Gary Buckenara looks at where Geelong’s list is at after winning the 2022 premiership

Geelong has more top talent than any team in the competition. But who is the elite of the elite? See the full list breakdown and have your say.

Will these three players be at the Cats in 2023?

Geelong has the best list in the competition – but it is ageing.

The Cats have been such a consistent team for more than two decades and been able to win the flag this year due to a number of factors, including incredible list management and recruiting under Stephen Wells, a great administration, a stable board, good coaching and development, and a playing group that has talent and a desire to be the best they can be.

Geelong could and perhaps should add more premierships trophies to the cabinet over the next few years.

The club is having a crack at it, has done really well and will be very hard to beat in 2023.

You have just got to make sure you are not just living for today and ignoring tomorrow, which is what has happened to North Melbourne.

The Cats’ balancing act this past decade has been very good.

But when you look at the younger ones coming through at the moment, they have been later draft picks.

I consider two of their youngsters rising stars as future A or B-graders (Max Holmes and Toby Conway), while nine as needing more time to judge them.

Max Holmes missed Geelong’s grand final through injury. Picture: Getty Images

That is very light on with a list and Geelong’s only real worry.

A lot of their A or B-graders are 28-plus years old or into their 30s so that is going to disappear soon.

They could fall off a cliff if they do not address some of the younger talent coming through.

That is why moves for GWS midfielder Tanner Bruhn and Collingwood’s Ollie Henry make sense.

Wells has operated that way, bringing in players from other clubs in exchange for draft picks, which can be more speculative.

If I was in their list management team, I would be saying we do not need to bring in anyone over 26 into the club this off-season.

The Cats had five All-Australians this year but I rated two of them – Mark Blicavs and Tyson Stengle – as B graders.

Blicavs has consistently been a B-grade player until this year, which was very good.

If he does it again next season, he will move up to an A.

Stengle was also fantastic, but I want to see how he goes next year before labelling him an A-grader.

LIST NEEDS

With 23, A, B or rising star players still on the list – they had even more before losing the likes of Joel Selwood and Luke Dahlhaus to retirement – it is easy to see why the Cats have continued to play finals through the past decade.

Very good recruiting and list management has been key to this.

But time is marching on for the group.

They do need to start looking at keeping draft picks and start to invest in the draft for a few years.

If not this year, given they are targeting Henry and Bruhn, then certainly in 12 months.

Adding more pace in the midfield should be a focus.

TRADE TARGETS

Bruhn is a really good player and GWS would probably want a first-round pick for him.

He is the type of midfielder that Geelong need a few more of coming through.

Henry is also a handy youngster and Collingwood will want to make the Cats pay up to get him.

A second-round pick would be the minimum the Magpies would expect, possibly more, given he is still quite young.

The Cats will also get Jack Bowes and pick 7 in an unbelievable deal for the reigning premiers. Jhye Clark has been floated as a potential draft target inside the top ten. This means the Cats will add four quality players under the age of 25. Add former Bomber Conor McKenna to their list next year and the depth just keeps getting better.

Tanner Bruhn is off to the Giants. Picture: Getty Images

TRADE BAIT

Although he was the club’s grand final medical substitute, Parfitt should look at going elsewhere to get a more consistent game.

I rate him as a reasonable player, but others are being preferred.

Geelong might be able to get a second-round pick for him and add another quality youngster into its mix to boost its draft hand.

Parfitt played all bar one game last year but 17 of 25 this season.

He could be a bargain for another club who could give him a regular opportunity.

I think Quinton Narkle is a very talented player in a great side.

Now that he has been delisted, I would expect him to land at another club – maybe West Coast in his home state of WA could be interested?

CRYSTAL BALL

I still feel Geelong will be knocking on the door again in 2023 and 2024.

But time is ticking for this group of players.

How many more premierships can they win?

Given how good they were this year, the Cats should go close again next season.

Another flag will improve their record of finals played and flags won over the past decade, where they have gone close but not got one until this year.

Originally published as Gary Buckenara looks at where Geelong’s list is at after winning the 2022 premiership