Geelong fires late shot but damage done early
FOR a quarter and a half Geelong kicked off its holiday flip-flops.
And that simply is not enough to roll a side like West Coast on its home patch.
The Cats surged for the last term and came within 13 points of the Eagles in last night’s loss, offering some hope of a remarkable comefrom-behind win.
But the damage was done early, where Geelong could only manage 15 points in the first half — it’s third lowest halftime score since 2001.
The numbers are damning for the Cats. They have now lost all matches directly after the mid-season bye in the past six years.
Put simply, Geelong’s postbreak plan is not working.
This year Geelong’s players were given leave from the club the day after their big win over Adelaide, returning the following Friday.
Nakia Cockatoo went down early with a hamstring injury and Scott Selwood also went down with one in the third term.
Unlucky? Or can that be put down to the bye as well?
Premiership captain and Seven commentator Cameron Ling said Geelong needed to review its post-bye preparation.
“Have they trained too hard? Have they trained too easy? All of those questions the coaching staff and fitness staff will ask themselves because they started the game slowly and those two soft tissue injuries, something hasn’t quite worked,” Ling said.
“But they’ve certainly come home strong in the last half in particular and playing much better footy.”
Geelong’s defence withstood a barrage from the Eagles, especially early, with its midfield and forward line faltering.
And if you needed further proof that Geelong relies on Tom Hawkins than this was it.
The Cats struggled to find a marking target going forward and just like in those dirty losses to Collingwood, Gold Coast and Essendon, West Coast was allowed to move the ball with ease off half back.
Letting that happen is football suicide on the wide expanses of Subiaco Oval.
Rhys Stanley, who managed to kick three goals, was rarely sighted and struggled to fill the gap left by Hawkins.
You would have to think that throwing Wylie Buzza his AFL debut might have been a better option.
To rub a little bit of extra salt into the wound, former Cat Nathan Vardy put in a performance that reminded us all why he was so highly rated at Kardinia Park.
Goals from midfield were always going to be the key in filling the void left by Hawkins. The supplied just one — thanks to Patrick Dangerfield.
Joel Selwood, Mitch Duncan and Sam Menegola, guys who had all been dangerous in the previous three wins, could not hit the scoreboard.
To just put this loss down to the Cats having post-holiday blues would be skimming over the issues.
The fact Geelong slipped back into old habits so soon after seemingly rectifying them is also a concern.
There is plenty to ponder for those at Catland.