Loss to classy Crows prompts surge of proactivity from Cats

GEELONG will continue to work on opportunities to turn defence into attack, despite letting through 10 goals and 12 marks inside defensive 50 in Sunday’s loss to Adelaide.

The Crows’ experience looked telling at Norwood Oval, as the home side opened a 16-point margin at half-time that steadily grew to 29 by the final siren.

Cats full back Meghan McDonald was again one of her side’s best as Geelong slipped to 1-2 after three rounds ahead of a clash against Carlton on Saturday at GMHBA Stadium.

“The overarching feeling at the moment is disappointment and we feel we can make it a contest each week, but at the same time, that (loss) is what makes us better as a team — you’ve got to cop that a little bit,” McDonald said.

“What disappointed us today was we showed some resilience and good fight and were pretty much even in the second half, but we’ve just got to work out a way to do that from the opening bounce. “We’ll learn from that.” McDonald admitted the Crows’ class proved the difference as the Cats were left reactive to their every move.

“It felt like that out there. They were just cleaner around the contest and you do feel like they were a team that trusts each other, backs each other in and knows where each other is going to be on the field,” McDonald said.

“We’re trying to grow that, but they’ve got two years on us at the moment.

“They sort of streamed forward out of the contest and as defenders, we had to be a bit better at identifying that earlier and covering off the next dangerous player. (Erin) Phillips especially started in the middle and drifted forward pretty consistently, so we got caught on the back foot trying to find an opponent at times which left them wide open.

“We spoke at quarter-time that we were a bit reactive instead of proactive and let them stream forward instead of picking them up at the source.”

Maddy McMahon was a positive, showcasing an ability to play as a key defender, while McDonald would have to be a best-and-fairest frontrunner after a consistent three weeks.

“She backed herself, read the ball and took some good intercept marks so I think she’ll get more and more comfortable in our backline unit if we’re lucky enough to keep her,” McDonald said of McMahon.