How the Cats plotted stunning comeback against Collingwood

There is an old adage in football that nothing is as bad as it seems or as good as it seems. Nothing truer could said for the Jekyll and Hyde Cats on Saturday night, writes JOSH BARNES

There is an old adage in football that nothing is as bad as it seems or as good as it seems.

On Saturday night, things truly were both as bad and as good as it looked for the Jekyll and Hyde Cats.

They were pummelled in the premiership quarter and flexed their muscle in the next half-hour.

Who are these Cats exactly?

The bullies who destroyed Essendon in round 1 and looked a class above in the final 30 minutes of Saturday night’s stunner against Collingwood, or the fumbly, unsure side that was off the pace against Sydney and was torn apart in the third term against the Pies?

For now they are both.

The Cats enjoy a late Tom Hawkins goal against Collingwood. Picture: Dylan Burns/AFL Photos via Getty Images

Geelong has made a habit of starting the season indifferently in recent years – think back to last year’s up-and-down 4-3 start – before clicking into gear around May.

At a rocking MCG on Saturday night, the Cats went from indifferent to worse by three quarter-time before ripping out a final quarter for the ages.

As Chris Scott noted post-match, Collingwood was “on world record pace” for contested possessions in the third term, building an unfathomable lead of 37 in that count at the final break.

Geelong has prided itself on winning the game at the contest in recent years and clawed back in that final term, to win that quarter’s contested ball count by 14 and Geelong seven more clearances in a midfield evisceration.

That was the theme for round 1’s win over the Bombers and if the Cats can play like that more often than not, with a healthy Jeremy Cameron and an evergreen Tom Hawkins up forward, they will pile up big scores.

Luke Dahlhaus made a difference when he was subbed on. Picture: Dylan Burns/AFL Photos via Getty Images

With Luke Dahlhaus injected into the midfield to help with fresh legs, Max Holmes running harder than anyone else on the MCG and Mitch Duncan back in form, the Cats were at their best in Saturday’s final quarter, playing aggressively through the middle and with overlap run.

There is no doubt from three games so far this season that the Cats are going to play with more urgency, back themselves and get the ball going forward with speed.

As Hawkins said post-match, “when we get our system right, we are near unstoppable for periods”.

The magnets may have been shifted around somewhat in the final term – as Sam De Koning was swung forward and Dahlhaus came off the bench – but the Cats essentially went harder at their initial gameplan and stuck with those they trust in centre bounces.

From what we have seen so far, the Cats are going to back themselves and the plan they came up with over summer, for better or worse.

History says they will even out in coming weeks and settle into a rhythm, the question is: what will that beat sound like?

Selwood: Belief ‘oozing’ before epic Geelong comeback

Geelong skipper Joel Selwood says there was belief “oozing out of the boys” at three quarter-time as he played a hand in a stunning comeback at the MCG on Saturday night.

With his Cats trailing Collingwood by 30 points at the final change, the leaders in the Geelong camp put it on themselves to lead the charge back into the game.

Joel Selwood enjoys a moment with the fans. Picture: Dylan Burns/AFL Photos via Getty Images

Geelong reeled off five goals in the first 10 minutes of play in the final term to draw level, before eventually running away with a 13-point win.

Selwood played an important cameo, shrugging off an indifferent night filled with boos that included being run down in disheartening fashion by Magpie Ollie Henry in front of his defensive goal to set up a crucial Jeremy Cameron major.

The Cats warrior wrenched the ball out of Magpie Will Hoskin-Elliot’s hands and followed up to handball to Sam De Koning, who moved it forward to Luke Dahlhaus before the ball was eventually marked and goaled by Cameron to put Geelong seven points up.

“Just like probably most, you just try and win every contest and you are in,” Selwood said post-match.

“I saw Sam De Koning ahead of the ball and just shot him a handball that he wasn’t expecting.”

A maniacal Jeremy Cameron led his team back. Picture: Dylan Burns/AFL Photos via Getty Images

Selwood said it was the “big egos” in the Geelong camp that helped get the game back in its favour, with Cameron among those to single-mindedly demand the ball before kicking three last-quarter goals in a matchwinning effort.

“There are some big egos in the group that had a real confidence that we would get there and they had confidence that the run will come and our turn will come,” the skipper said.

“Walking out at three quarter-time time a few of them said ‘just get it to me’.

“(Cameron) is a special player and he may have been one of those ones I may have been talking about with the huge egos.

“To be honest, there was there was already belief oozing out of some of the boys.”

The Geelong captain was the talking point heading into Saturday night’s game as he passed Carlton’s Stephen Kernahan for most games as captain in VFL/AFL history.

Selwood was roundly booed by Collingwood fans for most of the night but shrugged off the hate.

Stephen Kernahan and Joel Selwood pre-game. Picture: Dylan Burns/AFL Photos via Getty Images

“I have been booed a hell of a lot of times,” he said.

“Collingwood, yeah I have been booed a few times from them.

“There was a high tackle early on that they probably weren’t too happy with but it is what it is, the game is OK.”

The skipper said he as “exhausted” after such a busy week and would soak in the hour on the highway back to Geelong from the MCG to finally take in his achievement and the stunning victory.

Originally published as How the Cats plotted stunning comeback against Collingwood