Cats’ 22 situation
Smalls, talls and some difficult calls
GEELONG fans have been conditioned for close to a month now to expect a vastly different looking forward setup in 2019.
The talk during the year that the Cats were keen on acquiring Luke Dahlhaus and Gary Rohan was one thing, but the decision to delist star forward Daniel Menzel after they had already parted ways with injured duo Lincoln McCarthy and Cory Gregson confirmed that the change in approach many have been calling for is imminent.
It is why, in addition to the fact that there are currently only 38 players on Geelong’s list — if you include Irish rookie Stefan Okunbor — picking the best 22 for the start of next year is so problematic.
Clearly Geelong wants speed inside-50, so Dahlhaus and Rohan are automatic inclusions — why else would you get them in if not to fill the gaping hole in attack left by those aforementioned departures?
But there is only room for so many small forward types, and given the Cats have gone through as many as they have in recent years the expectation is that they will want to find a combination that works and stick with it.
Tom Hawkins has to start deep, but there may not be room for the 2012 Carji Greeves medallist and Esava Ratugolea in this new-look forward line.
It means Ratugolea could be a genuine chance to play as a ruckman with support from Geelong’s new Mr Fix It, Jack Henry, who might be squeezed out of defence if Harry Taylor can put together a full pre-season.
Henry was a revelation in 2018 and handled himself with aplomb in attack, and his athleticism essentially gives the Cats a fifth pressuring player when he plays forward.
There is no doubt that Patrick Dangerfield will spend a fair share of time as part of the forward set-up, as will Sam Menegola, and those bigger bodies will still be required under the AFL’s new six-sixsix set-up that will see each team start with six players inside-50.
In addition to Rohan, Dahl- haus, Hawkins and Henry, Quinton Narkle and Brandan Parfitt are strong possibilities to be used in attack, with both also likely to be thrown into their team’s midfield rotations.
Geelong’s defence all but picks itself, with Lachie Henderson and Cam Guthrie to be used with Jed Bews, Tom Stewart, Jake Kolodjashnij, Zach Tuohy and 2018 bestand-fairest winner Mark Blicavs, as well as Taylor, if his body can hold up.
Ruckman Rhys Stanley may be a victim of the Cats new style of play only because it seems difficult to fathom how they could play as many talls as they have in the past and expect to change their lack of pressure at ground level.
Geelong’s midfielders will have been told the expectation on them will be to improve the tackling component of their game in 2019, because while locking the ball inside-50 is crucial, there is no doubt that an increase in pressure across the entire ground will be a major focus area.
Nakia Cockatoo, Lachie Fogarty, Charlie Constable and Jamaine Jones will get their chances throughout the year, and Stephen Wells has a knack of producing the goods at the draft table, so more names will be added to the list of hopefuls before Round 1 next year.
No matter who Geelong selects, they must be prepared to tackle, pressure opponents, chase and help lock the ball inside-50.