Spirits high as Cats pass test
ROUND 2: GEELONG V MELBOURNE
G. Rohan 3, J. Selwood 2, L. Dahlhaus 2, P. Dangerfield 2, T. Hawkins 2, B. Parfitt, C. Constable, E. Ratugolea, G.Miers, J. Clark, M. Duncan, M. O’Connor, S. Menegola, T. Kelly.
J. Melksham 2, A. Brayshaw, J. Lockhart, J. Viney, S. Weideman.
P. Dangerfield, T. Kelly, T. Stewart, L. Dahlhaus, J. Kolodjashnij, C. Constable, M. Duncan.
C. Oliver, A. Brayshaw, M. Gawn, J. Viney. 27,561. how together Geelong’s forward line — and by extension the whole team — is at the moment.
It is not about individual goal returns or possessions. It is about the collective.
When Geelong was at its dominant best a decade ago, this was the mantra that defined a group of forwards who got just as much joy out of delivering a goal assist as they did from kicking a goal themself.
Hawkins doesn’t care if he kicks five goals or no goals, just as long as someone kicks them.
And if there is a chance to give a young kid a little confidence boost, then the Cats will do it.
Not that Clark necessarily needs it, given how well he has settled into AFL life.
“I think it was a reflection of the care that’s within the group,” said coach Chris Scott, who was shown smiling and clapping in the coaches’ box after Clark’s goal.
“(It was) great presence of mind from Hawk to (handball). But the fact I think that was even on his mind reflects the attitude that our players have at the moment, and that is one of looking after their teammates as much as possible.
“It’s not something we want to coach and encourage too much, we would prefer we knock over the goal, but the presence of mind in the moment, I thought was a really nice moment.
“I hope it’s not misinterpreted as anything other than a teammate looking after a guy playing his second game.”
The equation was simple for Geelong at the end of 2018.
Bundled out by Melbourne in the first week of finals, the Cats’ forwards simply weren’t kicking enough goals or putting on enough pressure.
Daniel Menzel, Lincoln McCarthy and Cory Gregson all left the club, while the Cats brought in Gary Rohan and Luke Dahlhaus and switched Gary Ablett forward.
It may only be two games into the season, but Geelong’s list management decisions have been totally justified so far.
The Cats now hunt in numbers. Countless times on Saturday night the Dees melted under the tackle pressure.
If Dahlhaus didn’t get you, then Tom Atkins did, or Brandan Parfitt, or Sam Menegola.
Dahlhaus finished with 11 tackles and 26 pressure acts. Atkins chipped in with eight tackles and 29 pressure acts.
The Cats managed to kick 20.6 from 48 inside-50s. They had 14 goal scorers. Any worries about Geelong’s forward line taking time to gel have been put to bed.
There may be a lot of fresh faces, but this is a potent and aggressive mix.
“Big picture, we didn’t go in thinking that we’d get it right straight away.
“We thought it would be a slightly longer-term process,” Scott said of the new-look forward line.
“I don’t think a sample size of two games is enough to say that we’ve fixed that part of our game to the level that we can be content.”