We've all been expecting an aging Geelong to fall off the cliff for what seems like many years now.

In this article, Jake Niall sets out his reasons why they continue to stay at the pointy end of the ladder.

https://www.theage.com.au/sport/afl/the-magic-pudding-where-cats-have-edge-on-the-competition-20220730-p5b5wc.html

Let’s see if he pens the same pulp in 8 weks time

1) Unfair advantage with their subpar AFL ground 

2) Cap space? How can they keep adding star players with barely no cap space available? (They were trying to get Angus per reports, how were they intending to add an extra 700k to their caps space).

3) For some reason a lot of regional VIC talent likes to go there. Metro VIC has to share the pool of talen between 7 clubs.

I don't know that you can call them successful with the list they've had for a decade with the same coach and their finals resume is lackluster at the very least.

 

 

3 minutes ago, ElDiablo14 said:

How can they keep adding star players with barely no cap space available?

Errr ... did you actually read the article?  The author explains how they do it.

"But the most critical edge that Geelong have over the competition is in player payments. They have more elite players who’ve given up dollars and have averted the modern plague of paying for potential - eg, paying a third or fourth year player $450,000-$500,000 when he’s done diddly-swat."

Hard to argue with this point. It was also why Hawthorn did so well for decades

On a side note, l was surprised to see we are equal on members (65,000) - when you consider  boutique stadium, favourable home ground fixturing and relative ladder positions over last 15 years.

3 minutes ago, Demonstone said:

Errr ... did you actually read the article?  The author explains how they do it.

That may be the case but it is also unfair to let star players take too many pay cuts. I believe the likes of the NBA or NFL have a minimum salary (max contracts) for star players, so you can't underpay them too much in order to stack up stars in your team.

well, if you look at their recruiting since they lost won a premiership, they've used free agency brilliantly to top up or force a trade for key players who are free agents, and then picked the eyes out of trades etc.

been a very good wheeler and dealer

No mention of Cotton On $$$ or the other deals they have availed of recently.

They stay competitive by being given 10 wins a year at Geelong. End of story. 

47 minutes ago, Diamond_Jim said:

" have averted the modern plague of paying for potential - eg, paying a third or fourth year player $450,000-$500,000 when he’s done diddly-swat."

This is also much easier to do when all your players are in year 10-15 of their careers. They don’t pay the kids money because they don’t play them.

1 hour ago, ElDiablo14 said:

 3) For some reason a lot of regional VIC talent likes to go there. Metro VIC has to share the pool of talen between 7 clubs.

I'd suggest the lifestyle on that side of the bay is a hell of a lot better than the other side.
Got a more country coastal feel than the rat race of the city.
I know where I'd prefer to have a McRanch with ocean views.

 

Edited July 31, 20222 yr by Fork 'em

They've done a great job to stay up there but...

They made finals last year but I would say were uncompetitive..

Is it better to win premierships or be just making up the numbers sometimes being competitive in the top 8?

You build a premiership through a core group of players that come through together from the draft.

Selwood, Hawkins & Duncan are the last men standing...they've replaced the likes of Chapman, Johnson, Bartel, Scarlett, Taylor, Enright, Corey etc...but you never really replace that level of talent, age and commitment.

If they don't win it this year then they will fall off the cliff as those 3 move on starting with Selwood next year.

It's over 10 years since their last flag and time is up for this list.

Is this competitiveness really fools gold????

 

Edited July 31, 20222 yr by rjay

Would Geelong supporters trade being ‘competitive’ every year for a premiership?

Only two premiership players left on that list.

Edited July 31, 20222 yr by TeamPlayedFine39
Spelling

I’m not a firm believer just yet. They are playing well on their home deck but look vulnerable away from it. . 

All eyes on the first QF for the Cats. Everything they do till then is elevator music.

10 minutes ago, layzie said:

All eyes on the first QF for the Cats. Everything they do till then is elevator music.

