Geelong’s forward line is a lot like Justin Bieber: every time you see it, it looks different.
Tom Hawkins has been Geelong’s most commanding figure inside the forward 50 since his 2011 grand final heroics. He is a colossus that demands the football and the opposition’s best defender. He has kicked three or more goals on nine occasions this year and controls the forward half.
Unfortunately he missed three games during the season due to two separate striking offences.
During the preseason Harry Taylor shifted forward to become a second tall target. After a slow start to the year Taylor settled into his forward role and has two five-goal hauls to his name. He also claimed the scalp of Alex Rance in Geelong’s Round 21 win over Richmond.
However, his move has not been permanent. Taylor has swung between attack and defence throughout the year, and his position is largely decided on a needs basis. Every week Chris Scott and his coaching team debate which end of the ground suits team balance and the opposition.
Daniel Menzel has been the other regular marking option and has kicked 38 goals this year. He is a medium-sized forward who is also good below his feet. His well-documented knee injuries mean he is managed during the year and has played a total of 17 matches in 2017.
Then there are the small forwards, and their continuity is even more unsettled. Nakia Cockatoo, Stephen Motlop, Brandan Parfitt and Lincoln McCarthy have only played one game together, and that was the Round 1 victory over Fremantle.
McCarthy has not played since Round 3 and has undergone season-ending groin and hip surgeries. Parfitt suffered a significant hamstring injury that saw him miss nine consecutive rounds. Cockatoo’s hamstring and thumb troubles have restricted him to 13 games this year, and in two of those he did not make it to quarter-time. Meanwhile, Motlop has missed a handful of games along the way.
Each player is in Scott’s best team and arguably the starting 18. They all offer different dynamics and strengths that complement not only each other but also the rest of the forward line.
(Image: Michael Dodge/Getty Images)
McCarthy is talented on both sides of his feet and has good hands for his size. His speed is a real asset, and he can keep the ball locked in Geelong’s forward line. Parfitt has wonderful poise and has not looked out of place in his first year. His decision-making is matched by sure foot skills, while his defensive pressure has seen him average four tackles a game.
Motlop might not be consistently impacting games like a couple of seasons ago, but he is a match-winner and has the ability to make something out of nothing. He is averaging just under 20 touches and a goal per game this year.
The final part of the quartet is Cockatoo, and there is something about him. He loves the contest and he tackles with intent. He has speed to burn and can do the impossible. He is a bull at stoppages and can take a contested grab. No wonder Scott said, “It speaks to how highly we rate him that he came back into the side,” after Cockatoo re-injured his hamstring against Carlton.
“In terms of performance, players of his age tend not to miss big chunks of game time and walk straight back into the AFL 22, but we did that for a few reasons.
“One, because we rate him so highly as a player, and I think we saw things that showed that tonight, but also we’ve been happy to say publicly we are looking to get the group of players, particularly in our forward half, playing together for as much as possible before the end of the season because for reasons outside of our control, we just haven’t been able to achieve that.”
Scott’s reference to the injury woes that have restricted Geelong’s ability to settle on their preferred forward setup poses a conundrum. At full strength Geelong’s forwards offer variety, multiple scoring options and offensive and defensive power, especially when you throw in a bloke called Patrick Dangerfield. The problem is: will they all be there for the finals?
McCarthy is out. Cockatoo has not played since Round 19. Motlop and Menzel have now played three in a row and Parfitt and Hawkins just returned to the side last week.
If everything goes right during September, the jukebox could be turned to Bieber’s song Believe and the Geelong faithful could dare to dream about premiership glory. But if there are more forward-half mishaps, injuries or suspensions, hopefully Bieber’s Sorry won’t come into contention.
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