Geelong will be looking to get its first points on the board when it takes on Carlton at GMHBA Stadium this Saturday night.

The Cats started their 2022 campaign with an eight-point loss to last year’s qualifying finalists North Melbourne at Arden St in Round 1.

Geelong showed considerable improvement compared to the same game last season where they were defeated by the Kangaroos in Round 1 by 62 points. 

The club’s eight new players looked right at home, particularly young talent Georgie Prespakis who was nominated for the NAB Rising Star for her outstanding debut where she collected 20 disposals and had seven clearances.

Narrowly missing a victory in Round 1 will fill the team with confidence to take the next step with a win over Carlton in their first home game for the season.

The Details

Geelong Cats v Carlton
Saturday, 15 January 2022 at 7.10pm
GMHBA Stadium, Geelong
Wadawurrung Country

Last Time They Met

Carlton 10.4 (64) def. Geelong Cats 4.7 (31)

These two teams last met in Round 6, 2021 at Ikon Park. Carlton were still in finals contention and Geelong were yet to register a win for the season.

After Becky Webster kicked the opening goal for the game, Carlton returned fire through small forward Darcy Vescio who kicked two quick goals in succession.

The Blues gradually extended their lead throughout the match with young forwards Serena Gibbs and Georgia Gee kicking two apiece.

Maddison Prespakis was best on ground with 28 disposals, while for the Cats it was Becky Webster and Amy McDonald who shouldered most of the load in the middle with 42 disposals between them.

Covid chaos creates Prespakis match up

It’s only Round 2 and we have had our first fixture change. With the Western Bulldogs' list severely impacted and multiple players having to enter the AFL's Health and Safety Protocols this week, a fixture change was announced on Thursday night informing the league that Geelong would now play Carlton.

The two teams weren’t scheduled to play each other in 2021, but this fixture change means that we will now get to see the Prespakis sisters go head-to-head for the first time in their careers. 

Carlton’s Prespakis won the AFLW best and fairest in 2020, and as mentioned earlier, Geelong’s Georgie was nominated for the NAB Rising Star in her first game last week. This is a battle that will get the AFLW world talking.

Footy’s back in Geelong

Saturday night’s game will be the first football game played at GMHBA Stadium in front of a crowd since the Sydney Swans hosted West Coast in AFL Round 16, 2021. The game was moved to Geelong due to the increasing Covid numbers in New South Wales.

READ MORE: Match Day Guide

Geelong football fans will have their first opportunity to watch their club play at GMHBA in 197 days. The last time the club played at home was on July 2 2021 when the Cats defeated Essendon by 41 points in the men's competition.

It will be great to see Geelong fans back at the footy this Saturday night.

Summer Footy Festival will kick off proceedings from 5pm on the Interactive Lawn outside GMHBA Stadium, with food trucks, AFL Playground and footy fun, live music, a silent disco, face-painting and more!

The Key Points

1) Disciplined defence

Against the Kangaroos, Geelong’s defenders stood strong, limiting North Melbourne to just one goal at half-time. 

Maddy McMahon was excellent against Emma King, keeping the tall forward goalless and without a mark for the entire game.

Fellow defender Maddy Keryk was also exceptional with seven intercept possessions, fourteen disposals and three rebound 50s. 

This week, the Cats' backline will still have their hands full containing Darcy Vescio, Nicola Stevens and Georgia Gee.

2) Scoreboard pressure

Despite being more competitive, the Cats still struggled to put scores on the board.

Geelong kicked 2.6 in their first game, with both goals coming in the third quarter. The Cats final score was the third-lowest for the competition in Round 1.

Composure with the ball, along with better execution in front of goal, will put the pressure on the Blues’ defence.

How to Watch

Tickets can be purchased through Ticketmaster here.

For those wanting to follow along at home, the game will be broadcast live on Foxtel, and can be streamed through Kayo, womens.afl or the AFL Women’s and AFL Live Official Apps.

Follow @catswomens on Twitter and Instagram for updates throughout the game.

GEELONG has fallen to its second consecutive defeat to start its 2022 campaign, going down to Carlton by 14-points at GMHBA Stadium on Saturday night.

The Cats had their moments throughout the contest and despite a gallant final quarter fightback they couldn’t quite snatch an unlikely victory late with the Blues proving too strong 4.7 (31) to 2.5 (17).

Playing in front of their home crowd for the first time in 2022, the Cats dominated the territory battle early with nine inside 50s to four in the opening quarter, including the first give of the game. However, it was the Blues who hit the scoreboard first through Elise O’Shea.

Amy McDonald (21 disposals, six tackles) went close late in the term after evading a couple of Blues to get the Cats within four points at quarter time.

Carlton’s engine room threatened to break the game open early in the second with Madison Prespakis (29 disposals) and Kerryn Harrington (23 disposals) finding plenty of the football as the Blues dominated the disposal count.

However, the Cats youth kept it in the contest with Georgie Prespakis (15 disposals) catching the eye with her clean hands and ability to evade the opposition inside the contest. Whilst Chantel Emonson's transition was important against the fleet footed Blues.

After laying five tackles in the opening term, Irish recruit Rachel Kearns was rewarded for her persistent pressure, stepping up crucial stage of the second term to kick her first career goal and draw the Cats level.

A late goal to Blue Nicola Stevens saw the Blues extend their lead to seven points at the main break.

The Cats put on an aerial show in the third term with Kate Darby, Olivia Fuller and Danielle Higgins clunking big grabs, whilst Prespakis showed some candy on the run, but her goal attempt was spoiled through for rushed behind on the goal-line.

Carlton’s class shone through in the term with their ball movement and efficiency leading to a Courtney Jones goal as the Blues took a 11-point lead into the final term.

Phoebe McWilliams gave the Cats a sniff late with a fourth quarter goal to get Geelong within seven points, but Carlton’s class prevailed.

The Cats will now host Collingwood at GMHBA Stadium next Friday night.

GEELONG     0.2     1.3     1.5     2.5 (17) 
CARLTON     1.0     2.2     3.4     4.7 (31) 

GOALS  
Geelong: Kearns, McWilliams
Carlton: O'Dea, Stevens, Jones, Gee

BEST   
Geelong: A.McDonald, Webster, Darby, Ivey, McWilliams, Emonson, Johnson
Carlton: Prespakis, Harrington, Gee, Moody McEvoy, Laloifi

INJURIES   
Geelong: Nil
Carlton: Walker (illness) replaced in selected side by Hammans

Reports: Nil