It felt too good to be true. A Magpie mauling that reminded you why you didn’t book that holiday in September. An 11 goals to two first half that confirmed to the football world why this new breed of Cat is just as deadly as the last.

  

It was fast, exciting, risk and reward football that had all the hallmarks of Geelong’s premiership teams and gave you an adrenaline rush like no other.

 

Coach Chris Scott is doing a brilliant job of blending and moulding a team of ageing champions and skillful speedy kittens into Geelong Mark II. And here’s how:

 

It’s that old expression: “It’s hard to soar like an eagle if you’re surrounded by turkeys.” But if you’re an eagle – or even a Cockatoo surrounded by eagles – the sky is the limit!

 

Success is infectious and over the past eight years Geelong’s older brigade of premiership stars has imparted a winning culture and attacking flair on the new wave of recruits and it was there for all to see against Collingwood.

 

Sitting on the third deck of the MCG on Friday night I was rapt to see the daring young Cats take good calculated risks to carve through Collingwood’s defensive zone and open up space.

 

It took me back to the attacking high possession, high-speed brand of football that proved so successful in the 2009 premiership. I believe it was the reason we won the game against the Pies and it’s going to be an enthralling season if the

Cats continue to slingshot off halfback at break-neck speed.

 

No longer can the critics label the Cats slow! You only have to look as far as Steven Motlop, Cory Gregson, Darcy Lang and Nakia Cockatoo to see all-out pace. These guys left the Magpies youngsters in their wake and I loved it when Cockatoo had no available options in defense so he just put the ball under his wing and streaked away out of trouble. Speed is going to be a big part of Geelong’s future.

 

Boasting premiership experience and All-Australian accolades, Geelong’s defence got off to a shaky start in round one conceding 123 points against the Hawks.

 

Since then Harry Taylor, Tom Lonergan and Corey Enright have been rock-solid with Geelong conceding fewer goals each round but they’ll need to be brilliant on Saturday night.

 

The last time the Cats played Sydney, Geelong conceded 148 points to the Swans – the equal highest score kicked against the Cats this millennium.

 

Although Geelong’s aura of invincibility may be long gone, the Cats are still a team to be feared.

 

In his media conference this week, Sydney Coach John Longmire laughed off any suggestion that Geelong’s premiership window has closed and that the Cats are in decline. “The Geelong Football Club are a fantastic footy cluB. It’s been proven 

time and time again. I don’t think that they need to prove it to anybody,” Longmire said.

 

And the Cats’ record at Sydney’s ANZ Stadium is impressive boasting three wins and one loss. Geelong is one of only three teams (Sydney, Collingwood, Geelong) to win multiple games at ANZ Stadium.