The 2023 Geelong Football Club season was the club's 159th season playing Australian rules football, with the club competing in their 124th season in the Australian Football League (AFL). Geelong also fielded a women's team in the 2023 AFL Women's season, and 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 was one of the driving 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.
Forward Jeremy Cameron would be the club's leading votegetter at the 2023 Brownlow Medal count, polling 13 votes including two best-on-ground matches.
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 .
+ 2023 Geelong coaching staff Role Name Senior coach Chris Scott Assistant coach Nigel Lappin Assistant coach Shaun Grigg Assistant coach James Kelly Assistant coach Shane O'Bree Head of player development Matthew Egan Development coach Daisy Pearce Development coach Josh Jenkins Ruck coach Brad Ottens
Playing list Changes
+ Deletions from playing list Player Reason Traded to Delisted Retired Retired Retired Delisted Delisted Delisted Delisted
+ Additions to playing list Player Acquired Traded from Traded from Traded from 8, 2022 national draft 52, 2022 national draft 18, 2023 rookie draft 32, 2023 rookie draft Category B rookie Category B rookie 7, 2023 mid-season rookie draft
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 +Key^Denotes player who was on the club's standard rookie list, and therefore eligible for senior selection.#Denotes Category B rookie where player needed to be elevated to club's senior list during this season to be eligible for senior selection.
+Playing list and statisticsPlayerGamesGoalsBehindsKicksHandballsDisposalsTacklesMarksHitoutsMilestone(s) 30 23 4 1 195 251 446 175 33 0 100th match (round 19) 24 15 0 1 79 78 157 30 36 0 46 19 12 7 154 147 301 88 65 202 12 17 4 6 156 105 261 88 65 0 Club debut (round 2)100th match (round 24) 4 19 8 1 176 134 310 92 56 0 Club debut (round 1) 5 20 53 34 255 66 321 27 114 1 15 6 0 0 34 42 76 8 21 153 13 1 0 0 4 2 6 5 0 0 AFL debut (round 9)# 40 1 0 0 2 4 6 1 1 0 AFL debut (round 24) 45 21 21 6 124 153 277 56 53 0 6 1 0 0 2 4 6 3 1 24 AFL debut (round 24) 35 18 11 8 213 156 369 67 59 0 16 19 0 0 129 105 234 11 86 32 ^ 28 5 1 3 16 22 38 10 8 0 22 16 5 5 224 135 359 40 110 0 19 0 29 6 0 0 77 57 134 31 25 0 39 23 3 2 251 120 371 59 128 0 26 20 49 26 146 68 214 18 91 63 38 11 4 0 81 37 118 15 47 6 36 22 41 20 139 86 225 35 82 0 Club debut (round 1) 9 21 7 5 228 172 400 88 69 0 50th match (round 23) 10 8 2 3 61 34 95 19 24 0 8 19 0 3 136 82 218 29 89 0 25 0 27 1 0 1 17 10 27 3 6 0 32 23 7 13 259 179 438 67 108 0 100th match (round 18)# 34 6 0 1 22 27 49 9 12 0 AFL debut (round 11)^ 19 0 33 3 1 2 9 12 21 9 12 19 42 22 3 2 186 123 309 68 96 0 100th match (round 14) 3 9 1 1 58 56 114 50 6 0 17 16 0 0 93 49 142 22 70 2 ^ 21 0 23 15 18 9 89 45 134 35 45 5 37 6 7 3 26 29 55 7 12 0 7 22 10 12 326 147 473 36 139 0 1 13 0 3 78 77 155 32 30 368 18 19 27 9 146 71 217 42 48 0 44 22 1 0 408 99 507 43 182 0 Acting captain (rounds 9–12, 15) 2 20 6 9 248 115 363 32 71 0 150th club match (round 23) 11 1 0 0 1 0 1 1 0 0 AFL debut (round 2) 20 0
Results +KeyH Home gameA Away gameN Neutral venue game + Table of 2023 AFL season results Round Date Result Score Opponent Score Ground Attendance 1 16 7 103 19 11 125 Melbourne Cricket Ground H 86,595 2 12 10 82 13 12 90 Melbourne Cricket Ground A 55,861 3 7 12 54 10 13 73 Heritage Bank Stadium A 13,122 4 19 13 127 6 9 45 Melbourne Cricket Ground H 65,355 5 21 10 136 13 11 89 Adelaide Oval N 30,120 6 20 10 130 5 7 37 GMHBA Stadium H 23,134 7 20 12 132 16 8 104 Melbourne Cricket Ground A 67,457 8 14 14 98 11 6 76 GMHBA Stadium H 21,415 9 11 12 78 16 6 102 Melbourne Cricket Ground A 58,141 10 11 11 77 16 10 106 Optus Stadium A 45,811 11 10 14 74 12 9 81 GMHBA Stadium H 21,349 12 15 7 97 10 15 75 Marvel Stadium A 41,944 13 Bye 14 11 6 72 16 14 110 Adelaide Oval A 36,316 15 11 12 78 8 15 63 GMHBA Stadium H 19,617 16 7 12 54 6 18 54 Sydney Cricket Ground A 32,098 17 19 11 125 9 9 63 GMHBA Stadium H 21,066 18 18 14 122 7 3 45 GMHBA Stadium H 23,185 19 7 11 53 9 10 64 The Gabba A 32,586 20 9 10 64 10 11 71 GMHBA Stadium H 21,619 21 14 13 97 12 13 85 GMHBA Stadium H 21,279 22 15 11 101 16 13 109 Melbourne Cricket Ground A 78,749 23 8 7 55 12 16 88 Marvel Stadium A 40,103 24 11 13 79 16 8 104 GMHBA Stadium H 20,533
