Review Cats roll Tigers by 39 points.

[cats_09]

 

[geelong_crazy26]

Steamrolled them first half then put the cue in the rack which was a luxury to have on the eve of finals.

Zero injuries, took the points.

Everything I wanted

 

[nohairandfair]

I know we only played a bottom team, but Bews is still a good AFL standard player. We’ve clearly prioritised the youth of Mullin and Humphries this year but he would be very unlucky to be delisted.

That looked like his send-off. He's cooked.

 

[allrighty]

Yeah that's insane. Bews vs Bowes is a closer run thing but they'll go Bowes as sub given he's more versatile.

Bowes by a mile

 

[Grimoz]

Here's hoping they rest Rowell on Wednesday night so he can't get 11 tackles and pip him.

13 behind

 

[dudusmaximus]

1. Rhys Stanley -

I swear if Generalissimo had Rhys Stanley as "Did what he needed to do" and "As above.." for all the other players, I would've thought he has put his reporting on cotton wool and saving himself for the finals.

 

[Generalissimo]

I swear if Generalissimo had Rhys Stanley as "Did what he needed to do" and "As above.." for all the other players, I would've thought Generalissimo had put his reporting on cotton wool and saving himself for the finals

I've got at least two more, but hopefully three or four, of these in me for 2025. Can't risk damaging my typing fingers at this crucial stage of the season. Seriously though, I've tried to ignore the whole non-event 2nd half so there's been a bit less to talk about this week.

 

[thegerman]

1. Rhys Stanley - Broke even with Nankervis, which amounts to a win for us. I thought Nank was stronger in the midfield, but Stanley more dangerous dropping forward. That roving goal brought a big smile to my face. Depending on how the finals go and how Conway's rehab progresses in the next month, 2026 is suddenly loking like a real chance.

3. Bailey Smith - Clearly our best player, and what a difference having a genuine accumulator makes in the midfield. We've just seemed a much more rounded team since he's been here. I reckon he might be a sneaky chance for the Charlie, and deserves a vote or three today.

5. Jeremy Cameron - Yeah, the iffy goalkicking is not ideal. But aside from that I think we've got the balance right for him. He should have kicked 7 or 8 and on any other day would have, but when you play like that I50 and still get 20 touches roaming up the ground (even taking a D50 goalsquare mark! XD) you're in pretty elite territory.

7. Shaun Mannagh - Another pretty good game today, if a little bit down compared to previous weeks. He made the most of his opportunities with two goals, including one magnificent run-down tackle. He gives us a lot of midfield grunt inside F50 and that's going to be a big advantage for us in the finals.

9. Max Holmes - Quiet start but found his way into the game when it began to open up after 1/4 time. When you get 26 touches at 80% efficiency and almost 700m gaind you've had a good game. I think he's played better though and I wonder why they dropped him into the backline for most of the 2nd half. Makes little sense to me.

10. Mitch Knevitt - He only got ten minutes to show what he can do, and I thought it was pretty encouraging. I liked his last possession, a handball to Jezza for a goal, he feigned to do a turn towards the other pocket, drew three filth defenders to him, holding it just long enough to give Jezza some room. Good footy smarts. Having Knevitt available if we need to replace someone in a final is reassuring; not best 23 at the moment, but I rate him.

12. Jack Bowes - I don't know about Bowes. Without a clear position to play and often getting very few touches, I think his position is a bit shaky with Knevitt and Bews banging the door down. He knows how to kick a goal, which counts for a lot, but playing a whole game and getting only 12 touches while not being in a purely negating role a la Close- that's not ideal. I suspect we have found our dedicated sub for the finals.

14. Connor O'Sullivan - I keep being more an more impressed with COS. He didn't get a lot of touches, but neither did his opponent. A few times, especially in the 2nd half, he would halve a contest like a champ only to find Richmond run off with it because he had zero help whatsoever. I can think of many highly-rated defenders who'd get irate and start pointing fingers, but for such a young player COS has a pretty developed sense that playing to the team plan will work out more often than not.

