2 BILLIE SMEDTS demanded a place in the Geelong senior side with excellent performances in the VFL and carried his form into the match against Melbourne. He had 15 disposals and defied the wet weather to kick sensational goal in the second term, gathering the ball one handed at pace and scoring from 60m out. His physical efforts in the wet were excellent, making four tackles and winning seven clearances.
DT: 73
SC: 81

3 JIMMY BARTEL has been an elite wet weather footballer over his career and lived up to that reputation with 16 disposals at 81.5% efficiency. He played predominantly on the back line, rebounding defensive 50 four times and helping restrict the Demons to record low 19 inside 50s. Bartel was also effective in attack, involved in over a quarter of the passages of play that resulted in a Geelong score
DT: 69
SC: 80

4 ANDREW MACKIE played a relatively quiet match compared to the lofty standards he has set this season. He gathered 6 disposals positioned across half-back and made two tackles. Mackie played just 57% of game time, substituted for fellow defender Cameron Guthrie halfway through the third term. He joined a group of senior Cats who have been rested in recent weeks and would have been happy to escape the miserable winter weather.
DT: 31
SC: 26

5 TRAVIS VARCOE played his first AFL for 12 weeks, having injured his shoulder in the first quarter of the Round 3 clash against Carlton. He managed eight disposals and got through 82% of game time unscathed. Varcoe played on the half-back line and made nine tackles, displaying the pace and hard running that make him such a valuable addition to the Geelong line up.
DT: 65
SC: 59

7 HARRY TAYLOR made it almost impossible for Melbourne to penetrate their forward 50, collecting 14 possessions in defence. He tallied five rebound 50s and, despite the heavy rain, was effective with his disposal 85.7% of the time. Taylor's aerial work was outstanding, leading the Cats with seven defensive acts and taking an equal game high six marks.
DT: 57
SC: 97

8 JOSH HUNT tallied 12 effective disposals from a total of 14, hardly hampered by the slippery conditions. His attack on the contest was unflinching and he proved a very tough opponent to bring to ground. The Geelong defence were structurally superb and were regularly able to generate their forward assaults through Hunt, who finished the match with six inside 50s.
DT: 64
SC: 83

9 JAMES KELLY is a physical inside midfielder, perfectly suited to a wet weather battle. He won nine contested disposals from a total of 21 and sent the Cats inside 50 on six occasions. Kelly was hard at it in the stoppages and made 11 tackles, more than any other Geelong player.
DT: 105
SC: 111

13 TOM LONERGAN collected eight kicks and six handballs playing deep in defence. After outplaying one the most dangerous players in the competition last week, he was rarely challenged by the forwards of Melbourne, who set a new record low with their 19 inside 50s. Lonergan was on the ground for 92% of the match, executing six defensive acts and taking four marks.
DT: 50
SC: 76

14 JOEL SELWOOD played outstanding football in trying conditions, laying 10 tackles and throwing himself into contests with reckless abandon. He won nine clearances, amassed 29 disposals and sent the Cats inside 50 eight times. The Geelong captain delivered the physical intensity he displayed in each of his 150 games and celebrated his milestone match with the 124th win of his career.
DT: 126
SC: 133

16 DAWSON SIMPSON won a career best 55 hit-outs in a match where stoppages were a regular occurrence. He was able to physically impose himself in ruck contests but the ball was in dispute at ground level for much of the game, making it difficult for the 206cm Cat. Simpson played 78% of game time and finished with 14 disposals and four clearances.
DT: 109
SC: 131

19 TAYLOR HUNT tallied nine possessions and made the most of them, disposing with 88.9% efficiency. Melbourne do not have the midfield stars that necessitate tagging so Hunt, who has regularly fulfilled that role this season, was free to chase his own ball. He had two inside 50s, made four tackles and, although he struggled to stay involved in the play, he maximised every opportunity.
DT: 41
SC: 44

