Geelong - Too old, too slow?

[SA HAWK]

Hawks have been very good lately, it wasn't that long ago we beat Carlton, we put up a good performance against Sydney and we beat the Bombers.

But the next 2 weeks are big tests.

We have definitely improved from the first 5 rounds but really didn't beat an in form team.

Competition is so up and down this year.

 

[And_ROOS]

We have definitely improved from the first 5 rounds but really didn't beat an in form team.

Competition is so up and down this year.

Really unless you beat Sydney everyone is all over the shop. Blues have been labelled this years Grand Finalists for 5 weeks now and the discourse over who would get near them at 1/4 time against GWS was hilarious considering what happened the next 2 quarters.

 

[BigPond101]

They are still pretty average. About on par with the equally overrated Essendon against whom Geelong had the benefit of the most sustained umpire shafting in recent memory. Then beat the Hawks at home without Hawthorn's best player.

One thing that is now indisputable is that Geelong are a 5 goal better team without Hawkins they would be mad to bring him back

 

[Taper]

They are still pretty average. About on par with the equally overrated Essendon against whom Geelong had the benefit of the most sustained umpire shafting in recent memory. Then beat the Hawks at home without Hawthorn's best player.

One thing that is now indisputable is that Geelong are a 5 goal better team without Hawkins they would be mad to bring him back

Essendon won the free kick count.
Umpires didn't cost them the game, we lifted a gear and Essendon couldn't go with us.

 

[hawkman]

Old and slow?
Young, fast and exciting is more like it.

Not that young. 2nd oldest team of the round nearly a year older than the 3rd oldest

Still a good team though

 

[Our Game]

You have to hand it to all concerned at Geelong - from the Coach Chris Scott

Chris Scott

Age

48

Ht

182cm

Wt

89kg

Pos.

Fwd

Career

Season

Last 5

D

16.6

4star

K

11.2

4star

HB

5.4

4star

M

5.1

5star

T

1.6

4star

G

0.4

3star

No current season stats available

D

13.2

4star

K

10.2

4star

HB

3.0

3star

M

2.2

3star

T

2.8

5star

G

0.4

3star

and Football dept esp as they just keep on finding ways and players to keep winning even with a banged up side.

 

[Mr Meow]

Not that young. 2nd oldest team of the round nearly a year older than the 3rd oldest

Still a good team though

The actual turnover tells you more than the average age. It's still overall an experienced group but not quite as "Dad's Army" as 2022.

Changes from the 2022 grand final side: no Selwood, Smith, Hawkins, Stanley, Bews, C.Guthrie, Parfitt, O'Connor.

In their place: Clark, Dempsey, Neale, Bowes, Holmes (admittedly just injured for that game, but much more important now), Humphries, Mannagh, O.Henry.

That's a useful rejigging.

Now Parfitt and O'Connor are the same age as Bowes and Mannagh, but in the latter group one was playing his 24th full game as a Cat and one was playing his second full AFL game in general. So still a case of out with the old, in with the new.

Tuohy (definitely), Rohan, Duncan and Blicavs (maybe) could retire this year or be phased out of the best 22 in 2025. Bruhn, Conway, Mullin and Knevitt their likely replacements - collectively they have had plenty of games already in 2024. Once that occurs I imagine the age profile will better reflect the changing of the guard the last couple of years.

 

[Taper]

Not that young. 2nd oldest team of the round nearly a year older than the 3rd oldest

Still a good team though

Plenty of youth, we just don't have many players in their peak years.
I'm starting to think we'll finish top 2 now, it'll be good to see the youngsters get finals experience.

 

[Mr Meow]

Plenty of youth, we just don't have many players in their peak years.
I'm starting to think we'll finish top 2 now, it'll be good to see the youngsters get finals experience.

Bruhn, Dempsey, Neale, Bowes, Conway, Humphries, Mannagh, Mullin and O.Henry are yet to play in a final.

Holmes and SDK have only played in a few.

It would be great to get a couple of finals into most of these players.

 

[Taper]

Bruhn, Dempsey, Neale, Bowes, Conway, Humphries, Mannagh, Mullin and O.Henry are yet to play in a final.

Holmes and SDK have only played in a few.

It would be great to get a couple of finals into most of these players.

Neale is on the verge of a breakout game, I would love to see it happen in September ala Hawkins in 2011.

 

[Jake98]

OOOf
Bailey Smith

6

Bailey Smith

Age

23

Ht

185cm

Wt

86kg

Pos.

M/F

Career

Season

Last 5

D

18.3

5star

K

8.5

3star

HB

9.8

5star

M

2.3

2star

T

3.8

5star

CL

2.7

4star

D

19.8

5star

K

9.6

4star

HB

10.2

5star

M

1.8

2star

T

3.2

4star

CL

3.2

4star

D

14.8

4star

K

7.6

3star

HB

7.2

5star

M

2.0

3star

T

3.4

5star

CL

1.6

4star

isn't going to fix this. They need a full rebuild. This is what you get when you're critically dependent on a 34 year old to carry the midfield.

Will be a complete non-entity in the finals. That midfield is far below Sydney, GWS or Port Power, and Geelong will have an away game against one of them. Lucky to still make top 4 following a Brisbane choke.

 

[STPer18]

 

[Mootsy]

chefs hate this one weird trick!