… and they looked super impressive last night. Biclavs in the ruck or a tagger at the centre bounce is giving  them a whole new look.My only query is whether they’re peaking too early. 

The Cats stand in our way of consecutive premierships

The've reinvented themselves and have obviously learnt a lot from last year's preliminary final

They have quality players across all lines and now play a form of total defence

Their win against us is the best win of the season (given the stakes, 1 vs 2 etc) ... our 2 wins against the Lions & Freo would be next in line or at least in the top 5 wins for the season

Our match committee will not be underestimating the Cats as we will have learnt a lot from our loss to them

However, our best beats their best but we need to bring our best when we play them next

Edited July 31, 20222 yr by Macca

They've managed their list well and bring in solid talent in the 23-25+ year old range. This means more matured bodies with more experience and capacity to go a full season and deep into finals.

On top of that, they train and play 8+ games a year on a stadium that is far away different and worse than any other ground in the league. The WA and SA teams have a home ground advantage from the crowds. Brisbane probably from the humidity. Sydney is also tough to beat at the SCG but it's not "formidable".

Geelong's home ground advantage is *literally* lies in the fact they're the only team that knows how to best play a really, really bad ground. The far wing is a dead straight line from flank to flank. How the AFL allowed this even with a redevelopment is truly beyond me. On top of this it's a super narrow ground so if you go down the flank and wing from the pocket it's a flip of the coin if you kick it to a contest or out on the full. It's a training run for them.

On average based on this century they are guaranteed at least 5 wins a year playing there. That's halfway to finals.

 

had a convo with a cats supporting workmate the other week - he sais as ecstatic as he's been with the last decade of the cats, he'd trade their 75% or so winning ratio for a premiership any day of the week

2 hours ago, Demonstone said:

We've all been expecting an aging Geelong to fall off the cliff for what seems like many years now.

In this article, Jake Niall sets out his reasons why they continue to stay at the pointy end of the ladder.

https://www.theage.com.au/sport/afl/the-magic-pudding-where-cats-have-edge-on-the-competition-20220730-p5b5wc.html

Thanks Demonstone that is a great read makes a lot of sense, I have wondered how they keep performing without top picks each year as mentioned Hawks did the same for 10 years cherry pick the cream of the crop once it is developed, don’t waste picks on kids that May or may not succeed. damn Cats.!!

Amazing what the inclusion of four or five players plus a turnaround in form can do.

Their forward line with Stengle and a fit Cameron has made a huge difference. 

Tom Atkins, de Koning and Max Holmes have been terrific as well.

They aren't as reliant on their old stars as in previous years and have a more aggressive take it on gameplan.

I still think their bottom six of Kolo, Parfitt, Rohan, Bews, Miers, etc. are worse than ours and when the whips are cracking our midfield is far superior..

 

Agree that they look the biggest threat at the moment. They were really impressive for good chunks yesterday. And when we played them round 17 I couldn’t help thinking that they were just bigger bodies than our boys. I think that may be why Rivers has come in and Bowey out.  Rivers is much bigger. 
 

Interesting to see whether they can sustain the pace and intensity through to end of September. What’s clear is that some of their senior players will know and play like it’s their last chance at a flag.  Can’t wait for our finals match against them, hopefully the GF. I suspect it’ll be much closer than our PF last year. 
 

 

4 hours ago, Jaded No More said:

They stay competitive by being given 10 wins a year at Geelong. End of story. 

Could say the same for any interstate side, yet plenty currently occupy the bottom 10.

5 hours ago, Demonstone said:

We've all been expecting an aging Geelong to fall off the cliff for what seems like many years now.

In this article, Jake Niall sets out his reasons why they continue to stay at the pointy end of the ladder.

https://www.theage.com.au/sport/afl/the-magic-pudding-where-cats-have-edge-on-the-competition-20220730-p5b5wc.html

GMBH against Sheeit opposition

End of story🤯