Forward ‘Wolfpack’ puts Geelong firmly back in premiership contention

They like to be known as ‘The Wolfpack’ and Geelong’s new-look forward line has shown its hunger to hunt in numbers can lead the Cats to success this year.

Tom Atkins has added pressure in Geelong’s new-look forward line. Picture: AAP Image/Julian Smith.

They call themselves ‘The Wolfpack’.

Geelong’s new-look forward line has been set up with pressure and tackling at its forefront and, like a pack of wolves, they work together and hunt in numbers.

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Prior to this season, only three members of The Wolfpack — as it currently stands — had played together at AFL level and only one was a regular inside the Cats’ attacking 50m last year.

It is still early in the season and Geelong coach Chris Scott is not looking for any pats on the back.

However, the offensive overhaul the Cats have undertaken is showing early signs of a coaching masterstroke.

“I think the outcome we were looking for was always clear but we shouldn’t get ahead of ourselves,” Scott told the Herald Sun.

They say fortune favours the brave, though, and Geelong went into last year’s trade and free agency period with a clear objective as they signed Western Bulldogs’ Luke Dahlhaus and Sydney’s Gary Rohan to help bolster their attacking end.

Frustrated by years of inconsistency in their forward line-up, the Cats knew they needed some senior bodies who could stay on the park and perform.

Geelong had played the same group of seven forwards just twice last season.

“That wasn’t by design,” Scott said.

“A couple of times maybe there were selection decisions but if you go through the injury list — (Nakia) Cockatoo, (Esava) Ratugolea, (Lincoln) McCarthy — there were guys that we wanted to play that just weren’t available.”

Geelong’s Gary Rohan and Tom Hawkins celebrate a goal. Picture: Quinn Rooney/Getty Images

Cats’ favourite son Gary Ablett spent significant time in the midfield last year but was told over summer he would be based in attack this season in what Scott described as a “short conversation”.

“He’s really committed to helping the team where we think he’s best served,” Scott said of Ablett.

“Most of the discussion was around how he can maximise his performances in those roles and I think we’ve seen the first few rounds he’s been among the best players on the ground in that (forward) role.”

Club medical and fitness staff worked to get key forward Ratougalea fit for Round 1 after he missed the second half of last season with a broken leg, while the final two pieces of The Wolfpack puzzle for Round 1 were already in the wings.

Tom Atkins was selected at pick 11 in last year’s rookie draft, having been under the Cats’ nose as a member of their VFL program for the previous five years.

Fellow small forward Gryan Miers was listed in the 2017 national draft via pick 57, but like Atkins spent the whole of last year in the VFL.

“They’re different situations,” Scott said of Atkins and Miers.

“Gryan’s a young player who proved that he could hit the scoreboard at TAC Cup level and had a year to develop on our list and had a flawless pre-season and forced his way in.

“There’s two ways to look at Tom — either it’s a great story that he’s taken his chance after being overlooked at a few drafts or that we got it wrong and we’ve wasted a couple of years with him on our VFL team.”

Geelong small forward Gryan Miers has made an impressive start to his AFL career. Picture: AAP Image/David Mariuz

Miers, who has five goals from his first three AFL games, said the connectivity The Wolfpack had built so quickly had been good to see.

“It’s pretty exciting how well it’s worked so far but we’ve got to keep it going,” Miers said.

“We complement each other well. We’re all different types and different styles of players but it seems to be working pretty well so far.

“For myself it’s really about keeping my mind in the game and not getting distracted. You might not get a disposal for a quarter but if your head’s in the game, you’re ready when it does come your way.”

After four rounds, Geelong sits atop of the ladder and ranks as the second-highest scoring team in the competition, averaging 93 points a game.

The Cats also rank first for inside-50s per goal, kicking a major from 3.6 forward 50 entries.

Dahlhaus ranks eighth in the competition for overall tackles with 26, Rohan is averaging a career-best 1.8 goals a game and Ablett ranks elite in his position for score involvements at 7.5 a game.

Atkins ranks fourth at the club for pressure acts and Miers ranks equal-third for goals.

It’s not yet Round 5, but The Wolfpack is quickly making its presence felt.

“We’ve had a bit of luck when we didn’t,” Scott said.

“It’s certainly not brilliant coaching, put it that way.”

Luke Dahlhaus has been an inspired addition to Geelong’s forward line. Picture: Michael Klein.

HOW GEELONG’S FORWARD LINE HAS CHANGED

ROUND 23, 2018

Tom Hawkins

Patrick Dangerfield

Daniel Menzel

Jordan Murdoch

Ryan Abbott

Jack Henry

Brandan Parfitt

ROUND 4, 2019

Tom Hawkins (9 goals in 2019)

Esava Ratugolea (1 goal)

Luke Dahlhaus (3 goals)

Gary Rohan (7 goals)

Tom Atkins (1 goal)

Gryan Miers (5 goals)

Gary Ablett (5 goals)