Geelong’s youth leading the way towards another flag tilt, writes Matthew Lloyd
A GAP is opening up between Richmond and the rest of the competition, according to MATTHEW LLOYD, but Geelong could be the Tigers’ main challenger but it won’t be because of Ablett, Dangerfield and Selwood.
Matthew Lloyd
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IN Chris Scott’s 172-game coaching career at the helm of the Geelong Football Club, last weekend’s side that ran out 34-point victors over Port Adelaide was the least experienced side Scott had ever coached.
With no Gary Ablett, Tom Hawkins, Harry Taylor or Lachie Henderson, it was a super win on the road at Adelaide Oval with a squad that is regenerating right before our eyes.
It is only early in the 2018 season, but the competition is crying out for some quality sides to emerge as there looks to be a gap opening up between Richmond and the rest.
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Geelong looks to be the challenger come the business end of the season.
I still don’t have the faith in the interstate sides such as Adelaide, GWS Giants and the West Coast Eagles coming to the MCG in September and upsetting Richmond, but Geelong is building, and I like what I see.
This is not about Dangerfield, Ablett and Selwood, it’s the opposite of that.
Injuries create opportunity and ask questions of your depth and this is where I see Geelong building into a greater team than in previous seasons.
Tim Kelly, Brandon Parfitt, Lachie Fogarty and Esava Ratugolea give Geelong a stronger backbone for the now and for the future.
Teams win premierships, not champion individuals and Geelong has put together a brilliant fortnight of sustainable team football — neither St Kilda nor Port Adelaide has not been able to penetrate the Geelong defence.
Geelong’s first three rounds were very ordinary. They fell over the line in Round 1 against Melbourne and then lost to Hawthorn and the Eagles in following weeks.
Geelong did not defend the ground well at all, conceding 102 points a game in the first three rounds.
I was staggered at the unwillingness of some of Geelong’s midfielders to push back and help out their undersized and undermanned defence, particularly against
Hawthorn.
They lacked both a care and accountability for each other and I thought to myself, it will be another year of Geelong’s top-end talent getting them to the top four but then getting exposed for their flaws under the bright lights and pressures of a finals series.
To their credit though, the last two weeks have been unrecognisable to the first three.
The ropa-dope football has stopped and the team defence of Geelong has been rediscovered, which has left both Alan Richardson and Ken Hinkley lost for answers for how to get the ball
through the Geelong brick wall.
George Horlin-Smith, Brandan Parfitt, Tim Kelly, Sam Menegola and the Selwood brothers give you an honest, two-way running commitment, consistently.
As good as Gary Ablett and Patrick Dangerfield are, they don’t defend as well as the others.
The great players will always have the tendency to hunt the ball and run harder forward than back.
Geelong has now found the right mix and balance in their midfield group and has conceded just 53 points a game in the last two weeks. Time in their forward half has gone from minus 13 minutes a game to plus five minutes.
That is attitude, as well as Chris Scott and his coaching staff going back to school on the positioning players needed to take when the opposition has the ball.
The two best pressure players at Geelong this season have been Parfitt, ranked 13th in the AFL, and Tim Kelly (16th).
The next best is Joel Selwood at No.24.
Talk about the youth having an instant impact and showing the big dogs how it’s done.
Speaking of team and a greater spreading of the load, only Dangerfield and Joel Selwood averaged more than 10 contested possessions a game last year.
This year, the Cats have seven players in that category.
It says to me that Geelong is getting the team dynamics right rather than having an overreliance on just two players.
Geelong has a tough three weeks ahead with Sydney today followed by the Giants again at home and then the in-form Collingwood at the MCG.
Sometimes you need a little luck in footy and playing Sydney today with no Buddy Franklin or Dan Hannebery can only help the Cats get the vital four points.
The Cats are on the build and the change is being led by youth. More power to them.
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Originally published as Geelong’s youth leading the way towards another flag tilt, writes Matthew Lloyd