Tonight's result is why I concern myself less with who we do and don't "attract" to the club -- BULLET IN BOARD

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Date Posted: 22:57 21/09/24 Sat
Author: Two-Bob Man
Author Host/IP: NoHost / 110.144.28.91
Subject: Tonight's result is why I concern myself less with who we do and don't "attract" to the club
In reply to: Member2025 's message, "Is anyone else" on 23:05 18/09/24 Wed

Geelong has been the "poster child" for attracting players to the club and I get it.

They are well run.

They have had significant success in the last 2 decades (4 Flags), and have great facilities and a very supportive culture. And this is coupled with an environment that particular players might be drawn to.

But comparing where we are (with respect to attracting "name" players) with Geelong and lamenting the fact that we are "less successful" in drawing these type of players from other clubs is probably akin to a little bit of self-flagellation.

For a start, we need to break down the time period as to WHEN the Cats became a "destination club"

Certainly, if you look at the Cats Grand Finals lists that played in the 2007, 2009 and 2011 Flags, I find it hard to identify a significant number of players that were traded from other clubs.

In 2007, the Cats had acquired Brad Ottens and Tom Harley (who had played ONE season with Port for a single game - hardly a "gun" at the time he was traded in by Geelong) who originated from other clubs.

In 2009, they had Ottens and Harley (again), but also had Mooney in that team - again a player who had played ONE season at another club (North) for a total of 11 games.

In 2011, their Flag team included Ottens and Podsiadly (hardly a "gun" acquisition)

So, Geelong's first three Flag teams in this century did not comprise many players who were attracted to the Cats as a "destination club" as they were primarily all 'home-grown' players who (except for the names mentioned above) played their first senior AFL season at Geelong.

So, if I am being honest and want evidence that being a "destination club" results in success more often than not, then I need to exclude the Grand Finals won in 2007, 2009 and 2011 because each of those teams looks to be seriously deficient in having any significant trade acquisition aside from Brad Ottens.

So if we look at post-2011 and bemoaning the fact that teams are not as successful as Geelong at attracting the wealth of talent they have from other clubs, the end-result of all that disappointment is that the Cats have only won a single Flag in that time - the same number as the Pies!

They have also - in that period - been in the same number of Grand Finals as Collingwood (2).

And again I would state that having a clear home ground advantage of playing some teams at GMHBA Stadium a few times per year allows them to (perhaps and arguably) notch up that couple of extra ladder points to perhaps figure in the Finals more often than not (which increases your chances for making Prelims and Grand Finals)

This is NOT to suggest that going out and attracting players from other clubs is a "waste of time" - on the contrary, it is a very important part of assembling a list that helps you contest.

But my advice is not to get too hung up about whether we do or don't land the "big fish" because it is only a small part of what you need in order to have that ultimate success.

As I've stated....I seen too many examples of where we have acquired a player who would "make the difference" only to watch us miss out on Flags again and again.

The 1990 Flag was won on the back of assembling a team who "grew" together with some handy aquisitions (such as Moorwood and Barwick) who filled a need. BT was perhaps our biggest acquisition and obviously helped us get to that final day, but he wasn't really the prime mover of that side.

I feel that 2010 was very similar - great young list developing together with very important "missing pieces" added at the right time (Ball, Jolley, Brown, etc)

Maybe we'll get a Petracca...or perhaps a Smith....or maybe we don't.

Let's just wait and see and enjoy the ride - given what I've face with VFL/AFL since the 70s, I once thought I'd never see a Collingwood Flag and have now seen 3 - and I never thought I'd see a Collingwood player win multiple Flags for the Pies (but now have seen Pandles and Sidey do so).

Have fun peoples...and don't sweat too much even though missing out on some "targets" is extremely disappointing and despairing.

In the fullness of time, it may not actually matter that much at all.

TBM

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