Kane Cornes and David King share contrasting views on the Cats’ fortunes for the 2022 season.
One of the most incredible runs in AFL history appears to be entering its twilight, with Geelong’s refusal to invest in the draft likely to catch up with them at some point.
Since 2006, the Cats have finished in the top four 12 times, their dominance culminating in three premierships.
However, Chris Scott has not won a flag since his first year as coach in 2011 and appears unlikely to get many more chances in this window.
The club’s A-graders, led by captain Joel Selwood, are ageing, while the youngsters are yet to show enough to suggest they can be stars of the future.
King believes the Cats have some of the best top-end talent in the league, and couldn’t write them off when asked if Geelong can win the premiership on SEN Breakfast.
“I still think this is a star-driven league, the importance is on your top six players playing to their best week in and week out,” King began.
“Geelong didn’t have that luxury last year, they had so many injuries and the Tom Stewart injury came at absolutely the wrong point of the season and they never recovered from that.
“They basically fell apart from that, defensively they weren’t as sound as what they’d been and he was probably their most important player to lose, given what we saw.
“If their best play to their best in 2022 and they get a full season out of Mitch Duncan and they get a healthy Jeremey Cameron – who by all reports is absolutely flying, hasn’t missed a session – and they get full tote odds out of the key position duo of Tom Hawkins and Cameron, and they get a bit more responsibility given to the kids, who don’t necessarily have to come in and be best and fairest winners (then they are a chance).
“They’re a team and a football club that know how to win games of football.”
Duncan missed nine games with a PCL injury in 2021 before returning for the finals series, while Cameron struggled to get out of first gear with numerous hamstring setbacks.
However, the former Giant still managed 39 goals from his 15 games.
Despite the likelihood of those two playing larger roles in the Cats’ 2022 season, Cornes says a lack of talent from the draft means he’s ruling the club out of the premiership race this year.
“I write them off every year,” Cornes stated.
“I put my hand up, I’ve been wrong about Geelong more than I’ve been wrong about any team.
“But they can’t win the flag.
“I don’t think with the injury history that has now crept up on their players – which isn’t going to get better as they get older – and the lack of elite first-round draft picks (won’t help).
“What wins premierships? It’s a cluster of top 10 draft picks that have been picked in the space of three or four years together.
“As we know, and the success that they’ve had, they haven’t had access to that, so I’d be shocked if Geelong won the premiership.”
However, continuing his defence of the Cats’ chances, King believes there are only small margins at the top of the AFL ladder, giving the club a chance due to being a “definite finalist”.
“There’s a gap right now between them and Melbourne and the Bulldogs,” he said.
“You look at the ladder in the last round of the year, if that (Max Gawn) kick after the siren doesn’t go through, they finish top of the ladder.
“It’s small margins. They were unhealthy last year, you never know what percentage of their players are carrying significant injuries through games.
“I’ve got them in the finals, they’re a definite finalist for me, and from there, if Patrick Dangerfield has a big month…
“I absolutely won’t be tipping them this far out far out, but I wouldn’t be surprised if they finished fourth or fifth.”
Scott recently told AFL.com.au the club would tinker with its game style to improve their scoring abilities when under pressure, having identified that as an issue from past seasons.
Geelong has undergone an overhaul of their coaching department over the off-season, with numerous ex-players also joining new CEO Steve Hocking at the club.