Cats scrape in by experience
Blake Caracella into general manager and assistant coaching roles can’t be underestimated. Nor can their Geelong pedigrees.
Somehow it seems like they have helped release coach Damien Hardwick from vexations of 2016, and helped set the whole team free.
The club’s faith in Hardwick is potent evidence of what is working at Punt Road under the astute man for his time CEO Brendon Gale and president Peggy O’Neal. Measured stability, focus and shoulders to the wheel, even defying tremors at a club formerly famous for blood on the floor.
None should be more aware of the value of that than Geelong Cats supporters who have luxuriated in the spoils of the triumphal good-to-great Frank Costa-Colin CarterBrian Cook leadership dynasty.
There’s a bit to like at Richmond now: Debt-free, record membership among the biggest in the competition, most watched club in 2017, double chance, a tight team playing with intent and daring, VFL side surging, an AllAustralian skipper, a Brownlow favourite, Dustin Martin conceding financial gain to be a Tiger for life because he wants to remain part of the family and sees a destination . . . but there’s still a scoreboard aching to be reconciled in the last game of the year.
On Friday it starts with the Cats, who have had a merciless grip on our achilles heel for a decade and a historic inclination to lay waste to any of our match ambitions.
Fourteen points stood between us when last we met, at Kardinia Park, with several key Cats out and, before that, 12 consecutive losses reaching back to one memorable day in 2006. Before that, more pain.
Turning the tables might be a whole lot easier against another foe, but football is a game of jagged bounces and in finals ever more so. It’s so important to manufacture your own luck.
Belief is such a large part of the equation. It radiated against odds as the Western Bulldogs did their conjuring last season and their premise was beautifully simple: “Why not us?”
And belief was apparent back in 2007 as great and gracious Bob Davis and his fellow alumni rode their longheld dreams home in the stands, faces aglow.
That day there was something for a yearning Tiger to behold, besides an encounter with heroes — the sounds and sights of a decades-long drought breaking, a sensation worth fighting for. TRIPLET premiership star Brad Ottens says Geelong’s experience will be the deciding factor in tonight’s qualifying final against Richmond.
Geelong has 11 players who have played in seven or more finals, while Richmond’s most c capped finals player is former C Cats midfielder Josh Caddy w with six.
Andrew Mackie (23), Joel S Selwood (23) and Harry Taylor (20) have comfortably played more finals between them than Richmond’s entire team.
Dion Prestia, David A Astbury, Jacob Townsend, Daniel Rioli and Jason Castagna are among the Tigers yet to make their finals debuts.
Ottens, who played 18 finals a across a 245-game career with b both clubs, said experience would be key on tonight’s big stage.
“It’s a toss of the coin. I’ve b been trying to figure out who w will win all week,” Ottens said.
“They’re two teams, both in really good form at the right time of the year.
“I backed against the Cats a f few weeks ago down here in G Geelong, so I’m not going to m make the same mistake twice.
“Finals experience probably c counts for a fair bit and Geelong has still got a fair few guys that have got a fair few finals under their belt, so that might be the deciding factor in the end.”
But the champion ruckman s said the Tigers had the w weapons to turn the tables on Geelong’s 14-point win in Round 21.
“They’re a different team playing on the ’G and Geelong are a different team playing down here too. They’ve showed that in the second half o of the year,” he said.
“That’ll be a factor. I guess the weather might come into the equation a little bit too with how much rain we’ve had in the last few days.
“The Rance factor is probably significant too. If Harry (Taylor) can do that again (restrict Rance’s influence), it will go a long way towards the Cats winning. The Tigers will be more prepared for that more this time.”
Ottens said he would be wearing his Cats scarf tonight, but certainly hoped the Tigers could win a final this year.
“I’m in the Geelong camp. I had a soft spot for the Tiges ever since coming down here but I’m well and truly in the Geelong camp these days,” he said.
“I think everyone would love to see the Tigers win a flag, so if Geelong’s not there, I hope the Tiges can go all the way. They’re pretty formidable at the moment, they’re going to take some beating, so with any luck they’re going to win a final sooner rather than later.”
Ottens will ring Geelong’s timekeeper’s bell tonight.
Cats fans overwhelmingly voted in a public poll for the bell, which has been a part of the Simonds Stadium match day for the past three years, to be taken to the MCG for the home final. Top 10 players with finals experience
Andrew Mackie (23); Joel Selwood (23); Harry Taylor (20); Tom Hawkins (16); Tom Lonergan (16); Mitch Duncan (11); Patrick Dangerfield (9); Steven Motlop (8); Scott Selwood (8); Cam Guthrie (7)
Josh Caddy (6); Shaun Grigg (4); Jack Riewoldt (3); Shane Edwards (3); Trent Cotchin (3); Dustin Martin (3); Alex Rance (3); Bachar Houli (3); Brandan Ellis (3); Dylan Grimes (3)