AFL finals 2020: Inside the theme nights keeping Geelong Cats, Brandan Parfitt sane on the Gold Coast
Theme nights, singing and message boards. Geelong has spent more than 100 days away from home in their Southport hub, and the bond the Cats have formed could be reason behind their incredible premiership push.
Geelong
Don't miss out on the headlines from Geelong. Followed categories will be added to My News.
Theme nights have become some of the most anticipated events on the calendar inside the Geelong hub this season.
To break up the monotony as the days roll into weeks and into months, the Cats like to turn dinner time into a culinary tour of the world.
There’s been Spanish night, Mexican night, Italian night and Greek night, to name a few, and players, coaches and staff are encouraged to dress up for the occasion.
But Tuesday’s ‘theme night’ carried extra significance.
As the travel party filled the dining room in Hawaiian shirts at their Southport hub, trays of cupcakes were served up emblazoned with the number 100 and commemorative balloons dangled from the roof.
It represented the number of days the club had spent living out of suitcases since being forced to flee Victoria a day after beating Gold Coast in Round 5.
Watch the 2020 Toyota AFL Finals Series on Kayo with every game before the Grand Final Live & On-Demand. New to Kayo? Get your 14-day free trial & start streaming instantly >
Players and staff were asked to write down a memory or highlight about their three months so far in the hub.
The responses were plastered on the wall for all to read.
Some were funny, others deep and serious.
When young gun Brandan Parfitt put his message up, the words were brief but perhaps provided a window into the reason behind the best season of his career.
“I didn’t really have anything heartfelt,” Parfitt said.
“I just said not having to cook and clean … and just having someone to talk to most of the time.”
Dig a bit into Parfitt’s message and there is something in it.
While some clubs have spoken about the challenges of hub life, notably Collingwood after last week’s semi-final hiding and the Eagles from almost the moment they arrived in Queensland, Parfitt says he is thriving in the environment of one big share house where all the essentials are taken care of.
Back in Victoria he lives with teammate Quinton Narkle in Geelong West, and for a while Esava Ratugolea was there too, but this is next level.
“We’ve tried to make it as positive as we could and have that mindset throughout. It’s obviously a tough time in the world and at the start everyone was probably not too sure what was going on,” he said.
“But I think for me, I don’t really have a family or anything to really commit to.
“I just have footy. I’ve probably had that mindset throughout the season, to attack the season head on.
“There is a lot going on (in the hub), but you’re never alone.
“That’s always been good for me.
“I guess when you’re in a footy environment 24/7, it’s pretty hard not to do the right things, so I think that’s helped a bit.”
‘WE’LL MISS THIS PLACE’
The rooftop common area at Geelong’s Southport Sharks hub often has someone floating around from as early as 6am and as late as midnight.
If you want some company, that’s where you go.
The pool table gets a heavy working over.
Parfitt has even been spotted playing chess with teammate Mark O’Connor.
The Cats make a point of celebrating everyone’s birthday – and with about 80 players and staff on tour, hardly a day goes by without a rendition of Happy Birthday.
Those in the room say Matthew Knights’ speech for his 50th birthday last week was one of the highlights of the trip.
Occasionally the club’s makeshift band, the Roman Sandals, will assemble to liven up the atmosphere, headlined by lead singer Oscar Brownless with assistant coach Nigel Lappin for vocal support.
“I think everyone’s had their ups and downs at certain times, but the light is at the end of the tunnel now,” Parfitt said.
“I think everyone is going to miss this joint. It’s been good fun.”
HIT THEM EARLY: GEELONG TO TARGET LIONS AT FIRST BOUNCE
Even the little things count.
Their accommodation is part of the footy oval’s infrastructure.
Where St Kilda, for instance, travelled 40 minutes from Noosa to Maroochydore in a fleet of minibuses for training, the Cats just walk downstairs and are on the track in about two minutes.
There are a handful of players and families a short drive away at the luxurious Royal Pines, such is the sprawling nature of Geelong’s travel party, but the club’s epicentre is Southport.
ABLETT’S COACHING SCHOOL
Parfitt has relished the access to one-on-one tuition with Gary Ablett, who regularly acts like an extra coach at training.
Parfitt says the Little Master has a sharp eye for the subtle things, especially around stoppages like starting positions, how to move opponents, finding space, little craft tips and how to get the slip on close-checking players.
“He’s obviously a really good leader, especially with us younger boys,” Parfitt said.
“He’s obviously one of the GOATs (greatest of all time) and any time at training if he sees something he’ll definitely let you know.
“He’s a great person to have around the club and hopefully we can send him off the right way.”
Parfitt is enjoying the Queensland climate, too.
As other players struggle to handle the slippery ball at night, Parfitt just calls on his experiences playing footy in the humidity in Darwin.
“I’m probably more used to it compared to the other boys,” he said.
“I don’t mind the heat and it’s been really good for me because I really enjoy it.
“It’s definitely different and you’ve got to play the conditions a lot more.
“It’s obviously a lot hotter in Darwin, but I’ve just enjoyed waking up and being in the sun.
