Geelong president Colin Carter says Cats’ recent finals record isn’t a burden
Geelong president Colin Carter says it is a miracle the Cats have made so many finals during their rebuild and their poor September form is irrelevant heading into this year’s campaign.
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Geelong president Colin Carter says it is “stupid” to suggest the club’s unflattering 3-9 finals record post-2011 puts pressure on Chris Scott’s Cats in coming weeks.
And Carter says the Cats will not be distracted over squabbling over venue politics, despite Scott admitting many people believed the club was “whingeing” over calls for an GMHBA Stadium.
The Cats will be forced to take on Collingwood at their home ground in a qualifying final likely to be played on Friday night at the MCG.
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Geelong has hardly put a foot wrong this season but the club’s record of only three wins in its past 12 finals since their last premiership will be a key talking point in the next fortnight.
Cats star Patrick Dangerfield admitted the club had been “really disappointing” in finals in recent years and needed to rise to the occasion.
But Carter told the Herald Sun the Cats’ ability to make finals in seven of the eight seasons since that 2011 premiership — the end of a three-flag dynasty — was a miracle.
“I completely discount that history stuff. So we have lost a couple of finals. I regard it as a miracle we were in the finals, so the commentary around that is stupid,” he said.
“We rebuilt the team and the astonishing thing is we made finals let alone lost a few. I place absolutely no import on that observation. If you look at Clarko (Alastair Clarkson), they haven’t won a lot of finals since 2015 (four losses). Many teams go down the bottom from a rebuild but we have only four players from the 2011 premiership side and have finished in the top two despite completely turning the team over.”
Scott said after Saturday night’s win over the finals scheduling system was “bizarre” but acknowledged “anyone that’s not a Geelong supporter just considers it whingeing”.
Carter believes Geelong can defend its right to host a GMHBA Stadium without being distracted after four wins from five MCG contests this year.
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“The AFL knows our position, which is we have the right. What happens this year or the next year who knows but it’s an AFL decision and we will play where they want us to play.
“We have gone from a state-based competition where all finals were at the MCG to a national competition where the earned right applies but not to all teams. It’s a journey and we should get there quicker.”
Dangerfield told 3AW on the finals scheduling: “You would like to think when you have earnt the right to play a home final you get a home finals but as players it’s out of our control”.
“We have been really disappointing in finals series last year and in previous years so we have to make sure we are judged on what happens in September and we rise to the occasion,” he told 3AW.
“I am more about looking forward because it’s what you can change and influence.”
Dangerfield joked if Collingwood’s Jaidyn Stephenson plays well after Saturday’s VFL run, “I will be filthy”, but said he had no real issues with his unexpected warm-up clash.
“I think once you have served your penalty, call it a loophole but he’s served his due and it’s fine he is given the right to play.”