It wasn’t the result the Cats were hoping for first up in Adelaide but here is what we learnt thanks to Deakin University.
The Mouse steps up
It was game 100 for Jed Bews on Thursday night but it’s been his last 20 games that would be making Cats most excited. His 13 disposals at 77% disposal efficiency gained the Cats 279m and his six intercepts cut the Power forward forays off during the night. Perhaps the greatest advancement in Bews’ game has been his ability to keep his feet and move through traffic to bring the ball out of the Cats backline. The growth of Bews has been apparent this year and gives the Cats great hope of him reaching his dad’s 207 games in the Hoops.
Rhys is the ruck
His form this year said this wasn’t even really a question but Rhys Stanley’s return to the Cats line up showed why he is the Cats number one ruck option. Stanley’s first game since round 14 and only his eighth for the year showed his importance to the Cats ideal structure. He finished with 10 disposals, 17 hitouts, three inside 50s and two goals in a great return. The Cats have been careful managing Stanley this season echoing the management of Brad Ottens during the Cats flag runs of the late 2000s. If Stanley provides an impact like Ottens did, the Cats will be thrilled.
The Tomahawk’s guidance system can be re-calibrated
All eyes were on this year’s Coleman Medallist, Tom Hawkins, on Thursday night. This was in part due to his value to the Cats this season but also because of his performance in round 12 against Port. In a lot of ways, it was a similar performance from Hawkins to that night on the Gold Coast with one glaring difference. In the round 12 match, Hawkins had 17 disposals, 10 marks, three tackles, 12 score involvements and booted 6.2. This time around, it was 13 disposals, seven marks, four tackles, nine score involvements and five behinds. Whilst there was a slight drop in disposals, marks and score involvements, Hawkins was equally involved in play as he was in round 12. However, it was his goalkicking, the most inaccurate performance of his career, that was the main difference between the two nights. The good news is that his inaccuracy was a rare blip in an otherwise reliable kicking career. In fact, after Hawkins’ 0.4 in last year’s qualifying final, Hawkins followed up the following week against the Eagles with 4.1, paving the way for the Cats win. Look for the Tomahawk to be back on target next week.
The Cats are well and truly alive
As disappointing as Thursday night’s performance was, there is plenty of reason to be optimistic about what lies ahead for the Cats. The Cats will return to Queensland to face either the Eagles or Magpies in the semi-final. Queensland has been a happy hunting ground for the Cats this year with the Cats having a 6-1 winning record. Semi-finals have also been fortuitous for the Cats with the club owning a four win and one loss record since 2007. This week’s game showed the true power of a one-sided parochial crowd, something the Cats again won’t need to worry about in the semi-final with a Pies or Eagles opponent providing a neutral crowd and venue. But the only thing that matters in next week’s game is what the 22 Cats on the field can control, and how they respond will be fascinating.
