All Eyes On… The Burswood Bowl

Western Australia has been good to the Cats over the years.

Think Polly Farmer, Gary Malarkey, Mark Bairstow, Joel Corey, and Harry Taylor through to Mitch Duncan, Sam Menegola, Jordan Clark, and Quinton Narkle. The list goes on. Even Brian Peake’s arrival to training via helicopter back in 1981 was worth the price of admission.

The Cats even won 18 of the 35 matches played at  Subiaco Oval between 1988 and 2017, a better percentage than most you’d assume.

However, the gleaming new Optus Stadium hasn’t been as kind since it was opened three years ago, Geelong having won just one of five games there since 2018.

Thursday night is as good a time as any to start evening up that ledger.

All Eyes On… Higgo for PM

It’s a part of footy folklore now, but as former prime minister Robert Menzies’ health began to falter back in the 1970s the Carlton Football Club built a ramp so the lifelong Blues fan could drive his Bentley up onto the committee box at Princess Park to watch his beloved Blues.

It was fitting then, that the Cats’ very own Rolls Royce pulled into the MCG on Saturday afternoon to take on those same Blues.

Noted for his exceptional skill with ball in hand over 248 games to date, and more than a few times compared to a luxury car by excitable AFL scribes, Shaun Higgins had lost a bit of bark over the past month from some quarters. But as all the good players do he responded emphatically on the weekend with his best game as a Cat, picking up 25 disposals, seven marks, seven score involvements, and five inside 50s. But best of all, his execution and disposal of the footy was almost flawless.  

The analogy might be a bit of a stretch but when a player of Higgins' ability is at his best, the Cats have an extra gear.

All Eyes On… Moroccan Sunsets

Speaking of luxuries, Zach Touhy’s ability to play, and perform, wherever the coach puts him must help Chris Scott rest easier at night, and conversely will likely give the Dockers coaching staff nightmares this week.

The Irishman has been in red-hot form over the last month and was a driving force again on the weekend, even drifting forward to kick a couple in the final term, dousing any hope Carlton had of pinching the game.

Touhy was playing his 100th game since crossing to Geelong from Carlton back in 2016, and after his 24 touches on Saturday, there would have been more than a few Blues trudging home post-match with scratchy throats after they made the curious decision to boo him and fellow milestone man Lachie Henderson every time they touched the footy.

It’s been that kind of year for the man with the best mustache in football. After single-handedly making torps cool again back in Round 9, he was ceremoniously booed for not doing it a week later. You can’t boo Zach Touhy though, that’s like saying you don’t like a Moroccan Sunset.

All Eyes On… The Double Chance

Players don’t have the luxury of looking too far ahead in the schedule, but fans do and more than a few would have taken a sneaky look at the draw recently, especially with top-four aspirants Brisbane, Port Adelaide, and the Western Bulldogs all dropping games.   

For those that haven’t, it looks like this:

- Fremantle @ Optus Stadium

- Richmond @ MCG

- North Melbourne @ Blundstone Arena

- GWS @ GMHBA Stadium

- St. Kilda @ GMHBA Stadium

- Melbourne @ GMHBA Stadium

At least that’s how it looks at the minute. The Cats are currently third, equal on points with the Dogs, and a game behind Melbourne with four home games, including three in Geelong, to come.

As we’ve seen time and again this season, there are no easy games but Geelong still has their destiny in their hands which is exactly where you want to be this time of the year.

GEELONG delivered a brutal reminder to Fremantle about where it needs to improve if it is going to emerge from its rebuild and become a finalist again in an emphatic 69-point win at Optus Stadium on Thursday night.

Riding the momentum created by three wins in the past month, the Dockers stepped out on the big stage for the first time in five years but were taken apart by the ruthless Cats, who won 14.16 (100) to 3.13 (31).

The Cats kicked seven unanswered goals either side of quarter-time to set up the win and then rattled home with the last six to make a statement about its own ambitions in 2021. 

Their sixth win in seven clashes against Freo further entrenched them in the top four, with the significant percentage boost placing them on top of the ladder for the moment and helping them in their push for a top-two spot at the end of the home and away season.

The disappointing Dockers, meanwhile, slipped to eighth and could fall out of the top eight altogether after a short stay if both West Coast and St Kilda win in round 18.

They were also left wounded, with gun ruckman Sean Darcy finishing the match on the bench with an apparent knee concern and key forward Rory Lobb substituted out of the game at half-time with an ankle injury.

Geelong dominated the midfield battle, winning the clearances 44-35 as Cam Guthrie (35 disposals and seven clearances) and Sam Menegola (30 and seven) outshone their younger opponents, who could not take advantage of Darcy's ruck domination.

They then settled into their high possession game on the outside and didn't let Fremantle ever get things on their terms, winning 123 more disposals and taking a massive 72 more marks. 

The final tally of 58-38 inside 50s even flattered Freo, given the control and purpose with which the Cats were able to enter, and the haphazard nature of the Dockers' thrusts forward.

Missing forwards Gary Rohan and Jeremy Cameron, spearhead Tom Hawkins took matters into his own hands and booted four goals, while Patrick Dangerfield kicked three. 

After building a 14-point lead at the first change, Geelong was ruthless in making its move in a five-goal second quarter that exposed the gulf between third and seventh on the ladder.

The trend of the match was well established at half-time and the Dockers lacked the muscle and method to turn things around in coach Justin Longmuir's heaviest defeat in his two seasons.  

Hawkins leads aerial domination

After going goalless against Carlton for the first time this season last week, Hawkins rebounded to make up ground in the race for the Coleman Medal. He passed the 40-goal mark for the 10th consecutive season and repeatedly found space to work into, holding off opponent Alex Pearce, who didn't have enough support. The Cats took a massive 28 marks inside 50 to the Dockers' two, despite missing Rohan and Cameron, who have kicked 53 goals between them this season. Fremantle tall forwards Lobb (six disposals and two marks) and Josh Treacy (six and one) failed to fire but were poorly served by rushed inside 50s that too often went to the Cats' advantage.

Banged up Darcy does it alone

There was hardly a winner on the ground for Fremantle apart from ruckman Sean Darcy, and the in-form big man finished the match on the bench with what appeared to be a left knee concern. His first quarter was colossal, with eight disposals (seven contested) at 100 per cent efficiency, four clearances and five hitouts to advantage. He finished the match with 18 disposals, 37 hitouts and a team-high eight clearances, despite sitting out most of the last quarter. With Lobb also sidelined after half-time and in doubt next week with an ankle injury, it leaves the Dockers with some concerns to work through before their clash against Sydney, with Matt Taberner no certainty to return.

FREMANTLE     1.3     1.7     3.10     3.13 (31)
GEELONG         3.5     8.8     11.12     14.16 (100)

GOALS 
Fremantle: Brayshaw, Walters, Colyer
Geelong: Hawkins 4, Dangerfield 3, Menegola, Narkle, Selwood, Miers, Dahlhaus, Close, Ratugolea

BEST
Fremantle: Darcy, Brayshaw, Ryan, Switkowski  
Geelong: Menegola, Guthrie, Hawkins, Dangerfield, Tuohy, Narkle 

INJURIES
Fremantle: Lobb (ankle), Darcy (knee)
Geelong: Nil  

SUBSTITUTES
Fremantle: Walker (replaced Lobb)
Geelong: Holmes (unused)

Reports: Treacy (Fremantle) for rough conduct on Bews   

Crowd: 35,271 at Optus Stadium