CAT IN HOT WATER
IT had been the tale of Geelong’s AFLW season.
Being a competitive team without reaping the reward of a win.
But on Saturday the Cats threatened to eclipse the highest score in AFLW history , the Western Bulldogs’ 12.14 (86) set in 2018, in their 22-point win over Richmond at a sundrenched Queen Elizabeth Oval in Bendigo.
Geelong nailed the Tigers with an electric six-goal second quarter and by half-time had its highest score in the competition’s history.
It was also the second consecutive week the Cats had set a club record score.
Geelong’s 10.7 (67) beat its previous best, set last week against Adelaide, when it kicked 6.2 (38).
Richmond threatened an unlikely comeback in the third term after the margin reached 41 points but the Cats shut the game down in the final quarter.
AFLW STANDARD
AFLW has its critics but Saturday’s clash was an excellent exhibition of the women’s game.
It had all the hallmarks of what is great about the sport: physicality, great skills, freeflowing play and moments of brilliance.
You wouldn’t have known it was a clash between two winless teams holding the bottom two places on the Conference A ladder.
Phoebe McWilliams put in a nomination for mark of the year, riding on the back of a Richmond opponent early in the first term.
“I thought it was a fantastic game of football,” Geelong coach Paul Hood said.
“Credit to Richmond, the way they try and open up the game and play an attacking brand themselves.
“(It was) obviously disappointing for it to allow so many goals through but great for Richmond to attack so well.
“I think we put on a fantastic spectacle of women’s football here at QEO and that’s what I reckon everyone should be talking about.”
A healthy crowd also made for an excellent atmosphere.
SECOND-QUARTER BLITZ
THE two teams were evenly matched aside from a onesided second term. Geelong slotted four unanswered goals to turn the arm wrestle into a one-sided contest, putting the Cats on course for their first win of the year.
The Cats’ run of six goals was interrupted by a Tiger major before another two Cats goals in the opening minutes of the third term extended the margin to a game-high 41 points.
Richmond’s cause wasn’t helped when it gave away two separate 50m penalties.
The spirited Tigers trimmed the margin to 18 points by the final term before Julia Crockett-Grills dribbled through the sealer for Geelong.
THE STAR RETURNS
WHAT a difference Meg McDonald makes.
In her two games back from a broken finger, the star defender has been in Geelong’s best players.
She was again influential in defence, particularly when hen Richmond rallied in the seccond half.
McDonald finished with 16 disposals and six marks.
She missed the opening two games of the campaign but don’t be sur--prised to see her again crowned as Geelong’s best-stand-fairest.
Midfielder Olivia Purcell cell (20 disposals, one goal) was brilliant when the Cats were ere white-hot, Amy McDonald was tenacious (12, five tackles) and McWilliams (13, four marks) was always a threat.