The 2020 grand final was an excellent match, full of symbolism.
Gary Ablett Jr’s final appearance gave the match a gravitas perhaps unrepeatable with any other retiring AFL star. Then you had Dustin Martin scoring four otherworldly goals, a repeat of his 2019 grand final, and a third Norm Smith medal in another repeat.
But the main freaky symbolism came from the match repeating the 2019 Tigers-Cats preliminary final exactly.
Just like 2019, Richmond scored consecutive goals early, but Geelong worked their way back in. Just like 2019, Geelong took the lead at quarter time. Just like 201,9 Geelong dominated the second quarter but only kicked three goals to one after Richmond’s defence held firm. Geelong’s highest lead was 21, then a year later 22 points. Just like 2019, Richmond scored in the second and fifth minutes after half time to instantaneously flip the game. They kicked eight goals to two after half time in 2019 and nine goals to two in 2020.
Take a look at the last quarter of both the wins against Port Adelaide and Geelong in 2020. Damien Hardwick’s side held a two-point lead both times with the game on the line. Both quarters featured the Tigers sticking to fundamentals beautifully – holding their marks, making sure clearance kicks didn’t go out on the full, unexpectantly dominating clearances. The simple things.
In the last quarter of the grand final, we saw Kane Lambert scooping up a difficult half-volley to assist Dion Prestia’s first-minute goal. This was followed by Tom Hawkins dropping a chest mark.
Nathan Broad then held a difficult running mark in the goal square, running backwards. Another low-key moment when you knew the reigning premiers were too good was when a Jack Graham tackle in defence led to Shane Edawards, him and Jayden Short combining with tight handballs for Short’s clearance, a brilliant piece of defence. Noah Balta then took a mark leading to Dusty’s killer third goal.
Geelong in contrast saw their defenders shank a number of clearances out on the full all match.
This is why Jeremy Cameron will make no difference to Geelong winning the 2021 premiership. Geelong cannot win because a premiership is won with the bottom 11 of a team’s 22 contributing. It does not matter how stacked the top 11 are if the rest of the team can’t come through.
Richmond have won all these premierships because their nobodies are all good. Geelong’s nobodies are simply nobodies.
Geelong won two excellent finals in 2020, along with powerful wins against Brisbane, Port Adelaide and St Kilda mid-year. They are an excellent organisation endlessly capable of reinvention and brave with their playing strategies. I could hardly believe pure passing was possible in the AFL until I saw Geelong eviscerate Collingwood.
But I tend to think the grand final berth flattered them. Port Adelaide, a speedy young team, ran them down in the second half and were likely a better team in 2020.
Richmond’s only major loss these years was the Collingwood preliminary in 2018, a match that grows more mythical as the Tigers keep adding premierships.
Why Mason Cox single-handedly gets the credit when the Pies were already up five goals to one and blitzing the Tigers is pure sensationalism. The Pies were speedy that night, frenetic. Richmond, out of form, simply could not keep up with them.
My feeling is the fast Port would have also beaten the Tigers in 2020 but for the rain, which always favours more experienced teams.
Now, Geelong are a lot of things but they are not speedy. That is one reason why they cannot beat Richmond who, at least defensively, are fast as well as strong.
Richmond are not the be-all and end-all of season 2021. Things change and new teams will emerge. But speed is potentially the way to beat Richmond and Geelong are not the team to do it.
Jeremy Cameron is not 22 players who fulfil their jobs like Richmond are. He is but a man.
Maurice
Guest
Your logic suggests there should only be 2 coaches with the creditails to coach . Hardwick and Clarkson . With no credit given to having a competitive team every year.?
Mooty
Roar Rookie
Even if either of them win, which I greatly doubt with Collingwood and give Geelong a 20% chance, it’s still a lousy return of two flags for a combined 21 years
Andrew
Guest
Just bookmarked this page so I can come find you at seasons end ;-P
Marty Gleason
Roar Guru
My logic is that Geelong´s bottom 11 don´t contribute enough to win a premiership, and it´s been that way for at least half a decade. That´s the gist of the article I suppose, the rest is just dressing it up.
Marty Gleason
Roar Guru
Scott I understand him keeping his job, Buckley I don´t really. If anything Scott did more to keep his job than, say, Mark Thompson did to keep his between 2000-6.
Marty Gleason
Roar Guru
In my opinion Geelong were very on top in the first half against Port but never really looked very penetrative on goal. Hawkins may have missed one gimme but otherwise when Port got a roll after half-time they scored goals far more easily than Geelong. I'll concede that Geelong were vaguely on top all of quarters 1, 2, and 4, but their attack was never very functional that match.
