Feature

Geelong’s forward line has been firing on all cylinders in 2025, registering their highest points per game average in over a decade

Jeremy Cameron is deservedly receiving plenty of attention for his incredible campaign this year, but his goal kicking prowess has been a key part of a record-breaking year from the Cats’ forward line in 2025. 

Geelong’s 153 points against Port Adelaide last weekend was their highest score of the season, but it was also the 11th time that they have exceeded 100 points in a match with three rounds still remaining in the home and away season. The Cats have only achieved that feat once in the past 12 years (2016). 

The Cats are currently averaging 105 points per game in 2025, the first time they have averaged 100 points or more across a season since 2013. It is also the first time since 2010 that Geelong have posted three scores of 150 points or more in a single season.

Assistant and forward line coach, James Rahilly provided insight into what it takes to produce such incredible results across the course of a season. 

“It is definitely a balance,” Rahilly said on this week’s episode of Cats podcast, ‘To The Final Bell.’

“As Scotty says, we are always working on our game and we still are. We have consistently been a pretty good team at scoring from stoppage, so that hasn’t dropped off.

“Probably this year at times, I think we haven’t scored as well in transition or from intercepts. That is probably a bit to do with the shape of our ground and obviously our defence, so we are actually working harder on our defence at the moment.

“I think that off the back of our good defence, we are getting some really good looks ahead of the ball. It just shows how it all works together, but obviously the forwards are a byproduct of what happens and I think our backs, I thought they were fantastic on the weekend with how they started our ball movement.”

One big factor for the Cats has been the variety of scoring options this year, with six different players kicking at least 20 goals to this point of the season and 11 players kicking 10 goals or more. 

The emergence of Shannon Neale has had a big impact for Geelong, with his aerial abilities and reliable set-shot drawing plenty of attention from opposition defenders, opening up other avenues to goal for the Cats. 

GEELONG, AUSTRALIA – AUGUST 03: Shannon Neale of the Cats marks the ball with Travis Boak of the Power during the 2025 AFL Round 21 match between the Geelong Cats and the Port Adelaide Power at GMHBA Stadium on August 3, 2025 in Geelong, Australia. (Photo by James Wilshire/AFL Photos)

Rahilly said that it is reward for effort for Neale, who put in the hard yards to get himself ready for this campaign. 

“Shannon makes my job easier, he is one of the easiest guys to coach,” Rahilly said. 

“He is so diligent with everything he does, he trains really hard. He knows what he needs to work on and he is a very focused and driven kid.

“You are right, it is probably unfair to compare him so much to ‘Hawk,’ they are very different players. Shannon is from a running background, a 400 and 800 metre runner which is such a strength in the modern game.

“It has taken him time and he has worked very hard on it, but now his ability to get at the footy, be stronger in the contest and going up against some really good players, it is just massive for the forward line and for the team.”

Another X-Factor inside Geelong’s forward line has emerged in recent weeks with Jack Martin adding a new dynamic, kicking the quickest four-goal haul in the AFL this century against Port Adelaide last weekend. 

“Obviously we rated Jack very highly,” Rahilly said. 

“When we heard he was coming to the club, he probably spent most of his time forward at Carlton, so I spent a lot of time with him early days as his coach.

“We talked through the plan that we had for him, that wasn’t really a plan on when he would play it was more just putting as much time as we could into his body. The high performance team have been fantastic, we have had meetings along the way and Jack has been fantastic in the way he has built his body to get it to where he is today.

“Now that he is ready to play, we are still each week working out where he can play because he is such a versatile, smart player.

“He is one of the best players I have come across to actually talk about footy with.”