Midfield ‘Blitz’ turns the contest
Geelong replied with the next four goals to surge back into the contest, helping set up its 27-point win over the Crows last night.
It is the kind of flexibility Geelong has with its backline. It is able to throw Blicavs, an All-Australian standard defender, into the ruck and still remain so strong in defence.
He had been playing on Taylor Walker before the change. Jake Kolodjashnij stepped in — with Harry Taylor keeping Elliott Himmelberg quiet — and did a solid job.
However, the Cats know they will not always be able to throw Blicavs into the middle when they are losing the midfield battle, but it is a nice option to have up their sleeve.
The Crows were without Tom Lynch and Josh Jenkins and if those two were playing, it is unlikely Blicavs would have been freed up the ground.
Rhys Stanley finds himself in a tough position heading into next Saturday’s clash with the Western Bulldogs.
He was well beaten by Port Adelaide’s Scott Lycett last week, and he did not set the world on fire last night.
It has always been the question mark hanging over Stanley’s head. Can he be consistent enough for a whole season?
Certainly Zac Smith, Ryan Abbott and Darcy Fort will feel they are a sniff to return to AFL level if his lull continues.
Stanley did, however, look slightly more dangerous when he was moved forward. And so did the Cats.
Scott opted for a differentlooking forward line this week, dropping Fort and bringing in Jed Bews.
Bews went straight to Crows champion Eddie Betts and did a sensational job. That move freed up Jack Henry to go forward. It did not work.
With Esava Ratugolea injured, the Cats do not look settled in attack. They look like a team that needs a genuine second key forward to play alongside Tom Hawkins.
A makeshift marking forward did not work last year and, on the evidence of last night, it will not work in 2019.
The good thing for the Cats is they were able to pocket four points, against a top-four contender no less, while still learning a little bit more about what does and does not work.
But the bigger and more pressing question is: where to from here for Geelong’s rucks?