Rate a team in 2008: Geelong

[BulldogBelle]

After an impressive year in 2007, can Geelong back it up and snare the ultimate Premiership again in 2008?

Steven King has departed for St Kilda, Steve Johnson again in the news, Nathan Ablett having lost his mojo will this impact of the rest of the team? Me thinks not, the cats have a lot of dedicated players, quite a few all Australian's in the team and I feel they will again reign supreme.

Prediction: Either 1st or 2nd.

[southerncross]

An outstanding team and club that restructured themselves both on and off the field. Top 3 next season.

Their depth is very impressive.

[hujsh]

King only really played the GF well and Blake will continue to improve. N.Ablett wasn't exactly the key to success and didn't do anything Hawkins can't do.

If Johnson can avoid this effecting his football then they will be fine

[wimberga]

Im not sure why, but i dont believe that Geelong will have a great season. I can't quite put my finger on why they wont, which is frustrating. Although they were the form side last season and dominated the competition, i dont really believe they are one of the greatest sides in the competition in terms of potential. They have hit that potential when other teams havent.

[hujsh]

So most of their players hit top form when the standard of other teams (Sydney WCE Adelaide) had dropped.

[wimberga]

thats a rather simplistic way to put it hujsh, but sort of. I just believe there are better teams in the competition that just werent playing as good as Geelong in 07, but i think that might change this season

[The Bulldogs Bite]

thats a rather simplistic way to put it hujsh, but sort of. I just believe there are better teams in the competition that just werent playing as good as Geelong in 07, but i think that might change this season

Agreed.

Geelong had a fantastic season last year but everything clicked. IMO a few players played a little above themselves, and whilst they proved to be a good side I don't think they're the best list going around. Improvement from other lists will come (Port, Hawks, WCE etc.) Their team bond was an all time high, they were focused & they were injury free for basically the entire season. '07 is an absolute credit to them, but I don't believe it's a list that can re-produce that type of football. Aside from Ablett, Bartel, Scarlett, I don't think they have any genuine A graders. Johnson/Chapman are very good players but Johnson in particular played above himself IMO. One good season doesn't make a great player.

At this stage it's difficult to point a finger on exactly what it is, but I'm a firm believer that Geelong won't dominate. I still believe their ruck stocks are ordinary & their forward half suspect. Mooney delivered for the first time (properly) in years whilst their small forwards played as well as they possibly could. Blake I don't rate; he's a modern day Peter Street, and I think their midfield played above themselves (Bartel & Ablett not included). Their backline is undoubtedly the best in the league however.

Top 6 is my prediction.

[hujsh]

thats a rather simplistic way to put it hujsh, but sort of. I just believe there are better teams in the competition that just werent playing as good as Geelong in 07, but i think that might change this season

Which teams are better? The previous shoe-ins from 05-06 aren't as good and i wasn't a big fan of the rest of the teams in the prelims.

[dog town]

Egan out for the first month and Scarlett having surgery this week so already a few cracks appearing in what is the source of there strength. Brave to tip against them but I will say 4-6.

[Dogs 24/7]

Egan out for the first month and Scarlett having surgery this week so already a few cracks appearing in what is the source of there strength. Brave to tip against them but I will say 4-6.

They can cover him but it won't be easy.

[hujsh]

I told my Dad (a real Geelong supporter) about Egan and he said "Who? The back pocket?"

I actually had to remind him who Egan was and that he was All-Australian. He claimed he forgot about him because he wasn't in the GF but i think the Geelong supporters are so high on life that they're expecting 2 more in the next 2 years.

[mighty_west]

Will once again play off in the Grand Final, absolutely smashed us, was the start of our rot in 2007, yet before that time, there was virtually nothing between us & them.

The team to beat - 1st - 3rd

[LostDoggy]

Geelong had a dream year, no injuries, a team that just clicked putting aside their differences - increasing confidence after every win - pretty hard to stop them by then, and by the time we played them we had little confidence.

Very hard to duplicate their '07 season. I take heart in the fact that the doggies can match them and well.

I see them top four - not necessarily premiers, in fact not premiers again.