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Geelong have lost three leaders including coach, president and Gary Ablett for 2011. Can they challenge Collingwood and St Kilda?
Team: Geelong Cats
Homeground: Skilled Stadium (30,000)
Coach: Chris Scott
Season 2010: Second (P-22 W-17 L-5 68pts 147.94%)
2011 squad: Jimmy Bartel, Mark Blake, Mitch Brown, Shannon Byrnes, Paul Chapman, Allen Christensen, Joel Corey, Josh Cowan, Marcus Drum, Mitch Duncan, Corey Enright, Tom Gillies, Cameron Guthrie, Tom Hawkins, Simon Hogan, George Horlin-Smith, Josh Hunt, Taylor Hunt, Steve Johnson, James Kelly, Cameron Ling, Tom Lonergan, Andrew Mackie, Daniel Menzel, Darren Milburn, Cameron Mooney, Steven Motlop, Brad Ottens, James Podsiadly, Matthew Scarlett, Jordan Schroder, Joel Sellwood, Dawson Simpson, Billie Smedts, Mathew Stokes, Harry Taylor, Travis Varcoe, Nathan Vardy, Trent West, David Wojcinski. Rookie list: Ryan Bathie, George Burbury, Ben Johnson, Jonathan Simpkin, Jesse Stringer, Josh Walker, Jack Weston.
Arrivals: Cameron Guthrie (2010 AFL Draft), George Horlin-Smith (2010 AFL Draft), James Podsiadly (rookie elevation), Jordan Schroder (2010 AFL Draft), Billie Smedts (2010 AFL Draft).
Departures: Gary Ablett (to Gold Coast), Nathan Djerrkura (traded to Western Bulldogs), Ryan Gamble (delisted), Jeremy Laidler (traded to Carlton), Max Rooke (retired).
Season preview: Geelong have lost three club leaders, in their captain, coach and president but have not lost hope. Much like St Kilda, the Cats are too good to lose touch with the top teams in 2011. They still have their 2010 All-Australians in Chapman, Enright, Taylor, Selwood and Johnson. And names like Corey, Ling, Bartel, Kelly, Podsiadly, Mooney, and Scarlett. Geelong are still a top four side and the loss of Ablett and Thompson won’t hurt them as much as many believe it will.
New coach, Chris Scott has an impressive playing and coaching background and has most recently come from Fremantle where he was an assistant coach since 2008. Scott will bring a fresh outlook and probably only a slightly tweaked game-plan to the Cats. No doubt he will want to blood some youngsters this year and strengthen up Geelong’s defence.
The Cats play on at all costs style game last year left them with the most handballs in the AFL. Paul Chapman was impressive again in 2010 with the third most kicks in the comp and the sixth most inside 50’s. Enright had the most short kicks in the AFL while the James “the Pod” Posiadly had the third most contested marks in the league, and finished with the club’s third highest Brownlow votes in his debut AFL season.
Mark Blake was Geelong’s worst offender in 2010 giving away 36 free kicks, he carried the ruck load well while Brad Ottens was out but needs to lift his work rate around the ground. While the young man that sounds like a TV show or two, Dawson Simpson made his AFL debut last year. The 206cm ruckman should play more senior footy this year.
Even though some players like Ling and Corey are slowing down, the Cats’ midfield is still one of the best. Johnson, Varcoe and Byrnes are dangerous up forward and if Hawkins or Mooney can have a 40-goal year it will go a long way to helping the Cats stay in the top four. Matthew Scarlett had a difficult season in 2010 and will look to do better this year while Harry Taylor has developed into a solid centre half back. The Cats will be hoping the old boys in the backline like Scarlett and 34-year-old, Milburn can produce the goods in 2011.
As far as off the field is concerned, Geelong may have to put up with another year of speculation that a player will leave, with Brownlow medalist Jimmy Bartel in the last year of his contract and the GWS Giants on the hunt for a leader.
However Geelong supporters can look forward to promising newbies, George Horlin-Smith (who captained Australia’s under 16 cricket side) and looks to be an all-rounder and the versatile Cameron Guthrie. While former Geelong Falcon, Billie Smedts, (2010 round one compensatory draft pick for Gary Ablett) has impressed with his marking and use of the footy.
Overall Geelong will need some minor tweaks here and there but they are still a formidable team. Their guns should fire and barring injury they should rush into their fifth straight finals series.
Main man: Jimmy Bartel will need to step up in the wake of Gary Ablett’s departure but Joel Selwood is the main man at Geelong right now. The elite midfielder capped a great 2010 by winning the club’s best and fairest, earning his second consecutive All-Australian selection and finishing with the second most Brownlow votes (only five behind Ablett). Selwood is a tough ball-winner who attacks the footy and knows how to use it. At just 22, a Brownlow is not out of the question and many expect the highly skilled play-maker to eventually take over as captain.
X-factor: 2010 was the year of the Pod. Mature-age recruit, James Podsiadly was an instant crowd favourite and why wouldn’t he be? He provided a solid target up forward and booted 49 goals in his first AFL season. However despite the excitement about the Pod, there’s only one man in Geelong’s forwardine who is truly electrifying. He was Geelong’s leading goalkicker last year with 63, including three bags of six. He’s a three time All-Australian and an absolute superstar up forward. He is Steve Johnson.
Predicted 2011 finish: Fourth
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