That Cats travel to the City of Churches this week to face a Port Adelaide team with their season on the line.

Last week against the Demons, the Power only just fell short against the reigning premiers, but it’s fair to say Geelong will be expecting a fierce contest from a team with talent on every line and coached very well by former Geelong defender and assistant coach Ken Hinkley.

Port’s current ruck pairing of Charlie Dixon and Jeremy Finlayson was more than a match for the Max Gawn/Luke Jackson tandem last weekend, and points to the battle in the coaches' box being almost as interesting as what’s going on out on the field.

Here are a couple of other things to look out for this weekend:

The Power of Port

Port was quickly written off after losing their first five games of the season but have stormed back into contention with an 8-4 record since. That places them one game and percentage out of a finals race that is far from set, which will ensure the locals will be bringing that unique Port Adelaide energy to the ground on Saturday afternoon.

The Cats will go into this one expecting to have to be at their best to get over the line, with the Power midfielders especially good over the last few weeks, in particular around the contested ball. They have been plus-24 over the last fortnight, a number that includes outduelling the Demons at the coalface by plus-13.

Port’s difficulty in recent times has been making the most of the opportunities that their midfield is providing them, a challenge that will be especially tough against the suffocating Geelong defence.

Form Guide

The contests have been pretty one-sided on the scoreboard between these two sides since about 2005, where the Cats have gone on a 21-5 run. But Geelong has dropped two of the last four games, both of which were high stakes finals, and both of which were in Adelaide.

But it’s hard to take too much from recent history as it’s gone W-L-W for the last seven games.

The good news is that the Cats historically haven’t had the trouble at Adelaide Oval that others have, winning almost half their games there since 2014. Incidentally, this weekend will mark the 200th AFL game at the ground.  

Coming up Rozee

There would have been a bit of work put into Port Adelaide’s Connor Rozee this week by the Cats coaching staff and for very good reason. The 22 year old has been red hot over the last two months, and his 33 disposal performance last week in Alice Springs against Melbourne was a standout.

Rozee is up to 68 AFLCA coaches votes after last weekend which places him comfortably in the second tier behind Melbourne’s Clayton Oliver, but considering he didn’t get any votes in the first month of the year, that should provide some idea of the form he is in.

Geelong will have identified that Rozee is in the category of potential match winner and blunting his influence will go a long way to the Cats flying out of Adelaide Airport on Saturday night with the four points tucked away.

LADDER leader Geelong has withstood a strong third-quarter fightback from a desperate Port Adelaide to extend its winning run to nine games with a 12-point win at Adelaide Oval on Saturday evening.

Port, which needed a win to keep its top-eight hopes alive, had trailed by 34 points at half-time but stormed back into the game with an eight-goal third quarter to re-claim the lead shortly prior to the final change.

But Geelong rallied, led by Tom Hawkins who kicked two of his four goals in the last quarter and Tom Atkins with 12 disposals in the term, to run out winners 16.10 (106) to 14.10 (94).

POWER v CATS Full match coverage and stats

Jeremy Cameron also booted three majors, while Gary Rohan and Tyson Stengle got two each for the Cats whose record improves to 14-4, boosting their top-two aspirations.

The result leaves the 11th-placed Power precariously placed with an 8-10 record, having lost three of their past four games. Port Adelaide is now six points outside of the top eight.

Charlie Dixon sparked Port's remarkable third-term turnaround with 11 disposals, including seven contested possessions and two goals for the quarter, playing a mix of forward and ruck.

Mitch Georgiades kicked three goals for the Power and plucked another Mark of the Year contender with a leaping effort over teammate Todd Marshall in the last.

After a tight opening term, Geelong's class began to tell, piling on six goals to one in the second quarter to open up a 34-point lead at the long break, with Brad Close capping off an excellent first half that included seven tackles with a major.

However, the momentum changed after the main interval, coinciding with Geelong ruckman Rhys Stanley's substitution due to a knee issue, as Port got a stronghold around stoppages.RE

The Power sensationally re-took the lead late in the third when Travis Boak kicked truly from a set shot after a Dixon pass. Dixon had a game-high 12 score involvements but finished the match with an ankle concern.

Cameron goaled 15 seconds into the last quarter before Stengle added another, only for the Power to square it up again a few minutes later after Karl Amon's goal.

Scores were level for long periods of the last term, but Hawkins would have the final say, with the last two goals of the game.

Stanley sub the catalyst

Cats ruckman Stanley was subbed out early in the third term with a knee issue and his absence was felt immediately, with Port dominating the centre clearances 7-1 for the quarter as they surged back into the contest. Port's makeshift ruck duo of Dixon and Jeremy Finlayson capitalized, with the pair having 15 and 12 contested possessions respectively for the game. Despite missing almost a half, Stanley had a game-high eight clearances, so his impact around stoppages was significant.

Controversial call for no review

There was controversy with just over 10 minutes left in the final quarter when the field umpire opted not to review a potential Patrick Dangerfield goal. The Cats superstar claimed that he'd soccered the ball over the line in a goalsquare contest with Aliir Aliir. A goal would’ve put Geelong up by 11 points. The goal umpire immediately called it a rushed behind, with Dangerfield gesturing for a review, yet the field umpire – who was quickly on the scene – opted against that, although replays weren’t overly conclusive either way.

PORT ADELAIDE     4.3       5.5      13.7     14.10 (94)
GEELONG                5.1     11.3      12.6     16.10 (106)

GOALS 
Port Adelaide: Georgiades 3, Powell-Pepper 2, Marshall 2, Dixon 2, Farrell, Gray, McEntee, Boak, Amon
Geelong: Hawkins 4, Cameron 3, Rohan 2, Stengle 2, Holmes, Dangerfield, Miers, Close, Smith

BEST 
Port Adelaide: Dixon, Powell-Pepper, Amon, Georgiades, Boak, Burton
Geelong: Atkins, Cameron, Hawkins, Guthrie, Close, Tuohy

INJURIES 
Port Adelaide: Houston (concussion), Dixon (ankle)
Geelong: Stanley (knee)

SUBSTITUTES 
Port Adelaide: Riley Bonner (replaced Houston at three-quarter time)
Geelong: Shannon Neale (replaced Stanley in the third quarter)