Bomber: I do not feel like running a review

Andrew Mathieson
GEELONG abandoned a midseason review this year because Mark Thompson “didn’t feel like doing it”.
The coach sent his players and staff away for four days last week and returned to work on Monday following Geelong’s splitround bye.
“I didn’t feel like doing it,” he said.
“We wanted to just review the game (against Brisbane) and then send people away.
“We want to get some balance in our lives because it’s a pretty tough caper and we were looking forward to the week off.
“We spend a lot of time looking at stuff that’s not that important.”
Last season during the midyear break the Cats were scrambling for answers following just three wins from its opening 10 matches.
The club decided to appoint an independent advisor midseason to stepup training intensity following the controversial sacking of Lorus Bertolacci months earlier.
“This is the first year we haven’t done (a review),” Thompson said.
“We didn’t look at the stats or assess any of our goals.
“We haven’t really had that many goals, anyway.”
Geelong plays Sydney at home on Saturday and Thompson deflected suggestions the players were still scarred from the threepoint loss to the Swans in the 2005 semifinal loss.
The Cats gave away a 20point lead during a wet fourth quarter that culminated in the last of Nick Davis’s four goals coming in the final 10 seconds.
“No, I don’t think so,” Thompson replied to the Swans question.
“I think it was a very dramatic event in everybody’s lives
“To say that we’re still scarred from it probably is a little bit unfair and not right.”
Sydney is coming off a deflating loss to Collingwood and is sitting perilously a game outside the top eight with a 66 win/loss record.
Thompson was adamant the topoftheladder side would not take the ruffled Swans lightly.
“We’re treating Sydney like a pretty good team and they are,” he said.
“They’ve played in the last two grand finals and they’re good and strong club.
“When it gets tough they come out and play, so we’re expecting that.”
Cats defender Matthew Egan, a late developer to the game, is set to play his 50th AFL match.
Thompson jokingly said Egan made a wise decision to quit tennis in his late teens.
“It’s been a long time now since he’s stopped hitting a tennis ball with a racquet and took up a good sport in football because he’s a much better footballer than he is a tennis player,” Thompson said.