1. The era of dominance is over
MANY people wrote off the Cats after they were flogged by Collingwood in the 2010 preliminary final. They responded by winning the 2011 premiership. But it is unlikely that such a resurrection will take place in the wake of Geelong's recent elimination final loss to Fremantle. The Cats ended their 2012 campaign in seventh place - their lowest finish since they missed the finals in 2006 - and they are now very much a team in transition.

2. Tom Hawkins is a superstar
Late in the 2011 season, Geelong's burly sharp-shooter was playing in the VFL and his career was at the crossroads. But after dominating last year's Grand Final, Hawkins has gone on to cement himself as one of the best key forwards in the competition. He played 22 games in 2012, took an average of 6.5 marks per game and finished with 62 goals, which placed him second on the Coleman Medal ladder and earned him the full-forward position in the All Australian team. The downside for Hawkins was his performance in Geelong's elimination final loss to Fremantle. That night he was held goalless by Zac Dawson.

3. The Cats need to find support for Hawkins
Injuries and a drop in confidence added up to an ordinary second half of the season for James Podsiadly. And given he recently turned 31, the man known as 'J-Pod' is almost at the end of his career. So the challenge for Geelong's coaching staff is to find another tall forward to take the pressure off Hawkins. Ruckman/forward Josh Walker, who played seven games in 2012 after being promoted from the rookie list, may yet prove to be that man. Another contender is 19-year-old Shane Kersten, a 190cm sharpshooter who was very impressive during the VFL finals.

4. Joel Corey and Paul Chapman might only have one season left
There is no shame in the fact that Corey and Chapman are not the players they once were. Both are now aged in their 30s and both have played around 250 games. But their declining form presents a tough question for Geelong's coaching staff: when should Corey and Chapman be tapped on the shoulder and told to retire? Cats football manager Neil Balme has insisted that both will play on next season (Corey has another year of his contract to go, while Chapman has been offered a new one-year deal), but don't be surprised if the 2013 campaign is their last hurrah at the highest level.

5. The coach is happy to give the kids a go
Geelong fielded a remarkable 10 first-gamers during the 2012 season, which took the tally of debutants since Chris Scott was appointed coach to 15. The players who made their debuts this year were from all ages and all types of backgrounds. There was 29-year-old ruckman Orren Stephenson, who played his first game against Fremantle in round one, and 24-year-old midfielder Jon Simpkin, who finally cracked it for an AFL game after six years of second-tier football. The Cats' younger debutants included speedster Jordan Murdoch, nuggety midfielder Jordan Schroder, small forward Lincoln McCarthy and smooth-moving half-back George Horlin-Smith.

6. But how many of the kids will be stars in the future?
When it comes to the issue of whether Geelong can evolve as a team but also stay in the top eight, this is the key question. Of the club's many youngsters, only 2011 premiership players Mitch Duncan and Allen Christensen have shown they can consistently perform at the highest level. For the Cats to remain competitive, young men like Cameron Guthrie, Billie Smedts and Taylor Hunt will have to become A-grade players sooner rather than later.

7. Jordan Murdoch was a draft bargain
His pace and ability to kick eye-catching left-foot goals on the run have resulted in the 21-year-old from Port MacDonnell in South Australia being compared to former Geelong wingman Peter Riccardi. And if he turns out to be as good as Riccardi, Murdoch will have been one the great draft steals. The Cats' recruiting guru, Stephen Wells, snared Murdoch with pick 48 in the 2011 NAB AFL Draft. Those who know about these things say he probably should have been a top-20 selection, but many other clubs were scared off by his shyness. On the field, Murdoch proved anything but shy during his eight games in 2012.

8. The fitness of Nathan Vardy is crucial
Geelong's ruck stocks have been thin since Brad Ottens retired, but the good folk at Simonds Stadium are hoping that Vardy can solve many of their problems in that regard. A tremendous athlete who stands 198cm, Vardy was sidelined by a hip problem for most of the 2012 season. When he returned to take on the Swans in round 23, he immediately showed his worth, winning hit-outs and taking marks while roaming around the ground. The other key to Vardy's game is that, like Ottens, he can have an impact up forward. If he can stay fit in 2013, Vardy and Trent West could be a very good rucking team.

9. Daniel Menzel could be the 'recruit' of the year
The lowlight of Geelong's season was undoubtedly the left knee injury that Menzel suffered in his first game back after recovering from reconstructive surgery on his right knee. The new injury meant the 21-year-old half-forward was unable to play an AFL game during 2012. But Menzel is a freakishly talented player, in the mould of Steve Johnson, so the Cats believe he will inject a big dose of class into their team when he returns early in the 2013 campaign.

10. Mad Mondays won’t be the same without 'Scarlo'
Champion defender Matthew Scarlett, who played his last AFL game in the elimination final that the Cats lost to Fremantle, was a superstar on and off the field, and he was renowned for bringing his A-game to Geelong's Mad Monday celebrations. In 2008 he shaved the top of his head in a tribute to Richmond legend Kevin Barlett, then in 2009 he dressed up as Hawthorn champion Dermott Brereton. As his best mate Corey Enright told AFL.com.au during the season: "He died his hair with peroxide, and it took him a good six months to get his natural hair-colour back. When we did our premiership photo, the digitally altered his hair back to its natural colour. Two weeks later we had to go to a wedding. On the day of the wedding he tried to die his hair back its natural colour and it turned out sort of red. So he just couldn't get it right for a while."

The views in this article are those of the author and not necessarily those of the AFL or its clubs