Skilled Stadium

[JK]

Is it just me, or do the Cats seem to not play their best footy at their home ground?

No disrespect to Melbourne, Swans, Lions or even Port late last year, but the Cats IMHO look far more destructive within the confines of the Dome and even at the G.

[Wedgie]

Ive said that for a long time.
At Kardinia everyone is forced to play the corridoor as there are nop wings.
At other grounds we exploit the extra space as other teams spread out more.

[Rik E Boy]

Is it just me, or do the Cats seem to not play their best footy at their home ground?

No disrespect to Melbourne, Swans, Lions or even Port late last year, but the Cats IMHO look far more destructive within the confines of the Dome and even at the G.

Our preferred venue would be the G but we don't get to play there too often for some reason. Our best results in the last 12 months have been at the Dome. Wedgie is right with his corridor observation but I also believe the often windy conditions at Geelong detract from Geelong's skill advantage that they currently enjoy over many teams.

Another thing to consider is that the Cats have key players out at the moment and certainly in all of the matches you have raised as examples. Geelong hasn't really hit its straps so far this year and I don't think it's down to the venue, merely where we are at in our development for our tilt at the 2008 flag.

Meanwhile Hawthorn and the Bulldogs are flying and we're still above em.

regards,

REB

[JK]

Yeah fair call REB concerning personnel and development .. I guess of the memories I have of the Cats games there in the last 2 or 3 years, it includes losses to the Kanga's, WCE (which would usually be ok but not under those circumstances) and Richmond (I think) .. Even last year when Adelaide ventured over there it was tipped to be a thumping but whilst the result was never in doubt, it was only a comfortable win for the Cats.

I like Wedgies observation and also your own regarding the conditions .. I guess its tough to judge the Cats performance there as there's no other regular team to compare it with.

Not trying to be critical of them btw, just found it an interesting question to ask.

[Rik E Boy]

You can't factor in 2006 results when you are talking about the Geelong of the last 12 months it's like chalk and cheese. As for thrashing Adelaide at Cat Park, we haven't done that since the Blight era. In the early years of Bomber Thompson's reign Riccuito used to bully us something fierce, the Blackbirds had the hard bodies and we didn't. Adelaide's game style means that they don't get flogged all that often and for that they deserve credit (or at least more credit than I give the boring bastards).

regards,

REB

[JK]

You can't factor in 2006 results when you are talking about the Geelong of the last 12 months

Didn't mention the last 12 months, just in general terms over the last 3 or 4 years (which I also didn't add) ... Those other games I mentioned occured at times when the general football community rated Geelongs list (which has been pretty good from the year they lost that semi or prelim to Brissy)

[Booney]

At Kardinia everyone is forced to play the corridoor as there are nop wings.
.

Sounds like a great place,cold,windy,no wings and only 20 odd thousand people going each week.When are these blokes going to begin to pull* crowds?

[Rik E Boy]

Only been there once. It was July, we were carp and we lost and man was it cold. We stayed in a caravan park and the next morning was about as cold as I have ever been in my life. I would not have been surprised at all if a Polar Bear walked through the camp site it was that bad. We sat in the Ford 'stand' which was in perpetual shade with water collecting on the plastic seats. Haven't been back since LOL.

We have improved the joint a bit since then (and the capacity) but yeah we don't always fill the place. We just have to start playing better football I supose ha ha. Come on. Everyone new Junior was out. Geelong without Ablett just doesn't work.

regards,

REB

[Dutchy]

Ive been there once and at the same Caravan Park I reckon (near the ground REB?)....saw Roos v Cats and Blighty was still playing so must have been early 80's......Roos won

[Rik E Boy]

Ive been there once and at the same Caravan Park I reckon (near the ground REB?)....saw Roos v Cats and Blighty was still playing so must have been early 80's......Roos won

Dunno mate. I was searching for a Mr Holland............................................s in the guest book but stopped when I got to the early nineties ha ha.

regards,

REB

[Baron Greenback]

Only been there once. It was July, we were carp and we lost and man was it cold.

Mmmmm i love being carp.

[Dirko]

I am jealous that the Cats still have a stadium to play at.

I wish Carlton said fugg'et and played 3 or 4 games per year at Princes Park (Freo, WCE, Port, Adelaide & Brisbane).

Used to love going there and watching them play...

[Rik E Boy]

Sorry SJBACMOUSE but Craptus Oval was a terrible venue and the AFL should have given it the arse years ago.

regards,

REB

[Dirko]

Sorry SJBACMOUSE but Craptus Oval was a terrible venue and the AFL should have given it the arse years ago.

regards,

REB

ha..been watching way too much Disney channel Rebster !!

I used to LOVE Princes Park...loved the stadium and in the latter years had one of the the best playing surfaces
in the AFL.

The only reason other people used to think it was crap, was that usually Carlton gave their teams an absolute smashing...

Kick to the Heatley Stand end, last quarter boys, and watch 'em come home !!

[Rik E Boy]

LOL. At least if I'm watching Disney Channel I can see something. And I haven't felt like a mouse running along a maze at any other venue like I was that day at Craptus Oval. Wall to wall people shuffling along out the back trying to get a beer or take a piss. Almost as bad as Norwood Oval.

Can't knock the surface but the reason why people hate Craptus is because....it was Crap.

regards,

REB

[Wedgie]

Ironically there was a small article about this topic in the Inside Footy I picked up today, perhaps its not just the local journos that steal stories from here?