 

[Jake98]

Crazy that Geelong think now is the time to pay a premium for Bailey Smith

6

Bailey Smith

Age

23

Ht

185cm

Wt

86kg

Pos.

M/F

Career

Season

Last 5

D

18.3

5star

K

8.5

3star

HB

9.8

5star

M

2.3

2star

T

3.8

5star

CL

2.7

4star

D

19.8

5star

K

9.6

4star

HB

10.2

5star

M

1.8

2star

T

3.2

4star

CL

3.2

4star

D

14.8

4star

K

7.6

3star

HB

7.2

5star

M

2.0

3star

T

3.4

5star

CL

1.6

4star

, a player with poor kicking skills. Sure it will boost the midfield short-term, but they're still heavily dependent on players in their mid-30s. If Cameron gets injured or starts to slow down, it's game over.

 

[The 747]

Great to see this thread get a bump after a loss.

 

[The 747]

Crazy that Geelong think now is the time to pay a premium for Bailey Smith, a player with poor kicking skills. Sure it will boost the midfield short-term, but they're still heavily dependent on players in their mid-30s. If Cameron gets injured or starts to slow down, it's game over.

Ah Dangerfield who carries our midfield isn't exactly a great kick.

 

[Jake98]

Ah Dangerfield who carries our midfield isn't exactly a great kick.

Did Dangerfield carry your midfield to victory against St Kilda? Or the Bulldogs? I guess it's easy enough to get the job done against bottlers like Fremantle, but I wouldn't have thought it's wise to bring in a mid-aged player like Bailey Smith who's basically just a worse Dangerfield. Will cost a first round pick + extra too.

 

[Jake98]

Geelong ITK on the Geelong board suggesting the club are/were chasing Clayton Oliver hard:

So, I know I’ve been strong on our interest in Oliver they’ve told me Oliver’s inclination and preference is to stay. This has surprised me.

Not sure what the implications of all this is. If we are trying to lure him and Melbourne are keen and Oliver is actually saying he will stay? Because my other source is reliable who told me we are chasing him hard. It sounds complex but will put some people in here at ease knowing Oliver wants to stay put. So this has swayed me to thinking that’s how it will go down unless Melbourne actually push him out.

Yep, that's a Chris Scott move alright. Always keen to top up.

 

[The 747]

Did Dangerfield carry your midfield to victory against St Kilda? Or the Bulldogs? I guess it's easy enough to get the job done against bottlers like Fremantle, but I wouldn't have thought it's wise to bring in a mid-aged player like Bailey Smith who's basically just a worse Dangerfield. Will cost a first round pick + extra too.

Not sure why you want to hate on us. And calling Freo bottlers when you support Sydney is an interesting thing.

For the record I am not all that keen on Smith, but we have quite a lot of young mids, then a few old mids and not much in between. And we usually mess up our first rounders.

 

[Dangerousfield]

Great to see this thread get a bump after a loss.

It's how we roll, particularly after collapsing against the mediocre Saints

Now looking like Port at AO for Geelong

 

[Jake98]

Not sure why you want to hate on us. And calling Geelong bottlers when you support Sydney is an interesting thing.

For the record I am not all that keen on Smith, but we have quite a lot of young mids, then a few old mids and not much in between. And we usually mess up our first rounders.

Do you have reading difficulties? I clearly called Fremantle bottlers.

I don't "hate" Geelong, I just happen to have an opinion that clearly doesn't conform with Geelong supporters on this website. I think there are clear similarities between Geelong in 2024 and Hawthorn in 2018.

Geelong have an even older list than Hawthorn did that year, and pursuing a player like Bailey Smith bares striking resemblance to Hawthorn pursuing Chad Wingard in 2018.

 

[MisterMarcus]

Do you have reading difficulties? I clearly called Fremantle bottlers.

I don't "hate" Geelong, I just happen to have an opinion that clearly doesn't conform with Geelong supporters on this website. I think there are clear similarities between Geelong in 2024 and Hawthorn in 2018.

Geelong have an even older list than Hawthorn did that year, and pursuing a player like Bailey Smith bares striking resemblance to Hawthorn pursuing Chad Wingard in 2018.

So that's our problem. Nothing to do with Richmond.

Why are so emotionally invested that like 70% of your posts are about Geelong?

 

[The 747]

Do you have reading difficulties? I clearly called Fremantle bottlers.

I don't "hate" Geelong, I just happen to have an opinion that clearly doesn't conform with Geelong supporters on this website. I think there are clear similarities between Geelong in 2024 and Hawthorn in 2018.

Geelong have an even older list than Hawthorn did that year, and pursuing a player like Bailey Smith bares striking resemblance to Hawthorn pursuing Chad Wingard in 2018.

Sure, and we were the oldest list to win a flag ever, regularly field the oldest and heaviest sides on record, the oldest team to make the GF (2020). We are always the oldest list and have been for a long time and we are the best performed club (in general not flags) over that time period.

 

[bzparkes]

Crazy that Geelong think now is the time to pay a premium for Bailey Smith, a player with poor kicking skills. Sure it will boost the midfield short-term, but they're still heavily dependent on players in their mid-30s. If Cameron gets injured or starts to slow down, it's game over.

We've been saying that for over a decade...

 

[Jake98]

We've been saying that for over a decade...

So? They were said about Hawthorn too before they actually did drop off.

Geelong's squad demographic is different now. They have clearly hit a point where they're too slow to compete and their youth is clearly lacking in quality.