All of a sudden Geelong look fragile. Their epic clash with St Kilda in Round Thirteen seems to have left them severely wounded and they were forced to make ten changes to their team for the game against Brisbane last weekend.
They subsequently lost by seven goals.
All year Geelong haven’t looked quite right. Sure, they’re still a Top Four team and will beat most teams on their day. But something is missing.
The 2008 Grand Final loss has wounded them mentally, especially Cam Mooney, whose goal kicking radar has been completely unplugged.
Tom Hawkins isn’t quite up to the hardness required, thus they have to rely on Steve Johnson to kick miraculous goals from often obtuse angles to win.
Geelong’s midfield remains all class: Ablett, Bartel and J Selwood are great players, no problems there. But the ‘book ends,’ through injury and mental fatigue, are looking fragile.
When was the last time Geelong belted out their club song with gusto after a win?
They sing the song as if it’s a funeral dirge or with the excitement of a US President whimpering his way through the Russian national anthem. Geelong fans I know are disappointed with their lack of passion.
Does this come from winning 55 out of 59 games over the past three seasons?
The loss to St Kilda may be more significant than many fans realise. The Saints came out of the game with few injuries, and whilst they looked a little wobbly against the Eagles in Perth, they did enough to win.
St Kilda have done to Geelong what Brisbane did to Essendon in 2001: “If it bleeds you can kill it.”
Perhaps only through the heroics of Garry Ablett, along with Jimmy Bartel and Joel Selwood, do they have a chance in 2009.
But I think Geelong are gone.
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