Kane Cornes and Tom Morris have assessed the two clubs who enjoyed their bye in Round 13.
Reigning premier Geelong sits ninth on the ladder with a 6-6 record, having lost three of the last four.
Gold Coast occupy 11th position on the back of three victories in four matches.
See what Cornes and Morris had to say about the Cats and Suns at the halfway point of the season on SEN Breakfast.
Cornes: “Geelong are in ninth position with a 50/50 (record), six and six.
“Their percentage is reasonable on just under 119.
“Coming up they’ve got a huge game against Port Adelaide on Thursday night in Adelaide. They take on Melbourne at GMHBA, then Sydney at the SCG.
“A little bit of a problematic three weeks. How are we assessing what the reigning premiers have done?”
Morris: “Not too dissimilar to the start of last year, but the period of mediocrity has probably extended a few more weeks than what it did in 2022.
“My question to you is – Are they capable of a run like 2022 in 2023?”
Cornes: “It doesn’t have the same feel about it. They were belting teams last year and they were beating up on teams. They’ve lost that aura around what they were doing.
“They had an invincibility about them last year. Now they’re going to get some names back and some good names after the bye.”
Morris: “Cam Guthrie is one of them, Patty Dangerfield hasn’t been fully fit for several weeks, Max Holmes as well, they keep saying Mitch Duncan is not far away.”
Cornes: “They’re in a reasonable spot to launch, but it’s going to be very difficult to win the premiership outside the top four.
“They have probably left their run too late to make it.”
Cornes: “Gold Coast have turned a bit of a corner.”
Morris: “They’re playing some good footy.
“All of a sudden Jack Lukosius, Bailey Humphrey, Noah Anderson, Matt Rowell and Charlie Ballard are their main players.
“Touk Miller is still out injured and you thought when he got injured they’d be really struggling, but they’ve gone fine without him and he’ll strengthen them when he comes back. Jarrod Witts is back in now as well.
“The question I have to you about the Gold Coast Suns is does a top eight finish categorically save Stuart Dew’s job?”
Cornes: “I think it does. I haven’t actually been one to put that much pressure on him.
“Just because Damien Hardwick is available doesn’t mean he’s the right person for that job at that time. We’ve seen that, potentially, with Alastair Clarkson at North Melbourne.
“More performances like Gold Coast have produced against really good opposition when they’ve been challenged at critical moments. They’ve beaten Geelong, they’ve beaten Western Bulldogs which was a terrific performance, then to come from 35 down against Adelaide shows to me that there is a different character about this group.
“I get in the second half of seasons they’ve fallen away badly, so that is the next challenge for them.”
Morris: “Is Stuart Dew vulnerable if they don’t make the eight?”
Cornes: “Yes.”
Morris: “So you think it’s based on September?”
Cornes: “I think so, but once again I still think he coaches next year regardless unless it completely fell apart which I don’t think it will do.”
MID-SEASON REVIEW: CORNES AND BUCKLEY ASSESS BRISBANE, FREMANTLE, ST KILDA AND SYDNEY