Geelong Blueprint: The Cats’ leadership is a tower of strength but scoring needs to improve
GEELONG’S ability to win the tough battles is legendary but if the Cats are to keep pace they must learn to score, writes David King.
AFL
Don't miss out on the headlines from AFL. Followed categories will be added to My News.
GEELONG was supposed to slide this year, or was that last year?
The Cats continue to amaze by winning 17 home-and-away games before exiting the finals disappointingly in straight sets. Geelong have won all six games decided by under 10 points this season on the back of quality leaders embracing clutch moments. We celebrate their leaders for this ability. But we must be mindful this doesn’t provide a false economy of where they reside on the AFL ladder.
JAY CLARK: MIDDLE TIER CATS MUST STEP UP TO THE MARK
Chris Scott made strategic alterations mid this year to methods which have worked for so long. The first two months of the home and away season had Geelong locking the ball inside their forward half a massive 10 minutes more than their opponents on a weekly basis. Four minutes longer than any other AFL team.
Scott recognised the changing game and altered their mode to avail more forward half space on counter-attack for greater scoring efficiency, as per the Hawks. A method learnt from other codes like soccer.
PROS
GEELONG plays the most watchable brand of football in the competition. The best ball users by foot and the most aggressive corridor team counter-attacking from the half-back line.
Geelong’s ability to springboard off the intercept work of Harry Taylor and Jared Rivers, in particular, is clearly the AFL’s best.
They will need Andrew Mackie’s offensive aggression back next season as his Inside 50 entries dropped significantly this season by more than 30 per cent. When Mackie’s playing well, so too are Geelong.
Tom Hawkins is the AFL’s most dominant forward. Clearly taking the most inside forward 50m marks and more specifically the most contested marks in the competition this year.
While Tom was a one-man band forward of centre, he’ll have Mitch Clark’s support at minimum in 2015.
Hawkins is in his prime now at 26 years of age and with Lance Franklin and Tom Boyd commanding significant coin in recent moves, it’d be a nervous next contract discussion for the hierarchy at the Cattery. What’s he worth on the open market?
The Cats have a quirky stats report again this season because the reality is they’re strong in all areas when they wish, but by design prioritise the turnover game over and above the clearance/contested congestion game.
When they win contested football battles they are almost unbeatable, winning 10 of 12 games when in the positive. The Cat leaders again brutal in tight, lead by Joel Selwood who was AFL No.2 for clearances and top five for contested possessions.
CONS
THE Cats’ turnover balance sheet dropped by an average of three goals per week. This may just be the cost of not locking the ball inside their forward half by design, forcing Geelong to commit to longer possession chains from the backline to score. What mode Chris Scott brings to 2015 will be critical to their success as its imperative to stay with or even ahead of the trends of the game.
Clearances have been an issue for some time now and while they may not always be the priority they must address the differential for the pointy end of the season improvement.
Geelong are ranked AFL No.16 averaging four less than their direct opponents which during the home and away season isn’t a major concern but in small margin games can become a factor. They need a quality ruckman and Mitch Clark will be an outstanding acquisition that will also impact up forward.
Does Chris Scott need to continue to tinker or does it require more than that? An overhaul or even innovation? Will the improvement come from the unestablished second wave talent or will it be left to Joel Selwood, Tom Hawkins and Harry Taylor to shoulder the load again and if so is that enough?
Whatever happens the football community will write-off Geelong at some stage and most likely apologise by about Round 15.
Geelong definitely need to make some alterations as the current trending leaves them behind Hawthorn, Sydney and possibly Port Adelaide regarding the ability to score heavily.
This will be Chris Scott’s most challenging season as head coach but he has a previous trophy that will provide him the luxury of time.
JAY CLARK: MIDDLE TIER CATS MUST STEP UP TO THE MARK
Hall’s long-distance Gallen plan
Barry Hall has revealed how he plans to beat his shorter but more experienced opponent in their much-anticipated bout.
Hall gets kick from little masters
Andrew Moloney is the hot favourite to become Australia’s only current world boxing champion when he battles Brooklyn’s Elton Dharry on the same night that his mate Barry Hall fights Paul Gallen.