Geelong’s Nina Morrison says pressure, inside 50 looks key to round 1 clash against Melbourne

After a history-making preliminary final in 2023, Nina Morrison believes the Cats are only improving and must embrace every opportunity to compete, starting with a Saturday night blockbuster against Melbourne.

Geelong’s Nina Morrison is confident the Cats have given themselves every opportunity to build upon last year’s preliminary final appearance. Picture: Brad Fleet

Geelong’s Nina Morrison says the work will start in the midfield in a bid to limit supply to two star forwards in their season-opener against Melbourne.

Add to that the unknown of a new-look Demons’ list, and Morrison said the Cats should be prepared for anything come Saturday night at Kardinia Park.

Looking to set their 2024 AFLW season up with a win against the Dees, a team Geelong knocked out of finals last year, the Cats must find a way to limit reigning league goalkickers Kate Hore — who may spend more time in the midfield this year — and Eden Zanker’s impacts while setting up their own forward line for success sans an injured Chloe Scheer.

“The more pressure you can put on around the ball, then limit their entries or make their entries a bit harder, it starts in the middle in most games and that will be true on the weekend,” Morrison said.

“And we’ve obviously got a sound defence as well who will set up against them.

“Melbourne have had some change to their side coming into this year, so potentially a few new looks as well but we’ll be prepared for that.”

The Demons boast nine new players this year — including their top draft pick Alyssia Pisano — but still lay claim to some the competition's best talent, with midfielders Paxy Paxman and Tyla Hanks two who could give Morrison and fellow midfielders Georgie Prespakis and Amy McDonald headaches.

“It’s always an unknown heading into round one how teams may change, but at the end of the day we’ll focus on us,” Morrison said.

Meanwhile, the Cats must adjust their forward line around the absence of their own leading goalkicker in Scheer, who will be sidelined for up to half the season with a toe injury.

However, official match practices against Collingwood and Essendon gave the Cats a good chance to trial some new looks, with Irish talent Aishling Moloney and Kate Kenny two exciting forwards while Cats’ draftee and emerging key forward Chantal Mason could get a look in with Scheer out.

“It’s a bit of a different look without Scheery in there, she’s been a focal point of our attack for a number of season’s now,” Morrison said.

“I think we were pretty pleased with how we converted once we were inside 50 in the two practice matches, it was just a matter of getting it in there more often.

“That’s the area we’re looking to sharpen up coming into our season, just getting the number of inside 50s, because once we get it in there we can look pretty dangerous.”

Originally published as Geelong’s Nina Morrison says pressure, inside 50 looks key to round 1 clash against Melbourne