INACCURACY was one reason Geelong lost the 2008 Grand Final to Hawthorn.

 

It threatens to derail its 2013 campaign.

 

And rushed behinds are becoming a factor too, as they did, famously, in the 2008 decider.

 

In the past three weeks, the Cats have kicked 37.58, an accuracy ratio of 39 per cent.

 

In the 21 games before that stretch, Geelong was kicking with 56 per cent accuracy.

 

Geelong has scored 16 rushed behinds in the past three weeks after scoring just four in the four games preceding that patch.

 

Rushed behinds account for 38 per cent of Geelong's behinds since round 23.

 

It had seven rushed behinds against the Dockers in the qualifying final and five against Port Adelaide in the second semi-final.

 

Eleven of Geelong's 23 behinds in the 2008 Grand Final against Hawthorn were rushed.

 

After that game, a rule was introduced to stop the tactic of teams rushing behinds to regain possession while under no pressure and far out from goal.

 

However, players now appear free to rush behinds with impunity when the ball is close to goal, regardless of whether under pressure or not.

 

A handball through Geelong's goals from Fremantle's Paul Duffield in the second quarter of the qualifying final after crumbing the front of a pack showed that rule scarcely applies.

 

It's nowhere near 2008 standards but it's a definite option for stressed defenders.

 

Having said that, Geelong's overall kicking has been poor in recent weeks and its inside 50 kicks have been haphazard at best. 

 

Geelong appears to be suffering from a desire to move the ball on too quickly when going short.

 

If that quick short option is held up, the Cats take their time, then go long almost every time. Previous iterations of Geelong used to wait until the best option presented.

 

Contested high balls kicked inside the goalsquare are much easier to defend than kicks inside 50 that fall five metres short of the goalsquare.

 

Perhaps midfielders are also afraid to hit up a charging Tom Hawkins on the lead, concerned at the lack of pressure if the ball hits the ground.

 

It's also possible that Hawkins' immobility means there is less movement inside 50, meaning less unpredictable space is being created.

 

The Cats have averaged just 3.3 goals per game from marks since round 21.

 

In the finals Geelong has taken 21 marks inside 50 but just one – James Podsiadly's effort against Fremantle – could be classed as a genuine top-of-the-square grab.

 

Since round 21, Mitch Duncan has taken as many marks inside 50 as Hawkins, the duo leading the club in that statistic in that time with five marks each.

 

The Cats need to improve their ball use if they want to defeat Hawthorn.

 

However, Geelong coach Chris Scott thinks such problems are not the worst a football coach can encounter.

 

"We're getting the ball inside 50 enough. The quality of entries and the quality of shots probably aren't good enough but I'd rather it be that way than the other way around," Scott said.

 

Geelong has not lost the inside 50 count since it played Adelaide in round 17.

 

It has lost the inside 50 count just five times this season – two of those occasions, funnily enough, against Hawthorn.

 

So Scott is right to a certain extent.

 

However, as a general rule, teams are at their most vulnerable immediately after a score, particularly ones with such an attacking mindset as Geelong have when it has possession.

 

Geelong needs to clean up its act going forward. If it does, it can beat anyone.