I posted this on the main board...
The conversation around Geelong this year shows just how much media drives the average persons perception. Reality is, the " era" ended years ago. We have been rebuilding quietly whilst making or contending for finals. Since 2011, the only year in which we consistently and genuinely looked like a premiership contender was 2013. We could've pinched a flag that year, but even then, it would've been a team more accurately described as a retrofit rather than an extension of the core 07-09 crew. Duncan, Christensen, Motlop, Caddy, Guthrie, Murdoch, Rivers, Blicavs and Vardy played in that Prelim loss. On top of that, there were guys like Hawkins, Pods and Lonergan who played that night and became crucial from 2010-11 onwards, but who were either non-factors or bit-part players between 07-09.
It might surprise people that when we drew with the Saints the average age between the two teams was a difference of 2 months. 24yr 11m for StK to Geel 25yr 1m. Of players with less than 100 games exp. the Saints had 15, Cats 14. And there was nothing unusual in that as we've been playing the same demographic of team for all of the season. Gregson, Lang and Thurlow have become regulars. One or both of Bews and Kolodjashnij across the season. Walker in Clark's absence most of the year. Teasers for Cockatoo. And then the now established regulars like Duncan, Caddy, Motlop, Guthrie, Blicavs, Murdoch etc. Even Selwood and Hawkins were only 26 this season.
Yet despite these facts, the average punters perception of the Saints is as a young, exciting, rebuilding team (which they are) as opposed to the Cats being an old team in decline. It shows just how much ladder position and performance dictates the media agenda and thus public perception. Why has there been no running commentary for the season on the futures of Riewoldt, Montagna, Dempster, Fisher, Ray, Gilbert and Schneider?