Cats great Michael Turner says ‘difficult conversation’ needs to be had with ageing stars

One Geelong great believes changes need to be made, including “difficult conversations” with four ageing stars.

Toby Prime

3 min read

September 16, 2021 - 4:26PM

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Gary Rohan in the preliminary final defeat against Melbourne. Picture: Getty

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Geelong champion Michael Turner says the Cats needs to consider cutting ties with experienced quartet Shaun Higgins, Lachie Henderson, Gary Rohan and Luke Dahlhaus at a “critical” time for their list strategy.

The former Geelong Falcons talent manager stopped short of calling the Geelong’s 2021 season a failure but said the two finals thumpings against Port Adelaide and Melbourne should give it a “dose of reality”.

Henderson is out of contract but Higgins, Rohan and Dahlhaus have deals for next year.

Turner said it was time for Geelong to “start moving some players on”.

Lachie Henderson is out of contract. Picture: Getty

“They’re probably going have to have a conversation with Lachie Henderson,” Turner said.

“I would say (Luke) Dahlhaus is another one.

“Shaun (Higgins) is one.

“Lachie Henderson, Shaun Higgins, Dahlhaus spring to my mind and they’re all ex-Falcons kids and I don’t like saying it.

“I think they also need to have a very strong conversation with Gary Rohan. His finals form with Sydney and Geelong is pretty much not acceptable.

“You can be a great player in the home-and-away season in a side that’s winning by big margins (but) good players perform in finals.

“That difficult conversation needs to be had also.”

Geelong had 11 players aged 30 or older in its preliminary final pounding against Melbourne, and Cam Guthrie and Sam Menegola, both on long-term deals, are 29.

Turner said the time had come for Geelong to “bite the bullet” and give its younger players more opportunity.

“I wouldn’t like to see them wait until next year,” he said.

“I think Geelong, list management-wise, have got to start moving some players on, at least two or three this year.

Former Geelong Falcons talent manager Michael Turner. Picture: Peter Ristevski

“The other problem is they have to retain the young players.

“Some of the younger players who aren’t getting a game … the likes of Charlie Constable, (Quinton) Narkle, Jordan Clark, those sort of players.

“I hope the club can hang onto them.”

Geelong has targeted locals and other experienced players, including Jack Steven, Josh Jenkins, Gary Ablett, Aaron Black, Zach Tuohy, Patrick Dangerfield, Scott Selwood, Mitch Clark, Rhys Stanley, Jared Rivers and Hamish McIntosh, over the past decade to remain in the premiership window but has no silverware to show for its efforts.

The preliminary final defeat was its fifth in the past nine seasons to go with last year’s grand final loss.

Turner said the strategy was “flawed”.

“Because you’re drafting players that are at that stage of their career when they’re 27, 28 where if you don’t get success, all of a sudden they’re hitting their 30s,” he said.

“If they had have been beaten by four points by Melbourne, I think there would be a lot less analysis going on.

“Because they’ve been belted by Port, had a soft game against GWS and absolutely belted by Melbourne … people are having a harder look at Geelong and assessing things a lot more harshly.

“It probably gives you a big dose of reality when that happens.

“When you’re losing — and you lose heavily — the cracks open up.

“When you’re assessing the season, look at the end (of the home-and-away season) and look at the two finals and they’ve been smashed by two sides in the finals.

“There’s got to be some changes made.”

HAS IT WORKED?

Jack Steven

— Traded for pick 58

Games: 9

Josh Jenkins

— Traded for pick 37 (Geelong also received a future third-round pick)

Games: 2

Gary Ablett

— Traded for pick 19 and a future second-round selection (Geelong also received pick 24 and a 2018 fourth round pick)

Games: 55

Luke Dahlhaus