Former AFL list manager Chris Pelchen says Geelong are “at the crossroads” with their list and suggests they need to go to the draft and rejuvenate with young talent.
The Cats have been an active player in the trade period over the last few years, topping up their list with quality mature age talent, and have already been linked with moves for unrestricted free agent Luke Dahlhaus, Sydney speedster Gary Rohan and St Kilda star Jack Steven.
Pelchen warned they would be ill-advised to give up too much for the trio and believes they need to revert back to their previous philosophy of going to the draft and develop from within.
“Traditionally, their success has been built on very, very good drafting and developing players from within,” Pelchen told SEN Afternoons.
“Looking at Geelong right at the moment, they’re really at the crossroads in a football list point of view.
“Their best forward and best defender in the case of Tom Hawkins and Harry Taylor, who have traditionally been there for the last decade, are both 30 and above.
“You’ve got Lachie Henderson at 29 next year and then you look at their on-ballers, their best on-baller is Joel Selwood who is 30 and Patrick Dangerfield plays next year as a 29-year-old.
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“I’m not suggesting either of those are finished, but what it highlights is that over the next two-to-three years they need to be bringing talented youngsters in that 20-23 age group through.
“They’ve got a bit of void in that space right at the moment because they’ve relied so heavily on bringing in players from opposition clubs over the last three-to-four years.
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“While I can understand going after Luke Dahlhaus and Gary Rohan, if they use up things that they’re ultimately going to need to go to the draft with, then that becomes a real danger.
“I’d be suggesting that Geelong need to go back to the draft table.”
Geelong were eliminated from this year's finals series after going down to Melbourne in last Friday night’s Elimination Final.
Listen to Chris Pelchen’s chat on SEN Afternoons with Andy Maher in the player below