Geelong Cats Mid-Season Report Card: Grading Every Player

Alright, Cats fans, let’s get real. We’re smack in the middle of the 2025 AFL season, and it’s time to put down the meat pie, stop arguing about the umpiring, and take a hard look at how our boys are tracking. If you’re anything like me, you’ve been watching every game with a mix of pride and frustration—cheering the brilliant moments, groaning at the costly errors, and wondering which players are truly stepping up. That’s exactly why I’ve put together this practical checklist and how-to guide. By the end of this article, you’ll be able to grade every player on the Geelong Cats list with confidence, using the same criteria Coach Chris Scott and his team use behind closed doors. We’ll cover what to look for, common pitfalls, and give you a handy summary checklist so you can do this yourself every week. Let’s dive in.

What You’ll Achieve

Objective, fair grades for each player based on performance, not just reputation.
A deeper understanding of what makes a player valuable beyond stats.
A repeatable system you can use for the rest of the season and beyond.
Bragging rights at the pub or in the group chat when your grades match the experts.

Prerequisites / What You Need

Before you start grading, you’ll need a few things:

Game footage or live viewing – Ideally, watch the full game, not just highlights. Context matters.
Basic stats – Disposals, goals, tackles, marks, and efficiency numbers are helpful, but don’t rely on them alone.
A notebook or digital document – You’ll want to jot down notes per player.
Patience – Grading isn’t about snap judgments. Watch the game twice if needed.
A willingness to be honest – Even your favourite player gets a bad grade if they deserve it.

Step-by-Step Process

Step 1: Watch the Game with Intent

Don’t just watch the ball. Watch the players when they don’t have it. That’s where the real story is. Focus on:

Pressure acts – Are they chasing, tackling, or just jogging?
Positioning – Are they where they need to be when the ball is in dispute?
Decision-making – Do they choose the right option under pressure?

For example, watch how Patrick Dangerfield moves when the ball is on the other side of the ground. Is he working to create space or just waiting for a cheap possession? That tells you more than his final disposal count.

Step 3: Define Your Grading Scale

You need a consistent scale. I use this one:

A (Elite) – Dominant, influential, and consistent. Could be in the Brownlow conversation.
B (Solid) – Reliable, does their job, makes few mistakes.
C (Average) – Nothing special, but not a liability. Needs to lift.
D (Below Average) – Costly errors, poor decisions, or low output.
F (Fail) – Actively hurting the team. Needs a spell in the VFL.

Don’t be afraid to use pluses and minuses (e.g., B+, C-) for nuance.

Step 3: Evaluate Each Player’s Role

Every player has a job. A key defender like Tom Hawkins (when he’s down back) is judged on intercepts and spoils, not goals. A midfielder like Dangerfield is judged on clearances and metres gained. A forward like Hawkins is judged on contested marks and scoreboard impact.

Ask yourself:

Did they fulfil their role?
Did they exceed expectations?
Did they hurt the team by trying to do too much?

For instance, if a young gun from the draft is playing out of position but still showing promise, that’s a B- effort, not an F.

Step 4: Factor in Context

Not all games are equal. Consider:

Opposition quality – A good game against a bottom-four team is worth less than a solid game against a premiership contender.
Weather – Wet conditions affect clean possession. Adjust expectations.
Injury or fatigue – A player returning from injury might be on limited minutes.
Team performance – If the whole team is struggling, no one gets an A. If the team wins by 10 goals, everyone gets a bump.

Step 5: Use Stats as a Guide, Not a Bible

Stats lie. A player can have 30 disposals but 15 of them are sideways handballs that don’t hurt the opposition. Conversely, a player with 12 disposals might have 8 score involvements and 5 tackles. That’s a B+ effort.

Focus on impact stats:

Score involvements
Pressure acts
Contested possessions
Intercept marks (for defenders)
One-percenters (spoils, smothers, shepherds)

For example, Joel Selwood, even in his last season, was never a high-possession player, but his leadership and contested work were elite. The same applies to the current crop.

Step 6: Watch the VFL Team

Not everyone makes the senior side every week. If a player is struggling in the AFL, check their VFL form. Are they dominating at the lower level? That suggests they’re close to a recall. Are they struggling there too? Then they’re a development project.

For instance, a young draftee might get a C in the AFL but an A in the VFL. That’s a good sign for the future.

Step 7: Assign the Grade

After the game, sit down with your notes and assign a grade for each player who played. Be honest. Don’t let fandom cloud your judgment. If you find yourself making excuses for a player, that’s a red flag.

Write a short justification for each grade. This helps you remember why you gave it and makes it easier to track progress over the season.

Step 8: Review and Adjust

Grades aren’t permanent. Revisit them after a few weeks. A player who started with a D might be improving. A player with an A might have a slump. Adjust your grades as the season progresses.

This is especially important for the mid-season report card. You’re not just grading one game; you’re grading the entire first half of the 2025 AFL season. Look for trends, not outliers.

Pro Tips / Common Mistakes

Don’t grade on reputation alone. Tom Hawkins might be a legend, but if he’s having a quiet season, he gets a C, not an automatic A.
Avoid recency bias. A brilliant last quarter doesn’t erase three poor quarters. Grade the whole game.
Don’t overvalue flashy plays. A screamer mark is exciting, but if the player doesn’t do the hard stuff, they’re not an A.
Compare players to their peers, not their best selves. A young player shouldn’t be judged against Dangerfield. Grade them against what’s reasonable for their experience.
Use the VFL team as a reference. If a player is consistently poor in the AFL but dominating in the VFL, that’s a development issue, not a talent issue.
Don’t ignore leadership. A player who organises the defence or lifts the team after a goal gets a bonus. That’s the intangible Selwood legacy.
Consider the opposition. A key defender who shuts down a star forward gets an A, even if they only had 10 disposals.
Be consistent with your scale. If you give an A to a player who had 20 disposals and 2 goals, then a player with 25 disposals and 3 goals must also get an A, unless there’s a clear reason otherwise.

Checklist Summary

Use this checklist for every player, every game:

Watch the full game (or at least a replay of all quarters).
Note pressure acts and positioning when not in possession.
Define the player’s role and evaluate against it.
Consider context (opposition, weather, injury, team performance).
Focus on impact stats (score involvements, contested possessions, intercepts).
Check VFL form if the player is in and out of the senior side.
Assign a grade (A-F with plus/minus).
Write a brief justification for the grade.
Review and adjust after 3-4 games to spot trends.
Be honest – no favouritism, no excuses.

Grading players isn’t just about satisfying your inner critic. It’s about understanding the game on a deeper level. When you start noticing the little things—a shepherd that creates space, a spoil that saves a goal, a handball that sets up a chain—you’ll appreciate the Geelong Cats even more. And when the AFL Finals Series rolls around, you’ll be the one in the room who can explain exactly why a player deserves their spot.

So grab your notebook, fire up the replay, and start grading. And if you want to track the development of our younger players, check out our Young Guns Watch for the latest on the next generation. For a broader view of the season, our Season Previews have you covered. And don’t forget to keep an eye on the Key Ins and Outs as we approach the trade period.

Now, go forth and grade, Cats faithful. And remember: even a C is a chance to improve. See you at the Cattery.