Geelong

[Ron Burgundy]

Im going to call him MC Double Trouble Housemaster lil Hame Mc I Izzle.

you wont.

[Wedgie]

Im going to call him MC Double Trouble Housemaster lil Hame Mc I Izzle.

you wont.

You're as sharp as a bowling ball boy!

[The Sleeping Giant]

What about the hamster?

[Wedgie]

Green Eggs or "And Andy" are my two preferred at his stage if I cant remember my first nomination.

[The Sleeping Giant]

And Andy would suit. All tools.

[Ron Burgundy]

Im going to call him MC Double Trouble Housemaster lil Hame Mc I Izzle.

you wont.

You're as sharp as a bowling ball boy!

or is it you that needs to go to the shed to sharpen the tool?

[Wedgie]

Im going to call him MC Double Trouble Housemaster lil Hame Mc I Izzle.

you wont.

You're as sharp as a bowling ball boy!

or is it you that needs to go to the shed to sharpen the tool?

Probably! I usually play with it instead of sharpening it.

[Ron Burgundy]

Maybe you need to go to Thailand more!

[The Sleeping Giant]

[quote="Wedgie"]Im going to call him MC Double Trouble Housemaster lil Hame Mc I Izzle.

you wont.

You're as sharp as a bowling ball boy!

or is it you that needs to go to the shed to sharpen the tool?

Probably! I usually play with it instead of sharpening it.[/quote]
I've heard it's worn down to a nub.

[RustyCage]

2012 Ladder Position: 6th
Best & Fairest Winner: Tom Hawkins
Total Goals: Tom Hawkins 62
Total Disposals: Joel Selwood 539
Total Marks: Tom Hawkins 144
Total Hitouts: Trent West 518

New Recruits:

Free Agency Recruits:
Jared Rivers - Melbourne

Traded Recruits:
Josh Caddy - Geelong
Hamish McIntosh - North Melbourne

National Draft Recruits:
Jackson Thurlow - Pick No.16
Bradley Hartman - Pick No.77
Jesse Stringer - Pick No.92
(Promoted Rookie)

Rookie Draft Recruits:
Nil.

Pre Season Draft Recruits:
Nil.

Out Going

Free Agency:
Shannon Byrnes - Melbourne

Traded:
Nil.

Retired:
Matthew Scarlett
David Wojcinski
Simon Hogan

Delisted:
Orren Stephenson
Tom Gillies
Jonathan Simpkin

[RustyCage]

The Off Season:

The Off Season started for Geelong with their CEO Brian Cook comtemplating a move to North Melbourne. It was somewhat as a shock, as it was alarming, as Cook guided the cats out of a crippling debt of $7 Million back in 1999 and helped mould the club into a football and financial giant that it is known as today. Cook eventually stayed with the Cats after knocking back an approach from the Kangaroos, Cook said "I look forward to continuing to take on the exciting challenges facing the club with the full support of the board, staff and players." The other offseason improvements around the Cattery was the inclusions of quite a few mature age players from rival clubs, and also the somewhat shocking dumping of highly talented up and coming midfielder Jonothan Simpkin. 2012 also marked the end of an era, the cats were dumped in emphatic fashion by up and comers Fremantle in the first week of the finals, forcing the final game of club stalwart Matthew Scarlett. The Cats did however get another piece of silverware, albeit via the VFL, where the reserves side set up a massive final term managing to knock off favourites Port Melbourne. David Wojcinski was one of the best players on the day, and it was fitting that he too also called an end to his incredible AFL career, going out with yet another premiership win. Much maligned midfield Simon Hogan also unexpectedly called it quits, after personal issues for the greater part of his short career, meant that he ultimately walked away from the game.