AJ73
Roar Rookie
However, for all you know, Geelong could be hot in September. You are cherry-picking your starting point. Before the season, the Tigers (2017) and Cats (2021) are no different. Quirks of the draw allow Richmond to play home finals as the away team. And by the way, I have believed ever since the Eagles & Bears joined that all finals up to the GF should be played at the home team's ground. For me, it was an issue long before the success of the Tigers. And good on the Tigers for taking advantage of those quirks.
Puntroad
Roar Rookie
Is that Gary Rohan who has played in more finals than he’s had possessions? Yep, he’s the man.
Mooty
Roar Rookie
It will be ten years this year since Geelong have saluted on Grand Final day, one year less than Collingwood and yet both retain their coaches. This is unprecedented in modern day professional football. Both Buckley and Scott have the worst finals losing percentages. Their combined premiership record is one flag in the first or second season, none in the following seventeen seasons total. How do they hold their jobs
Bobby
Guest
I suggest you rewatch the port match. Cats kicking was average but it was an even contest. They did look poor v swans and tiges, but who doesn’t look poor in their losses? They also looked brilliant against pies and lions yet you don’t mention that? Why not?
Marty Gleason
Roar Guru
I am never that sure if Geelong is fair dinkum or not. They were the best team of the first half of 2019. In 2020 they had some great wins as I said but also looked bang average against Richmond (R17), Sydney then arguably Port late in the season. So I dunno.
Bobby
Guest
I think the way the cats win the premiership is by someone else knocking out richmond. If port had got over the line in the prelim, i am confident the cats (given their record on the gabba last year) would have won. i know bad kicking is bad football, but the cats kicked themselves out of it on port's home deck in the qualifying final. so please some other team stand up and beat richmond basically!!
pablocruz
Roar Rookie
Yaayyy! Bring it on.
Boo
Guest
Marty , I agree with you hard to flip game plan one year to the next but have a feeling the on the mark rule is going to have a huge impact with speeding up the play .Which sides benefit I'm not sure would be at the TAB if I knew .Apparently , the change was brought in to offset the Tigers tactics on the mark so will have to wait and see.
Boo
Guest
Pablo Cruz good luck to whoever you support yay the footy starts .
Marty Gleason
Roar Guru
Your last sentence is certainly true for all of us. To judge Geelong's 2021 on the 2020 Grand Final is definitely harsh as you say, having said that a team cannot simply flip their characteristics overnight. Rowan is only one guy and doesn't get a hell of a lot of the ball. Cheers for comment.
Boo
Guest
Do you know the selected sides for the Grand final ? Geelong aren't boasting about winning the flag .Yes there is hype but to say this that and the other now is premature .When Polly came over in 62 he did his knee and was out for the year the same could happen to Cameron or Dusty .To say Geelong can't win because of last year's side is pointless I very much doubt any team will resemble exactly last year's particularly with the rule changes .In terms of your argument re leg speed assuming Clarke plays regularly coupled with Stanley there's two Grand Final Sprint winners with Rowan faster and.Dangerfield not far behind .Anyway AFL starts tomorrow and us key board experts will rejoice and.bemoan our predictions .
Marty Gleason
Roar Guru
But Geelong´s topping up has not been a failure, except in terms of winning the premiership. They are still part of the conversation, while Hawthorn, who did the same thing, are not any more. Meanwhile Geelong’s keepings-off wins against Collingwood and Brisbane were very good, I myself didn’t know they had it in them. I rate Cameron, Higgins is old so hard to tell, suspect Smith has nothing left. It´s not a given that Hawkins and Cameron (and Dangerfield?) learn to play together. Cheers!
pablocruz
Roar Rookie
Could not agree more, Marty! The Cats rely too heavily on their ageing stars who, quite frankly, lack leg speed. This is part of the reason they play this tiki taka keepings off style of footy. Looks great against the lesser sides but doesn't cut it when things heat up. I'm also of the opinion that J. Cameron isn't the messiah and may even complicate things for Geelong on their skinny home ground in particular. Of their 3 elderly recruits I think Higgins may be of most value. Also agree with you that the likes of Baker, who played a ripping GF, Balta, Graham, Short etc. are becoming just as important as our elder statesmen. Too many opposition fans focus on the majesty of Dusty, this is a huge mistake. Richmond are probably the most even team in the league so it's no surprise they are enjoying huge success. I'm really expecting Geelong's recent recruiting to be an unequivocal failure in hindsight.
Marty Gleason
Roar Guru
Geelong's supposed "last chance" was years ago but they keep re-writing the rule book. I'll never write them off the top 4 but for reasons above I suppose I just wrote an entire article writing off their prem chances. :laughing: Richmond seem to be more dependent on guys like Baker, Balta, Short, Graham etc etc while Houli, Edwards and the older ones can potentially be phased out. I don't think Geelong ever made that generational switch.