DESPITE finishing last year's home and away season atop the table and securing a preliminary final berth, the Cats' list has undergone a sneaky regeneration in recent years.
Geelong now boasts the equal most 18-21yo players on its list in the entire league, with both the Cats and Lions leading the league with 21 players in the age bracket.
The Cats have also been able to pump some experience into their promising young core, with Brandan Parfitt (54 games), Jack Henry (45 games), Esava Ratugolea (28 games) and Gryan Miers (25 games) already with a full season or more of top level games to their name.
READ: WELLS' WORD ON 2019 DRAFTEES
Lachie Fogarty, Zach Guthrie, Charlie Constable and Sam Simpson have all also had a taste of AFL football.
This year's draft saw another five young Cats added to the mix, including two first round selections in hard-running midfielder Cooper Stephens (pick 16) and 202cm key defender Sam De Koning (pick 19).
The influx of young talent isn't likely to stop at next year's draft either, with the club already boasting a war chest of high 2020 draft selectios.
After dealing pick 27 in this year's draft to the Gold Coast in return for a 2020 mid-first round pick, Geelong now has three 2020 first round draft picks.
Last year's draft saw a another huge influx of young talent with eight Cats under 21 brought into the club.
The Cats also lead the league in players aged 30 years and older, meaning the club is ranked fifth overall in average age and first for matches played.
Club-by-club age breakdown
Average Age | 18-21yo | 22-26yo | 27-29yo | 30+ | |
1. Collingwood | 24.88 | 15 | 16 | 8 | 6 |
2. West Coast | 24.8 | 14 | 15 | 11 | 4 |
3. Hawthorn | 24.66 | 19 | 13 | 5 | 7 |
4. North Melbourne | 24.66 | 14 | 15 | 12 | 3 |
5. Geelong | 24.65 | 21 | 8 | 10 | 7 |
6. GWS | 24.56 | 16 | 18 | 6 | 5 |
7. St Kilda | 24.3 | 13 | 24 | 5 | 3 |
8. Essendon | 24.19 | 13 | 20 | 6 | 3 |
9. Richmond | 24.01 | 18 | 13 | 9 | 4 |
10. Western Bulldogs | 23.99 | 14 | 21 | 7 | 4 |
11. Port Adelaide | 23.9 | 20 | 12 | 9 | 4 |
12. Adelaide | 23.87 | 17 | 16 | 7 | 3 |
13. Melbourne | 23.86 | 13 | 22 | 5 | 3 |
14. Carlton | 23.75 | 16 | 20 | 3 | 6 |
15. Brisbane | 23.54 | 21 | 16 | 5 | 4 |
16. Fremantle | 23.54 | 20 | 16 | 8 | 1 |
17. Sydney | 23.54 | 20 | 16 | 6 | 3 |
18. Gold Coast | 23.41 | 19 | 18 | 9 | 3 |
Club-by-club matches breakdown
Matches | <20 | 21-50 | 51-100 | 101-150 | 151+ | |
1. Geelong | 80.72 | 19 | 7 | 5 | 3 | 12 |
2. Hawthorn | 80.25 | 19 | 3 | 8 | 2 | 12 |
3. West Coast | 77.89 | 14 | 10 | 5 | 3 | 12 |
4. Collingwood | 75.93 | 18 | 5 | 7 | 6 | 9 |
5. Port Adelaide | 69.02 | 22 | 2 | 7 | 6 | 8 |
6. North Melbourne | 68.95 | 18 | 5 | 7 | 8 | 6 |
7. GWS | 68.87 | 17 | 6 | 8 | 7 | 7 |
8. Richmond | 68.82 | 20 | 5 | 7 | 2 | 10 |
9. Carlton | 64.33 | 17 | 8 | 11 | 3 | 6 |
10. Essendon | 62.83 | 15 | 6 | 11 | 5 | 5 |
11. St Kilda | 62.2 | 18 | 8 | 8 | 6 | 5 |
12. Melbourne | 60.42 | 17 | 6 | 11 | 6 | 3 |
13. Adelaide | 59.19 | 21 | 5 | 5 | 6 | 6 |
14. Western Bulldogs | 57.67 | 17 | 9 | 7 | 10 | 3 |
15. Brisbane | 56.15 | 21 | 7 | 6 | 6 | 6 |
16. Sydney | 55.6 | 18 | 9 | 8 | 6 | 4 |
17. Fremantle | 54.11 | 18 | 9 | 11 | 3 | 4 |
18. Gold Coast | 52.08 | 21 | 9 | 8 | 8 | 3 |
