What do we need to do to return back to premiership contention?

[witsend]

I think we need to maintain some perspective on this year and 2022.
So much went right last year.
Jezza had a full year.
Stengle was a risk that paid off big-time
Selwood final year factor
Miers and Close stepped up.
Almost everyone came good when they needed too.
And injuries were dealt with early.
This year we lost Selwood and pretty much Guthrie for the year. And Danger has been in and out and a year older. That’s our core mid-field.
Parfitt hasn’t stepped up. Holmes and Brun show promise but would not be feared by oppo coaches yet.
Now we lose Blicavs for likely the rest of the season (Bontompelli will tear us a new one without Blicavs for company in Rd 24).
We have won 25% of the flags since 2017!!!
And only missed finals once in that time. Extraordinary success by any measure.
We go into every season with a plan.
In 2022 EVERYTHING worked.
This year…not so much.
We need patience and faith.
There will no doubt be trades to come and careers built.


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[Bevoman]

I think we need to maintain some perspective on this year and 2022.
So much went right last year.
Jezza had a full year.
Stengle was a risk that paid off big-time
Selwood final year factor
Miers and Close stepped up.
Almost everyone came good when they needed too.
And injuries were dealt with early.
This year we lost Selwood and pretty much Guthrie for the year. And Danger has been in and out and a year older. That’s our core mid-field.
Parfitt hasn’t stepped up. Holmes and Brun show promise but would not be feared by oppo coaches yet.
Now we lose Blicavs for likely the rest of the season (Bontompelli will tear us a new one without Blicavs for company in Rd 24).
We have won 25% of the flags since 2017!!!
And only missed finals once in that time. Extraordinary success by any measure.
We go into every season with a plan.
In 2022 EVERYTHING worked.
This year…not so much.
We need patience and faith.
There will no doubt be trades to come and careers built.


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Grossly underachived in the last decade, such an outstanding list should have won a few more flags between the two book ends.
2008 will also be the one that got away.

 

[witsend]

Grossly underachived in the last decade, such an outstanding list should have won a few more flags between the two book ends.
2008 will also be the one that got away.

Underachieved? Clearly we had flaws or we would have won more flags. Maybe you think we were badly coached, yet we have the winningest coach in AFL/VFL history.
Under CS, we have achieved 2 flags, and with the exception of 2026, been in the hunt despite bugger all deep draft picks.


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[Bunnings]

Lots, I would suggest

 

[iameviljez]

Grossly underachived in the last decade, such an outstanding list should have won a few more flags between the two book ends.
2008 will also be the one that got away.

It wasn't that good a list.

Worst ruck division in the league during that time, also a very poor small forward division. No coincidence that we came good when Stanley started to get on top in hitouts and Miers, Close and Stengle became an excellent unit.

Up till roughly 2020, our bottom six in every 22 was pretty ordinary, too. Even in the year when we should have won it - 2019 IMO - we still carried a very young Jack Henry, Esava, Narkle, O'Connor, Atkins out of position as a forward, and Jed Bews at a time when he could not find the football for love or money.

 

[catempire]

Improve the fuggin midfield.

 

[And_ROOS]

Really need a high quality mid and and another b+ at least in there
This could come from Bruhn, Knevitt and Clark but perhaps not for another season or two hence why bring on Parish

Its the types of mids we need, we need an accumulator, someone who can get 28-35 a week, and a midfield bull to eventually take Paddys spot.

 

[iameviljez]

Improve the fuggin midfield.

I think a decent core is in place, if Knevitt and Clark can join Bruhn and Holmes. It's not everything, but it's a start.

 

[catempire]

I think a decent core is in place, if Knevitt and Clark can join Bruhn and Holmes. It's not everything, but it's a start.

If we could get a couple of 25-28 year olds I’d be much more optimistic. Right now it’s pain for several years to come.

 

[iameviljez]

If we could get a couple of 25-28 year olds I’d be much more optimistic. Right now it’s pain for several years to come.

I'd suggest it's more mediocrity than pain. I look at the likes of West Coast and North, and I don't see that in our future.

 

[My Tilly]

Henry returning to the player we all hoped he would has certainly elevated the team into premiership contention.
At times throughout the middle stages of the season, he looked completely devoid of confidence and it was sapping given De Koning too was out of form.
Humphries has been a revelation.
Blicavs returning to the backhalf . . . we have arguably the best defense in the AFL right now.

