The Cattery Season Review 2003

We present a full and frank, and, more importantly, light-hearted look at Geelong's list from 2003.

(Click player name for a photo)

No.

Name

DOB

HT

WT

VERDICT

1

Steven KING*

22/11/78

202

105

Captain for next four years at least - seems to have fallen to Geelong's "Captain's Curse"

2

Tom HARLEY*

18/07/78

192

93

Mainstay of Geelong's backline, along with Gunner's Boy, at least another five years

3

James BARTEL*

4/12/83

184

81

Quite probably gone - if he does go, hopefully to Hawthorn for Rawlings. Would love to see the kid stay but it doesn't look good, not having signed a contract yet.

4

Andrew MACKIE*

7/8/84

192

79

Mister Mackie MMMMkay to get a job on the AFL's drug counselling program and may one day get a game. The 'Smokey' will stay, and hopefully play some footy in 2004 and be a champ.

6

David SPRIGGS*

25/01/81

176

77

Gone. Delist if cannot trade. Just hasn't lived up to his reputation.

7

Ben GRAHAM*

2/11/73

196

96

Must stay for another few years - providing he learns how to perform in the first half of a season. Despite what the Melbourne based hacks may say, is a great on field mentor for the kids.

9

James KELLY*

29/12/83

182

78

'Jelly' needs to stop going soft. Like many at the club, has lifted his game once we were no longer a finals threat. My comments are based on his early season form - he rounded off the season very well, like many other Cats.

10

Marc WOOLNOUGH*

20/05/80

195

92

Wooly deserves all our well wishes as he enjoys a new life beyond football. A very courageous young man who came back from not one but two knee reconstructions to return to AFL level. His retirement is one of the reason's the VFL team crashed out of the finals early.

11

Joel COREY*

17/02/82

189

87

Smithy will lead Geelong's midfield into the latter part of the decade.

12

Will SLADE#

24/10/83

182

75

After attracting the attention of Dermie and giving it back to the brainless one, hardly made a blip on the radar of the AFL.

13

Thomas LONERGAN*

17/05/84

196

84

I thought this guy drowned up in Qld? Hmm. Big Tom could potentially hold down a key position up forward. Will only get an opportunity if players ahead of him such as Playfair, McCarthy, fail.

14

David CLARKE*

15/05/80

182

83

Please go. Now. And get your old man to give my family's money back.

15

Peter RICCARDI*

17/12/72

183

87

Sleek Riccardi has served this club with pride but the time has come to fade away. I want to remember Riccardi for his brilliance in the midfield and especially slotting home long goals. Perhaps he has one more year at best left. Sadly in this day and age, few players choose to retire with dignity.

16

Charlie GARDINER*

1/3/83

188

80

Who'll be taking home Charlie tonight? Hopefully nobody but the Cats, for another year.

17

Tim CALLAN*

6/1/84

181

81

At least another two years to 'have a go'. Broke through for debut in Round 22, and signs were promising that he could slot in across halfback, perhaps taking the 'third tall' (or forth?).

17

Tim McGRATH

7/10/70

190

94

Hope to see him at Grovedale in 2004. Great career at Geelong, good mentor in the VFL.

18

Kent KINGSLEY*

26/09/78

193

93

Give him one more year, then that's it(!) Pending good trade prospect.

19

Mitchell WHITE*

28/03/73

190

96

Retiring (thank goodness for that)

20

Steven JOHNSON*

4/7/83

188

85

Gun mid sized forward for the future. Finished off the year well, playing across half foward. But should not be expected to hold down a key position post.

21

Cameron MOONEY*

26/09/79

194

95

Gone. Enough said.

22

Henry PLAYFAIR*

22/01/83

197

90

Along with Matthew McCarthy may be the marking forward we need. Will play on in 2004.

23

Daniel FOSTER*

20/02/82

192

92

Gone. Hit hard by injury in 2003 - should get another gig at another AFL club.

24

Aaron LORD*

21/07/75

186

87

Will hopefully get back into modelling or something. Did the right thing and retired with dignity, something not many footballers, while still in their 20s, do these days.

25

Brent GRGIC*

8/10/79

192

93

Brent just hasn't worked out at Geelong, which is a pity. Talent is a dirty word.

