Geelong knocked off the reigning premiers and pinched top spot to kick off Round 17. A noticeable resurgence has seen outside belief rise considerably in recent weeks. So, what problems has the ‘over the hill’ outfit resolved?
The hopes of a premiership contender have continued to solidify. Geelong’s credentials were there for everyone to witness in Thursday night’s blockbuster event, running over the top of the Melbourne Demons to win by 28 points at GMHBA stadium.
The sold-out match saw the Cats extend their winning streak to seven games Equally, the Dees suffered a fourth loss from their last six. Geelong is now at the top of the ladder with a 12-4 win-loss record, above Melbourne on the percentage boost from the win.
This is a team that many experts believed to be a likely finalist, but ‘too old’ to be considered a genuine threat.
What are they doing right?
Many are seeing the side in a whole new light, as the Cats presented performances which are a step up from their form back in 2021. Last year, the side had rankings that consisted of being 7th for points, 11th for Inside 50s and 9th for points made from turnovers.
One year on and the numbers are glaringly different. The ultra-efficient Geelong ranks first for scores per inside 50.
Fans would be salivating with the emergence of Patrick Dangerfield’s form, his best performance of the season so far. ‘Danger’ had 31 disposals, five marks, nine clearances, eight inside 50s and 702 metres gained.
The side have also elevated to 5th in the comp for points made from turnovers, which continues to prove a sticky data point with successful finals campaigns.
Jeremy Cameron’s influence
Geelong’s twin towers up top will make them an imposing beat in September. After an injury-riddled run last season, we’re seeing the fruits of both bigs firing forward of centre.
While kept goalless through the efforts of Melbourne’s Steven May and Harrison Petty in Thursday night’s affair, Cameron still proved pivotal in his side’s win, with 15 disposals, 12 kicks, six marks and a tackle. The attention he attracts gives Tom Hawkins a higher chance to dominate.
In 16 games this season, Cameron is currently averaging 16.1 disposals, 2.9 goals, 11.2 kicks and 5.9 marks per game.
Blicavs’ versatility on display
It’s been touted as a unique skill by head coach Chris Scott and an ace up Geelong’s sleeve.
On Thursday night, Blicavs went head-to-head with multiple Demons stars, including Christian Petracca and Clayton Oliver.
The 31-year-old Cat was impactful whether he was in the midfield or was situated in the ruck.
During the night he was involved in 19 centre bounces and finished with 16 disposals. An interesting statistic from the night saw that 84 percent of his disposals were won in the forward half.
Blicavs also made five tackles during the game and proved handy defensively in his side’s win.
Embed from Getty ImagesThe Cats’ younger brigade has also provided the contenders a rejuvenation that’s given them much-needed speed, but also a cultural reset.
The 2020 finalists appear ready to return AFL’s biggest stage and perhaps even one step further.