GEELONG diehards still speak in hushed tones about Stephen Wells' remarkable hit rate in the 1999 and 2001 AFL drafts.

Joel Corey, Cameron Ling, Corey Enright and Paul Chapman emerged from that 1999 crop, while Jimmy Bartel, James Kelly, Steve Johnson and Gary Ablett jnr followed two years later.

They became 200-plus-game immortals in the Cats' most winningest period – premierships in 2007, 2009 and 2011 – despite only Corey (pick eight), Bartel (eight) and Kelly (17) being top-20 picks.

That extraordinary draft haul two years apart, with a smattering of stars gathered along the way, is unlikely to ever be matched, but Wells looks to be at it again.

Back then, Geelong was in rebuilding mode after losing Grand Finals in 1994 and 1995 and playing finals until 1997, before missing successive post-seasons leading into that 1999 draft.

But what these clever Cats are achieving almost two decades on, after further draft raids and targeted trading (with some luck in nabbing Patrick Dangerfield), is exceptional in its own right.

They missed finals once in the past 11 years – finishing 10th in 2015 – yet have rolled out the equal-most debutants (12), with Fremantle and North Melbourne, since the start of last season.

One veteran rival recruiter, who rates Wells the best at what he does, told AFL.com.au that not bottoming out was what separated the wheat from the chaff.

Those Geelong first-timers amassed more games in that period than all their counterparts, while the team made a preliminary final in 2017 and improved to 3-2 this past weekend.

Kittens lead the way

CLUB NO. OF 2017/18 DEBUTANTS GAMES PLAYED SINCE 2017 Geelong 12 118 Fremantle 12 78 North Melbourne 12 83 Carlton 9 93 Adelaide 8 43 Brisbane 8 82 Gold Coast 6 49 GWS Giants 6 50 Hawthorn 6 24 Port Adelaide 6 65 Richmond 6 54 Sydney 6 84 West Coast 6 26 Western Bulldogs 6 30 Collingwood 5 19 Melbourne 5 32 St Kilda 5 19 Essendon 4 35

Eight of the 2017-18 debutants played in the Cats' critical road victory over the Power at Adelaide Oval on Saturday night, with at least five, possibly six, best-22 players on the sidelines.

The jury is still out on the star power among this latest litter of kittens, something the club's golden era was brimming with.

But how many of that era were recognised as future stars in their early years at the Cattery?

Brandan Parfitt and Lachie Fogarty – Geelong's top picks in the past two drafts at No.26 and 22, respectively – are trending that way, as are mature-age selections Tim Kelly and Tom Stewart.

Parfitt ranks seventh in the AFL for score involvements and rates elite in six statistics, Kelly is second for score assists, and Fogarty's intercepting as a forward also places him in elite company.

Stewart's steep rise from local football drifter at South Barwon to placing fifth in the Cats' best and fairest last year is well told.

Geelong's 2017-18 debutants

PLAYER POSITION CHAMPION DATA'S RELATIVE RANKINGS Lachie Fogarty General forward +55% Tim Kelly Midfielder +33% Brandan Parfitt General forward +18% Sam Simpson General forward -9% Zach Guthrie General defender -11% Tom Stewart General defender -16% Wylie Buzza Key forward -19% James Parsons Midfielder/forward -24%

Fewer than five games: Mark O'Connor, Esava Ratugolea, Jack Henry and Jordan Cunico

The same opposition recruiter sees similarities between the newest breed of Cats to the stars of yesteryear in the types of footballers Wells has brought in.

They are real footballers who don't necessarily jump out for their athleticism, speed or size, but boast strong game sense, use the ball well and are fierce competitors.

It's no coincidence that Parfitt wears Bartel's old No.3 on his back.

"(Wells) hasn't been sucked in that often – he has a few times, like all of us – in choosing the athlete over a footballer," the recruiter told AFL.com.au.

"To me, he mostly hasn't worried about getting super pace or great endurance athletes or whatever it might be, but he knows how to find 'true' footballers."

The industry knock on Wells is, perhaps, his inability to consistently unearth big men.

But in 197cm forward-ruckman Esava Ratugolea, a kid who arrived with seriously rough edges, he may even have ticked that box, too.

Roos bound out of the gates

North Melbourne's first-quarter assault on Hawthorn on Sunday was not an isolated case, with the Roos No.1 in the competition for points differential in the opening stanza. They are plus-75-points across their five first terms, a period they peak in inside 50s (+24, ranked second), contested possessions (+48, first), groundballs (+15, third) and pressure (191, second). Brad Scott's men were interestingly also in the black in opening quarters last year – the only period they were. North won the second term against the Hawks, but it has mostly been a problem area in the past 12 months or so. It's the sole quarter the Roos are behind on points differential – after being minus-187 in 2017 – and they slump in inside 50s (-22, 18th), contested possessions (-24, 18th) and groundballs (-11, 15th).

Giant headache for GWS?

Greater Western Sydney remains on the second line of betting in CrownBet's AFL premiership market, but will have to defy recent history if it is to claim a first flag. The Giants played in their third draw in 17 games when they shared the points with St Kilda on Saturday. It is the shortest span for that many deadlocks since the Saints had three in 11 matches between the 2010 and 2011 seasons. No team that contested a drawn regular season game has won the premiership since Collingwood in 2010, either.