AFLW 2023: Geelong coach Dan Lowther says the Cats do not need drastic changes to prevent lapses

Geelong AFLW coach Dan Lowther has heaped praise of one of his star defenders who will celebrate a major milestone this weekend. Here’s what he said.

Dan Lowther speaks to his players. Picture: Graham Denholm/AFL Photos via Getty Images

Chantel Emonson might have come the long way to play 50 games but Geelong AFLW coach Dan Lowther isn’t afraid she’s made the milestone.

The 30-year-old will bring up the milestone in Saturday’s clash with Walyalup (Fremantle, who has changed its name for Indigenous Round) after making her AFLW debut in 2019.

Emonson stopped playing footy as a teenager going onto play representative cricket before signing on with Melbourne late in 2018, where she would go onto play 22 games.

After arriving at Kardinia Park in a trade ahead of the 2022 season, Emonson has gone onto become one of the Cats’ most important players in defence.

“I don’t want to embarrass her too much,” Lowther said.

“She’s made a big difference to our team from the moment she arrived. When we found out she may be a chance to come, we jumped at the opportunity.

“Elite ball user, smart athlete, very professional in her preparation.

“Not only is she a great asset to our side but also a great mentor. We’re very lucky to have Chan.

“I’m not surprised she’s played 50.”

Chantel Emonson of the Cats. (Photo by Martin Keep/AFL Photos via Getty Images)

Speaking on her own personal achievement, Emonson said she was fortunate enough to have reached the 50-game mark.

She said the growth of the women’s game had played a key role in opening up new pathways for budding stars of the future.

“If you told 13-year-old Chantal she would play footy again, I wouldn’t have believed it at the time,” she said.

“It’s pretty special to play 50 games but obviously I’m just more excited about getting out there on Saturday after the way the game ended last week.

“I’m proud of 50 games but there’s hopefully a few more to go.”

Teammate Renee Garing also had played of praise for the defender during Geelong’s AFLW podcast Yeah the Girls earlier this week.

“Since joining us she has just made a huge impact on our team, not just on the field but off it as well,” Garing said.

“She moved into the leadership group in her first season, voted in by players and staff because of the impact she has through her actions and the way she goes about her football.

“She is a quiet achiever, and she brings up a big 50th game this weekend.“

Saturday’s first bounce is scheduled for 3.05pm.

Cats coach explains reasons behind costly lapses - Dan Batten

Geelong coach Dan Lowther insists the Cats don’t need to make any drastic changes to counteract their costly lapses within games as they look to hold onto their spot in the eight.

Last Sunday’s disappointing loss to the Essendon last weekend was yet another example of the Cats’ inconsistency this season, managing just five behinds from quarter-time after kicking the first two goals of the game as Essendon ran over the top.

The Cats conceded four goals to zip in the final quarter against a rampaging Melbourne at home this previous week and were exposed in the second half against North Melbourne in round three, keeping the Roos goalless to halftime and conceding four goals to two behinds in the second half.

Lowther said a lack of fight from the Cats after quarter-time was one of the reasons behind their defeat last week.

Sitting in eighth spot on the ladder with a winnable game at GMHBA Stadium against Fremantle, Lowther was confident that his young group can hit their straps after a positive week on the track.

Geelong has faded out of games this season. Picture: Getty Images

“It was just around getting our hands dirty for longer and we thought that maybe our desire and effort faded after quarter-time and Essendon picked up that space with their contested possession and their willingness to fight that touch harder than our girls did at time,” Lowther said.

“It’s not fitness, it’s probably more concentration than anything at all. Effort seems to be there but decision-making off the back of that can be a little bit off.

“A few of those obviously things take away our consistency from game to game but we are not reaching into a bag of tricks to pull out performances from earlier in the year – we know it is there.”

The Cats face Collingwood, Richmond and Hawthorn in the final three rounds, who all sit below them on the ladder.

Lowther said making finals will hinge on consistent four-quarter effort from his side, who he believes are still gelling.

“The outcomes look after themselves, I’ve said that a lot in terms of effort and consistency,” Lowther said.

“We’re not putting that together at the moment so I’m not surprised about where we’re sitting, but I wouldn’t be surprised if we were to jump out this weekend or in the coming weeks and show our true colours.”

“Where we sit on the ladder at the end of that period is going to be defined by our effort over the next four games.

“As much as we talk about we’ve made rapid improvement in the past two seasons we are still really an inexperienced team when you look at the combinations of players and where they’ve come from in that short period.”

Originally published as AFLW 2023: Geelong coach Dan Lowther says the Cats do not need drastic changes to prevent lapses