Two of the most in-form teams in the competition are set to go head to head on Thursday night, with Geelong hosting the Western Bulldogs at GMHBA Stadium.
The Bulldogs are currently the highest scoring team in the competition through 10 games, holding the biggest percentage of any team in the league and winning four of their last five games.
With plenty of big names like Marcus Bontempelli and Tom Liberatore running around, Geelong will need to be at the top of their game to walk away with the four points in Round 11.
Check out all the key stats and figures to watch on Thursday night, proudly presented by Deakin University.
Ladder
Geelong Cats: 7th (6-4)
Western Bulldogs: 5th (6-4)
Points For
Geelong Cats: 971
Western Bulldogs: 1038
Points Against
Geelong Cats: 787
Western Bulldogs: 783
Deakin Performance Stat of the Week - Stopping the Disposal Heavy Dogs
The Western Bulldogs are the number one team in the competition for total disposals this year, accumulating an average of 387.9 disposals per game which is 18 disposals higher than their weekly average from the 2024 season.
By comparison, Geelong currently rank 16th in the AFL for total disposals this year, averaging 344.9 disposals per game which is 43 disposals lower than the Bulldogs average.
The Dogs have amassed 400 disposals or more in three of their last six matches, while also finishing with far more disposals (+60) in the most recent clash against Geelong.
2025 Disposal Leaders
| AFL RANK | TEAM | DISPOSALS - GAME AVERAGE |
TOP PLAYER (AVERAGE DISPOSALS PER GAME) |
| 1 | Western Bulldogs | 387.9 | Bailey Dale & Tom Liberatore - 29.0 |
| 2 | Essendon | 387.1 | Zach Merrett - 28.7 |
| 3 | GWS Giants | 373.6 | Tom Green - 32.2 |
| 16 | Geelong | 344.9 | Bailey Smith - 30.7 |
The Bulldogs elite ball winning prowess is driven in particular by Bailey Dale and Tom Liberatore, who both sit tied for third in the AFL for total disposals this year.
Accumulating plenty of uncontested possessions is also a big factor in the Dogs game plan, with five players ranked inside the AFL's top 30 in that statistic this year.
Limiting Tom Liberatore's Influence
Liberatore has been a consistent performer against Geelong across his entire career, but his game has risen to a new level in recent clashes.
In the last three games between the two teams, Liberatore has polled eight out of a possible nine Brownlow Votes, accumulating 10 total votes against the Cats which is his highest total against any opponent, despite the Bulldogs only winning two of 14 matches against Geelong in that span.
Across his 14 appearances against the Cats, Liberatore averages 25.6 disposals, eight clearances and five tackles to continually test the Geelong midfield.
Continuing the momentum around stoppages
The Western Bulldogs are ranked as the third best clearance team in the competition this year, but Geelong are also coming off season-high numbers against the Power last week which sets up an enticing battle through the middle of the ground on Thursday.
Through 10 weeks of the season, the Bulldogs average 41 clearances per game which is lead by Tom Liberatore (fifth in the AFL), Matthew Kennedy (ninth in the AFL) and the likes of Marcus Bontempelli and Ed Richards.
While he does not quite average the same numbers as others in the line-up, another consideration for the Cats is how to stop ruckman, Tim English who averages four clearances and 30 hit-outs per game, with the ability to have a big impact around stoppages.
Geelong however were sensational through the middle last week, finishing with a +13 clearance differential against the Power, their best differential since the Round 21 clash against Adelaide last year.
It was also the Cats biggest clearance differential on an interstate trip since Round 5 of the 2023 season.
