Geelong will be looking for success again in 2025. After smashing Port Adelaide by 84 points in the qualifying final, Geelong held a handy 19-point half-time lead over eventual premiers Brisbane in the prelim before going down narrowly to the fast-finishing Lions by ten points.
After winning the flag in 2022 but missing the eight in 2023, it was a good comeback with no major changes in personnel. The Cats’ success once again highlighted the outstanding achievement of coach Chris Scott. Scott is the 21st most experienced coach of all time, and in 2025 he will move into the top 20, passing Denis Pagan and Robert Walls. He is also the third most experienced current coach behind Alastair Clarkson and Ross Lyon, and has the best win/loss ratio of all current coaches in home-and-away games (he’s slightly behind Collingwood’s Craig McRae when finals results are included).
Top 100 game players lost: 2
Although the two retirees at the end of the season were highly regarded players, their influence on the 2024 season was more limited than in previous years.
Tom Hawkins (No.1) played on into the season and in Round 12 against Greater Western Sydney, passed his good friend and teammate Joel Selwood to become the club’s games record holder.
Tom Hawkins of the Cats celebrates kicking a goal during the 2022 AFL Grand Final. (Photo by Daniel Pockett/AFL Photos/via Getty Images)
However, he played only three more games for the year, as a career-ending injury meant he missed the Cats’ finals campaign.
Zach Tuohy (eq No.73) was originally recruited from County Laois in Ireland. After six good years of service to Carlton, Tuohy arrived at Geelong in 2017 and played in the 2022 premiership.
Top 100 game players recruited from other clubs: 0
The well-telegraphed move of Bailey Smith to Geelong doesn’t count as he had not yet reached top 100 status at the Western Bulldogs.
Current top 100 game players: 9
The loss of Tom Hawkins has meant that Mitch Duncan (No.7) has been elevated to the position of the most senior player and with Mark Blicavs (No.16), the Cats can still claim two of their nine current top 100 players inside the top 20
Potential top 100 game players next season: 3
Gryan Miers, Tom Atkins and Mark O’Connor are all in striking distance of being top 100 game players next year.
Players no longer qualified for the top 100 game players: 0
No player dropped out of the top 100 game players in 2024, but the Cats now have a hot seat featuring three players sitting in 100th place!
Top 100 goalkickers lost: 2
Again, Tom Hawkins (No.3) was the big loss, but centurion Gary Rohan (No.67) will also be missed.
Top 100 goalkickers recruited from other clubs: 0
Current top 100 goalkickers: 6
Mitch Duncan has taken over the mantle of current leading goal scorer at Geelong, but not for long as Jeremy Cameron sits only two goals behind him.
Jeremy Cameron celebrates a goal. (Photo by Michael Willson/AFL Photos via Getty Images)
Potential top 100 goalkickers next season: 4
Oliver Henry, Cameron Guthrie, Mark Blicavs and Rhys Stanley are all possibilities to make the list.
Players no longer qualified for the top 100 goalkickers: 4
The elevation of Gryan Miers and Brad Close to the list resulted in the loss of Murray Witcombe, Alistair Lord, Joel Corey and Peter Featherby from it.
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The 30-year-old underwent a medical at Collingwood last week, and on Friday inked a two-year deal with the Magpies that ties him to the club until the end of 2026.
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