Who are the Cats players who should play to their optimum level in 2021? To be eligible for selection, a player must have played at least five games in 2020, so there can be a reference point as far as those players who apply their talent the best at AFL level.
There were some tough choices made, leaving various players out, but the toughest choice was made regarding the selection of Patrick Dangerfield.
When the likes of Joel Selwood, as well as recruits Jeremy Cameron and Isaac Smith, don’t make the cut then there’s bound to be competition for a place in the Cats’ best 22 in 2021.
Here are the ten players (plus an honourable mention) who will stand out from the pack in season 2021.
Honourable mention
Brandan Parfitt worked hard defensively with the highest average tackles for the Cats, with 5.94 tackles per game, in season 2020. He featured in 18 games.
Parfitt had 23 tackles in the Cats’ last three finals games. It’s a make or break year for him in season 2021.
10. Shaun Higgins
Higgins should be a revelation for the Cats if his consistent performance in season 2020 is anything to go by; he averaged the most disposals of any Kangaroos player with an average of 21.35 disposals per game.
He had a respectable disposal efficiency average of 75.50 per cent. The Cats wouldn’t have signed him for two years, despite the fact that he is turning 33 this year, if they didn’t believe he had the talent and ability to play to a decent level.
9. Jed Bews
Bews finished seventh in the Cats best and fairest in season 2020, featuring in 20 games.
He had the fifth-highest disposal efficiency of any Cats player with an average of 77.52 per cent. Expect him to be a consistent performer and look for him to maintain his position and contribute in the Cats’ best 22.
8. Jack Henry
Henry played every game in season 2021. He averaged a respectable 3.90 marks per game.
Henry had the ninth highest disposal efficiency with an average of 75.10 per cent. Expect him to gain confidence from finishing eighth in the Cats best and fairest.
He will have more onus on him from the perspective of his importance to the team, given the retirement of Harry Taylor. Along with that, Lachie Henderson is coming towards the end of his career and Mark Blicavs can play at centre halfback, but is a utility who plays the role of a second ruckman.
Expect Henry to improve and grasp the opportunity of the team being more reliant on him.
7. Tom Hawkins
Hawkins was picked at full-forward in the All Australian team in season 2020 and he also won the Coleman Medal. He featured in all 21 games that the Cats played in, with an average of 2.33 goals per game and he finished second in the Cats best and fairest.
There should be less onus on him to play at his optimum level is season 2021, given the recruitment of key forward Jeremy Cameron from the Giants.
(Photo by Quinn Rooney/Getty Images)
6. Patrick Dangerfield
Danger featured in every game the Cats played in season 2020 and was named captain of the team, on a half-forward flank. Despite that fact, he finished fourth in the Cats best and fairest.
He’s had an interrupted pre-season, due to injury, which should hinder the endeavour he can exert in the opening few games. Regardless of that impediment, he will be doing everything within his power to get the Cats back to the grand final and contending for a premiership in season 2021.
To combat his injury, he may play more forward time.
5. Sam Menegola
Menegola was named in the All Australian squad in season 2020 and it could be argued he warranted a spot on the wing when the final 22 players were selected. Despite that, he finished sixth in the Cats best and fairest.
He featured in every game, with the second-highest average disposals of any Cats player, with an average of 21.19 disposals per game. He is a player that reads the game exceptionally well, which can be summed up by the mark and the subsequent set shot goal he kicked from outside fifty that would have gone down in history had the Cats won the premiership in 2020.
He is a player that doesn’t have to overwork, given the manner in which he anticipates situations where the ball is in dispute.
(Photo by Albert Perez/Getty Images)
4. Mitch Duncan
Duncan averaged the fourth most disposals of any Cats player in season 2020 with an average of 20.35 disposals per game. He featured in 20 of the 21 games that the Cats played.
Despite not being selected in the All Australian squad, he finished fifth in the Cats best and fairest, one place above Menegola. The fact that Duncan had an average of 3.40 tackles per game, the sixth-highest of any Cats player, is a clear indicator that he’s willing to work hard on the defensive side of his game.
3. Mark Blicavs
Blicavs featured in the All Australian squad in season 2020. He is a player that puts in a lot of work and applies himself well; he doesn’t take his position in the Cats’ best 22 for granted.
He played every game in 2020 and finished third in their best and fairest. He would like to improve on his average of 12.52 disposals per game in season 2020.
Despite that, he had the highest disposal efficiency average of any Cats player with 84.82 per cent. He averaged 8.62 hit outs per game, which clearly indicates he is a utility player that can play as a second ruckman.
2. Tom Stewart
Stewart featured in 18 games in 2020. He is a player that never shirks a contest.
He was particularly impressive in the grand final, where he created plenty of run out of defence. He averaged the fifth-highest disposals of any Cats player in season 2020, with an average of 19.11 disposals per game.
He had the third-highest disposal efficiency of any Cat in 2020 with an average of 82.57 per cent, which is impressive for a defender.
1. Cameron Guthrie
Guthrie was selected on the wing in the 2020 All Australian team. Despite that, he is more of an inside midfielder, with Duncan and Menegola normally playing on the wing.
He won the Cats’ best and fairest in 2020 and averaged the most disposals of any Cat with an average of 21.33 disposals per game.
He has the ability to keep on performing at an optimum level in season 2021 as he is still under 30 years of age and has become a regular and imperative part of the Cats team.