20 STEVE JOHNSON played with intensity and purpose, topping the possession tally with 38 disposals. Johnson is a big game player and will have been a frustrated spectator of the two games he missed against premiership contenders. He was ferocious in his attack on the ball, making eight tackles and winning 24 contested possessions. Stevie J had 15 clearances, five of which were won at centre bounces, and sealed a best on ground performance with two goals.
DT: 156
SC: 143

21 JORDAN MURDOCH made the most of his opportunities, effective with seven out of eight disposals. His efforts without possession were equally effective, hassling Demon defenders and making seven tackles. Murdoch contributed two goal assists in addition to his consistent defensive pressure, fulfilling two key criteria of his role as a small forward.
DT: 52
SC: 68

22 MITCH DUNCAN collected 19 disposals, utilising his long kicking with great effect in the wet conditions. He competes very well in the air for a player his size and managed to mark the slippery ball four times. Duncan provided a highlight early in the second term, attacking a contest at speed, grabbing the disputed ball with clean hands and snapping a goal.
DT: 74
SC: 90

23 JOSH CADDY backed up his game winning effort against Hawthorn with another excellent performance. He was one of the best players on the ground with 22 disposals and seven tackles. Rotating regularly through the midfield, Caddy was strong around the stoppages and won five clearances. He was equally impressive in attack, sending Geelong inside 50 on five occasions and kicking two goals.
DT: 104
SC: 93

26 TOM HAWKINS took two marks inside 50, two more around the ground, and managed two goals in conditions not suited to big forwards. Playing 85% of the game, he gathered eight disposals with 75% effectiveness competed well against 2010 All-Australian defender James Frawley.
DT: 42
SC: 55

29 CAMERON GUTHRIE started the game wearing the green substitutes vest but came on halfway through the third quarter for Andrew Mackie. Melbourne struggled to work the ball forward of centre, which limited Guthrie's opportunities to win the ball. He finished the game with four disposals and sent the Cats inside 50 three times while the Demons kicked just the one goal after Guthrie was brought on the field.
DT: 26
SC: 21

31 JAMES PODSIADLY was the most influential big man on the ground and one of Geelong's best, collecting 21 possessions. The weather made it very difficult for key forwards but he managed to take six marks and kick two goals. Podsiadly adjusted his game to suit the conditions superbly, bringing the ball to ground for crumbling forwards and centring the ball to a dangerous position at every opportunity. He sent the Cats inside 50 on five occasions and took four of his marks within 50 metres of goal, more than the entire Melbourne side.
DT: 101
SC: 88

32 STEVEN MOTLOP gathered 16 disposals and won two clearances, predominantly as a small forward. The rain prevented Motlop from delivering his mercurial best, forced to win half of his possessions in a contest. He was still dangerous in attack, sending Geelong inside 50 three times and kicking one goal. Motlop made five tackles and his willingness to follow up contests with second and third efforts was impressive.
DT: 61
SC: 71

33 GEORGE HORLIN-SMITH was a late inclusion for Mathew Stokes, who was one of a number of senior Geelong players rested for the the clash. Horton-Smith started brilliantly, kicking two goals in the first quarter and narrowly missing another. He proved a valuable addition to the side, gathering 16 possessions and using his strength round the stoppages to win three clearances and lay six tackles.
DT: 79
SC: 114

41 JESSE STRINGER started the match in much the same fashion as he finished the game against Hawthorn, kicking a goal from long range 11 minutes after the opening bounce. He also contributed two goal assists and used five of his twelve possessions to send the Cats into attacking 50. When rotated through the midfield he was able to burrow into packs to win five clearances and made seven tackles in a strong performance.
DT: 70
SC: 83

46 MARK BLICAVS delivered another strong performance for the Cats on Saturday, his first AFL match in really wet weather. He won four clearances and 11 hit-outs when playing in the ruck, finishing the match with 11 disposals. For most of the second half Blicavs played in defence on Melbourne's best key forward Chris Dawes. This was a new role for the young Cat but he was up to the challenge and kept his opponent goalless.
DT: 52
SC: 68