NOT even the most optimistic of Geelong fans would have expected their team to be 9-1 after ten rounds.
But the Cats are, and the good news star midfielder Tim Kelly believes they can get better ahead of Saturday’s twilight clash with Sydney at GMHBA Stadium.
“I think we’ve still got a lot of improvement. We’ve played and shown a high standard of footy early on, and I think our last month, at times, we’ve gone away from certain things we’d normally do.
“Now, I think the challenge for us is to be that ruthless outfit; that team that just hunts the ball, (and) hunts the opposition for four quarters, and I think our last month, we’ve definitely been challenged and we’ve probably gone away from a few things we were really good at earlier in the year.
“I’m looking forward to a very consistent four-quarter effort from all the boys this week.”
Kelly is confident Geelong will benefit from the challenges of recent weeks, with both the Gold Coast and Western Bulldogs still in the contest in the final quarter of the Cats’ last two wins.
“We believe we’re a good side, and good sides are going to get challenged,” he said. “We’re going to have a bad quarter; we’re going to have a bad half.
“Last week, the game was on the line at three-quarter time and we went to another level and came away with a comfortable win in the end.
“That’s what good side do, and, who knows, we might be in a similar position this week where the game’s on the line at three-quarter time.
“It’s great to know we’ve been in that position before and it’s great confidence going forward.”
Kelly has been one of the reasons for Geelong’s stunning start, which has included six consecutive wins – its best streak since stringing together eight straight victories between Round 17 and the qualifying in 2016.
The West Australian says after finding his feet with a mix of half-forward and midfield time in 2018, he is thriving on extended periods at the coalface.
He is averaging 27 possessions and seven clearances a game. The West Australian’s 74 clearances are comfortably the most of any players in the Hoops, with Patrick Dangerfield next best on 47.
“Before coming here, I was a solid midfielder and spending minutes down forward whenever I was getting a hard tag or getting a rest in WAFL level.
“Last year, I came in and I was expected to play more of a high half-forward role, which was new to me, so it took me a while to get used to the different running patterns.
“I was probably 50-50, in terms of forward and midfield.
“Whereas this year, I’m probably 80-90 per cent mid, so it’s more playing my natural game and just getting after the footy.”
Twitter: @tom_king79
Email: kingy@geelongbroadcasters.com
