-cats","tag-george-hewett","tag-gerard-healy","tag-gerard-whateley","tag-gold-coast","tag-gold-coast-suns","tag-groundball-game","tag-groundball-team","tag-handball-game","tag-head-coaches","tag-home-finals","tag-interim-coach","tag-jack-crisp","tag-jack-ison","tag-jack-riewoldt","tag-jamie-elliott","tag-jason-dunstall","tag-jay-clark","tag-jeremy-howe","tag-john-longmire","tag-johnson","tag-jon-ralph","tag-jordan-de-goey","tag-jordan-lewis","tag-josh-fraser","tag-justin-longmuir","tag-kath-loughnan","tag-ken-hinkley","tag-leg-speed","tag-leigh-montagna","tag-mark-howard","tag-mark-ricciuto","tag-matt-hill","tag-medal-list","tag-mega-trade-state","tag-melbourne","tag-michael-voss","tag-midfield-minutes","tag-midfield-opportunities","tag-mitch-mcgovern","tag-nathan-buckley","tag-nic-newman","tag-nick-dal-santo","tag-nick-haynes","tag-numbers-read","tag-oceania","tag-out-of-contract-stars","tag-patrick-cripps","tag-perth","tag-pies-numbers","tag-preliminary-finalist","tag-premiership-contenders","tag-premiership-credentials","tag-premiership-teams","tag-ray-chamberlain","tag-rumours-linking","tag-sam-walsh","tag-sarah-jones","tag-scott-pendlebury","tag-secondary-position","tag-shaun-burgoyne","tag-sports","tag-start-times","tag-steele-sidebottom","tag-talented-players","tag-talking-points","tag-talor-byrne","tag-telling-wins","tag-the-gabba","tag-thing-near","tag-tom-hawkins","tag-trade-targets","tag-v-list-management","tag-victoria","tag-western-australia","tag-western-bulldogs","tag-will-schofield"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/669038","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=669038"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/669038\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/669039"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=669038"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=669038"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=669038"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}
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<\/p>\n