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Chapter 1: What were the highlights of the Cats' recent victory?
The Cats by 45 points at home over the Suns last night. The Friday night wrap for Brant. Discover the Brant Advantage reliable John Deere construction equipment and support that keeps you running. Our feature guest today is the Cats skipper Patrick Dangerfield. Paddy, welcome to Crunch Time.
Morning, boys. I'm there to start this morning, so apologies if you look in the background.
No, that's good. The more atmosphere, the better. I was driving home last night thinking, when did you start using tub thumping as your golf celebration song?
I asked our long supporters during the start of the season if there was change due, so that came up.
Chapter 2: How does Patrick Dangerfield feel after a big win?
But it's open to change, Gerard.
It's the first time in my career I've thought, I hope he doesn't kick another goal here. I'm not sure how many times we can hear that. It's a timeless classic, Gerard. What did you make overall of last night?
Well, I think it was a tight contest early. We knew they would move the ball really aggressively from the back half and run an overlap. So it's a bit of weathering that storm early. And then I think as the game progressed, you know, I felt like it was on our terms for the majority of it. And it was nice to play some good footy after a couple of disappointing losses in the last couple of weeks.
Dangerous. Adam Simpson here, mate. Congratulations on last night. Just on... your home ground advantage, do you play the game differently down there? Is there a slight change as opposed to an MCG game? It feels like it's more of a front half focus or am I just making things up? No, you're not.
No, it's, I mean, you just don't have that same width that you would be at other grounds. So you don't get stuck as wide as often.
But when we get front of goal, we really do want to attack the goal face. Yeah. Yeah, you just mentioned how the front half is a little bit different as opposed to the wider grounds. And is that the same with the opposition preparation? And we heard Chris talk last night about mitigating the damage rather than exposing a weakness. Is that a week-to-week thing?
What's the balance there with your preparation with opposition?
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Chapter 3: What changes did the Cats make in their game strategy?
We definitely change it up from week to week. We don't have a game plan that we're set and locked to the whole time. So we're mindful that we want that to be fluid as the season sort of progresses. And it depends on how the opposition move it. Obviously, they want to move the ball fast. And we want to create a game that is predominantly full and half for us.
Yeah, well, that looked like that last night. And we heard him talk about taking away their strengths. And their strengths around the midfield was once very strong. But the balance you guys have with accountable players versus attacking players is a pretty good balance at the moment.
Yeah, it's always a funny one. You don't want to be, you know, over-defensive. But at the same time, we recognise they've got some really good players in there. So I think a fine balance of accountability and still reading the line of the ball and being fluid enough to take your space.
I think sometimes the risk with running that sort of defensive formation is that you become too reactive to the opposition's And I think one of the great growths of our game, and if I talk, you know, a specific individual, a guy like O'Sheen Mullen is really starting to develop the offensive part of his game.
You know, the infancy in early parts of his career has been negating, but I feel like he's starting to get a good balance of when to attack and find space versus just worrying about his direct opponents.
So we feel like there's some really good growth in that part of our game.
Yeah.
Paddy, do you get the same with Tommy Atkins? It's Kenny Hinkley, sorry. Do you get the same with Tommy Atkins? Do you get that great balance in your midfield mix? Spot on, Kenny.
I think he's been really the last few years, he's been that general. So you've got the creative types of Max Holmes who will throw around a fair bit and obviously Bailey. Tom's really been that general and makes sure that he's a bit of the grumpy old man sometimes in there. But it's critical that you have that so you do have a balance.
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Chapter 4: How does home ground advantage affect game play?
We want to try and maximise the influence the players have got. And DK's one of those. Deconning's one of those. So at the moment, his work around the ball has been really good. Sullivan's really stood up as a full-backs and a half-backs. So we want to put him in areas to impact.
And his follow-up at ground level, there's not too many better guys below his knees that are sort of 2.03, 2.04 than Sam. So he's been really good through the middle of the ground, gives us great flexibility. And then Mitch Edwards, as you mentioned, the centre bounce is obviously a really important part of the game now with the 6-6-6 rule.
So getting hand on ball and then being able to create penetrating shots you know, sentiment clearances is important. And Mitch gives us, you know, most of the time, first look, which is a real weapon for us.
Give us a picture of your midfield exposure, Paddy, how you're rationing minutes, when you're choosing with the coaching staff, when to go in and when not.
It's a bit of horses courses sometimes, Gerard. I think the first month for me was just getting into the field of the game. I think as an older player, there is a bit of making sure that you're still going to give absolutely everything, obviously, but there is a bit of get through the first month and that'll bulletproof you for the rest of the season. So for me, it's been a bit of that.
And then the continuity is built off the back of that and then the confidence to play more minutes up the ground. And depending on how our formation is up forward, ground balls and that part of the ground is obviously really important. And that's probably a strength of mine. So it's a bit of a fine balance between the two and then,
Changed a little bit last night because George Stephens comes into the team and he's a really good clearance player. So finding that balance, I think, is the key for not only myself, but all of our players. Everyone has their own strengths and we want to try and play to those as much as we can.
And what are your prospects of heading to Perth for Thursday night? Has the coach softened us up for maybe you won't?
No, my plan certainly is to. I've put up pretty well. under nines this morning, Gerard, so we were up and firing early angle C. So there's been plenty of footy, but our plan is to play at this stage. But given how, you know, typically two days post is where I'll pull up a bit sore, so I'll probably give you greater information tomorrow.
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Chapter 5: What is the balance between attacking and defensive play?
So that'll sort of, those conversations will happen in the back end of the year, I dare say.
So I guess there's two elements. One is the physical side of things, whether your body can hold up and get through another season. The other is motivation and the toll that it takes, I guess, on your mind, having another pre-season and another year at the top level. Where are you at on those two elements?
The second one is fine, to be honest. The motivation, I love the game more of recent times, even the bad games. And whether that's because you get to the back end of your career and you realise just how special it is to be involved in footy. But yeah, I think if the body holds up, I can impact games and I'm keen to see what it looks like. But that's still some while away.
I think anyone that's been in footy and you're sitting next to a couple of greats in the call box, obviously, there's nothing quite like it. So without being too selfish, yeah, I'm keen to keep going, but it's got to be the right thing for all parties and that won't be something sort of decided soon, really.
Have you got an eye on Tyson Stengel for us at the VFL? I see that he's returned today and playing on managed minutes.
Yes, he is. So he's just about to start the second quarter. So he'll miss the first. He'll play the final three. He's put in a really good body of work. But we're not going to lose him. There's still a few challenges there, Tom. So we'll be mindful of that, respectful of that, and continue to support him the way we have.
You had the whiteout game last night. When I got over 30, I didn't really like wearing the white shorts, let alone the whole kit with the complexion. How do you go about handling the full white kit?
Simmo, I said to Hawk pre-game, do not zoom in on me. There's a few that it just doesn't flatter, and I'm definitely one of those.
Yeah, I was just thinking, jeez, I would not have liked to have played in that. That's the week you should have had off. With your shade at the moment, you'd look like a white walker, I reckon. Yeah, make it made all black next year. That'd be a better one.
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