“We haven’t had a winter, so that’s been a good thing for me because I do love the heat.
NOT DONE YET: CATS WARNED PRELIM CAN’T BE GAZ SWAN SONG
“Even with the preparation for training, you probably don’t need to do as much before training to feel warm and get going.
“You feel pretty good once you do a couple of laps.”
Geelong has regularly held its main training session at night to align the body clock precisely with the starting time of matches.
The Cats held their match simulation hitout on Wednesday night and players were again instructed to treat it like a normal game: from pre-game preparation, to diet and hydration, to match-like intensity and then recovery.
PRESSURE IN THE MIDFIELD
In just his fourth season at the club, Parfitt has made the clear transition into a starting midfielder in a gradual build from a small forward.
He has spent 74 per cent of the season in the midfield, compared with only 29 per cent last year.
His evolution allows the Cats to have more faith in throwing Patrick Dangerfield forward for extended periods.
Parfitt’s trump card in the midfield is his pressure.
While Dangerfield, Joel Selwood, Cam Guthrie, Mitch Duncan and Sam Menegola win the bulk of the footy, Parfitt’s impact around the ball is measured through his tackling and pressure points.
Champion Data grades him elite in those areas – he is ranked third for tackles and eighth for pressure points across all midfielders in the AFL this season.
“It helps when he (Dangerfield) is in the midfield, but he’s such a good full forward and he really impacts when he goes there,” Parfitt said.
“He can do what he likes.
“If he wants to come into the midfield group, or go forward, it’s really up to him and we just have to work a bit harder when he’s not in there.
“If we can get on top in the midfield, it goes a long way to winning the game and he obviously brings a different impact when he’s forward.
“He can probably get Hawk (Tom Hawkins) one-on-one a bit more, and Gary Rohan as well, so that is always good.”
CHANGING THE RECURRING THEME
There is one “theme”, however, the Cats are keen to change.
Geelong hasn’t made a grand final since 2011 despite a string of top-four finishes.
Parfitt has played finals in each of his four years at the club, but hit the Cats’ ongoing preliminary final roadblock in 2017 and 2019 (they were knocked out in an elimination final in 2018).
Of the team that smashed Collingwood last week, only five have played in a premiership at the Cats: Ablett, Harry Taylor, Selwood, Duncan and Tom Hawkins.
“It would mean the world to us boys,” Parfitt said of winning a flag.
“I think there’s only a handful of players left from the last premiership in 2011 and we sort of speak about that a lot – of what it would mean for the whole playing group.
“We’ve been there around the mark for the past 10 years, really, but we just haven’t taken that next step to get us over the next hump.
“Especially this season, where it’s been so difficult, it would mean the world to us.”
PARFITT CLOSE TO NEW DEAL
– Nick Wade
Geelong young gun Brandan Parfitt has declared he never considered leaving as he prepares to sign a new deal at the Cats.
Earmarked as a key part of the club’s future, Parfitt is close to inking a two-year contract after making a permanent move into the midfield this year.
The 22-year-old has already played nine finals in 70 games across his four seasons after the Cats struck gold at pick 26 in the 2016 national draft.
Despite potential interest from Adelaide after being drafted out of the SANFL, the out-of-contract Parfitt said he had no plans to leave Geelong.
“It’s pretty close. I think I’ll get something done pretty soon,” Parfitt said.
“Obviously I love the Cats and couldn’t really see myself going anywhere anytime soon, so hopefully we can get it done shortly.
“It’s been good fun. I haven’t missed finals yet as a younger player and I’ve been lucky to do that.
“We’ve got some great leaders and I’ve got some good friends now. It was hard to think about doing anything else, really.”
Parfitt is a key signature for Geelong given the mature nature of its midfield featuring Joel Selwood (32), Patrick Dangerfield (30), Mitch Duncan (29), Cam Guthrie (28) and Sam Menegola (28).
Contract negotiations only started recently and Parfitt historically has only signed short-term contracts.
“I haven’t really thought about my future. It was just about getting the season out of the way,” Parfitt said.
“I was just worried about playing each week and preparing for that, but I was always happy to be a Cat.”
Other Geelong out of contract include Rhys Stanley, Zach Tuohy, Gary Ablett, Nakia Cockatoo, Harry Taylor, Quinton Narkle, Lachie Henderson and Tom Hawkins.
Stanley is in the frame for a new contract, while Hawkins, 32, is likely to receive a new two-year deal after winning the Coleman Medal in a career-best season.
Henderson has revived his career with a brilliant season after being delisted by the Cats last year and only rookie-listed as insurance.
Narkle is likely to receive interest from other clubs after being denied senior opportunities at Geelong.
The perennially-injured Cockatoo is linked heavily to a fresh start at Brisbane despite the Cats’ desire to keep him.
MORE AFL NEWS
Port Adelaide preliminary final news: Kane Cornes reflects on Trent Cotchin’s 2014 coin toss shocker
Local footy: Brian Lake hopes to play for Caroline Springs in 2021 after ban
Originally published as AFL finals 2020: Inside the theme nights keeping Geelong Cats, Brandan Parfitt sane on the Gold Coast