End of an Era! Really? | Thebigtip

It had to be about the 20 minute mark of the first quarter. Leigh Brown's kick inside 50 had already miraculously managed to find it's way through the big sticks and the Collingwood army were back on their feet as they piled on yet another half dozen. The game was already over - in the first quarter. That familiar feeling of putting teams out of the game so early was being reciprocated. Big time.

Collingwood were awesome on Friday, as much as it pains me to admit it. And it does pain me to admit.

I just don't like them. I don't like their game plan - seemingly single-mindedly based upon stopping arguably the best brand of football to watch ever dead in it's tracks.I don't like their supporters - out of all teams they seem to call 'BALL!!!' about as often in a given game as Juddy gets Brownlow votes in a given season. And I don't like their smug, superior attitude - no more evident with their refusal to wear alternate jumpers in away games, then proceed to get away with bullying teams like North Melbourne into doing so for home games.

But they were good. Very good. They made my boys look silly at times. Taking chest marks in the goal square from long bombs, Matthew Scarlett running out of the backline and proceeding to hit brick walls, Collingwood players shrugging off tackles as if they were swatting flies, Geelong players outnumbered in contested situations by 2 or more players. And all these happened more than once - too often for such a champion team.

So, it's the end of an era. The Cats haven't got a ticket to the big dance for the first time since 2006. Mooney, Ottens, Milburn, Corey and Ling all with one, maybe two years left. Ablett chasing the sunshine, and the dollars. Serious doubts over the futures of premiership players like Hawkins and Mackie. And our youngsters haven't played enough games.

They're gone - going the way of Essendon, Brisbane, Port Adelaide and (God forbid) West Coast.

Or are they? Think about it. Firstly, Ablett goes. Sad, very sad. But we get two 1st round draft picks to use at our leisure over the next few seasons. Not bad, especially when it comes to replacing the aforementioned players in a year or two. And that's the thing - those champion players still have around 40 games left in them. These players still helped get the Cats to second spot on the ladder, only 2 points and with a superior percentage than Collingwood.

True, our youngsters haven't played a great deal of games. But with good management, 3 to 5 of these guys can be hitting 50+ games when the older blokes are dropping off. Guys like Simon Hogan, Mitch Duncan, Dawson Simpson, Taylor Hunt, Daniel Menzel, Jeremy Laidler, Tom Gillies, Steven Motlop, Adam Varcoe and Mitch Brown. All bar the last two have played senior games for Geelong. And don't forget that Laidler, Menzel and Hunt all played in the 101-point demolition of the Western Bulldogs - only 5 and a half weeks ago. And don't forget - Geelong beat a top 4 team by 101 points only 5 and a half weeks ago!

As for Hawkins and Mackie, they will be given a wake-up call over the summer - certainly Mackie already has. They both have truckloads of talent but either don't listen to instructions or don't work hard enough. In any case, the Cats will persist and they will be better for it. Worst case scenario - they don't jump in their output and they can be traded for players who will pull their finger out, or for draft picks at the end of 2011. Even better for rebuilding.

It's not going to be easy. It's most certainly going to mean a lot of tough calls on whether to move out loyal, experienced players and bring in the young brigade. Hopefully, for the sake of the team, some of those guys realise their time has come and their moment in the sun has passed. Hopefully the younger guys who have been on the fringe for a few years realise their time is here, not somewhere else. That's you Ryan Gamble, Trent West and Nathan Djerrkura (even though the latter is certainly gone). Hopefully Gary doesn't go, but if he does, we hope it may just be the Cats saving grace when it comes to rebuilding. And hopefully 'Bomber' can  come up with a Plan B, or C, or D to stop making us look so bad against the Pies.

So keep hope Cats fans. We're not done with just yet.