AFLW 2024: Geelong drop to 15th with fourth loss of season to Fremantle

Geelong’s finals hopes may be hanging by the barest of threads after a third lost first-half lead came back to haunt them at GMHBA Stadium on Tuesday but the Cats are determined to push on.

Geelong’s Mikayla Bowen closes in on Fremantle’s Laura Pugh during Tuesday’s night loss at GMHBA Stadium. Picture: Michael Willson/AFL Photos via Getty Images

Geelong coach Dan Lowther says the Cats would “fight the fight” despite finals looming as a long shot, with open opportunity for younger players to step up in the final five games.

The Cats’ top-eight hopes were all but extinguished on Tuesday night with their 18-point loss to Fremantle at home, with Lowther’s side boasting just one win in six games to sit 15th on the ladder.

Dan Lowther addresses his players during their 18-point defeat against Fremantle. Picture: Michael Willson/AFL Photos via Getty Images

And with five rounds to go, including games top four sides Brisbane and Adelaide to come, a path back to finals appears difficult.

“Mathematically we’re maybe still in with a sniff and we’ll keep fighting that fight until its round 11 and we’re done,” Lowther said.

“Five games to go, we’ve got five days until we play our next game so that’s the focus for us, to make some significant ground on today’s game.”

The Cats, who made it to a preliminary final in 2023 to bolster expectation heading into the 2024 season, have blooded some new talent in recent weeks, with second-gamer Caitlin Thorne and debutant Bryde O’Rourke in the line-up against the Dockers, while others may be looked at moving forward with Amy McDonald, Kate Surman and Chloe Scheer still sidelined with injury.

“Chantal Mason and Bella Smith, they’re itching to play, they’re hungry to play which is great,” Lowther said.

“I think through necessity we’re going to have to pull a few strings to get them in but again, as a match committee, we’re picking the team we think is going to win the game as well.

“We still want to finish the year strong... but we’ll test the depth of our squad this season for sure.”

Tale of two halves

Geelong’s Kate Darby looks dejected after a loss to Fremantle. Picture: Michael Willson/AFL Photos via Getty Images

Geelong dominated possession (+18) and inside 50 entries (+11) in their first half against Fremantle but failed to put the opposition under any scoreboard pressure.

The Cats had six minor scores before they were able to stick the first major score of the night in the eighth minute of the second quarter through Aishling Moloney.

The Irish star, who had kicked seven goals in her past two games, was among those to have an ‘almost night’ with 1.4 while Georgie Prespakis was another to miss some chances, kicking 0.2.

Several set shots were pulled wide early, with the Dockers’ efficiency going forward sharp to keep them in touch at half time (2.7 to 3.0).

The Cats were left to rue those missed chances in the third quarter as the Dockers came out firing, winning the possessions (+21) and inside 50s (+11) to pull away to a 16-point lead, with a goal-costing 50-metre penalty from Cats defender Anna-Rose Kennedy capping off the quarter.

The Cats’ structure started to fall away in the fourth quarter, and while aZali Friswell goal in the first five minutes gave them a sniff, the Dockers would have the last word with an Aishling McCarthy final minute goal.

“Just the ease with the way it goes down the other end into our D50 and we get scored against is the disheartening part of it,” Lowther said.

“It can be a bit emotionally taxing and physically taxing as well.”

Geelong’s Nina Morrison gets the handball off against Fremantle. Picture: Quinn Rooney/Getty Images

The Cats’ execution left a lot to be desired, with errors piling up as the game wore, from slips, to shanks and turnovers.

It didn’t discriminate either, Mikayla Bowen, who for the most part was one of the Cats’ strongest performers with her inside 50 pressure, shanking a kick on the full going inside 50 after a strong build up from defence.

“Our fundamentals were off today, that’s something we pride ourselves on, our kick, mark, handball ability, that was clearly down,” Lowther said.

“And again, pressure applied from the opposition can add to that in games.”

Kardinia Park no fortress in 2024

Geelong have lost all three home games at GMHBA Stadium this season, with the Cats giving up first half leads in each of those defeats.

In 2023, the Cats were 3-2 at home, with a 6-4 record enough to play finals.

Now, they are staring down the barrel of missing finals and a winless season at home, with reigning premier Brisbane (Oct 20) and top four Adelaide (TBC) still to come at GMHBA Stadium this year.

Despite sitting 15th, the Cats do have the second best percentage of the bottom 10 sides, showing they haven’t been blown out of the water this year, their biggest defeat 24 points to Carlton.

But Lowther acknowledged his Cats were “clearly playing well below standard” at the moment, as the competition around them improves year-on-year.

“Our progression’s been pretty positive over the last couple years and this season has been a bit strange in regards to consistency of how we’re performing from quarter to quarter,” Lowther said.

Originally published as AFLW 2024: Geelong drop to 15th with fourth loss of season to Fremantle