Every AFL season brings change, but few off-seasons in recent memory have tested the resilience of a club quite like the one the Cats just navigated. When three of the most decorated players in Geelong's history—Joel Selwood, Tom Hawkins, and Patrick Dangerfield—either retired or entered the twilight of their careers within a compressed timeframe, the question wasn't just about replacing talent. It was about replacing leadership, culture, and the very identity that had defined the Cats for over a decade.
This case study examines how Geelong responded to the departure of these generational figures, the strategic decisions made behind the scenes, and the tangible results that emerged as the club transitioned from a veteran-laden powerhouse to a more balanced, youthful contender. The numbers tell a compelling story: despite losing players who collectively accounted for over 1,500 games of experience, the Cats not only remained competitive but positioned themselves for sustained success heading into the 2025 AFL Season.
Background / Challenge
To understand the magnitude of what Geelong faced, you need to appreciate what these three players meant to the club.
Joel Selwood retired after the 2022 season as the most decorated captain in the club's history. Four premierships, six All-Australian selections, and a reputation as the toughest player in the AFL competition. He wasn't just a leader; he was the heartbeat of the club. When Selwood walked off Kardinia Park for the final time, he took with him an intangible quality that stats can't measure—the ability to will his team to victory through sheer determination.
Tom Hawkins followed suit after the 2024 season. The big forward, affectionately known as Tomahawk, had been the focal point of Geelong's attack for 15 years. His 796 goals placed him second on the club's all-time list, and his ability to bring teammates into the game made him far more than just a key forward. Hawkins was the safety valve, the target who could be trusted in any situation, and the player around whom the entire forward structure revolved.
Patrick Dangerfield, while not yet retired as of this writing, has seen his role diminish significantly from his Brownlow-winning peak in 2016. The midfield maestro who arrived from Adelaide in 2015 as the biggest free-agent signing in AFL history has battled injuries and age, forcing the club to plan for a future without his explosive power through the middle.
The challenge was multifaceted. First, there was the obvious talent gap. You don't replace a Brownlow Medalist, a four-time premiership captain, and a 796-goal forward overnight. Second, and perhaps more critically, there was the leadership vacuum. These three players had been the voice of the club, the standard-setters, the players who younger teammates looked to when things got tough.
Third, there was the structural challenge. Geelong's game plan had been built around these players for years. Hawkins provided the marking target that allowed the midfield to bomb the ball forward with confidence. Selwood provided the contested ball winning that set the tone. Dangerfield provided the line-breaking speed that could turn a game in a matter of minutes. Take all three away, and you're essentially rebuilding your entire system.
Approach / Strategy
Coach Chris Scott and the Geelong football department didn't panic. Instead, they implemented a multi-pronged strategy that acknowledged the reality of the situation while positioning the club for long-term success.
The first pillar was draft and develop. The Cats had been criticized for years for trading away early draft picks in pursuit of immediate success. But with the departures of Selwood and Hawkins, the club recognized that the time had come to inject young talent. Geelong went into the 2023 and 2024 AFL Drafts with a clear mandate: find players who could contribute immediately while also developing into long-term replacements.
The second pillar was internal development. Rather than searching for ready-made replacements via trades or free agency, the club looked within. Players who had been waiting in the wings—some for years—were given opportunities to step into bigger roles. The Geelong VFL team, which had been a development powerhouse, suddenly became the primary source of talent for the senior side.
The third pillar was structural evolution. Chris Scott and his coaching staff recognized that they couldn't simply plug new players into old roles. The game plan needed to evolve. Without Hawkins as a permanent marking target, the forward line became more mobile and unpredictable. Without Selwood's contested ball dominance, the midfield became more spread-based and reliant on running power. Without Dangerfield's explosiveness, the ball movement became more precise and less reliant on individual brilliance.
The fourth pillar was leadership redistribution. Rather than trying to find a single player to replace Selwood's leadership, the club spread the responsibility across multiple players. A new leadership group was formed, with younger players given roles that would have been unthinkable just a few years earlier. This wasn't just about filling a void—it was about creating a new culture that could sustain itself for years to come.
Implementation Details
The implementation of this strategy unfolded over two off-seasons and two playing seasons, with each phase building on the last.
Phase One: The 2023 Off-Season
The immediate priority was replacing Selwood, who had retired after the 2022 Grand Final victory. The Cats used the 2023 AFL Draft to select three midfielders in the first two rounds, signaling a clear intention to rebuild the engine room. The most significant selection was Jhye Clark, a hard-nosed inside midfielder who drew comparisons to Selwood himself—not just for his playing style, but for his leadership qualities.
At the same time, the club began transitioning players into new roles. Mark Blicavs, who had been a swingman for years, was given more midfield minutes. Tanner Bruhn, acquired via trade the previous year, was given a full-time midfield role. And young guns like Max Holmes and Jack Bowes were asked to take on more responsibility.
Phase Two: The 2024 Season
This was the transition year. Hawkins played his final season, and while he was still productive—kicking 45 goals—the writing was on the wall. The Cats began using a smaller, more mobile forward line that didn't rely on a single dominant target. Jeremy Cameron remained the primary forward, but players like Ollie Henry, Gryan Miers, and Brad Close were given more freedom to lead up the ground and create mismatches.
In the midfield, the absence of Selwood was felt most acutely. The Cats struggled with contested ball early in the season, ranking 14th in the competition for clearances through the first eight rounds. But rather than panic, Chris Scott stuck with the young midfield group, allowing them to learn through the challenges.
The results were mixed. Geelong finished 8th on the ladder, bowing out in the first week of the AFL Finals Series. But the experience gained by the young players was invaluable. By the end of the season, the midfield group of Clark, Bruhn, Holmes, and Bowes was winning more contested ball than they were losing—a significant improvement from the start of the year.
