For a team so used to success, the year 2015 must have felt a little bit different for both the Geelong Football Club and their supporters.
The Cats missed the finals for the first time since 2006, which is quite an incredible record when you consider the always-evolving landscape of the AFL, as each year the crop of competitive teams gets larger and larger.
Although they did miss the finals, Geelong’s 2015 season was a turning point for the club, as they waved goodbye to long-time favourites Steve Johnson, James Kelly and Matthew Stokes. All three were key components in the Cats premiership winning days, so while it was a tough decision, it was one that had to be made.
With the departure of experience comes an influx of young talent, though, which was a necessary for the Cats. The likes of Jackson Thurlow, Cory Gregson, Nakia Cockatoo, Mark Blicavs, Cameron Guthrie and Jake Kolodjashnij all introduced themselves to the AFL world in 2015 and seem to be long-term pieces to the Cats future success.
Don’t expect Geelong to start a rebuild though, as their aggressive approach they took in the free agency period shows this team is still starving for success and that hunger may be fulfilled with their signings during the off-season.
The major prize in this year’s off-season was Patrick Dangerfield and his desire to return to his hometown Geelong was fulfilled, which instantly places the Cats right back in the discussion of one of the AFL’s better teams. Dangerfield plays the game at an elite level and his averages of 26.8 disposals, 14.0 kicks, 12.8 handballs, 5.5 tackles and 3.6 marks per game are an indication of that.
Dangerfield, who is in the Brownlow discussion every single year, also helps Geelong in one of the areas where they struggled last season, and that is clearances. The Cats were one of the league’s worst teams clearance wise in 2015, but Dangerfield was one of the league’s best clearance players in 2015. Seems like a perfect fit huh?
Add in the addition of former Carlton utility big-man Lachie Henderson and Scott Selwood, brother of Joel, and the Cats have depth aplenty in 2016. Henderson, who’s played most of his career up forward, is preparing to play more of a defence role in 2016, which only adds to the versatility Geelong can put on the field.
Selwood, West Coast’s vice-captain in 2015, simply couldn’t break into an Eagles squad that was flying. At the ripe age of just 25, Selwood has his best days of football ahead and now reuniting with his brother Joel, the hope for the Cats is that Scott can discover past form this season and make an already scary Geelong midfield even more dangerous.
Best 22
B: Lachie Henderson, Tom Lonergan, Corey Enright
HB: Jackson Thurlow, Harry Taylor, Andrew Mackie
C: Mark Blicavs, Patrick Dangerfield, Mitch Duncan
HF: Josh Caddy, Tom Hawkins, Steven Motlop
F: Daniel Menzel, Nathan Vardy, Cory Gregson
Foll: Rhys Stanley, Joel Selwood, Cameron Guthrie
INT: Jimmy Bartel, Scott Selwood, Nakia Cockatoo, Jake Kolodjashnij
MVP: Joel Selwood
The heart and soul of the Geelong Football Club for years now, Selwood still deserves the honour of being called the Cats MVP. His determination, courage and passion for the Cats jumper is almost unmatched around the entire AFL, as is it becoming a standard sight to see Selwood running off the ground with blood pouring out of his nose or eye.
It isn’t just the intangibles that make Selwood special though, as he is still a high-performance midfielder. Selwood finished third in the Cats best and fairest in 2015 with averages of 24.6 disposals, 12.7 handballs, 11.8 kicks, 6.2 tackles and 3.0 marks per game. Despite the new free-agency signings and the loads of young talent coming into Geelong, Selwood is still the face and leader of the Cats.
Future Star: Mark Blicavs
Put your hand up if you thought that at the beginning of the 2015 season, Blicavs would explode onto the AFL map and end up winning the Cats best and fairest award?
Put your hand down and stop lying.
Blicavs meteoric rise from rookie listed player in 2014 to best and fairest in 2015 was simply incredible and at the young age of just 24, Blicavs is without a doubt a future star of the Cats.
What makes Blicavs so unique is his ability to do so much despite his 198cm frame, as he can be a force in the ruck but then be just as agile and athletic with the ball as an elite midfielder. Blicavs can do it all on the field and there is no reason to think that is changing anytime soon.
Make or Break: Jimmy Bartel
There is no denying that Bartel has been one of the Cats all-time greats over the last decade and he was a bona fide superstar back in his prime.
This title for Bartel isn’t suggesting he hasn’t made it in the AFL, he has done that and so much more but with the Cats new signings and all the young talent in the midfield, Bartel may be an unfortunate casualty of Geelong moving into a new era.
Bartel was still very effective last season, averaging 23.6 disposals per game, but he only played 11 games due to injury and at 32 years of age, his body is beginning to break down.
Coach Chris Scott may have a big decision to make with Bartel in 2016 – will he continue to play him or opt to get some more games into the younger midfield talent? It’s a question that needs to be asked.
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