High regard for Cat trio
THE Western Bulldogs are expecting it will be a tall order to quell the height of Geelong’s forward line in their top-four Friday night clash at GMHBA Stadium, a venue at which the visitors have not won in 18 years.
To snatch top spot on the AFL ladder from Melbourne, the Bulldogs will need to contain Jeremy Cameron, Tom Hawkins and Gary Rohan.
The Cats trio has kicked a total of 59 goals in seven games together to form one of the most potent attacks in the competition.
Bulldogs defender Zaine Cordy, who will be tasked with stopping one of the three key targets, said influencing the aerial contest would be one of his side’s biggest challenges.
“I think they probably are the in-form forward line,” Cordy said. “The other thing is they have a lot of ruckmen that float down (to) the forward line as well.
“They do have a bit of height down there, which has seemed to challenge a lot of teams.”
The Bulldogs last won at Kardinia Park in 2003, when Peter Rohde was coach.
They have since gone winless in Geelong from nine attempts.
The Dogs’ lowest scores this year have also been against flag threats Melbourne and Richmond.
Cordy said it would be important to take a scalp.
“I think it’s pretty big for us to cement our spot in the top two and also get a pretty big scalp in Geelong, who have been in pretty good form lately,” he said. “When we compete against the best, we’re not far off at the moment.
“We’ve had a couple of lapses in a quarter or two where good teams will punish you.
“I think for us, it’s just to have a four-quarter effort of consistent intensity because if you drop off intensity, good teams will punish you.”
Cordy said the midfield contest, pitting two of the best on-ball divisions against each other, would be vital.
“A lot of times we do get done out the back, but in the end, we do back our system in and if our intensity levels are there, we defend quite well,” he said.
“It’s when we drop off a little bit in intensity and pressure at the ball, that’s when we can look a little bit under siege.”