With the return of Bruhn, the rise of Holmes, Geelong have found form at precisely the right time of the season and that is what it's all about in our game.
Timing is key.

 

[CabWesty]

Massive credit where due. Go back and have a look at some of the comments from last year - years of pain etc.

How impressive is the way the team has bounced back from missing the eight last year?

I'd suggest we're back into contention. Need to beat whoever wins out of Giants and Lions and we're back in the GF to face whoever wins of Port, Hawthorn and Sydney.

 

[And_ROOS]

Massive credit where due. Go back and have a look at some of the comments from last year - years of pain etc.

How impressive is the way the team has bounced back from missing the eight last year?

I'd suggest we're back into contention. Need to beat whoever wins out of Giants and Lions and we're back in the GF to face whoever wins of Port, Hawthorn and Sydney.

I was confident we would make finals this year, an extra year into guys like Bowes and Bruhn in our system, improvement in the kids etc.

But I had us in 5th or 6th, no way did I have us finishing 3rd and absolutely battering an interstate team in an away final.

Really hope we get Brisbane in the PF and history repeats and we get the Swans in the GF because one thing I have loved is people saying "I hope season 2024 doesn't get wasted by having a Swans/Cats GF again"

 

[Goggin Our Best]

Not being silly about it , but is Stewarts hamstring ok

Because Geel played so well and because it was a final , read a few oppo boards re Geelongs performance

And one said , Stewart woke up on the morning of the game ill , where as Dangerfield " apparently " said in an after match interview , we were all put out a bit , when we found out yesterday ( Wed ) that he wasnt playing

 

[supahoops]

I think that Geel cliff which opposition supporters wrongly 1st talked about 6-7 years ago - well because of the current age group - then its obvious the big drop off is not that far away at all - simply because so many quality players will be gone

Next year wont be a disaster - early prognosis anywhere between 6th and 14th - but forget about premierships because the window is super glued shut

And at the end of 24 - i think thats when alot of Geel players will call it quits - or a few wont be offered new contracts - and thats when Geel will tumble

How long before they become competitive and maybe challenge again - then it all comes down to recruiting - because i dont think the Geel youth on the books at present looks that flash at all

With the recruiting - if they stuuff around like Ess- Carl - and Melb did for a long time - then the wilderness beckons

However if you look at the Crows - 2017 favourites in that GF when they got beat - they then cleared the decks and dropped right down ( they had never been their before in their history ) i dont know if they won a wooden spoon in that patch - but just 6 years later in 2023 - i think it is exciting times for Ade - i really like their list/side

So you can turn things around in a reasonable short period of time - but it all comes down to excellent recruiting

This aged well, you might like Adelaide but please don’t compare us to them. I’m starting not to even be concerned with the loss of Danger/Cameron/Stewart considering we’ve barely missed a beat without Hawkins. Our list management is second to none.

 

[Goggin Our Best]

This aged well, you might like Adelaide but please don’t compare us to them. I’m starting not to even be concerned with the loss of Danger/Cameron/Stewart considering we’ve barely missed a beat without Hawkins. Our list management is second to none.

Well thanks for throwing me under the back wheels of the road train , it was only an opinion at the time , easy to be an expert in hindsight

And in the preview thread re Port , i was one of very few to tip a Geel win , and i said by 4 goals - were as there was post after post that we were going to get smashed

And hopefully not to put the mock on it but before the Freo game ( pivotal game ) i posted that i placed $100 on Geel at the $18 on offer at the time to win the premiership . And that bet , or should say investment is trending oh so nicely in the right direction at the present moment .

 

[catempire]

View attachment 1761457

Well, we are getting there.

 

[lettheboysplay]

Grossly underachived in the last decade, such an outstanding list should have won a few more flags between the two book ends.
2008 will also be the one that got away.

This coming from a Port supporter is delicious.

 

[Footy Smarts]

It's absolutely wild to me we just dominated a qualifying final with no Stewart, Guthrie, Hawkins or SDK.

Even the most optimistic fan would've assumed those 4 were key to us competing this year.

 

[you pick one]

It's absolutely wild to me we just dominated a qualifying final with no Stewart, Guthrie, Hawkins or SDK.

Even the most optimistic fan would've assumed those 4 were key to us competing this year.

Stewart and SDK yes the other two not so much.

 

[Footy Smarts]

Stewart and SDK yes the other two not so much.

I would've had Hawkins and Guthrie as much more important than SDK at the start of the year. It was particularly hard to see how we would have a competitive midfield without Guthrie getting back close to his best.