Confidence and never complacency has captain Patrick Dangerfield fearful as Geelong climate the worst begin to an AFL season by reigning premiers since 1976.
The Cats are mired in a 0-3 hole forward of the standard Easter Monday conflict in opposition to Hawthorn, who’re coming off a morale-boosting win over North Melbourne.
But the brand new Geelong skipper notes that they’ve been within the hunt by means of all three video games, with 22 factors their greatest shedding margin.
He additionally joked they’re just one win exterior the highest eight.
“My expertise in Geelong – and I feel it has been Geelong’s expertise for a very long time – complacency has by no means been a difficulty for the membership,” Dangerfield mentioned on Tuesday.
“It’s been uber-successful for an extended interval. We’ve had loads of change from final yr, so there’s an enormous quantity of starvation.
“The problem we’ve got in the meanwhile is the arrogance, and that is clear for any staff that struggles with consistency and struggles with wins.”
Dangerfield added the answer was not specializing in the 0-3 document, however what they want to do to repair it.
“It’s the method that underpins why you win and lose. We want to make sure that we preserve taking a look at that, not simply lassoing ourselves to the wins and losses column, it is the method that underpins it,” he mentioned.
“It’s not clicking your fingers – that is the powerful half.
“It appears like there is a degree of frustration within the group that we needs to be taking part in higher.
“It can be a unique vibe had we been completely smoked in each recreation.”
Dangerfield dismissed any speak that the captaincy was affecting his kind and equally dismissed a query about whether or not alarm bells had been ringing at Geelong.
“It’s a superb headline that you will go together with this afternoon, I’m positive,” he mentioned.
Many points are bedevilling the Cats – Mitch Duncan has been injured, plus recruits Tanner Bruhn, Jack Bowes and Ollie Henry are taking time to adapt to their new staff.
Tom Hawkins can be struggling after returning from low season foot harm, however Dangerfield mentioned he has not come again too rapidly and added the important thing ahead stays an enormous headache for opposition defenders.
“We have not helped Hawk with the best way we have moved the footy – that half is de facto, actually clear,” he mentioned.
“We have not helped him in any respect.
“I’ve enormous confidence within the massive fella.”
While Dangerfield is upbeat about their prospects, he acknowledged they want to rally quickly.
“I’m actually optimistic with what we are able to do, as a result of it is not distant. We simply want to make sure that we get it rolling sooner relatively than later,” he mentioned.
He was requested if their poor begin meant extra stress forward of Monday’s recreation.
“More stress? Perhaps, however stress makes diamonds,” he mentioned.
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