Geelong return home to GMHBA Stadium this weekend and bring plenty of momentum with them, as they prepare to take on Essendon at GMHBA Stadium on Sunday afternoon. 

After falling in their season opener, the Cats have bounced back with two strong victories and held on in a thriller against the Gold Coast last week, moving inside the top eight on the ladder for the first time this year. 

This week they will face an Essendon side that has been competitive early in the season, but they are yet to record their first win after falling in a nail-biter against Richmond in Round 3. 

The two teams have played out some fascinating contests in recent years, setting the stage for what should be another intriguing clash at the Cattery on Sunday. 

Take a look at some of the key strengths of Essendon's game in this week's opposition analysis, proudly presented by Deakin University. 

Ladder

Geelong: 6th (2-1)

Essendon: 16th (0-3)

Recent History - Geelong v Essendon

Deakin Performance Stat of the Week: Limiting Essendon's Inside 50s

Despite falling in their opening three matches, Essendon have proven to be very efficient inside forward 50 off the back of limited entries and look dangerous any time they get a clean look. 

The Bombers are only averaging 28 inside 50 entries per game across the opening three weeks, but have still managed to turn that into scores of 37, 42 and 33, making them one of the more effective teams in the league. 

That was evident in last week's clash with Richmond, where they registered 14 fewer inside 50s than the Tigers, but still managed the same amount of scoring shots and led until the final moments of the game. 

Geelong will be looking to halt their momentum through the middle of the ground on Sunday, limiting their opportunities inside forward 50 and restricting their chances to score. 

Bombers Player to Watch - Madison Prespakis

Another fascinating battle between the Prespakis sisters awaits on Sunday, as Madison and Georgie go toe-to-toe with both players in scintillating form to start the year. 

Madi Prespakis has an extraordinary resume which includes an AFLW best and fairest, three AFLW All Australian selections and four club best and fairest awards. 

Through the early stages of 2026, Prespakis sits third in the AFLW for total disposals, while also leading the Bombers for clearances. 

Where Geelong Can Improve - Hitting Targets Inside 50

Geelong rank among the competition's top teams in a plethora of stats so far this year, a credit to their work over the pre-season and the new style brought under coach Mick Stinear. 

But while the Cats have been potent inside 50 the past two weeks, they have still struggled to hit targets and get set-shot opportunities, despite having plenty of tall timber like Aishling Moloney, Chloe Scheer and Jackie Parry in the forward half. 

Through the opening three weeks, Geelong rank 12th in the AFLW for marks inside 50 and take an average of 5.5 per game, which is far lower than the AFLW average of 7.1 per game. 

If the Cats are to build on their dominance and momentum, finding more targets inside 50 and easier shots at goal will be vital moving forward.