Many Cats make light work: The big improvers who have lifted Geelong to old heights

A perfect start for Geelong has come thanks to the most even team performance seen in some time. Here are the seven secrets behind their early-season success.

Jack Bowes has been in career-best form this season. Picture: Albert Perez/AFL Photos via Getty Images.

Chris Scott will hit Saturday’s blockbuster against Carlton with one less superstar on his team sheet but the Geelong coach has found seven role players to lift in an unbeaten start to the season.

Tom Stewart is the latest star Cat to miss this season after a head knock last week, but if the first six rounds are any indication then Geelong will have no problem covering for him.

While some pegged the Cats as sliders this year, a 6-0 start to the season has largely come thanks to the clearly most even team performance and step up seen in the AFL this season.

No player at Geelong has registered 30 disposals in a match but instead the Cats have the deepest batting order in the league.

“Our success this year has been built on the collective,” skipper Patrick Dangerfield said.

“You’ve got to bat deep in this competition and we feel we do that.”

Geelong’s biggest improvers have come from the middle band of talent in the team.

A pair of calf setbacks late in pre-season and rotation through a number of roles in his first year with Geelong saw Jack Bowes battle for much of 2023 but he has seen his numbers leap this year.

Jack Bowes is in career-best form. Picture: Albert Perez/AFL Photos

Thrust into the middle for much of the past three weeks, he has enjoyed the best patch of form of his career, collecting 22.3 disposals, nine contested possessions and 4.7 clearances a game.

Goalsneak Tyson Stengle was the clear best-on-ground in Saturday’s upset win over Brisbane and he has clearly returned to 2022 form, after a broken arm hindered his campaign last year.

Recently re-signed Max Holmes has thrived in a new role starting at half-back and often drifting into the middle in the second half of matches.

Gryan Miers has improved yet again for the Cats. Picture: Russell Freeman/AFL Photos

“I think initially it was supposed to be that I play half-back and then go into the midfield but we have so many midfielders flying at the moment that is isn’t necessary,” he said.

And after being unlucky to miss the All-Australian squad last year, Gryan Miers has found another level and is locked into most predictions for end-of-year blazers.

Those four Cats have seen the biggest jump in Champion Data’s player ratings at the club so far this year, with Bowes besting his average from last year by 55 per cent.

The next three Cats in order of biggest improvement in player ratings are Jake Kolodjashnij, Mark O’Connor and Brad Close – it’s the middle tier doing the heavy lifting to help out the stars.

After a slip in form last season, Close has lifted his goals from an average of one last season to 1.5 this year so far, score assists from 1.4 to 1.7 and tackles from 2.7 to 3.3.

Kicking goals while doing the dirty work, it’s no wonder it is the quiet achieving, long-sleeved Close that premiership captain Cameron Ling believes is Geelong’s most underrated player.

In the midfield, Tanner Bruhn has taken a natural step as a younger midfielder, lifting his numbers across the board.

And Brandan Parfitt has resurrected his career, ranking second in the entire AFL for pressure points and third for tackles, while winning the ball at near-career best rates.

The Cats have their toughest test yet this season on Saturday against the Blues and will have to contain the red-hot Carlton forwardline without champion back Tom Stewart.

But Scott has more players in form this year than any other coach and, thanks in part to a minuscule injury list, his depth is outstanding given strong VFL performers Mitch Knevitt, Shannon Neale and Shaun Mannagh can’t find a regular senior look in.

While the likes of Joel Selwood and Dangerfield deservedly drew the headlines for the 2022 triumph, the quiet part of the dominant flag win was that most players in the Geelong side had career years.

So far, the signs are pointing to a similar run.

Originally published as Many Cats make light work: The big improvers who have lifted Geelong to old heights