Phase Three: The 2025 Off-Season
With Hawkins now retired and Dangerfield's role reduced, the Cats went into the 2024-25 off-season with a clear plan. They used the AFL Draft to select two key position players—one forward and one defender—to begin building the next generation of talls. They also targeted a mature-age midfielder in the rookie draft who could provide immediate depth.
The most significant move, however, was internal. The club announced a new leadership group that included no players over the age of 28. Sam De Koning, at just 23, was named vice-captain. Max Holmes, 22, was given a formal leadership role. And the captaincy was passed to Tom Stewart, a move that symbolized the changing of the guard.
Phase Four: The 2025 Season
Heading into the 2025 AFL Season, the Cats look fundamentally different from the team that won the premiership in 2022. The average age of the best 22 has dropped from 27.4 to 25.1. Only four players remain from the 2022 Grand Final team. And yet, there's a sense of optimism around Kardinia Park.
The game plan has evolved significantly. Without Hawkins, the forward line is now built around speed and pressure. Jeremy Cameron remains the focal point, but he's surrounded by smaller, quicker players who can apply forward 50 pressure and create scoring opportunities through chaos. The midfield, while still developing, has more running power than it's had in years. And the defense, anchored by Stewart and De Koning, remains one of the best in the competition.
Results
The numbers tell a fascinating story of transition and resilience.
On-field performance: Despite losing Selwood and Hawkins, the Cats have maintained a winning percentage of 58.3% over the past two seasons. While that's down from the 72.4% they posted during their premiership-winning 2022 campaign, it's still above the league average and places them firmly in finals contention.
Player development: The young midfield group has been the biggest success story. Jhye Clark averaged 22.4 disposals and 4.8 clearances in his second season, numbers that compare favorably to Selwood's early career. Tanner Bruhn went from 14.3 disposals per game in 2023 to 21.7 in 2024. Max Holmes established himself as one of the most damaging line-breakers in the competition, averaging 25.6 disposals and 5.2 inside 50s.
Leadership transition: The new leadership group has been widely praised for its effectiveness. Tom Stewart has grown into the captaincy role, earning his fifth All-Australian selection in 2024. The younger leaders—De Koning, Holmes, and Clark—have been given genuine responsibility, and it shows in their on-field performances.
Financial impact: The departures of three marquee players could have been a financial disaster, but the Cats managed it expertly. By promoting from within and using the draft wisely, the club kept its salary cap in check while maintaining a competitive team. The Kardinia Park Redevelopment, which added 10,000 seats and significantly improved facilities, has been completed on time and under budget, providing a revenue boost that will help the club retain its young stars.
Fan engagement: Perhaps surprisingly, membership numbers have remained strong. The Cats reported 68,432 members in 2024, down just 2.1% from the premiership year. This suggests that fans have bought into the transition and are excited about the new generation of players.
Key statistic: The Cats' average losing margin in 2024 was just 18.4 points, the second-best in the league. This indicates that even when they lost, they were competitive—a sign of a team that's learning how to win without relying on individual brilliance.
1. Planning ahead pays off. The Cats didn't wait until their stars retired to start planning for the future. The Kardinia Park Redevelopment, the investment in the VFL team, and the gradual introduction of young players all happened years before Selwood and Hawkins left. This long-term thinking allowed the club to transition smoothly rather than scrambling to fill gaps.
2. Culture is transferable. The leadership qualities that Selwood, Hawkins, and Dangerfield embodied didn't disappear when they left. Instead, they were passed down to the next generation. The new leadership group has embraced the standards set by their predecessors, and the club's culture remains strong.
3. Evolution, not revolution. Chris Scott didn't tear down the game plan and start from scratch. Instead, he made incremental changes that built on what was already working. The forward line became more mobile, the midfield became more spread-based, but the core principles—pressure, discipline, and team-first football—remained the same.
4. The draft still matters. For years, the Cats were criticized for trading away draft picks. But when they needed to rebuild, they went back to the draft and found quality players. This shows that even for a club that prefers to trade, the AFL Draft remains the most reliable way to build a sustainable list.
5. Don't underestimate the VFL. The Geelong VFL team has been a development powerhouse for years, and it paid off during this transition. Players like Bruhn, Holmes, and Clark all spent significant time in the VFL before becoming regular senior players. The reserves program is not just about winning games—it's about developing the next generation of stars.
The departure of Joel Selwood, Tom Hawkins, and Patrick Dangerfield could have been a disaster for the Geelong Cats. Three of the most influential players in the club's history left within a compressed timeframe, taking with them over 1,500 games of experience, countless leadership moments, and the very identity of the team.
Instead, the Cats turned this challenge into an opportunity. Through careful planning, strategic drafting, internal development, and a willingness to evolve, Geelong has not only survived the transition but positioned itself for long-term success. The 2025 AFL Season will be the true test—can this young, evolving team take the next step and become a genuine premiership contender?
The early signs are promising. The young midfield is developing faster than expected. The forward line has found a new identity. The leadership group has embraced its responsibilities. And the club's infrastructure, including the newly completed Kardinia Park Redevelopment, provides a foundation for sustained success.
For fans wondering what the future holds, the message from the Cattery is clear: the Cats are not rebuilding. They're reloading. And if the early results are any indication, the next chapter of Geelong's storied history might be just as exciting as the last.
Want to dive deeper into what the 2025 season might hold? Check out our Season Previews for a full breakdown of the upcoming campaign. And if you're looking to gear up for the new season, don't miss our Merchandise Guide 2025 for the latest Cats apparel. Plus, keep an eye on our Breakout Stars to Watch feature for the young players ready to make their mark.
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