26

Matthew McCARTHY*

14/12/81

195

96

Geelong's version of Richo just needs to get some more games under his belt and gain some confidence. He'll come good. Must play every game from now on in to get some experience. Took the mark of the week for Round 20.

27

Brenton SANDERSON*

27/02/74

185

90

Vice Captain Sando will last another two or three seasons. Came good in the second half of the season after a horror run with injury in 2002 to follow his 2001 Best and Fairest year.

28

David JOHNSON*

28/10/81

179

81

DJ, apart from starting fights at the ESSC, has not done much and has to go.

29

Gary ABLETT*

14/05/84

181

78

GAJ is a genuine gun and will play another ten years. As well as being the player who can really win a game in a few minutes of brilliance, he puts bums on seats (or, rather, gets bums off seats). The excitement machine.

30

Matthew SCARLETT*

5/6/79

191

92

Gunner's Boy deserves All Australian selection in 2003 at Full Back. Geelong MUST sign this man at all costs. 'Cult Hero'.

31

Paul CHAMBERS*

23/06/82

197

95

Unco Chambers deserves a chance at another AFL club to realise his undoubted potential.

32

Brent MOLONEY*

28/1/84

181

86

Tweak to get a few more games in 2003. Has to compete with the likes of the Coreys, Ablett, Rahilly, Kelly, Chapman etc. for a game. Needs to develop a real weapon.

33

Jarad ROOKE*

19/12/81

189

84

The Rookie list player from 2002 is surely the steal of the decade so far. Even Kevin Sheedy would be envious of this 'smokey'. To stay in 2004. Expect to see Rooke play on players like James Hird, Nathan Buckley more often. Can get kicks himself.

34

James RAHILLY*

15/06/79

187

84

Why did the GFC sign this guy again? Oh well, he can play.

35

Paul CHAPMAN*

5/11/81

179

82

Chappy really stood up in 2003. Sooner or later umpires are going to stop falling for the duck your head tactic. Can kick a goal from 50m no trouble. Keep this man.

36

Peter STREET*

6/6/80

208

104

With Steven King and Mark Blake to compete with, Peter Street may well be trade bait. GFC should not delist this man but accept a decent trade if offer made. With those huge legs, he can kick the ball a mile. Is becoming more reliable when kicking for goal and just needs game time to gain more confidence. (Similar to when Steven King pushed John Barnes out of the senior side several years ago).

37

Ben FINNIN*

9/3/84

190

83

Bring back Ronnie!

38

Andrew CARRAZZO#

15/12/83

182

84

The Speedster may turn out to be a victim of Geelong's riches of on ballers. Needs to be promoted or let go.

39

Darren MILBURN*

15/04/77

187

89

Copped too much when he ran into SOS in Round 22, 2001. Dasher Milburn may seem laconic but has a love of the game. He is at his best when roaming loose-ish across half back, or better still, on the wing. Must stay.

40

David WOJCINSKI*

18/09/80

179

80

Bomba Wojcinski has been hot and cold for years. Dash from Halfback/Wing is a key to our future and should stay. Is a great kick for goal.

41

Josh HUNT*

14/03/82

185

96

BEEFCAAAAAAAAAKE Hunt suffered from injury and indifferent form in 2003. Should be given one more year. Could really turn into a 'bruiser' and would make a fine addition to the backline.

42

Jeff SMITH#

7/6/82

198

95

Smithy has 'potential' but seldom uses it, due to injury or otherwise. Will probably end up at the Eagles in 2004.

43

Travis JORGENSEN#

25/07/84

187

80

Hardly saw this guy all year but would like to see him remain on our list.

44

Corey ENRIGHT*

14/09/81

186

89

Corey Enright is a top player but is a terrible kick. Sentenced to four months hard labour, in the park kicking with Smithy. To abandon helicopter lessons until further notice.

45

Cameron LING*

27/02/81

189

88

The Linginator shook off the tag 'tagger' in 2003, amoungst the top kick getters in the AFL. Went some way towards correcting his awful running kicking style this season but still needs more work. Would like to see him tried up forward more often.

46

Shannon BYRNES#

7/4/84

174

69

The Byrning ring of fire, like Carrazo, will struggle to get a promotion in the current climate.

* AFL LISTED PLAYER

# ROOKIE LISTED PLAYER

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