Trade/Free Agency:

To quote Brian Taylor “Wowee, oh boy!” – that was the type of reaction fans, and opposing club supporters had when Geelong managed to pull off a heist and really addressed some areas that the Cats might’ve lacked for the first time in the better part of a decade. With so many cats retiring over the previous two years, it’s all of a sudden left a major generation gap that Chris Scott looked to patch up immediately, and he did it with major class. In the free agency period, Geelong stole key Melbourne defender Jared Rivers for nothing, and getting Hamish McIntosh for otherwise peanuts was a ripper move by God, AKA Stephen Wells. And then there was Caddy. There had already been plenty of news circulating that Caddy wanted a return back to Victoria, even during the 2011 trade period, but the Cats got their man, and Caddy, along with Joel Selwood will lead a very “hard as a cats head” midfield for years to come. The Cats did however let go of a few players, in order to fit the incoming players in. Dual Premiership player Shannon Byrnes left the Cattery via free agency, as he looked to play more senior football. Ditto that of Tom Gillies who was delisted before being picked up as a delisted free agent by Melbourne. And Orren Stephenson was also let go of, as the returning injured duo - Daweson Simpson and wonder boy Nathan Vardy will be cherry ripe for the 2013 season.

The Draftees:
Geelong was expected to take either Brodie Grundy or Nathan Hrovat as their first round selection at pick 16 in the National Draft. However draft bolter, Jackson Thurlow from Tasmania got the call up as Geelong’s first overall pick. Thurlow is super versatile, deceptively quick, and can play both forward and back in a Michael Hurley type of role. Thurlow also averaged 25 disposals on the way to All Australian selection as a rebounding, hard running defender who breaks the lines, and also is seen as somebody who can bob up to play in the midfield down the line.

Geelong’s second and final pick in National Draft was Bradley Hartman. Hartman play for Sturt last year, in the SANFL. In what was considered to be a very poor year for Sturt, Hartman was a shining light kicking 50 Goals, and menacing, and ragdolling opponents in a dominative display of agility, strength and good goal nous. He will provide Geelong with a medium size forward option.

What To Expect:

Its hard to read into Geelong this year. Will 2013 be the year they finally drop off after being dominant since 2007? Or will they prove the doubters wrong like they did in 2011 and come out with all guns blazing? My tip is the Cats will stay steady for a while similar to what the Sydney Swans did and rise up the Ladder with vigor in a few years’ time. Some people have already written the cats off to drop out of the 8, but judging by their incredibly good up and coming kids, whom in which we haven’t seen a great deal off – the future looks steady. With a new generation of youngsters pushing through, the likes of Tom Hawkins, Josh Caddy, Mitch Duncan, Daniel Menzel, George Burbury, George Horlin-Smith, Taylor Hine, Billie Smedts, Nathan Vardy, Mitch Brown, Jordan Schroder, Jordan Murdoch, Jed Bews, Jackson Sheringham and Josh Walker will be the new looks Cats, looking to continue what their forbears created.

Geelong's Coaching staff obviously still think a premiership is still within the clubs grasp by recruiting McIntosh and Rivers as " Quick Fixes" or "Top Up" Players. No doubt their is still that elite talent on their list in Joel Corey, James Kelly, James Bartel, Steve Johnson and Co to but these guys are in their early 30's now. But will their bodies be able to hold up to the demands of another 25 week season if they were to play off in another Grand Final? I just can’t see the Cats making the big one this year. The Bulldogs had the same method and it stunted the growth of their younger players and they are finally paying the price. Although this is not a true reflective of what is happening at the Cattery, the principle is still the same.

What will be incredibly interesting is how Chris Scott manages to balance the premiership push, whilst blooding new players, or more so – giving greater opportunity to those relatively young in their careers.

At this stage we’ve got Geelong finishing top 8, and I don’t think anybody is game enough just yet to say that they won’t. There is something brilliant, yet vintage about Geelong. Just when you think they are out on their feet, that brilliance, reminiscent of 2007 breaks through and does the unthinkable. Jimmy Bartel won’t be playing on one leg this year, after it was revealed that he played with a broken foot – and Nathan Vardy and Daweson Simpson should be finally looking at getting some continuity into their football. The experiment of the big Jpod playing a key defensive role will be one to watch, as will Nathan Vardy taking up a key post in the forward line. With quite a few games at Simmonds Stadium Graveyard in 2013, it’s hard not to back Geelong into yet another finals campaign.

