Adelaide wantaway Jenkins could hold key to solving Geelong’s premiership puzzle
Former Crows forward Josh Jenkins once said his mate Patrick Dangerfield should have stayed at Adelaide to win a flag. Now, he could play a key role in helping the Cats to success, writes Grady Hudd.
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DURING the 2017 finals campaign Josh Jenkins boldly declared if his ex-teammate Patrick Dangerfield hadn’t defected to Geelong, then maybe he’d be a premiership player with Adelaide.
The Crows had already booked a home preliminary final, and the Cats hoped to meet them there – but first had to overcome Sydney.
“If he (Dangerfield) marches into town with his Geelong teammates, there’d be nothing better than beating him and reminding him that perhaps he should have stuck around with us and he could become a Brownlow medallist and a premiership player,” Jenkins said at the time.
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While Adelaide did eventually smash the Cats in the prelim, they fell short against Richmond in the big dance – setting the club on a downward spiral that would, ultimately, result in a full review of its football department, the stepping down of its coach and captain, the appointment of new coach Matthew Nicks, and the removal of its footy boss and long-term assistant coach.
Ironically, two seasons later Geelong looks closer to winning a flag than Adelaide and Jenkins – who had Dangerfield in his corner throughout the trade period, and pushing for his recruitment behind the scenes – could well go some way to solving its premiership puzzle.
With the Crows putting their former forward on the scrap heap and, effectively, letting him go for nothing – they received pick 37 in exchange for a future third-round selection tied to Gold Coast (likely to be in the 30s) – there was nothing but upside for the Cats in getting Jenkins to Kardinia Park.
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Because of Jenkins’ polarising nature – there were talks of a rift between him and now departed coach Don Pyke earlier this year – and the subsequent ugly public fallout with Adelaide, his value as a footballer has been somewhat overlooked, or difficult to quantify.
It’s one of the reasons it took until the dying seconds of the 2019 trade period for Geelong to pull the trigger on bringing him to the Cattery.
At 30-years-old, which for many key forwards is still in their prime, Jenkins has consistently done what other Geelong goal-kickers – Tom Hawkins the only exception – have struggled to do in recent times.
That is, kick goals.
In 11 games last year Jenkins returned only 22 majors as he fell out of favour at West Lakes, but in the seasons before that he booted 46, 45, 62, 46 and 40 majors.
Lovely stuff from Josh Jenkins!#AFLCrowsGiants pic.twitter.com/hpzrBywEh0
— AFL (@AFL) June 8, 2019
Comparatively, only once in the past six seasons had a second-string Geelong forward, behind Hawkins, returned more than 40 goals – Dangerfield (45) and Daniel Menzel (40) in 2017, and the latter is no longer at the club and was recently dumped by Sydney.
When you take a closer look at the Cats’ second best avenue to goals in those seasons – Gary Ablett Jnr (34) in 2019, Menzel (27) again in 2018, Steven Motlop (38) in 2016, Steve Johnson (30) in 2015, and Jimmy Bartel (27) in 2014 – it becomes clear why they’ve fallen short in four preliminary final attempts during that period.
Hawkins aside, Geelong has lacked a consistent support act in front of the big sticks for years.
The deficiency was laid bare in this year’s prelim when in Hawkins’ absence the Cats kicked only nine goals for the game – and just two after half-time – as they coughed up a 21-point lead against eventual premiers Richmond.
Lachie Henderson battled admirably but had little impact as Hawkins’ replacement, however when your hopes are pitted on a bloke who hadn’t kicked a goal in the previous two seasons – and one month later ends up being delisted – then it’s clear there’s depth issues with your tall forward stocks.
The only other names thrown up to do the job were veteran defender Harry Taylor, first year Central District export Darcy Fort and youngster Wylie Buzza, who has been linked with Port Adelaide since being let go by Geelong.
Jenkins, speaking with the media in his first official presser in Cats colours earlier this week, said “I’m not going in with any expectations or demands or anything like that”.
“I’m just really excited about going down and being a part of a footy club which has got great belief … and can consistently play finals footy,” he said.
“Where I fit in, I’m not sure.
“Obviously that will play itself out over summer and once we get stuck into games, but I’m just excited for a fresh start and I can’t wait to get down there.”
With young gun Esava Ratugolea finding his feet in a ruck-forward role, Ablett Jnr going around again, and rising star Gryan Miers laying on the pressure alongside Luke Dalhaus – and if Hawkins can find a way to make it through the season without suspension – Jenkins may just be the final piece needed to complete Geelong’s forward line.
And potentially solve its premiership puzzle.