THE 2022 AFL Women’s season is almost upon us, so it’s time to take a look at each of the competing teams and see where they sit as we head into another season.

Today we will take a look at Geelong, who finished 13th in 2021.

A round one loss to the tune of 62 points at the hands of North Melbourne was ultimately a sign of the season to come for the Cats. They lost their first eight games before their only win of the season came against fellow cellar dweller Gold Coast.

It certainly did not help Geelong’s cause when young star Olivia Purcell went down with a knee injury. 

Heading into 2022, the only way is up for the girls from the Cattery. They have a new coach in Dan Lowther at the helm, and they got some excellent recruits and draftees in. In the off-season, a lot of experience and talent left the club.

Purcell was traded to the Dees, Aasta O’Connor retired, and the likes of Madeleine Boyd and Richelle Cranston were both delisted. How they fill that gap that those players alone create with their departures will be one of the big questions for the Cats heading into 2022. They also have Millie Brown, Renee Garing and Denby Taylor on the inactive list.

Despite these big departures, they’ve brought in some young (and not so young) talent that will certainly help fill those gaps.

They’ve traded in Chantel Emonson from Melbourne, and Chloe Scheer from Adelaide, while also drafting in Gabbi Featherston, Zali Friswell, Annabel Johnson and Georgie Prespakis.

Emonson is a handy defender who never quite got her chances at Melbourne, but has a perfect opportunity to shine at Geelong. Scheer is a talented forward from the Crows, who has already delighted fans with her aerial ability.

Prespakis on the other hand was one of the most highly touted draftees of recent seasons, and was much talked about heading into the 2021 draft. Some she is even better than sister Maddy, and people have already seen what Maddy has been able to do in her short career. With this in mind, Geelong fans ought to get excited about the future of this team.

Geelong have not got the easiest start to the season to try and turn things around. They have North Melbourne, Western Bulldogs, Collingwood, Brisbane and West Coast in the first half of the season, before games against the likes of Gold Coast and Richmond in the back half of the season. They will certainly be targeting games like the West Coast and Gold Coast, but things will certainly not be easy up until that point.

2022 SQUAD:

• Olivia Barber
• Rene Caris
• Georgia Clarke
• Julia Crockett-Grills
• Kate Darby
• Chantel Emonson
• Gabbi Featherston
• Zali Friswell
• Olivia Fuller
• Laura Gardiner
• Claudia Gunjaca
• Danielle Higgins
• Jordan Ivey
• Annabel Johnson
• Rachel Kearns
• Maddy Keryk
• Madisen Maguire
• Darcy Moloney
• Amy McDonald
• Meg McDonald
• Maddy McMahon
• Phoebe McWilliams
• Nina Morrison
• Georgie Prespakis
• Georgie Rankin
• Carly Remmos
• Chloe Scheer
• Sophie Van De Heuvel
• Rebecca Webster
• Stephanie Williams