The club
Formed: 1859
Joined AFL: 1897
Premierships: 6 – 1925, 1931, 1937, 1951, 1952, 1963
Last finals appearance: 2005, second semi-final

2006 at a glance
By every conceivable measure, 2006 was a season of disappointment for Geelong. Having looked a side most likely following their September campaign in 2005, the Cats won their opening two games last season by a combined 136 points, before conspiring to win only one of their next eight. Mark Thompson’s side eventually finished with 10 wins and a draw on 10th spot on the ladder.

2007 to date
Are this year’s Cats the real deal? It’s probably too early to tell but the manner in which they’ve won their past six games to go top of the table – after a 2-3 start – augurs well. The Cats’ winning streak features an average margin of 57 points, a 157-point mauling of Richmond, West Coast’s first defeat of the season and, last weekend, a grinding but impressive win over Adelaide.

The coach
Not every coach gets the chance to continue in the wake of such a disheartening campaign – which gives an idea of the respect in which Mark Thompson is held at Geelong. The former Essendon premiership skipper has guided the Cats to the finals only three times in seven years in charge, but the 2004 and 2005 seasons were both full of promise and 2006, for now, appears to be an aberration. He has a 50 per cent winning record in his 171 games as Geelong coach.

Missing in action
The only significant long-term injury is former Bomber, rookie Joel Reynolds, who tore his anterior cruciate ligament pre-season. Ex-captain Steven King is one to two weeks away from resuming from knee trouble, while Max Rooke will miss this week through suspension – the legacy of a front-on bump on Mark Ricciuto. David Johnson (calf) is listed for a test.

The gun
Gary Ablett has long been highly rated – often, it seemed, for what he produced in patches or the had the potential to do. But in 2007 the man with the most famous name in Geelong’s history has put it all together. Averaging almost 25 possessions per game, Ablett invariably uses the football well, boasts good acceleration and has an instinctive awareness that allows him to evade would-be tacklers. A genuine goal threat, whether playing forward or in the midfield.

The bolter
Bolter status sits nicely with David Wojcinski, whose electrifying runs from defence have been an underrated part of the Cats’ climb to the top of the ladder. Footy fans didn’t see the best of Wojcinski in 2006, as he felt his way back from a knee reconstruction. But his worth to Geelong this year has been unquestioned. The Cats’ accomplished running brigade is largely one-pace, meaning Wojcinski’s ability to go through the gears is an invaluable commodity.

Strengths
On the evidence of the past six weeks, you could say the Cats’ strengths are everywhere. On a more specific level, Geelong has excellence midfield balance, with accumulators (Jimmy Bartel), taggers (Cameron Ling), combinations thereof (Joel Corey) and a genuine match-winner (Ablett). Cameron Mooney is proving a highly effective forward, Mark Blake is a surprisingly polished ruckman and the defensive skills of Matthew Scarlett and Darren Milburn have always been well respected. Brad Ottens, meanwhile, is a pretty handy bloke to have as a back-up ruckman/secondary forward.

Weaknesses
The knock on Geelong is always going to be consistency – the general school of thought is that just when the Cats appear to be premiership contenders, they are equally as likely to fall off the map. Finding fault with their current form is difficult but, like most teams, there is a question mark over whether they can stop an on-song Jonathan Brown. Blake is an inexperienced big man and neither Ottens nor Mooney has ever been regarded as Mr Reliable.

The Queensland factor
Perhaps it’s the cold weather down on the shores of Corio Bay but there are no Queenslanders on the Geelong list. The nearest thing is Joel Selwood, a Rising Star nominee this year and younger brother of Lions midfielder Troy Selwood.

The views in this story are those of the author and not necessarily those of the club.