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
Club Awards Carji Greeves Medal: Tom Stewart (135 votes) Best Young Player Award: Ollie Henry Tom Harley Best Clubman: Tom Atkins Carter Family Community Champion Award: 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.
Jye Chalcraft would win his second successive Geelong VFL best and fairest award, polling 163 votes after appearing in all 18 matches. Vice-captain Daniel Capiron would finish in second place, with Ted Clohesy rounding out the top three placegetters.
Results +KeyH Home gameA Away game + Table of season resultsRoundDateResultScoreOpponentScoreGround1 24 March 12 13 85 10 9 69 Princes Park A2 2 April 11 9 75 28 14 182 Heritage Bank Stadium A3 10 April 7 10 52 16 11 107 Melbourne Cricket Ground H4 15 April 9 6 60 5 17 47 Avalon Airport Oval A5Bye6 30 April 6 20 56 7 6 48 Piranha Park A7 7 May 10 4 64 16 12 108 GMHBA Stadium H8 13 May 10 15 75 11 6 75 Swinburne Centre A9Bye10 28 May 10 13 73 8 12 60 GMHBA Stadium H11 3 June 7 8 50 15 18 108 Avalon Airport Oval A12Bye13 16 June 10 12 72 11 4 70 GMHBA Stadium H14 23 June 5 10 40 11 14 80 GMHBA Stadium H15 30 June 12 5 77 10 6 69 SCG A16 9 July 9 4 58 15 11 101 GMHBA Stadium H17 16 July 7 12 54 9 10 64 GMHBA Stadium H18 22 July 12 5 77 17 10 112 Brighton Homes Arena A19 30 July 19 18 132 6 6 42 GMHBA Stadium H20Bye21 12 August 8 7 55 20 9 129 Victoria Park A22 19 August 14 8 92 11 12 78 GMHBA Stadium H
Ladder
Awards VFL Team of the Year: Oliver Dempsey (forward) Club Awards Best and Fairest: Jye Chalcraft (163 votes) Little Vic Award (Best first year player): Mace Cousins
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.
The team would have its best season in the competition, qualifying for the final series for the second consecutive season. In the finals, Geelong would win their first AFLW finals matches, defeating Essendon and reigning premiers Melbourne to progress to a preliminary final against . In a controversially umpired match, Brisbane would eliminate Geelong one match short of the 2023 AFL Women's Grand Final, winning by four points.
Despite their high ladder position, Geelong would only have two players shortlisted for the 2023 AFL Women's All-Australian team, with both Georgie Prespakis and Amy McDonald both surprising omissions from the final squad announcement. Both players would feature in the top 10 in the count for the 2023 AFL Women's best and fairest medal behind eventual winner Monique Conti of . McDonald finishing in a tie for second place, with Prespakis finishing tied for seventh.
Irish import Aisling Moloney would be recognised at the 2023 AFL Players Association awards, winning the best first year player award after excelling in her first year playing the sport.
Preseason 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.
Playing list Changes
+ Deletions from playing list Player Reason Retired Delisted Delisted Traded to Traded to
+ Additions to playing list Player Acquired Traded from International rookie selection from Tipperary GAA International rookie selection from Tipperary GAA 1, 2023 supplementary draft
Georgia Clarke was subsequently signed by during the 2023 free agency period.
Statistics Updated to end of season +Key#Denotes player who was on the club's rookie list.^Denotes player who was on the club's inactive list.