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.
Don Freo
Guest
Wiggy with negatives about another club again! You've mentioned at least 12 potential stars...and dismissed them all in that Hawthorn style hope that they will all get injured. Sammy Mitchell can't knee them all. Hodgey is too slow to punch them all and Stevic won't get to umpire every Geelong v Hawthorn game. Lots of wishful thinking there Wiggy.
Nicholas Mirarchi
Roar Guru
It will be cool too see Dangerfield and J. Selwood in the same team, I think everyone is overating there premiership hopes but. Lot's of injury prone players, and guys like caddy, duncan ect need to take the next step, will be a very interesting year for them and there recruits. I can see them finishing top 6 at best.
Andrew
Guest
I reckon the forward line will take it too another level without Stevie J. While extremely talented, was equally selfish and demanded it be kicked to him. The younger players can now take ownership and step up without him there. The back line is the weak link. Kolodjashnji needs plenty of field time and made integral to the side, otherwise he'll walk next time his contracts up.
WhereIsGene
Guest
The big worry for Geelong is so many injury-prone players. Clark, Scott Selwood, Menzel, Vardy, Stanley, Smith just for starters, plus others on their list like Duncan, Hawkins & Motlop to a lesser extent. If everyone on their list gets through most of the year unscathed they could be a real flag chance but the odds of that happening are not something I would be betting money on. Their backline is also ancient with Mackie, Enright, Lonergan, Taylor & Bartel. Probably the oldest & slowest defense in the league and its hard not to see them leaking goals. Their other problem is the forwardline. Hawkins is their only proven goalkicker, unless you count Mitch Clark who has plenty of potential but has never really put it together for an entire season. Vardy & Menzel are bonuses if they can stay on the park, not the kinds of players they'd want to be relying on, and Motlop is really their only decent true small forward.. the rest are midfielders. They struggled to kick goals last year and they'll be without Stevie J this season. Too many of their most important players are close to retirement age or injury prone, and their kids have not set the world on fire. Dangerfield will help but he wasn't enough to secure Adelaide a top 4 spot and I rate the Crows as a more talented team than Geelong these days. The Cats are going to be one of the big disappointments of the season after being talked up the way Brisbane were after recruiting Beams last year.
DeanM
Guest
Makes it even more of a problem when both Hawkins and Choke are very average key forwards. Don't know what the Hawks were doing back then? So many options and the midfield were so 1 eyed for Franklin.
Frank R
Roar Rookie
too one dimensional going foward though Hawkins.same problem the hwks had with Buddy up forward the the pies have with Cloke