While Geelong has recruited for immediate success, it has also shock-proofed its list at the draft

AFTER a few years of early finals exits and draft fails, Geelong’s recruiting wizard, Stephen Wells has responded by not only recruiting for immediate success but shock-proofing the Cats’ future.

Tom Stewart is tackled by Mark LeCras.

STEPHEN Wells would still have got his statue at Geelong, it might just have taken a few years longer.

As Geelong suffered a series of bad defeats and embarrassing finals capitulations in recent years, some Cats fans began to grumble.

Cats recruiter Wells had only assembled the list for Geelong’s greatest dynasty, but what has he done for us today?

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In four straight years with early selections he picked Billie Smedts (pick 15, 2010), Joel Hamling and Shane Kersten (picks 32 and 34 in 2011), Jackson Thurlow (pick 16 in 2012) and Darcy Lang (pick 16 in 2013).

Yet on Sunday against a St Kilda team that has effectively been rebuilding for six years, Geelong won despite playing eight first- and second-year kids.

Yep, eight of them.

Geelong recruiting and list manager Stephen Wells. Picture: Nigel Hallett

Among them was half-forward Brandan Parfitt, clearly best afield in his 19th game of AFL football.

Tim Kelly’s two goals and two goal assists in his fourth game put him third in the competition for score assists, making the 23-year-old the 11th-ranked player in the AFL’s official ratings.

Lachie Fogarty’s attack on the ball was compared by Garry Lyon to Joel Selwood, Esava Ratugolea played his part and Jack Henry at times manned up on Patrick McCartin.

And then there is Tom Stewart.

He wasn’t exactly hiding when Wells picked him two seasons ago, a South Barwon carpenter who had then spent a year on Geelong’s VFL list.

Yet a player taken at pick 40 in the 2016 national draft — a throw-at-the-stumps speculative pick — might just be leading Geelong’s best-and-fairest.

Tom Stewart in action for Geelong.

Brandan Parfitt celebrates a goal.

Corey Enright retired as an All-Australian in 2016, with Geelong aware it might not have another medium defender like the six-time All-Australian in 100 years.

Then Stewart was drafted months later, played Round 1 in his first year on his way to fifth in the best-and-fairest, and looks every bit a 200-game player.

Colleague Jon Anderson believes he could be a superstar, already the kind of intercept marking half-back who almost never makes the wrong decision.

And when you look at his numbers this year, you can see why his list of admirers at Geelong begins with none other than club champion and defensive coach Matthew Scarlett.

Scarlett famously told him he was wasting his career if he didn’t have a crack at AFL football after drifting along after playing TAC Cup for the Geelong Falcons.

Tom Stewart v Corey Enright

Stat	Tom Stewart 2018	Corey Enright 2016
Disposals	20.3 (above average)	23.6 (elite)
Metres Gained	407m (above average)	351 (above average)
Rebound 50s	6.3 (elite)	3.5 (above average)
Intercept poss	6 (above average)	7.3 (elite)
Intercept marks	2.5 (elite)	1.8 (above average)
Spoils	5.3 (elite)	2.3 (above average)

Four rounds into the season Stewart is posting numbers similar to Enright’s 2016 All-Australian season, elite in all the categories that made Enright a champion.

He is elite in intercept marks, spoils, rebound-50s, and not far off in disposals (20.3) and metres gained (407m).

He also seizes the moment, remember last year’s last-line defence against Robbie Gray, and that incredible three-effort gut-busting surge in the finals win over Sydney?

So what size did you want that statue again, Wellsy?

What Geelong is doing is recruiting for the here-and-now — Patrick Dangerfield, Gary Ablett, Scott Selwood, Zach Tuohy, Lachie Henderson — while also shock-proofing their future.

Geelong debutants Esava Ratugolea, Tim Kelly and Lachie Fogarty after Round 1.

In the space of two drafts Wells has secured Parfitt (pick 26), Stewart (40) and Ratugolea (43) in 2016 and Fogarty (pick 22), Kelly (24), Charlie Constable (36) and Gryan Miers (57) last year.

Nakia Cockatoo could be anything if his injuries abate, with Cory Gregson and Lincoln McCarthy are singing the same song after repeated injuries.

The experienced players Wells drafts are also hiding in plain sight.

Sam Menegola (pick 66 in 2015) and Kelly were WAFL stars, but he knew exactly what pick it took to secure them, not afraid to fail by handing over pick 24 for Kelly.

He doesn’t always get it right — Mitch Clark, Aaron Black and Hamish McIntosh secured modest returns, while the Cats would kill for a star ruckman as Zac Smith and Rhys Stanley battle away.

Yet as Carlton and St Kilda look likely to extend their finals droughts, Geelong is spectacularly recruiting on the run after just two finals misses since 2004.

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