16. Sam De Koning - Interesting tussle with Lynch, and I thought he held his own considering that one of Lynch's goals came from a dubious free against O'Sullivan. Importantly, I saw nothing of the timidness he can sometimes show.

17. Lawson Humphries - I don't think I saw much of him today. It was the second week in a row where all the action seemed to be on the other HBF. I guess any defender would be satisfied if his team wins by six or seven goals and he himself has nothing much to do. But I guarantee he'll see more of it in the finals.

18. Tyson Stengle - With a bit more luck he could have finished with three or four goals. Two difficult shots in a row hit the post; call them 1.1 and we'd be praising his game. Sometimes it just doesn't go your way. But he never drops his head, and just keeps barreling in.

19. Jack Martin - That long, beautiful set shot just showed what a good skillset Martin has. The guy was rated as an emerging superstar until injuries robbed him of his best, but the skills are still there. This is a guy who will shine like a finely polished gem in finals and, given how the season has played out, is probably the one who would have benefited most from the cotton wool treatment today.

24. Jed Bews - If this is Bewsy's farewell, I thought he has left us on a high note. Fought hard all day, IMO he won his position even when we put the cue in the rack, and disposal was good too. No OOFs either that I can recall! Having him available for the finals with a bit of senior game time under the belt is reassuring. Capable cover for any one of MOC, Zuth, Stewy or Humf should the worst happen.

28. Ollie Dempsey - Good game I thought, not super prominent but always involved, and that goal was really nice to watch. I reckon running from the wing to the forward pocket and back, over and over again, dozens of times a game for maybe two or three opportunities to make something happen must get draining, but Dempsey doesn't seem to mind and it makes the oppo coach's job a real nightmare.

30. Tom Atkins - This might have been his best game of the season, in game #150. He broke the all-time season tackle record today with 9, for a total of 205, and racked up 27 touches himself. Just an all-time midfield dynamo, and despite Geelong going majorly into cotton wool mode was one of just a handful who was playing until the final siren. The other three were Bews, Knevitt when he finally got a go, and Mullin- all of whom had a bit to prove. Axe didn't need to, but that's just who he is.

32. Gryan Miers - Moving him to the midfield has been a masterstroke. His creative disposal often creates something out of nothing. He's not the biggest guy out there but he scraps pretty hard when necessary and gets a lot of the ball. That big hit to the face from McIntosh wouldn't have done him any good. I thought he became less dominant as we went into cotton wool mode, but Chris Scott is coaching to win a flag, not run up the score against a toothless rabble.

34. Oisin Mullin - I'm really starting to warm up to Mullin. He spent half the day minding Taranto and the other half roaming about doing his own thing. What stood out to me today is that he's starting to add some bottom-of-the-pack hard contested work to his game, and that teammates are starting to (deservedly) put a little more faith in him. Seemed to be involved a lot more than his 14 touches would suggest.

35. Patrick Dangerfield - Pretty typical game for PFD at this stage of his career. His set shot kicking, with two really nice long-distance efforts and one easy shot that he shankerood, was at least better than usual, and I think he spent a bit more time in the guts. He's always a potent threat. Getting through the game unscathed and with a few midfield minutes under the belt is good for us.

38. Jack Henry - Quiet game, but his talent for reading the ball off the boot and taking contested intercept marks is undiminished. 100% win that he got through the game unscathed, after the slight hammy niggle that's had him subbed off early the last two weeks.

39. Zach Guthrie - Yet another unobtrusive win from our D50 general, who just seems to get the job done every week without any kind of fanfare. Having Stewart back in form has helped him, I think, because it's allowing him to wander a bit further upfield lets him start a few of those rebound possession chains that so often end up as goals for us.

