Can the Cats take the pressure?

Everyone seems to be cheerfully ignoring the fact that Geelong have lost Kelly, Stokes, Johnson, Rivers, Walker, McIntosh, Simpson, Jansen, Gore, Blease & Hartman. Perhaps because while the list of names is long, their actual contributions to the side last year were minimal. Outside of Walker and Johnson none of the rest played more than 1/2 a season and of those 7 managed 4 or less. I'll take Smith, Danger, Hendo and Scooter over Johnson and Walker. Two of Geelong's massive deficiencies have been well addressed. Danger fixes up the atrocious clearance rate and Smith will fill the gaping hole for Ruckman Geelong has had since Ottens retired, which will further help with clearances and stoppages. Our defence is no older than the reigning premiers. Improvement in the middle and at stoppages will mean the ball won't be heading directly towards the defence at every centre bounce and stoppage at mach speed. Sure we still have Chris Scott as coach but can't get every one of my wishes in a single off season I suppose.

As a Crows supporter I can only add that Dangerfield's arrival will be on a par with Judd's impact at Carlton. The only difference being that the Cats have a much stronger nucleus of players to support him. Don't underestimate his impact - he is a rare talent and the footy world have still not seen the best of him! Definite Brownlow Medallist in the waiting.

Wish I could be there to see your confused face Easter Monday when the Cats signal they are back by beating the Hawks!! Cats top 4 for sure! Easy fixture for the first time in 10 years helps too. Enjoy your humble pie Gene.

Everyone seems to be cheerfully ignoring the fact that Geelong have lost Kelly, Stokes, Johnson, Rivers, Walker, McIntosh, Simpson, Jansen, Gore, Blease & Hartman. That is a huge, huge list turnover in the course of a single season. In their place they'll bring in 4 senior players from other clubs, a bunch of kids from the draft and possibly some rejects from the SANFL/WAFL/VFL or delisted spuds from other clubs. Frankly, anyone who thinks this new group of players is going to magically integrate into their existing structures perfectly over a single preseason has rocks in their head. But as we know, most of the population are idiots who prefer to have others do the thinking for them so of course they'll look at Geelong's list on paper and assume they are premiership contenders. Nevermind that Geelong's backline is collectively older than Ebeneezer Scrooge, nevermind that half their forwards are more injury prone than the participants at the Running of the bulls at Pamplona, nevermind that Chris Scott is a woefully mediocre coach who's yet to develop a Plan B himself (and their corridor handball-happy gameplan was picked apart by other clubs years ago), apparently adding an A-grade star like Dangerfield to what this season showed is an incredibly average football team is suddenly going to make them a sure thing for a top 4 berth and legitimate flag threat. Excuse me for a couple of minutes while I try to stop myself laughing. Geelong have mortgaged their future for a shot at next year's Elimination Final. Its unbelievably poor list management from a club that SHOULD be rebuilding and developing its' youth and it will come back to haunt them in a couple of years time once a few more of their veterans have retired.

Also a cats fan, and haven't heard many whispers of them being flag favourites either. Sure, they're a chance, but there are some big if's... - IF the new draftees are able to mesh with the Geelong culture and gel with the rest of the team. - IF most of the players under injury clouds are able to stay fit. Guys like Clarke, Menzel, Vardy, Duncan, Caddy, Cowan, and Stanley have all suffered from relatively major injuries in the past few seasons. - IF the young guys continue to develop at a steady rate. Guys like Blicavs, Caddie, Guthrie, Lang, Duncan, Thurlow, Gregson, Cockatoo and Bews need to continue developing and improving. - IF the older guys don't fall off too much or get hit with injury that usually comes later on in careers . Lonergan, Enright, Taylor and Mackie are all key players in Geelong's backline and will all be over 30 come finals time in 2016. I don't think we have the depth to cover them if 2-3 go down. - IF our A-graders can bounce back. Selwood and Hawkins both had pretty average 2015's IF all of those things happen, we're definitely a chance to be holding the cup again in 2016. IF

Ease up. Just giving the other side to what seemed quite a provocative piece

They will make the 8 but that is about as good as it will get for them I feel. I can see Henderson also spending plenty of time in defence, I think Geelong are a little suspect there.

Not flag favourites. But they are an unknown quantity and I reckon they can shake the hopes of many teams. Plenty of high-ranking opposition coaches (Clarkson included) will already be working out how to beat them.

Just a couple of holes in this article... The cats might struggle if they had actually picked up ADAM Selwood, as he has been retired for a couple of years now. SCOTT on the other hand has an ankle issue, but if he can get over that, will be a great asset to the midfield. Also, I do not think it is accurate to say we have not seen much of Henderson. Ignoring this year, where it was obvious he didn't want to be there, he has been in the blues top half dozen players, and came third in a club B & F. But it is completely false to say he will be a Steve Johnson type player. Although there is not much between them in height, they are totally different style players. Henderson plays as a genuine tall, and perhaps his real strength is intercept marking in the backline, where Stephen Wells has indicated he is likely to play. Stevie J played as a half-forward and midfielder, and seemed to be curtailed by injury in the front half of the year before finishing strongly. Your NBA analogy will only hold weight if the Dangerfield falls out with Selwood, and indeed the rest of the team, much in the way Dwight Howard did in LA. No one is saying the cats are favourite, they are $10 at most betting agencies behind Hawthorn, West Coast and Fremantle. However the Cats do have an exceptionally favourable draw, so it is not impossible that they make the top 4. And as we know, any position in the top 4 can go on to win the flag, look at Hawthorn this year. I believe that the "high expectations" you mention for the cats are that they are certainties to reach the finals, and I would be very surprised if they didn't.

As much as Geelong are an unknown quantity to themselves, they are also now an unknown quantity to the rest of the comp. It's been well documented that post 2014 season teams had 'figured out' ports strategy and were ready for them with Hinkley having no plan B. However come late in the season port clearly fixed these issues and fell agonizingly short of the finals. Had they made the eight it could have been very interesting indeed. While much of the focus has been on the on-field recruits, Geelong has been quietly making some key off-field coaching changes as well, with the introduction of Simon Lloyd from Fremantle to inject I believe some more strategy into their game plan. In my assessment it will take the 2016 season to settle the group and find a rhythm, and they will probably make the eight. But I believe the real push will come 2017.

I haven't heard many people saying the cats are favorite to win the flag and I'm a geelong supporter. IF they can avoid too many injuries next year i see them as a 5-8 placed team. Soft draw will help their chances but too many holes and question marks in the side to be anything more.