Prediction How Will The Cats Fare in 2025?

[Del216647]

Lions without Hipwood, on top of no Neale and Payne.

I think Dawks are a good chance to knock them off. If they do, then we'll either face Pies or most likely GC if they get enough % against Essendon/Port.

I think that would be the ideal QF for us.

Yeah, Hawks can win this for sure. You'd think if that does happen, Suns would be our opponent given their opposition the next two weeks (Port, Bombers).

 

[Art Vandelay_]

All the talk on Adelaide's "three headed monster" and Shannon has more goals than two of them.

 

[Kobe Gryant]

All the talk on Adelaide's "three headed monster" and Shannon has more goals than two of them.

He is so underrated. Particularly considering the coronation we've got going on for young key forwards who are doing less.

Then you've the Mitch 'Just wait till I finally breakout' Lewis hype too, who at 27, has already been passed by Neale.

He probably doesn't care, but the kid has worked so hard. He deserves some love.

 

[cats_09]

 

[Pure_Ownage]

Rather get them in a QF than a Prelim which would have been the most likely alternative outcome.

Now that hipwood is out and neale and Berry are banged up and probably won't be 100 % by the QF id rather get them then too. Albeit that neale is good at playing injured.

 

[Art Vandelay_]

He is so underrated. Particularly considering the coronation we've got going on for young key forwards who are doing less.

Then you've the Mitch 'Just wait till I finally breakout' Lewis hype too, who at 27, has already been passed by Neale.

He probably doesn't care, but the kid has worked so hard. He deserves some love.

You want more???

 

[Jimmy Yamazaki]

Jason Horne from Champion data on Geelong:

So an update to this one post our Swans game which was meant to be a test on defending transition which has been our weakness this year.

I think they probably deserve to be potentially premiership favorites when they stop that area. Right. So AFL average is 32 points from your back half.

When they stop it to levels of around about 40 points, which is still a big number, right? If they stop the opposition scoring 40 points, they're 16 and one. There is only one way in which you can get them and that is that way. And they showed that in the weekend. We'll see what it looks like in finals.

 

[Mr Meow]

I'd love to hear the Debbie downers read the 2nd paragraph and try to catastrophise the season like they've been doing the past few weeks.

Are we in that 3rd-9th group where not much separates teams? Absolutely.

Are we in a disastrous position where we might as well give up interest in the season? Absolutely not.

Bumping for the midseason Debbie downers.

A new season starts now and we could easily go out in straight sets, but there really wasn't too much to panic about in getting on the starting platform, was there?

We will end the season with:

-17 wins
-2nd for points scored
-4th (likely) for points conceded
-Best or 2nd best %
-3rd for scores from stoppage differential
-1st or 2nd for scores from turnover differential
-1st or 2nd for marks inside 50 differential
-1st for expected scores differential
-2nd for kick retention rating and 3rd for kick threat rating
-1st or 2nd for scores per inside 50

Our game is in pretty good shape. Some of these parameters have improved with the softer second half of the season, but most of them held up very well even during the difficult first half.

 

[BlakeyNoFlakey]

There are reasons to be positive the Cats could be top 6 in 2024. Even the top 4.

The midfield evolved in 2024, and if Holmes can play the whole season in beast mode, then we should be competitive with Smith, Bruhn, Cuthrie, Atkins, Paddy, Clark, and Bowes in the mix. I hope we see Toby Conway emerge from his ongoing injury problems, and he can put in a solid year and take the Ruck mantle from Stanley once and for all. I know Kane Cornes always carps on about Geelong's ruck issues, and he doesn't rate Conway, so I hope the kid can prove that big mouth wrong.

We still have the best forward line in the league (IMO), and if Jack Martin can get fit, that will only improve it, as he's an excellent player. I sometimes worry a bit about Stengle, as last year he started playing selfishly, which seemed so unGeelong-like to me. But these are small problems. I hope we see Ollie and Scratcher step up to another level in 2025.

