Opinion Geelong's era of dominance over

[BigVic]

After tonight, it's fair to say the Cats golden era which produced 3 flags in 8 years is over. I think they will be out in straight sets next weekend.

 

[DardySingh360]

Tim Lane board

 

[SA HAWK]

Don't know about straight sets but 1-4 record in finals in the last 3 years says it all.

 

[BigVic]

1-4 record after tonight. Looks like next year they will slide.

 

[La Vache]

Mission accomplished tho

 

[Lester Burnham]

2014 has been way over expectations for a rebuild year. And we are still in finals.

 

[master bate]

Bartel, Enright, Mackie, Lonergan, Kelly, Stokes, Stevie J are really all that belongs to the original dominant era. It's hardly a surprise they are coming to an end.

Selwood, Hawkins, Varcoe, Taylor (plus Rivers and McIntosh) are the guys who transitions between the dominance of 2007-2009 and keeping the dream alive. They still form a pretty decent spine. The youngsters are still quality, there's just not enough of them or sufficient quality for Geelong to win consecutive big finals. They can top up with Frawley and they'll be right on the fringe of contention still for a long time I think.

One thing that's hurt them is they haven't found any A graders yet.

Duncan is very close to. The following have threatened. Christensen, Motlop, Caddy, Menzel, Vardy. It's not from lack of trying. The last 2 were wrecked by injury and the others have had their fair share.

Come back next year and Duncan, Christensen and Caddy make the leap to full time A grade mids and Motlop teams the comp apart at half forward and they'll be egg on faces.

 

[clogged]

Who knows about eras, but their next crop seem to lack that combination of class and physicality that the Cats of old had.

The physicality will come with experience, and maybe they will get classier when they stop being brushed off the ball, but so outside of their champs they seem very meek.

 

[SSSSSS]

They could have used Pods or Chapman.

 

[Hodgepodge]

Their win-loss record gets propped up by all those home games at Skilled Stadium.

 

[Mr Meeseeks]

Era of dominance? Haven't been 'dominant' since 2011.
One finals win - a shaky one against a young PA - in 3 years is not 'dominance'.

 

[Hawkk]

They won't get straight sets but there is an element of Hawthorn 1992-94 about the current Geelong team (finals record only)

Geelong have now amazingly lost 4 of their last 5 finals matches

 

[Zerg]

First sign of a side sliding is consistently not being able to run out games.

Not that they can complain they've been very competitive for a long time now.

 

[Underdog]

Threads writing off Geelong...they always go well.

 

[Righteo]

I reckon Geelong will still flog the winner of Essendon/North but then in turn get flogged in the prelim. Can't comment on the "end of an era" bit though, Underdog nailed it.

 

[Purple Suit]

They were finished in 2012. They still don't know it yet.

 

[Hawkk]

Threads writing off Geelong...they always go well.

Hawthorn chocking aside they've been successfully executing a rebuild since 2011

Whether they can maintain their position as a top 4/6 club whilst the final wave of their veterans depart remains to be seen

 

[xxxWillxxx]

Give them back Gazza and they are unbeatable...

 

[Franky_024]

They really need another avenue to goal aside from Hawkins

Selwood and Bartel chimed in with a couple of goals but Tommy was extremely rusty tonight and it was painfully obvious that Johnson needed another week.

 

[BigVic]

Today was the first sign Geelong was sliding. They can't put in 4 quarters of footy and lost 4 of their past 5 Finals matches since winning the 2011 Premiership.

 

[clogged]

It's their midfield that is the problem, and it's masked by having some of the more decorated and respected midfielders in the league.

 

[Happy_Neale]

They really need another avenue to goal aside from Hawkins

Selwood and Bartel chimed in with a couple of goals but Tommy was extremely rusty tonight and it was painfully obvious that Johnson needed another week.

Scott has said Johnson won't play again this year too.

 

[Underdog]

Scott has said Johnson won't play again this year too.

Well...that's a disaster.

 

[SloaneysDanger]

Threads writing off Geelong...they always go well.

So much this...

 

[Big_Luch]

So much this...

for every thread that gets it wrong...get us one thread closer to it being right. It has to happen eventually. The only thing is they will still only fall as far down as 10th. *first world problems*