2023 Geelong Football Club season
The 2023 Geelong Football Club season is the club's 159th season playing Australian rules football, with the club competing in their 124th season in the Australian Football League (AFL). Geelong will also field a women's team in the 2023 AFL Women's season, and a men's and women's reserves team in the Victorian Football League (VFL) and the VFL Women's (VFLW) respectively.

AFL team

Season summary
It was the club's thirteenth AFL season under senior coach Chris Scott, with Patrick Dangerfield appointed as club captain, replacing the retired Joel Selwood.

After a poor start to the season, Geelong would become the first reigning premiers to lose their opening three matches since 1976.

With the debut of Oisín Mullin in just his fourth game of Australian football, Geelong fielded three Irish players against  in round 11, becoming the first club in VFL/AFL history to field three in the same team.

After losing to  in the penultimate round of the season, Geelong were eliminated from finals contention, missing the finals for just the second time in Chris Scott's 13-year tenure. Geelong joining  (2021),  (2017) and  (2009) as premiers in the last 20 years to miss finals the following season. A number of injuries to key players one of the reasons behind the club's slide down the ladder.

Three consecutive losses to end the season saw the club equal its lowest ever finish, ending up in 12th place on the ladder.

Pre-season

Geelong defeated  in a pre-season scratch match at GMHBA Stadium played over eight periods with both senior and reserves players. The final score was Geelong 31.34 (220) versus Hawthorn 18.25 (133). Geelong also played an official AFL practice match against  on 2 March, and were defeated 13.13 (91) versus Geelong's 6.9 (45). Geelong's home-and-away season began on 17 March against  at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG).

Coaching staff
Chris Scott continued as the club's men's senior coach for a thirteenth season, having signed a two-year contract extension until the end of the 2024 season. Scott would coach his 300th AFL game in round 15 against , with Geelong winning by 15 points.

Scott would break Reg Hickey's long-standing record of 304 matches as coach of the club, coaching his 305th match in round 20 against .

Playing list

Changes

  Francis Evans was subsequently signed by  during the 2022 free agency period.
  Quinton Narkle was subsequently selected by  in the 2023 mid-season rookie draft after starting the season with  in their VFL squad.

Statistics 
Updated as at round 24

Results

Ladder

Awards

League awards
 Tom Wills Award: Tom Hawkins (Round 7 vs )
 AFLPA 22 Under 22 team: Sam De Koning (Defence)
 All-Australian: Tom Stewart

VFL team

Season summary
 2022 VFL premiers coach Mark Corrigan was appointed as coach of Geelong's VFL team in October 2022, replacing Shane O'Bree who had been promoted to the club's AFL program. Corrigan had previously played with the club from 2011 to 2014 and was a member of the club's 2012 VFL premiership team. Angus Byrne was appointed as captain, with Tom Feely and Daniel Capiron as vice-captains.

Results

Ladder

AFL Women's team

Season summary
Meg McDonald was reappointed captain ahead of the season, as part of a five-woman leadership group. Nina Morrison was re-elected as vice-captain, with Chantel Emonson, Becky Webster and Mikayla Bowen the other members of the leadership group.

Pre season
In the club's first official action before the start of the new season, Geelong defeated  by 13 points in a four-quarter match simulation at Victoria Park on 12 August. The Cats then played  in their only official practice match, losing a tight contest 7.8 (50) to 8.8 (56) at the Adelaide Oval. Kate Darby kicked two goals in the match, with Irish recruit Aishling Moloney impressing.

Coaching staff
Daniel Lowther continued as head coach of the AFLW program for a third season. Former Geelong VFL Women's coach Andrew Bruce (forwards), Josh Finch (midfield), and 2023 Geelong VFL Women's coach Elise Coventry (defence) were appointed as assistant coaches. Current men's team player Gary Rohan, and former Geelong VFL player Will Sexton, joined the coaching staff as development coaches.

Changes

  Georgia Clarke was subsequently signed by  during the 2023 free agency period.

Results

VFLW team

Season summary
Former Geelong player Elise Coventry was appointed as the club's VFL Women's coach in December 2022, replacing Andrew Bruce. Coventry was joined by assistant coaches Anna Teague, Alf Della Monica and Aiden Yelland.

Chloe Leonard was appointed captain, after serving as vice-captain in 2022. Poppy Schaap, Abby Favell, Sachi DeGiacomi, and former captain Bree Beckley were the rest of the team's leadership group.

After losing to  in round 1, Geelong went on a five game winning streak, including turning the tables on North Melbourne in round 6, with a last second goal to Olivia Cicolini to secure a 28–22 win.

Analea McKee and Charlotte Simpson were both selected in an invitational Under-23 All-Stars squad for a match against the AFLW Academy at Marvel Stadium during round 12 of the season.

The team would sit a game clear atop the competition ladder after round 9, but would endure a five-match winless streak to eventually miss the finals, finishing eighth.

Results

Ladder

Awards 
Best and Fairest: Charlotte Simpson (72 votes)

Notes

References

External links 
 Official website of the Geelong Football Club

2023
Geelong Football Club
Geelong Football Club