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James Podsiadly of Geelong celebrates a goal during the AFL Round 06 match between the Geelong Cats and the Richmond Tigers at Skilled Stadium, Geelong. Slattery Images
The best player in the competition is gone. The respected senior coach is gone. A long-serving assistant is gone. Two young players with potential are gone. Another premiership hero, as of yesterday, is now gone. And the president who saved the club, he’s about to be gone.
On the surface, that is where Geelong are at right now – falling apart, disintegrating, capitulating, insert your own description here.
And it’s hard to disagree with any of those things. President Frank Costa’s been on the way out all year. Gary Ablett’s left for the Gold Coast. Mark Thompson’s left (possibly for Essendon). His assistant Brendan McCartney is headed for Windy Hill despite three years remaining on his contract.
Then yesterday, when Cats fans thought it couldn’t get any worse, dual premiership player Max Rooke was forced into an early retirement.
All does not seem well at the Cattery, for the first time in a long time.
Yet despite all the drama that’s been going on, Geelong still seem to think they are premiership contenders. CEO Brian Cook has admitted as much, and trade week simply reinforced that notion in a rather alarming manner.
The odd part of promising defender Jeremy Laidler’s exit to Carlton was that 33 year-old Darren Milburn getting another contract was supposedly a big factor. It’s unusual for a club to back a player with only one season left in him – if that – over one that may have another eight or so years of football ahead of him.
It’s certainly unusual for a club in Geelong’s position.
It should be remembered that the two other “dominant” teams from recent history, Essendon and the Brisbane Lions, have each made the finals only once since 2004. Similarly, West Coast have gone from premiers in 2006 to wooden spooners this year.
For the Cats to avoid a similar fate, you’d think not overemphasising the past and turning to youth would be two very important considerations.
But this is a club that thinks it can still win a premiership.
And look, maybe they can. Only one regular best 22 player from this year won’t be back next season (Ablett) – everyone else will, at this stage, return.
Maybe a new coach is exactly what’s needed right now. St Kilda’s efforts this season show that sometimes we overestimate the impact of off-field dramas. Plus, if Tom Hawkins and some younger types step up, perhaps anything’s possible.
The only problem is, shooting for another premiership is a huge gamble. If it doesn’t work out, which is the more likely of the two possible outcomes, it seems like the kind of decision the club will regret.
Geelong right now are either being smart or very delusional. We’ll have our answer next September.