DT: 41
SC: 31
3 JIMMY BARTEL started the match inside the centre square and won two centre clearances during short bursts in the thick of the action. Both sides played with enormous energy and physical pressure and Bartel was uncharacteristically shaky early in the game. As the game heated up so too did Bartel, amassing 27 possessions at 70.4% efficiency, including several composed disposals at crucial moments in the final term.
DT: 93
SC: 96
4 ANDREW MACKIE played an outstanding game, collecting 20 disposals from half back. He was regularly Geelong’s loose man behind the ball and provided great offensive drive through the middle of the ground, including a long goal on the run under immense pressure that broke the half time deadlock. Mackie put his body on the line in the opening quarter, first running with the flight of the ball to deny Travis Cloke a mark and then diving to prevent a soccer goal when the ball fell to the ground.
DT: 93
SC: 96
5 TRAVIS VARCOE continued his run of good form with 13 disposals on Saturday night. He attacked to ball ferociously from the opening bounce and made four tackles in addition to countless pressure acts and chases. During the first term he swooped on a ball that spilled from a marking contest inside forward 50 and kicked a classic crumbing goal with a snap around the body. Backing into Magpie Jarryd Blair in the last quarter, Varcoe set up a scoring opportunity by forcing a turnover and was then forced to leave the field bleeding from the collision.
DT: 59
SC: 76
7 HARRY TAYLOR was a commanding presence in the back line, gathering 14 disposals and limiting Collingwood’s tall forwards to just two goals collectively. Taylor’s judgement when the ball was in the air was impeccable, bravely running back to take intercept marks without exposing himself to heavy hits from the opposition. He took seven marks for the game and made eight spoils.
DT: 75
SC: 90
9 JAMES KELLY was composed playing in defence, a relatively new position for the Geelong veteran. Despite his inexperience Kelly was extremely effective in the back half of the ground, leading the Cats’ possession tally with eight in the first quarter and finishing the match with 22. Both sides applied relentless pressure when the opposition was in possession but Kelly was strong enough to keep his feet in contests and dispose with 72.7 efficiency.
DT: 86
SC: 84
13 TOM LONERGAN was not the most exciting player on the ground but was arguably the most influential. In the first two minutes of the game he competed one on one with Travis Cloke, considered the best contested mark in the AFL, and nullified both contests. Lonergan achieved the same outcome almost every time the two were near the ball from then on. He took four marks, equaling Cloke, had 10 touches, two more than Cloke, and made 13 spoils. Most importantly, Lonergan prevented the Collingwood power forward from registering a single score.
DT: 48
SC: 68
14 JOEL SELWOOD lead from the front, tallying an equal game high 30 disposals. In a hard fought, physical encounter he won half of his possessions in a contest and was effective 83.3% of the time. At stoppages he was in a class of his own, winning eight clearances and making 11 tackles. A high bump from young Magpie Taylor Adams may spark the interest of the match review panel but couldn’t prevent Geelong’s courageous captain from staying on the ground to enjoy the win.
DT: 116
SC: 138
16 DAWSON SIMPSON took the primary rucking responsibilities and won 20 hit-outs for the Cats. Despite being just the third game he and McIntosh have played together, the two worked well in tandem, providing a consist presence in the ruck and a good marking alternative when resting forward. Simpson was effective with six of his seven disposals and had an influence when the ball went to ground, winning two clearances and making four tackles.
DT: 49
SC: 62
17 HAMISH McINTOSH appears increasingly comfortable and confident every time he plays in the blue and white hoops. He provided great support to Dawson Simpson with 12 hit-outs in the ruck, and displayed skill and awareness around goal, setting up two and kicking one himself. McIntosh took six marks, gathered 16 disposals and effectively followed up his own tap work, winning two clearances.
DT: 77
SC: 97
20 STEVE JOHNSON was tagged by Brent Macaffer, an unsurprising tactic given Johnson surpassed 30 disposals in the first two games of the season. He was shadowed from the first bounce and received a bump or knock from every Magpie he passed during the first term. He decided to return the favour early in the second, flattening Heritier Lumumba with a fair bump and temporarily forcing him from the field. Johnson collected 20 disposals and kicked a goal but his influence was certainly curtailed by Collingwood’s pressure.