44. Tom Stewart - Masterful, and I think he's almost back to his best. He took a lot of intercept marks as always, read the ball off the play at his highest levels, and his field kicking was elite. Early on I thought he dropped the ball just a fraction short, but nothing to worry about. Jon Ralph, the spiteful little shit, will try to get him suspended but I reckon we have nothing to worry about there either.

45. Brad Close - I'm starting to understand what the hell Scott is doing with Close. He's a defensive forward who drags his defender deep- unusually deep- into the pocket and that opens up the game for the likes of Danger and Cameron to wreak havoc. Because you can't not follow him- leave him unattended in the forward pocket and he'll cut you to ribbons. Scott has often been willing to let players get almost no touches themselves if it wins us a bigger benefit elsewhere on the field.

46. Mark Blicavs - I think he's carrying a little niggle. He was clearly limited today and, if Neale had been available, I think Blitz would have been managed this week. Helping Stanley out in the ruck, but otherwise keeping himself out of the fray and then leaving the field early was exactly the correct thing for Blitz today.

As always.

 

[Generalissimo]

I know we only played a bottom team, but Bews is still a good AFL standard player. We’ve clearly prioritised the youth of Mullin and Humphries this year but he would be very unlucky to be delisted.

 

[StonedCat]

WEKILLTDEMFARKING !!!

 

[The Unforgiven]

And here's the most important thing from today's game

What was his total?

 

[Generalissimo]

What was his total?

9 for the day, 205 for the season

 

[The Unforgiven]

I feel that Geelong in the Bomber Thompson years would have gone for the massacre. This group is probably more ‘professional’ looking at the big picture.

In Chris Scott's first season, Geelong inflicted an historical massacre on the Demons. But, you're probably right. That was Bomber's side that Chris inherited.

 

[The Unforgiven]

9 for the day, 205 for the season

Incredible!

 

[OzeSparky]

9 for the day, 205 for the season

Rowell need 14 to pass him

 

[Stev0]

If Geelong does not address the inaccurate goal kicking that has plagued the team the last six or so weeks they will be exposed in the finals by quality opposition.

 

[Pollywaffle]

Interesting. People are talking about our easy run into the finals this year, but looking back, we had a similar ‘easy’ run in 2022. That worked out ok..

 

[Munich]

Interesting. People are talking about our easy run into the finals this year, but looking back, we had a similar ‘easy’ run in 2022. That worked out ok..

Didn't we win 16 games in a row or something?

I was OS when we started on our run so missed alot of games.

 

[jim boy]

Such was the state of the game in the last quarter, I was hoping that McKintosh could snag one, but the richmond players weren't buying it
.

 

[kickazz]

Richmond are shit.

Cats got a bit cute at times but over the last month we are playing in a way that creates many scoring opportunities which is good.

Home QF can't really ask for more. Anything can happen from here.

 

[Generalissimo]

Such was the state of the game in the last quarter, I was hoping that McKintosh could snag one, but the richmond players weren't buying it
.

I don't mind McIntosh. I hope he finds another home in 2026. Reckon he's got something to offer to a developing side like the Roos or Weagles or Bombers

 

[Pure_Ownage]

That looked like his send-off. He's cooked.

Hes ok if we get injuries but hes not getting picked ahead of oconnor or bowes and at his age if he isn't its a waste of a spot for next year. Arguably hes got every ounce out of limited talent in a great career and he should be commended for that.

 

[Pure_Ownage]

Richmond are shit.

Cats got a bit cute at times but over the last month we are playing in a way that creates many scoring opportunities which is good.

Home QF can't really ask for more. Anything can happen from here.

Our ability to score off turnover and fast transition ball is our weapon. If we can do it it might just protect our clearance weakness for long enough for us to win the flag.

 

[Commando]

It's nice how all the Richmond fans yelled "Steeewww" every time
Tom Stewart got the ball!

 

[CatToTheFuture]

Rowell “could” break it against Essendon on Wednesday.

Needs 13 in a game against Essendon where i doubt the opposition will have the ball in hand enough for him to register any at all