Brisbane are the new Geelong

Imagine for a second that this article did not have a headline and the premise of this story had not been blatantly given away with the opening five words.

Go into a parallel universe where the headline had been unread and consider these masked players and their rookie campaign averages at AFL level.

Player A: 17 possessions, 4 tackles, 2 clearances, 4 marks, 2 inside 50s
Player B: 15 possessions, 3 tackles, 3 clearances, 2 marks, 1 inside 50s

Player A: 16 possessions, 4 marks, 2 tackles, 2 inside 50s, 1 clearance
Player B: 13 possessions, 2 marks, 2 tackles, 2 inside 50s, 2 clearances

Player A: 13 possessions, 4 tackles, 3 clearances
Player B: 8 possessions, 3 tackles, 2 inside 50s, 1 goal

Player A: 11 possessions, 3 marks, 4 one percenters, 2 rebounds
Player B: 13 possessions, 2 marks, 2 one percenters, 1 goal

Player A: 12 possessions, 3 marks
Player B: 5 possessions, 1 mark

Player A: 11 possessions, 3 onepercenters
Player B: DNP

Before you even make a guess at who these players are, make a choice on what group of players you would take based off these averages. No wrong answers, except anyone with a sense of sanity and credible is going to choose group A.

And now if you answered that the Player A group consisted of James Aish, Lewis Taylor, Nick Robertson, Darcy Gardiner, Tom Cutler and Daniel McStay, well done.

And for final bonus points if you answered the Player B group consisted of James Kelly, Jimmy Bartel, Gary Ablett, Steve Johnson, Charlie Gardiner and Henry Playfair, kudos to you.

Go back and just look at those numbers again. Look at those names in group B. Scratching your head yet? Maybe sit down. Start thinking about everything that Group B has gone on to do as individuals and as a group.

Still with us? Yes, no-one is saying it, but this Brisbane rookie class may be the best thing since Geelong. Geelong, a side whose origins of a dynasty can be traced back to those names mentioned above.

What is not even considered in the above totals is that Geelong blooded 53 games into this group in their rookie season, while Brisbane have thrown their first year players into a combined 63 games with five more rounds to go.

It is a different attitude to how first-year players are developed in 2014 as opposed to 2002, but it still shows what Brisbane potentially have got by giving experience to this young group.

It is always dangerous to compare young players and players from different eras, but the striking similarities around the 2001 draft class of Geelong and the 2013 draft class of Brisbane means that more should be being said about this Brisbane group coming through.

The AFL world is not talking about this group of Lion cubs as potentially part of the next AFL dynasty, but alas that may be what is about to unfold. Given the troubled circumstances that brought them to the club perhaps they should be called the ‘Fix Six’.

There are differences in the origins of how these separate groups of six came to AFL level, with Geelong trying to rejuvenate an ageing list while still trying to keep contending for finals year in year out.

With Brisbane, it was a mass exodus of young players which forced the club’s hand into going back to the draft and trying again. Despite the differences though, the reality is that Geelong took six players in the top 41 of 2001 and Brisbane took six players in the top 34 of 2013.

In 2001, Geelong coach Mark Thompson was still finding his feet at AFL level and questions remained about whether he could lead the Cats to future success.

This was the first year that he had a high number of draft picks to work with and along with his list management team they nailed it. They got talented players foremost and got players that reacted positively to what Thompson was building for club culture.

Brisbane less than twelve months ago was a club without hope. It had sacked their coach, a former premiership captain who had crippled everything that had been built during his playing days.

Rather than go for a proven coach, Brisbane again went to the club great well. This time though, they hit on their appointment. Justin Leppitsch has proven to be a masterstroke as coach with his attitude and demeanour clearly resonating with a playing group that was looking for the style of leadership and the communication skill set that Leppitsch has brought.

Again the coach stories are different but in a way the similarities are striking. These are two young coaches that found the group of players which they wanted to go into battle with. They had found their core.

History tells us that the Geelong six of 2001 have gone on to play 1128 games, have 11 premiership medals between them, have won two Brownlows, have won two Norm Smith medals and have multiple All-Australian and Best and Fairest accolades.

The ‘Fix Six’ have 63 games and no accolades.

Yet.

Get ready, they are chasing. ‘Fix Six’ and Brisbane are coming.