DT: 77
SC: 79
21 JORDAN MURDOCH was named in defence last week but was selected in the more familiar position of forward pocket for the game against Collingwood. His pace in the forward half was a valuable asset, utilised to find space when the Cats rebounded from defence and to apply pressure on the Magpies when they tried to do the same. Murdoch won a clearance, had 11 disposals, and kicked Geelong’s third unanswered goal in the first term with a perfectly executed set shot.
DT: 64
SC: 60
22 MITCH DUNCAN was one of Geelong’s best players and, with 30 disposals, was their equal leading disposal winner. He started his career with the Cats as a forward who has gradually spent more time on the ball, where he again competed for much of the game on Saturday night. Duncan was given a new role against Collingwood and played from half back when not in the midfield. He had a big influence in this new position, taking six marks and rebounding defensive 50 five times, the most of any Cat.
DT: 105
SC: 142
23 JOSH CADDY was aggressive from the outset, matching the intense pressure applied by the Magpies. He had 17 disposals, seven of which were contested, and made four tackles. Caddy was strong enough to shrug off tackles and break through congestion, winning three clearances. He lacked composure deep in defence late in the final quarter but his mistakes ultimately went unpunished and won’t have affected the young Cat’s confidence.
DT: 63
SC: 53
25 JARED RIVERS was a welcome return to the Geelong side after missing the game against Brisbane. He collected 12 disposals in defence and was able to push up the ground to provide one inside 50. Rivers’ ability to compete effectively against much bigger opponents allowed the more attacking members of Geelong’s back six to punish turnovers with rapid rebound through the middle of the ground. He took four marks, regularly outsized but not outmatched.
DT: 42
SC: 49
26 TOM HAWKINS took a strong contested mark against Nick Maxwell at the start of the match but was well held by young Magpie defender Jack Frost in the first half. He set up a goal with a clever tap to Steve Johnson five minutes before half time and was the most dangerous forward on the ground after the long break. He kicked his first major in the third quarter and three more in the last, finishing the game with 11 disposals, five marks and four goals.
DT: 74
SC: 118
27 MATHEW STOKES continues to accumulate possessions, collecting a total of 29 disposals against the Magpies. Stokes’ running capacity was a feature of his game, whether the ball was in the hands of a teammate or Collingwood was in possession. One of the smallest players on the ground, Stokes took five marks and showed the finishing skills that made him such a successful small forward, kicking a beautiful drop punt goal from a tight angle on the verge of half time.
DT: 106
SC: 97
29 CAMERON GUTHRIE successfully tagged Patrick Dangerfield in round one and took on another mammoth challenge on Saturday; negating the influence of champion Magpie midfielder Scott Pendlebury. The Collingwood captain had 26 disposals but did not have the impact that his stats might suggest. Guthrie was committed to his defensive duties, making six tackles, and was damaging when he got the ball, tallying 16 effective possessions from a total of 18 and kicking an impressive snap goal.
DT: 84
SC: 81
31 GEORGE BURBURY sustained a broken jaw in an horrific collision with Collingwood’s Nick Maxwell in the NAB Challenge and lined up on the former captain in his return to the senior side. Despite this clear and constant reminder Burbury consistently committed himself to the contest, providing excellent forward pressure with five tackles. The mid-sized forward penetrated attacking 50 on four occasions and finished the match with 12 disposals.
DT: 61
SC: 46
33 GEORGE HORLIN-SMITH started as the substitute against Brisbane and kicked two goals when he was activated in the third term. He started the match against the Magpies in the much the same way, scoring the opening goal of the game. Horlin-Smith was an effective inside midfielder, winning five clearances with his 22 disposals.
DT: 76
SC: 84
38 JACKSON SHERINGHAM played the sixth game of his career and his first for the year against the Magpies, the team he faced in his AFL debut. He only managed eight VFL games last year due to injury but had a strong finish to the season, form he carried into the match on Saturday. Sheringham collected 15 disposals playing in a variety of positions and delivered the physical commitment required to compete at the elite level.
DT: 65
SC: 61
46 MARK BLICAVS donned the green vest for the second time this season but still managed to play 38% of game time. Activated for Mitch Brown 10 minutes into the third quarter, Blicavs had an immediate impact, tallying six disposals and taking four marks. His versatility is an enormous advantage, particularly when starting as a substitute. In round one he came on for Dawson Simpson and played a supporting ruck role and again replaced a big man on Saturday night without affecting the team’s ability to run late in the game.
DT: 33
SC: 23
