Hindsight is a beautiful thing, and in the world of football, we as fans tend to get caught up in the events of days gone by.
Every footy fanatic has that one player that they long to see take the field, however long gone their days of handling a Sherrin may be.
Whether it be Daicos or Doull, Ricciuto or Richardson, fans can usually point to a single figure that captured their imagination during their formative years of watching AFL football.
SEE ALSO: If your AFL team could bring back one player - Part 1
Similar to our 'If your club could steal one player...' series, this trio of pieces will go through all 18 teams in the league, pointing at the weak spots in their best 22 and picking one of four past players to slot into their lineup and remedy their club's ailments.
We continue today with the second six teams of the competition based on alphabetical order.
Option 1: Gary Ablett Sr.
As one half of the Gary Ablett duo that between themselves dominated the league for decades, Gary Ablett Sr. is typically denoted to be the best player to ever kick a Sherrin.
The full-forward wasn't especially tall by modern-day standards, only standing at 185cm, however, he used his otherworldly reading of the game and physical talents to make it seem like he was seeing the game in slow motion.
Booting 1021 goals in 248 games for the Cats, it's almost ludicrous how much of an impact Ablett had on the game over the course of 248 games.
Although recent controversies have marred some of his legacies, there is no doubting how insanely good Gary Ablett Sr. was on his day.
Option 2: Graham 'Polly' Farmer
Often touted as the player who revolutionised the ruck role, Graham 'Polly' Farmer had a profound effect on everybody who was able to witness him take the field.
The Western Australian is seen as the father of the modern-day handball, with Farmer being one of the pioneers of dishing it off to a running teammate after a mark instead of going back and spotting up a lead.
Furthermore, standing at only 191cm, Farmer managed to outwork and outwit his opponent in the ruck contest despite his typically small height for a ruckman.
'Polly' racked up 101 games for Geelong between 1962 and 1967 before returning back to his native WA to play for East Perth. He was named in the AFL Team of the Century and was inducted into the AFL Hall of Fame in 1996 for the indelible mark he left on the game.
Option 3: Doug Wade
Another goal machine for the Cats, Doug Wade was the first player post-Second World War to boot over 1000 career goals.
The man from Horsham spent the bulk of his career at 'The Cattery', playing 208 times for Geelong and booting 834 goals, with a further 223 majors coming at North Melbourne to take his career total to 1057 majors.
At 188cm tall and a whopping 102kg, Wade was a machine on his day and rarely went a match without slotting one through the big sticks. His best season in 1969 saw him boot a stupendous 127 goals in 21 games, averaging six goals a match - something modern-day forwards can only dream of.
Despite a drop in form in the final years of his career, Wade finished his VFL life with 11 club leading goalkicker awards and four league goalscoring titles, cementing himself as a certified legend of the Geelong Football Club.
Option 4: Jimmy Bartel
The most recent of our quartet of Cats is Jimmy Bartel, with the ball-winning midfielder helping his side to a trio of premierships in five seasons.
Bartel was a classy prime-mover in his day, and along with Simon Black is the only player to win a Brownlow, a Norm Smith and feature in over 300 games.
His 2007 season saw him run at an average of 27.5 disposals, 6.2 marks and 5.3 tackles per game, pulling out a huge eight best on ground performances in a campaign that saw him take 'Charlie' home before winning a maiden flag.
Finishing with 305 games and 202 goals, Bartel has gone down as one of the most industrious and consistent midfielders to ever play for the Cats.
Verdict
Analysing the current Geelong list, there are clear deficiencies in the rucking category. The acquisition of Jonathan Ceglar is solid for the Cats, however, more quality in the middle would likely be welcomed at Kardinia Park.
Therefore, 'Polly' Farmer is the man for the job here. His rucking ability is heralded as some of the finest to ever be put on display, so there would be little doubt over whether or not the Cats midfielders would be able to get first hands on the footy.
His phenomenal handballing prowess will be able to open up avenues for the Cats that were perhaps not there prior, with Chris Scott's men being able to go for one last tilt at a premiership before their list age finally catches up with them for good.
