With 14 minutes to play on Sunday at Simmonds Stadium, there was a moment that was so familiar to Geelong fans, yet was surprisingly unfamiliar at the same time. On the back of the classical swift movement of a Geelong forward thrust, a smart switch from Rhys Stanley, to Mitch Duncan resulted in a quick handball over the top to Steve Johnson about 53 meters out from goal. As usual, Johnson turned into the corridor and found a runner cruising past, Johnson calmly handballed on. Gregson received the handball, accelerated into space and kicked accurately from 40 meters out. The play was vintage Geelong, a quick transition to a classy finish. That much, the fans will have expected. After the goal was kicked however, the celebratory huddle was made up of players that are completely unrecognizable from the glory days of the Cats. Gregson was first met by Darcy Lang, followed by Josh Caddy and Nakia Cockatoo. Mitch Clark was the next to join the group hug, followed, eventually by a more recognizable face in Joel Selwood. The jumper numbers were similar, Gregson’s 28 is the only not to have appeared in a senior premiership since 2007, however David Johnson did wear the number to a 2007 VFL Premiership. The bodies beneath those jumpers were completely unidentifiable, as Geelong has become this season. The long awaited transition from a list full of aging champions to a group of talented youngsters is practically complete, and those youngsters have no choice but to grow up now, as Geelong strives to pull off what the competition has attempted to make impossible: to regenerate without falling out of the finals.

Gregson is the latest in a growing line of players who have been brought to the club, touted as a part of the midfield for continued dominance of the Cats and thrust into the big time. There’s nothing wrong with putting players into the league immediately, given they are ready. Cockatoo’s explosive, gangly acceleration will typically result in inconsistency, but he is perfectly suited to gain a taste of the big time coming out of the green vest. Lang, who has spent an extra year at Geelong, appears a calm midfielder who’s mind is ahead of the play, and Gregson looks like he has the dash of a good player, along with perhaps the most important skill a player can have: an ability to be in the right place enough times to make a difference in the game.

Dennis Commetti was enthused by Gregson’s game, declaring him as “a beauty”, before going on to say, “It’s amazing how quickly good players appear to belong, and Gregson, no question, belongs.” It’s a sentiment the Geelong fans will hope proves to be true, he does offer something fresh.
Gregson himself was excited after the game, telling CatsTV the win was “an awesome feeling”. Gregson trailed off into dreaming about what this means to a youngster winning in front of a parochial home crowd, “(We) haven’t had the best start but that gutsy win was just, yeah”, Gregson said, losing his track of thought. Gregson makes up a generational overhaul down at Kardinia Park, he’s a part of a group that suddenly has to grow up sooner than the coaches might have hoped.

Those younger players stood up on Sunday against Gold Coast, with elder statesmen Jimmy Bartel, Matthew Stokes and Tom Lonergan all lost to injury, along with Tom Hawkins before the game, it was Gregson, Josh Walker and Blicavs who stood up for the Cats. Head coach Chris Scott was impressed, saying the younger players were “really exciting and really strong in the contest, which is what we need.” With injuries cutting down the experienced heads of the group, it is up to these younger players to help Selwood carry the load in the midfield. It has become a standard in Geelong that the home team will take part in September, but with finals contenders North Melbourne, Richmond, Collingwood and Sydney coming in the next month, Geelong can’t just accept to waltz into the finals.

If they are to remain a force in season 2015, Geelong needs it’s next generation to take over. Duncan, Cam Guthrie, Caddy and Steve Motlop are old enough and experienced enough to be the leads in the midfield. Constant contributions are needed from Clark, Stanley, Jed Bews and Blicavs. Perhaps the biggest step can come from the genuine younger breed, led by Gregson, who are at the club to regenerate the list quicker than anybody else can expect. In a month it will be much clearer where the Cats sit in the league, and it will be made much clearer by the contribution of the younger generation. The time has come for the players in the early 20s to take control of the team.