Geelong’s young players might just be their key to September hopes, writes Patrick Dangerfield

ONE reminds him of Daniel Wells. One is Darren Milburn, while another is “the best-looking player in the game”. PATRICK DANGERFIELD writes he now realises why the young Cats are the key to his team’s chances.

Quinton Narkle is among the new kittens to impress. Pic: AAP

NOT that long ago I thought the more top-end talent you had at your club, the better you would be.

Of course it helps — and that’s why we were so happy to get Gary Ablett back — but the way the game is played now with congestion and with the numbers around the ball, it all comes back to system.

Our emerging band of younger players led by Tim Kelly, Brandan Parfitt, Jack Henry, Lachie Fogarty, Quinton Narkle and Jamaine Jones are the temperature check for us to go deep this September.

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None of these players had played more than 25 AFL matches heading into Thursday night’s clash with Sydney.

Their rapid development has reshaped my thinking on list building.

You can look at our team and say the centre bounce set up should always be three of Joel Selwood, “Gaz”, Mitch Duncan and myself — and the key backs have got to be Harry Taylor and Lachie Henderson — the older players who have been around the most — but the secret to our success this year, and it’s been inconsistent at times, has been trusting in our youth and playing the kids in the positions that they were drafted to play.

Joel Selwood, Patrick Dangerfield and Gary Ablett are Geelong’s ‘big three’. Pic: Getty Images

Quinton Narkle plays VFL in the midfield, so we can’t just bring him in and play him forward.

With 30 seconds to go against the Bulldogs it was Quinton, Tim Kelly and Joel who were at that crucial last centre bounce.

You’ve got to give them the opportunity to be good — that’s the key. We’re giving them the responsibility to play those important roles — and it can’t be just the last three minutes of a quarter as an on-baller.

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In my second game in 2008, I played 15 per cent game time because interchanges were different and you just didn’t get the opportunity to get on the field. If you were a midfielder, you had to start at half-forward.

The biggest question mark about Geelong coming into the season was our defence — but I would argue that has been our biggest strength this year, and it’s not a super-experienced backline.

People forget Tom Stewart is only a second-year player.

A year ago, Jack Henry was a rookie-list player who was as quiet as all hell, but I can’t imagine our side without him now.

Jack Henry has quickly established himself in the Cats’ side. Pic: Michael Klein

His intercept marking, his ability to scramble and his reach means he just won’t be dislodged from that back six.

Jack is almost Darren Milburn-like — sticky hands, makes good decisions and just doesn’t fumble. His biggest weapon has nothing to do with his footy, he’s just fearless, and will sit in the hole and doesn’t care if he gets absolutely hammered.

I can’t help but think of Daniel Wells when I see Tim Kelly move. He glides across the field, is ruthless in the contest and kicks goals. There haven’t been many in their first year at AFL level look so composed, so smooth and stand up consistently in big moments. TK is only going to get better the more he plays.

Parfitt just makes time slow down around him. It’s like when Scotty Pendlebury gets the ball and everyone in his vicinity shifts into second gear.

He uses the ball so well on both sides of the body.

Is that Tim Kelly or Daniel Wells? Pic: AAP

Lachlan Fogarty reminds Danger of a young Tyson Edwards. Pic: Michael Klein

Lachie Fogarty reminds me so much of a young Tyson Edwards. He’s not a tall player, he’s quite short but he’s got a low centre of gravity and rarely falls to ground.

Narkle is the best looking player in the game, but it’s his competitiveness and explosiveness that I like — and he’s got a Don’t Argue.

If you’re going to be a damaging midfielder you’ve got to be able to kick goals and Quinton has an uncanny ability to get into the right positions to do that.

He plays at the intensity that you need at AFL level.

Jones, his story aside because it’s quite extraordinary, has really improved his ability below his knees. When he first arrived at the club he had a tendency to fumble but he’s worked on that and has become more of a one-touch player. Cyril will go down as one of the best players to ever play and he just never fumbled, he was so clean, and that’s the model if you want to be a good small forward.

Jamaine is also a left-footer, which I really like because we don’t have too many of them.

Esava Ratugolea has been the most challenging loss for us because he makes such a difference to the team structurally, but I think he will be back before the finals.

Esava Ratugolea could return this season. Pic: Michael Klein

He’s moving at the moment and started running last week.

Some might have considered us to be an older side at the start of the year, but if you look through the 22 there’s some serious youth now.

They’re going to be our weapon because they’ve delivered over the first 16 rounds, and they’ve all been consistent.

To see how excited Quinton was last week when Scotty told him he was in the side just invigorates me.

Being in the system so long, you can sometimes forget what it’s like to play your first game.

Their enthusiasm is just so damn infectious and it makes it fun — we talk about having fun all the time at our footy club.

I had a view when I first started playing AFL that my performance didn’t matter and that I wouldn’t determine the outcome of the game, but it was the wrong philosophy.

Our young players are determining the outcome of our games — and they’re doing it together.

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