One down, 22 to go.
The first eight games of the 2021 AFL season didn't just provide us with our initial set of winners and losers, it raised another series of questions.
With each of the league's 18ย clubsย set to do battle again this weekend, we attempted to answer the major issues facing their playingย listsย andย coachesย alike.
Geelong
How brutal does the review need to be?
As mentioned previously, only those that earn their paychecks from the Adelaide Football Club or those that spend theirs at their gift shop were likely to have seen Saturday's result coming.
Still, with Patrick Dangerfield suspended for three weeks, Jeremy Cameron hamstrung and a two-goal loss to the previously cellar dwelling Crows, Geelong return to the Cattery clawed and mangy.
With this weekend from hell in their rearview mirror, coach Chris Scott is left with two options when it comes to reviewing his team's opening round shortcomings โ accept that Murphy's Law hit his side directly between the eyes or proceed to pick every nit from every follicle.
Despite back-to-back losses โ Round 1 and the 2020 Grand Final โ in their last pair of starts, the Cats hold an 8-2 record in the last 10 outings to proceed them, so an understanding of what is required for victory is not the obstacle.
With the addition of seasoned stars such as Isaac Smith and Shaun Higgins, Geelong entered 2021 with the most experienced AFL list in terms of games played (88) and the second most when considering age (25.3). With this in mind, it is clear that proficiency and professionalism is not either.
So, does Scott scold his men or simply allow them to stew on their embarrassment?
Having learnt his craft from the ruthless Leigh Matthews, I'm tipping the 44-year-old will employ a mixture of the two, but if a swift turnaround is desired, the revival and review will need to be led by the guilty party โ his playing group.
With a first up loss to a side nobody tipped to finish outside the bottom four, Geelong re-learnt a valuable lesson โ never underestimate any AFL opponent. With the Cats' slit-shaped pupils still well and truly on the prize, hoops fans will be hoping they haven't taken their home ground record for granted as well ahead of Friday night's clash against Brisbane.
