The Cats return home this week and the stakes simply could not be higher, as they prepare for a season-shaping battle with Brisbane at GMHBA Stadium. 

Eight games remain in the home and away season and the ladder is starting to take shape, particularly through the middle with five teams locked on nine wins in a tie for fourth position. 

With a strong percentage, Geelong currently occupy that fourth spot but the Lions are nipping at their heels in fifth, setting up the proverbial 'eight-point game' between the sides on Thursday night. 

As they have done in previous seasons, Brisbane are starting to hit their straps at the right time of year with three consecutive wins, making a charge after a big victory over Sydney last Thursday. 

The Cats will take plenty of learnings from their meeting with the Lions earlier this year, prevailing by 41 points in one of their most complete performances of the year at the Gabba. 

Take a look through some of the most intriguing stats and figures ahead of Thursday's blockbuster clash, proudly presented by Deakin University. 

2026 Ladder 

Geelong: 4th (9-6)
Brisbane: 5th (9-6)

Recent Games

2026, Round 10 - Brisbane 11.10 (76) def. by Geelong 17.15 (117)
2025, Grand Final - Geelong 11.9 (75) def. by Brisbane 18.14 (122)
2025, Qualifying Final - Geelong 16.16 (112) def. Brisbane 11.8 (74)

Deakin Performance Stat of the Week 

The All-Important Kicking Battle

This gets touched on every time Geelong faces Brisbane, but it is still as important as ever with the Lions' kicking prowess and ability to control the footy. 

For the third consecutive year, Brisbane rank as the number one kicking team in the competition with an average of 239.9 per game, kicking with 65% of their disposals which is also the highest ratio of any team in the competition. 

This statistic is important because it has proven to be a common trend between Geelong's wins and losses against the Lions, with the Cats only winning the kicking battle once in four clashes with Brisbane throughout 2025, and it happened to come in their lone victory. 

Round 10 of the 2026 season proved to be a much tighter battle, with the Cats drawing level in total kicks while gaining 568 more kicking metres than Brisbane en route to a 41-point victory at the Gabba. 

At GMHBA Stadium last year, Brisbane finished with 33 more kicks and 489 more kicking metres gained on their way to a big victory, something Geelong will be looking to rectify on Thursday night. 

2026 Team Kicking Stats

Keeping a Close Eye on Lachie Neale

There are not many players in better form so far in 2026 than Lachie Neale, who is quietly putting together another impressive season up north. 

With an average of over 30 disposals per game, Neale ranks fifth in the AFL for total disposals this year and also sits third for clearances, ranked as the best player in the competition for centre clearances. 

He also leads Brisbane for contested possessions, ground ball gets and inside 50s, painting a strong picture of how impactful he has been to this point of the year. 

Geelong has often found a strong formula against Neale, with the star on-baller never polling a Brownlow vote from 23 career outings against the Cats, and he could be a potential target for Oisin Mullin on Thursday night. 

Scoring from Stoppages

While Neale has been dominant this year, he plays a part in one of the most dangerous and damaging on-ball divisions in the competition. 

So far in 2026, the Lions hold an 8-1 record in games where they score more from stoppages than their opponent, compared to a 1-5 record when they do not win that battle. 

Geelong won 10 fewer total clearances than Brisbane in Round 10 but they made each one count, finishing the game with 31 more points from that source which was the Lions' worst differential since Round 1 of the 2017 season. 

The Cats, by comparison, are 8-1 in games that they score more from stoppages and 1-5 where they do not, highlighting the importance of this particular contest on Thursday night.