Bangkokpussey
Roar Rookie
Probably because Geelong has many senior players. That will open up opportunities for younger players over the next few years, combined with the best chance of playing finals football.
Bangkokpussey
Roar Rookie
Blicavs a ‘utility’ player? Geelong wish. They’ve insisted on this being the case for way too long. When on the ball or on a wing he is all too often caught in two minds resulting in poor decision making and/or disposal. Yet Blix's percentage of effective disposals is 85% over 21 games for 2020, which is above every Richmond player.
Mark
Roar Rookie
How strange that anyone would talk about the Cats in an article that is about the Cats! Taljabout obsessed! :laughing:
sven
Roar Rookie
with all due respect to ablett at that stage of career (it was his last game) he was prob less important to cats than vlaustin is to the tiges & he was able to come back on even though he was obviously struggling. simpson didnt get knocked out till the game was virtually over. danger did a groin did he ? that maybe explains his lack of impact after 1/2 time, although thats balanced out by houli doing a calf if we're gunna do a balance sheet on the 2 teams
Thatsashame
Roar Rookie
I think that was balanced out by Simpson and Abletr going down immediately as well as Danger with a groin
Cat
Roar Guru
Why? He gets results.
pablocruz
Roar Rookie
Not obsessed at all. Just reminding Cats' fans their side are our bunnies despite them continually advocating that they couldawouldashoulda beaten the Tiges in their past two or three finals match-ups. We were your bunnies for a couple of decades much to the enjoyment of Cats' fans. They must be hurting now!
pablocruz
Roar Rookie
Yes, you're right. Perhaps they can't handle the extra speed and heat of finals footy. And yes, right again. Lacking in young talent. Many of their younguns leave because of a lack of opportunity. Jordan Clark may be next considering they've picked up Smith and Higgins. Why would a young fella want to be drafted by Geelong?
Andrew
Guest
Geelong’s second major problem is its appalling finals record. Is it 4 of the last 13 that they have won? However their major problem is their old and slow list with not a lot of young talent evident among their playing stock.
Andrew
Guest
Except old age.
Andrew
Guest
Could someone please fix his kicking technique.
Joe
Guest
Why are Tiger supporters so obsessed with Geelong lmao. Anyone would think Geelong beat them last year the way they whine about the Cats.
Boo
Guest
Fair call Eddie from Elwood 2013 prelim, 2019 prelim and 2020 Geelong in strong positions and fell away badly .
Eddie from Elwood
Roar Rookie
Nothing to do with the conditions, or the weather, or Stagerfield’s groin. They lost because they don’t have poise when the pressure is dialled up! Cameron is just another lightweight when everything is on the line, have a look at his finals record of late! Until they get the grey matter sorted, it will be much the same in 2021!
sven
Roar Rookie
dont necessarily agree with this often quoted theory that the cats woulda won in dry conditions, if the cats had been a bit less wasteful in front of goals when they had the ascendancy they may have built a big enough buffer to hold off the tiges 2nd half (mind u they also did kick some rippers which even out some of the misses somewhat).... the rain stopped before the game so the worst conditions were in the first half when the cats were on top, conditions got better as the game went on (when the tiges ran all over the cats), so that to me negates this theory that the cats woulda won if it was dry ..... one thing that doesnt get mentioned a lot is how significant the loss of vlaustin was to the tiges, after he went down we looked very uncharacteristically disorganized in the backline at times which geelong took full advantage of. eventually we were able to reorganize a bit better which helped the teams performance enormously ... wouldnt mind betting the coaching staff will be looking hard over summer at ways to better cover situations like that going forward
Boo
Guest
Realist they say you can't tell a race horse owner his horse can't run Geelong supporters are glass half full it's never the team .Its half the beauty of the side supporters love the players no matter what as a kid listening to 3GL the commentators seldom mentioned an opposition player if the ball went into there forward line it would be Malarkeys in good position to repel this attack or whatever .Richmond's quick ball movement is as good as any tactic any side has played and if they win it this year the question has to be asked are they the greatest ever .Three GF daylight to second so far .
Boo
Guest
Not a get out of jail card after his 3rd Normie and the way he played I actually think he is a better player than Senior when hasn't Martin delivered .2020 GF reminded me of 92 on top till late in the 2nd QTR than Matera killed us as did Martin .Sure other Richmond guys played well and there is no dispute they are the better side but Martin is in a class of his own .
Dave Dobbans
Guest
Gotta wonder whether Cameron and Hawkins will play well together. The parallel you would draw is Lynch and Riewoldt at richmond, but Jack is a much more mobile and versatile forward than Hawkins; jack was willing to play 2nd fiddle to Lynch. Coming off a career best season, will Hawkins (imho the best power forward in the game) be willing to make space for Cameron? Or will Cameron be able to accept playing the lesser role after so many years being “the man” at GWS? Will be a fascinating subplot to 2021
pablocruz
Roar Rookie
Baker and Pickett were awesome in the first half! Kept us in touch. Short? Magnificent game. Nank played a beauty, very underrated. The list goes on. Dusty was great but certainly didn't do it on his own. That's merely an opposition Get out of Jail card.
Mark
Roar Rookie
There’s a consistent theme amongst Cats Supporters when talking about their Team's recent Finals performances. Its always that they coulda, woulda, shoulda beat Richmond! They seem to find it hard to accept that Richmond has been the better Team on each occasion and have deserved to be the victor. I honestly don't see that changing.