After all, it is 2013, right? 07, 09, 11 … 13?

(http://www.facebook.com/theafloffseason?fref=ts)

[the joker]

So North and Geelong playing scratch Matches every Friday. I can't see how this would help Geelong. They are an experienced line up and I can't see how it will do anything, except help the Roos with Geelong's game plan

[mighty_tiger_79]

So North and Geelong playing scratch Matches every Friday. I can't see how this would help Geelong. They are an experienced line up and I can't see how it will do anything, except help the Roos with Geelong's game plan

a bit of our experience is gone and it wont help the roos that much, they have to get to september first!

[RustyCage]

So North and Geelong playing scratch Matches every Friday. I can't see how this would help Geelong. They are an experienced line up and I can't see how it will do anything, except help the Roos with Geelong's game plan

a bit of our experience is gone and it wont help the roos that much, they have to get to september first!

They got as far into September as Geelong did last year

[Rik E Boy]

So North and Geelong playing scratch Matches every Friday. I can't see how this would help Geelong. They are an experienced line up and I can't see how it will do anything, except help the Roos with Geelong's game plan

a bit of our experience is gone and it wont help the roos that much, they have to get to september first!

They got as far into September as Geelong did last year

They won't this year. They have a horrendous draw, at least our carp draw as a soft run home.

regards,

REB

[Rik E Boy]

So North and Geelong playing scratch Matches every Friday. I can't see how this would help Geelong. They are an experienced line up and I can't see how it will do anything, except help the Roos with Geelong's game plan

I'd be very surprised if any of these matches bear any tactical resemblence to the match for premiership points in round three or whatever it is.

regards,

REB

[daysofourlives]

So North and Geelong playing scratch Matches every Friday. I can't see how this would help Geelong. They are an experienced line up and I can't see how it will do anything, except help the Roos with Geelong's game plan

a bit of our experience is gone and it wont help the roos that much, they have to get to september first!

They got as far into September as Geelong did last year

They won't this year. They have a horrendous draw, at least our carp draw as a soft run home.

regards,

REB

Don't be so sure, i think you will find you will both be on end of season trips in September

[mighty_tiger_79]

a bit of our experience is gone and it wont help the roos that much, they have to get to september first![/quote]

They got as far into September as Geelong did last year[/quote]

They won't this year. They have a horrendous draw, at least our carp draw as a soft run home.

regards,

REB[/quote]

Don't be so sure, i think you will find you will both be on end of season trips in September[/quote]


im so sure that we will be playing in september and also hoping on a plane in september for an end of season premiership trip

[Baron Greenback]

I'm not sure what to make of Geelong this year.
Thought they'd miss the finals last year and they got there.
Their young blokes impress me a lot so I don't think they'll bottom out like other teams.
All depends on their older fellas this year like Chapman and co.
If they perform, then Geelong will play finals again.
Otherwise it could be 1-2 years around 9th-12th before becoming a force again.

[Frosty]

Out Going

Free Agency:
Shannon Byrnes - Melbourne

Traded:
Nil.

Retired:
Matthew Scarlett
David Wojcinski
Simon Hogan

Delisted:
Orren Stephenson
Tom Gillies
Jonathan Simpkin

Scarlett is the big loss - hopefully Jared Rivers can fill his role to some capacity - wishful thinking he plays at the same level. Wojo ended up as a bit player last year and Hogan was never in the best 22. Stephenson did his job for a year post-Ottens and Gillies filled in while better players were injured in the backline. I was a bit disappointed to see Simpkin go but on the other hand Caddy looks a useful replacement. The ruck department has improved with the addition of McIntosh, Travis Varcoe is back in calculations and Menzel might come good mid-year. The rest of the team is a year older and possibly a bit slower but no dumber and no less hungry for success. Write the Cats off at your peril!