I don't think we have the best defense in the league anymore because early last year, it was leaky and our biggest weakness. But it did improve as the season went on, especially with Humphries coming in. But we also have O'Sullivan in the wings, so I hope we see him play more in the AFL this year. We have a few guys near the end of their careers, so we need some new blood down back. Seeing Mullin improve so much during 2024 was great, and I hope he keeps that up in 2025. Let's hope SDK can finally get back to his 2022 form.

I don't think I was too off the mark at the start of the season. Conway never got back due to his ongoing injury problems. O'Sullivan had a breakout year. Scratcher rose, and Ollie Henry fell. Stengle remains a mystery. Mullin has been terrific. Our biggest weakness is still (IMHO) our backline, and when we lose it is often because they have a bad game. The Dash brothers took our midfield to another level. Martin has been a welcome addition. SDK has been OK.

 

[catempire]

Should win 10 more with this draw giving us 17 wins.

Good call

The problem this year is going to be Collingwood could end up on 20 wins so you have to beat them in an away fixture week one or three and Brisbane are in 2nd not even having played that well. It’s going to be a rough path to get past both of them just to make the GF.

Bad call

 

[Mr Meow]

Same prediction I’ve made for the last 10 years or so:

Bottom half of the eight.

Brisbane is the only team clearly superior to us. Then we are in a ruck with a large bunch of teams. Fortunes among them (and us) depend on how many gems are uncovered and luck with injuries.

Bad call!

 

[Mr Meow]

As always, a good vs bad injury run can give about a 6 position split on finishing position. It makes these predictive exercises a bit futile, but I'll just assume an "average" run of injuries.

I see us finishing top 4 and being around the mark again.

Smith and (more) Holmes in midfield will address a weakness. Bruhn could have a much better season. Stewart pinch hitting should still work well.

Our forward line is really good but I see improvement in it as a unit.

Backline somewhat reliable without being dominant. Would love for a small defender and another smooth operating rebounder to emerge.

We need better seasons from ideally both Conway and SDK, but at least one of them.

If Dempsey, Mannagh, Neale and Humphries can all step it up another gear there's a fair bit of skill and talent to keep us going.

Danger, Stewart and Cameron probably have one more decent year together so we need to push hard for a flag.

Not bad. Shocking call on Bruhn though!

 

[Gazza Greatness]

TB: I certainly applaud 'any individual' to be unbiased in a time where many people seem to be incapable of thinking for themselves but I reckon you really are under-rating and under-valuing this current Geelong's side capabilities for the 2025 season with many of the side now at a still very young age. First final last year the PussyCats wiped Port Adelaide of the map on their home ground with a devastating style of finals football, then in the prelim against the eventual Premiers in Brisbane we were more than competitive and with a few things going our way, could have quite easily won that game and likely the 2024 flag . And that was without SDK who had a off season operation on his knee, COS who will be a 'outstanding player for us' and a real weapon for us by seasons end, Toby Conway a future top 3 AFL ruckman who unfortunately still might be a season away from being AFL ready 'body-wise', and 'now' we have Bailey Smith who is going to be a 'wonderful readymade addition' to our side.

Personally speaking I see nothing but upside for the PussyCats in 2025 and the graph that STPer18: was kind enough to supply to us clearly highlights how impressive a fast and direct ball-movement side Geelong really has become and this ball movement has mainly come about by the 'younger and youngish players' who are all highly skilled and extremely talented and will only further improve in 2025 and get better. For mine unless we have a 2023 season whereby everything and anything goes wrong, we are at the 'very least' a top 4 side, if not top 2 and the additional one extra home game at the Cattery is also a welcome addition and.... GO CATS !!!

GO CATS !!!

 

[Gazza Greatness]

Not bad. Shocking call on Bruhn though!

Not shocking at all Mr Meow:..... what happened with Tanner Bruhn was completely unexpected and my thoughts of him were similar to yours at time, just hope all works at well for him but as it currently stands I have no clue of his situation so it will be wait and see.

 

[Mr Meow]

Baudolino apparently Stewart has been the number 1 player in the comp for intercepts and scores from intercepts over the past 10 weeks (mentioned on First Crack tonight).

I'm only tagging you as I know you were worried about him falling off a cliff. He's turned his season around beautifully.