AFL round 7: Dan Batten analyses Carlton vs. Geelong as Cats’ worrying flaws exposed

Since the Blues shocked the Cats last season, Geelong has won 12 of their last 17 and the Blues just five of 16. But Carlton were able to expose flaws Geelong simply need to cover.

A lot has changed since Carlton gave Geelong a reality check in their previous meeting.

Before Sunday, the Blues had beaten North Melbourne, West Coast and Richmond, and had tasted victory in five of their last 16 matches.

Meanwhile, Geelong had only lost five of 17 since that 63-point thumping and came close to a grand final.

Don’t let the scoreboard fool you. The Cats’ first half on Sunday was another reality check reminiscent of that cold June night in round 15 last season.

There was no Sam De Koning in the ruck this time, but Tom De Koning, Sam Walsh and Patrick Cripps monstered the Geelong midfield at the source, the clearances were 27-13 at halftime, overwhelmed the Cats defence and ran them ragged on the outside.

Alarmingly, Geelong won had just 18 first possessions to halftime — the Cats’ third worst return on record — and the Blues were +14 for clearances, +52 for disposals, +44 for uncontested possessions and +12 for inside 50s.

Yet the Cats only had two more tackles to the main break as Blues midfielders waltzed out of stoppages with ease.

And when the Cats did have the ball in their hands, it felt like they either turned it into a score or coughed it up with missed kicks, fumbles and dropped marks that hurt them back the other way.

Somehow, they were within three goals at halftime despite Carlton’s domination.

Sam De Koning and Charlie Curnow compete at the MCG. Picture: Michael Willson/AFL Photos via Getty Images.

If it weren’t for some poor Carlton entries and outstanding first halves of Lawson Humphries, Connor O’Sullivan and Sam De Koning – who had 22 intercepts between them to halftime – the margin would have eight goals at halftime, not three.

As is often the case with Chris Scott’s Cats, if you give them an inch, they take a mile.

In a flash, the Cats cut the margin back to within eight points with a Jeremy Cameron goal either side of halftime and a half chance from Ollie Dempsey.

The Blues kicked away again to make it 28 points at three-quarter-time, but the Cats won the first five clearances of the final quarter and Cameron, Mark Blicavs and Bailey Smith goaled to get the Cats within 10 points.

Ollie Dempsey on the charge for the Cats.

Bailey Smith tries to spoil George Hewett. Picture: Michael Klein

The Cats got lucky on Monday with some missed Hawthorn opportunities, but the Blues’ dominance was too significant to peg back this time. And the scoreboard was not an accurate reflection of how this game transpired.

Geelong was lucky to get within six goals, let alone three.

Still, the Cats can take solace in the fact that they can come close to sides even on an off day

O’Sullivan was the main positive from a disappointing day, but AFL’s leading tackler Tom Atkins (another 14 tackles and 18 disposals), Bailey Smith (29 disposals and a goal) and Shaun Mannagh were other shining lights,

That aforementioned defensive trio stood tall, but the Cats desperately need the likes of Jack Henry and Jake Kolodjashnij, who returned in the VFL on Sunday, back to help them quell the key forward monsters like Charlie Curnow and Harry McKay.

Up forward, Shannon Neale hasn’t had more than 10 touches in any game this year, and was held goalless for the second straight week as he managed just four possessions.

At 4-3 on the season, Scott will be hoping the Cats can produce a similar response to their Blues loss last year.