Right off the bat I'll say our veterans were either missing or played terribly. Those looking to diagnose the result only look there. And yes we'll struggle as that becomes the case permanently (through retirements etc).
So now onto players who will be around the next 7+ years:
Dempsey was superb on the wing. He still has a lot of improvement in him, he's on about game 10 after barely playing in juniors.
Mullin will be a jet, he just needs to find more of the footy.
Once Conway develops a tank and some composure he'll be a good ruck. He's had a lot of injury issues and ruckmen are often late bloomers.
Neale had 2 goals and a goal assist, yet he dropped about 5 easy marks in front of goal. Would he stick some of those away from the humidity? If so, we have plenty to work with. If not, he has plenty to work on. Both are probably true.
O.Henry had 2 goals and (basically) a goal assist via his spoil that landed in Neale. Yet he needs to contest against aerial defenders much better. He lets them mark the ball at will.
Holmes and Miers were typically brilliant, with team mates not on the same wavelength most of the time. They remain at AA squad of 44 level form, if not pushing for the 22. Stengle was less involved but showed the usual moments of class. He's a star small forward.
Zuthrie and J.Henry had shockers. We missed SDK. Overall that was worth 6 goals. There is talent among that group but Henry is concerning at the moment.
Bruhn had his worst game as Cat. It seriously hurt us.
Clark looked lively as a sub, with a nice goal. He's not ready but if Cam Guthrie plays like this, Clark should replace him anyway.
Honestly you can't complain too much about the 25 and unders. Everyone above 26 played a stinker, as simple as that.
Last night the future of Geelong - minus Sam DeKoning(who you say is worth 6 goals and is therefore clearly THE most valuable player in the history of the sport, but official ratings say is the 37th best out of 64 key defenders who have played in the AFL this year based on average actual performance,) who played the team who were sitting 10th on the ladder after 9 games, with the 10th best percentage, and who were average age 14 months younger than the youth of the Cats, and who had played on average 17 games less than the youth of the Cats, and they were off a 5 day break in high humidity, and with virtually zero home ground advantage, and who rested 4 of their best 22, with Weller, Rosas and Powell already missing through injury or suspension....and you were defeated by 64 points.
How do you plead?
"We are shit your honour."
And what else did Geelong have missing apart from the man worth "6 goals?"
31yo J Cameron
34yo P NolongeraDangerfield
35 yo T PutaforkinHawkins
almost 33yo Duncan
33yo Stanley
Daryl Summers, John "Sam" Newman, The National Hotel, Dave Thornton, Kelly Cartwright, Portia De Rossi, Alice Ivy, Dr Peter Larkins, Dennis Walter, Ian Redpath, Mr Universe Calum von Moger, Rone, Little Malop Street, Adventure Park Geelong, The Costa Zoo, Pyramid Building Socienty, Ford Motor Vehicle Company, Bert Palframan, John Coogan, 7th most successful footballer in the Ablett family, Nina McDonald, Georgie Prespakis....
....your lads played the 10th best team in the AFL who were off a 5 day break from a Darwin game, and copped a father of a hiding. A hell of a beating.