Kane Cornes believes Geelong has firmly injected itself into the premiership race, describing the Cats’ first quarter of their win over Adelaide as the best term of footy so far in 2024.
Chris Scott’s side accounted for a gritty Adelaide outfit by 15 points on Friday night, with the Crows unable to appease the home crowd.
Geelong had lost Tanner Bruhn (foot), Tom Atkins (groin) and Mitch Duncan (personal) in the leadup to Friday night’s clash but broke even in the midfield and made the most of their chances ahead of the footy.
Despite losing the inside 50 count, Tom Stewart took a record-equalling 10 intercept marks while Tom Hawkins (four goals) and Gryan Miers (three) were perfect in front of the sticks.
Now finding themselves 2-0, Geelong has earned the credentials of a premiership contender again in 2024, according to Cornes.
On the flip side, he’s got question marks on the Crows.
“I needed to see it. I could see it on paper, but I needed to see it in action,” Cornes said post-game on AFL Nation.
“Now I’ve seen it. This team can win the flag. This team is in a cluster of six teams that can win the flag, that’s how I walk away from tonight and I was high on Adelaide in the pre-season, I thought they were on the right track. But maybe it’s a year like Fremantle had last year, after they take a big leap they take a couple of steps back. That’s the gut feel I’ve got at the moment.”
On commentary duties for the clash, the Port Adelaide great was enamoured by the way Geelong started the game.
“This electrifying. This is the best football that any team has played this year in any quarter of footy,” Cornes said during the opening term as the Cats kicked six majors for the term.
What’s more, the Cats appeared to have proven the next generation does exist. After years of questions of when the cliff might come, and the fear eventuating last year when missing out on finals for just the second time in Scott’s tenure, Geelong played nine players with under 80 games of experience each on Friday night.
Geelong is now expected to spend at least the early parts of the season around the top of the ladder, next taking Hawthorn, Western Bulldogs and North Melbourne.