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2015 AFL preview: Geelong Cats

Roar Pro
25th November, 2014
15

Today we look at Geelong, one of the most successful teams of recent times. The Cats have just loaded up on firepower ahead of the 2015 season.

Once again making the finals and sending shivers down the spine of the big teams in 2014, will 2015 be the season the Cats finally tumble?

Last season
Many predicted the Cats to tumble in 2014 but they did the opposite, finishing the home-and-away in third spot. Even more amazingly they used 35 players throughout the season giving experience to the next crop of stars.

They bombed out of the finals in straight sets after almost running over the Kangaroos in the semi to fall a goal short of a preliminary final. Some young guns stepped up to become important cogs in the Geelong 22 while captain Joel Selwood was outstanding again. What didn’t work was finding support for Tom Hawkins, as Jimmy Bartel and Selwood were next in line for the leading goalkickers.

Next season
Geelong aggressively went after talls during the trade period, securing the signature of Mitch Clark from Melbourne and Rhys Stanley from the Saints.

This looms as a gamble that could have a huge return. Clark attacks the contest and has great marking ability – making him one of the most formidable forwards in the competition on his day.

Stanley can play all over the ground and may relish less responsibility to become a third tall forward or a Matthew Richardson-style wingman.

The question mark will be whether the next crop of midfielders steps up to provide opposition coaches with more headaches than shutting down Selwood and Bartel. I expect the Cats to be right in the hunt again, pushing for the third to sixth positions. With extra forward line presence they might be a force come finals time.

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Who to look out for
Cam Guthrie looks like the heir apparent to Corey Enright off half-back, but may find himself utilised through the midfield as well next season.

His ability to shut down and find his own ball will have him close to first picked by coach Scott each week as he joins Selwood, Horlin-Smith, Caddy, Duncan, and Motlop as the next crop of midfield guns.

Needs a big year
Dawson Simpson and Nathan Vardy sit in a precarious position, with the Cats bringing in two genuine talls.

They might be battling it out this season for a position on the 2016 list. With Hawkins, McIntosh, Clark, Stanley, and Blicavs all ahead of them in the tall forward or ruck pecking order, the two giants will need to be knocking the door down in the VFL to remain in list consideration at the season’s end.

Best 22
FB: Taylor, Lonergan, Mackie
HB: Enright, Rivers, Guthrie
C: Caddy, Horlin-Smith, Kelly
HF: Johnson, Clark, Stokes
FF: Bartel, Hawkins, Motlop
R: McIntosh, Duncan, Selwood
I: Murdoch, Stanley, Smedts, Kersten

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