Young guns can go for glory

THE GOOD

Here are some of the players at Geelong who are still 23 or younger:

Brandan Parfitt, Nakia Cockatoo, Jake Kolodjashnij, Tim Kelly, Wylie Buzza, Lachie Fogarty, Esava Ratugolea, Charlie Constable, Quinton Narkle, Cory Gregson, Jordan Cunico, Jack Henry and Jamaine Jones.

So far, Kelly, Henry, Fogarty, Ratugolea and Jones have made their debut this season and there is every chance that Narkle will be added to that list — possibly as early as this week — while Constable has been painfully close to earning a senior callup.

Of course, the Cats are in the premiership window and should be pulling out all stops to secure a top-four finish and be pushing for a Grand Final berth, but while it is crucial to ensure the next batch of talent coming through is not left behind, these young players are not being gifted games.

They are in the team or close to it because of the impact they are having, which will only become greater with more game time and experience. First it was Zac Smith in the team, then it was Rhys Stanley, then it was neither, with Ratugolea given the nod, and then it was either one or the other until one was left.

Ryan Abbott has done all he can at VFL level to be given a crack and the indication from those at the Cats is he will be seen at AFL level before the season is out.

The past couple of weeks have been much better from Stanley, but it is still too early to say he has become a consistent performer.

Geelong needs to see a solid month to six weeks from the former Saint before it can be comfortable knowing what he will produce, but it is has been encouraging to see that he has what it takes when everything clicks for him. So much has been made of opposition clubs’ injury lists and yet if you go through the names below it becomes fairly evident quickly that Geelong has had more than its fair share of troubles on that front.

Be it as a result of a preseason hiccup, an in-game incident or during the week at training, Parfitt, Gary Ablett, Lincoln McCarthy, Harry Taylor, Smith, Dan Menzel, Scott Selwood, Constable, Lachie Henderson, Gregson, Cam Guthrie, Patrick Dangerfield, Stewart Crameri and Sam Simpson have all missed matches this year, while Aaron Black is out for the season and Ratugolea, who had become a vital cog in the Cats’ attacking half, faces an uphill battle to get back on the park.

It is a shame that some of the best and most exciting players in the league are routinely missing games of football through injury.