Where to now for Geelong, given their humbling at the hands of Fremantle down at their home fortress?
The reigning premiers have won nine and lost nine, thrown in a draw for good measure, and sit ninth on the ladder. In fact, ninth, tenth and eleventh on the ladder are occupied by Geelong, Sydney and Richmond – three clubs that have tried to orchestrate a way to stay ever competitive in the face of equalisation.
Some pundits and even Cats fans may have thought that they could contend again this year, if only they could build momentum and do some damage in September. It’s not going to happen.
Every season, it seems there’s a fading powerhouse that appears as if they could make a run at the flag. It’s a nice narrative, but it’s never actually happened.
The middle of the ladder is jam-packed at the moment. Sydney are on the rise again. Richmond are desperate to make finals in order to justify their investment in Tim Taranto and Jacob Hopper. Adelaide and Essendon have reasons to cling to hope, and a run home that gives them a chance. These teams are going to keep giving it all they’ve got.
Patrick Dangerfield. (Photo by Quinn Rooney/Getty Images)
Geelong, meanwhile, have Port, Collingwood and finals-bound St Kilda and Western Bulldogs. Do they put the cue in the rack, slide to 13th, and hit 2024 with a great draft pick and a full rest for the first time in eight years?
It’s not even slightly in Chris Scott’s DNA of course, even though it would be for the best. They don’t fear any of the teams above them either, but have just never really got going this year.
Injuries have been a factor, with the engine room impacted most of all.
2022 co-best and fairest Cam Guthrie has played only six games. Patrick Dangerfield missed a couple of months. Rhys Stanley was out for 10 weeks. Mitch Duncan hasn’t been free of injuries since Doug Wade was playing full-forward. Isaac Smith has run out of steam as the season has gone on, and looked perilously close to falling off a cliff.
Max Holmes is exceptionally talented but still so young, and has started to have a few down games after shouldering more of a burden than he can rightfully carry. Tom Atkins has been thrust into the midfield, and he’s magnificently valiant, but is in a role that’s too big for his ability and athleticism. Tanner Bruhn isn’t there yet.
The upshot is that the Cats have been consistently destroyed in the midfield.
The backline is the only reason this team is still some chance of making finals, and even then it’s as much about Tom Stewart as it is the back six. The forward line still has the experience and knowhow of Tom Hawkins and Jeremy Cameron, Gryan Miers is having a career year, and Ollie Henry is making down payments on an exciting future every week.
(Photo by Sarah Reed/AFL Photos via Getty Images)
The thing with Geelong is that they’ve always relied largely on specific personnel, which makes sense given they’ve mostly been selected and hand-picked, either from other clubs or mature age, being brought in to cover a weakness or fill a hole. This wasn’t a dynasty that has been raised together. As such, they have struggled to cover the weight of losses.
Zach Tuohy will surely hang up the boots at year’s end. Duncan perhaps should, with Jack Bowes being groomed as a poor man’s version. Smith should make way for the Mitch Knevitt/Oliver Dempsey types, but will he?
The path of a premiership team is always followed closely. Geelong being the oldest team to win on grand final day meant their follow-up was in danger of being something exactly like this.
What they look like in Round 1 next year will be intriguing, and what sort of season they can put together, doubly so.
Charlie Keegan
Roar Guru
I mean yeah I tried to remember the last soft tissue injury tom Hawkins and for the life of me I could not remember
Bangkokpussey
Roar Rookie
Was it a case of giving their all in 22 combined with a short pre season? Injuries were definitely the killer for Geelong this season with up to 8 or nine players out some weeks. Nearly every player if not all have missed games with injury time possibly partly due to an aging list and just bad luck and any decent cohesion in the team has suffered because of this. Other teams with younger players have improved this season while Geelong has clearly not. The upside if it can be called that, is in spite of the number of injuries Geelong has not really been badly beaten. As you say Cameron, the smart thing would be to play the youngsters and be in a better draft position but I doubt that is in Geelongs DNA.
Pedro_Riccardi
Roar Rookie
We had a horrible start to the year with injury, particularly down back, felt like we lost a key position player in the first quarter of at least 3 or 4 games. So we didn’t bank many early wins. In recent weeks our general form, lack of cohesion and the loss of Blics and Hawks, I think it’s going to be tough for us to make finals and certainly we are a long shot to win it, which feels strange as that first quarter against the Bombers was electric and wasn’t that long ago. However I still think there is a false dichotomy of recruit or go to the draft, you have to juggle both. Embarrassed to remind everyone but we picked up Tanner Bruhn, Ollie Henry, Jack Bowes and Jhye Clark last year following a Premiership.
Chanon
Roar Rookie
Franklin in cat colours in 24’ & 25’, never say never.
Nick
Roar Rookie
Don't sound too jealous that Selwood got to do 355 times more than you got to even do once.
Nick
Roar Rookie
Macca, Carlton is by far the most dangerous team in the bottom half of the 8. No one would want to face them on the MCG.
Don Freo
Roar Rookie
You actually think questioning a man's masculinity and sexuality is a powerful argument? Do you even see it as an insult? What kind of person does that?
Don Freo
Roar Rookie
Your appraisal of my honesty is dishonest.
RT
Roar Rookie
Not strange at all. Accurate.
Don Freo
Roar Rookie
What a strange thing to say. Freo can still make the 8 with 12 wins. Depends on one of the Saints games.
RT
Roar Rookie
You are not honest with your so-called opinions that you give here.
Knackaz
Roar Rookie
Yes Don, good win down at the Cattery again. I was barracking for Freo, but I always barrack against Geelong …
Knackaz
Roar Rookie
You forgot to mention that Tom Hawkins is close to being done, his old man injury the precursor to the obvious. This will leave a huge hole in the forward line like Buddy’s retirement will in Sydney. But Geelong don’t have the young key forwards coming through like the Bloods. Father Time comes for us all and Danger can’t have much longer to go either, nor Rhys Stanley. Geelong have no obvious first choice ruckman on the list either, and they don’t just grow on trees …
Don Freo
Roar Rookie
Honest? Strange.
sunnycoasttiger
Roar Rookie
Too many head knocks at private school, Donsy? The cool kids didn't tolerate pansies back in the day, did they?
penguin
Roar Rookie
Love it Don, you provocateur!
RT
Roar Rookie
I'd check the fixture if you were honest.
Chanon
Roar Rookie
Funny it took till Tuesday evening for the beans to be spilt.They are tight lipped in the land of the tongue.
Don Freo
Roar Rookie
I just wanted to use the word 'furtive'. It's so evocative and, on social media, provocative.
Chanon
Roar Rookie
10pm ain’t late night. Watching cricket is fine but maybe at home would be better suited rather than a fuming Geelong supporter he.l bent on redemption at a local den.