Geelong and Port Adelaide need to show who they really are, writes David King

GEELONG was supposed to be the best, most talented midfield in the AFL but it’s not even close, writes DAVID KING, and the Tim Kelly acquisition will produce more than Gary Ablett’s recruitment.

Geelong’s Tim Kelly on burst. Picture: Michael Klein

GEELONG simply owns Port Adelaide.

In fact Geelong has won 13 of their past 14 clashes. Admittedly half of those games have been at GMHBA Stadium and history won’t help once the ball is bounced on Saturday night, but the Cats go to Adelaide Oval full of confidence.

The perception of what Port Adelaide and Geelong were to be in 2018 is dramatically different to the reality.

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Geelong was supposed to be the best, most talented midfield in the AFL. It is miles from that mark.

After four rounds, the Cats haven’t won a clearance battle against their direct opponent.

They were beaten last weekend by a seriously struggling St Kilda by a massive 15 clearances.

Gary Ablett body has been letting him down in recent years. Picture: AAP

The Cats’ contested ball game was the AFL’s best throughout the home and away series in 2017, averaging +8 contested possessions, but it has fallen to 12th this season, averaging three less contested possessions than their opposition.

Is it too early to sound the alarm bells?

Stars like Patrick Dangerfield, Joel Selwood and Mitch Duncan are difficult to discount or even challenge, but the Cats are winning games with their outside game, not with the brutality we’re accustomed to.

Geelong supporters are in raptures regarding the big four in the midfield.

Dangerfield, Selwood, Duncan and Ablett are top class, but how much football will they play together this season?

One this appears certain — don’t wait for Gary.

Ablett has played only 37 of a possible 77 AFL games since the back half of the 2014 season. At 33, there are more unknowns than knowns.

The Tim Kelly acquisition will produce more than the Ablett recruitment, both in the short term, 2018, and in the long-term.

Kelly has not only replaced an inconsistent Steven Motlop but he is a bankable commodity for Chris Scott in the contested ball game.

Only Dustin Martin and Jackson Macrae has been involved in more scoring than Tim Kelly this season. That’s some performance.

Players who win the ball on the ground in space, the loose ball gets, are worth their weight in gold.

Tim Kelly evades St Kilda’s Jack Lonie last week. Picture: Getty Images

Kelly has only six players in the competition who’ve won more loose ball gets than he.

This is the perfect stage for the Cats to make a statement of sheer brutality in a potential clash for a top-four position come season’s end, but a significant improvement is required.

Be ready for a maniacal Joel Selwood on Saturday night. The form of club captains and it’s correlation to winning football games has never been as evident.

Ken Hinkley’s forward press was a major reason he saved his coaching career.

Port Adelaide was the AFL’s best last season, averaging seven more minutes with the ball locked inside the Port forward half than their opposition.

Kenny brought Port Adelaide back to a modern AFL scoring profile, but that has been eroded. Last season’s AFL best forward half scoreboard return, from either intercepts or repeat opportunities at stoppages, has fallen off a cliff to a mediocre 36 points.

Gone is the Port Adelaide strength area, their major asset that served them so wonderfully in 2017.

Is that because of the new talent’s inability to put the opposition under pressure, or a sheer lack of desire?

Tom Rockliff has been struggling to have an impact at Power. Picture: Sarah Reed

Tom Rockliff’s pressure ratings have waned compared to last year at the Lions, to the point of questioning the roles he can fulfil.

He is out this week due to a calf injury Port said he picked up against Essendon, which may explain his output that day.

But either way, he remains a work in progress, much like his club.

This is the big question: Was the loss to the Bombers an aberration or is the erratic and unpredictable Port Adelaide we’ve come to know over the past few seasons the norm again in 2018?

If there’s one learning from the last two premiership teams it’s that systems overcome talent.

The Cats and Port line-ups have changed significantly from last season, highlighted by last week’s Geelong outfit which was the sixth most inexperienced.

Seven players with less than 20 AFL games including six players who were still teenagers. Port Adelaide must capitalise while the young Cats (or Kittens) learn on the job.

After four rounds there are so many unanswered questions, but some clubs have more than others.

Geelong and Port Adelaide’s systems are still under scrutiny as they search for the sustainable model that will bring premiership success.

Geelong and Port Adelaide need to show us who they really are.

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