Cameron Mooney: Which path will Geelong take with its list after missing finals?

How do Geelong get back to the premiership dais as quick as possible? It could be worth exploring a different path to their usual philosophy, writes Cameron Mooney.

Picture : NCA NewsWire / David Crosling

Footy pundits have been saying for the best part of the last decade that Geelong’s era of success is over, and the doubters are coming again.

But while the Cats have showed they can defy equalisation and consistently contend with 17 years of excellence, the question marks over their ageing list are reasonable.

The belief I’ve got in list manager Andrew Mackie and Stephen Wells is enormous – we saw the deals they pulled off last year for Jack Bowes, Tanner Bruhn and Ollie Henry.

But the next 18 months to two years will be the time that the list management gurus really earn their keep as they plot where the Cats go from here.

How do you get back to the premiership dais as quick as possible?

Andrew Mackie has some difficult calls to make. Picture: Getty Images

If the club decides to go down a path of regeneration, I think it is something all Cats fans should jump on board.

It has been such a successful period for the Cats and there could be benefits to targeting the 2025-26 period as their next premiership tilt, where players like Bruhn and Henry will be at their peak.

We have seen what has happened to the likes of Brisbane and Hawthorn this century who dropped off significantly after their premiership success.

I have always been a believer in investing in the draft but if you don’t have top end picks it is difficult.

As the ladder stands the Cats hold just their first round selection (pick eight) which means the Cats may have to get creative in order to improve their list – whether that is in the short or long term remains to be seen.

LOOMING RETIREMENTS

Eight important Cats are in the twilight of their careers and some might not be there in 2025.

A couple of them might go beyond that point, while others may call time before.

I believe Patrick Dangerfield, Tom Hawkins, Zach Tuohy, Gary Rohan, Rhys Stanley, Cam Guthrie, Mark Blicavs and Mitch Duncan all have good footy left in them.

Tom Hawkins and Patrick Dangerfield trudge off the ground after their loss to the Bulldogs. Picture: Michael Klein

But the reality is the end can come quick – I’ve gone through it and so have countless other players – past the age of 30.

It will be interesting to see the decisions that Mackie and Wells make on this older group, and whether they continue to go chips in and play them over their youngsters.

WHO DO THEY TARGET?

Clearly the midfield is an area that the Cats need to bolster.

They did so somewhat with the recruit of Bruhn last year, who I believe will be a really strong player for the football club.

I don’t think targeting Geelong product Darcy Parish, for example, is the answer.

Parish is a nice player but I wouldn’t be paying $800,000 for him.

He gets a lot of the footy and would help their midfield group, but I am not sure he is worth that much money.

Originally published as Cameron Mooney: Which path will Geelong take with its list after missing finals?