Be careful who you shuffle

by GIOVANNI TORRE

IN the past decade, a Geelong player has cracked the 50 goal mark in a season on only three occassions.

Once it was Ronnie Burns, who was, naturally, delisted shortly afterwards. At least, that's how I remember it. If he was traded I can't remember what they got in return. Twice it was Kent Kingsley - who has now, aged 28, announced he has no future at the club.

The thing that stopped Geelong from making the 2004 grand final and from WINNING last year's premiership was its troublesome forward line.

Steve Johnson, the mercurial master of 'The Steve Johnson Shuffle', the strange dance with which he mesmerises opponents, played 15 games this season for 30 goals. Alternating between half forward flank and the midfield, playing in a team that finished 10th, it wasn't a bad return.

Early in the year, while Geelong was losing a series of close matches, Shuffle was in the VFL. He kicked five goals, five goals again and then another haul of five goals before finally being selected to play for the seniors against St Kilda. In that game he kicked three goals and the Cats won by the same margin.

Aged only 23, Shuffle has a great leap (indeed, he can leap a beer garden fence in a single bound), a good pair of hands and an explosive turn of pace. He can pluck a ball from two opponents in mid-air and checkside a goal before hitting the ground. He can nonchalantly slot a set shot with a drop punt with a foot of goal space to aim at and he can get under the skin of quality opponents. His ankles give him a bit of trouble now and then but he could easily have played 18 games this season out of 22. If he had, and kicked 36 goals from the half forward line, he would have done his job. Gary Ablett Jr kicked 35, but that was from 22 matches. Paul Chapman kicked 31 from 22, and ruckman/forward Brad Ottens managed 26 from 22.

Naturally, as Geelong's most prolific goal-scorer, Steve "Shuffle" Johnson is being put on the trade table.

What would you expect from the club that lost Greg Williams because he wanted an extra $5000 a season? The club that delisted Peter Street to get nothing in return? The club that insists on playing Cameron Mooney in defence half the time when the team cries out for a key forward with strength and aggression?

Still, the club has made some good moves in recent times. Trading Steve Johnson would certainly not be one of them.

Yes, Geelong needs another key forward - but they have a glut of midfielders who would probably be happy to get a go at another club. Paul Kouloriotis, for example, is an excellent player. This season he has averaged about 35 touches a game in the VFL, including monster matches of 47, 44 and 39 touches. Yet he got only one shot in the seniors. The GFC should either give this Greek God a go in the AFL, or trade him to someone who will.

The Lions would do well to take Kouloriotis and a draft pick or two in return for Daniel Bradshaw. Face it Lions, you aren't going to win a flag in the next five years - so you might as well build for the future instead of clinging to Bradshaw. He's 28 and he won't be there when you're a top side again. Kolouriotis turned 24 this year. Of course, if they took Steve Johnson, he'll only be 28 in five years and probably in the prime of his career. Why isn't this bleedingly obvious to the Cats?

11 October 2006

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