AFL Round 9 Geelong v GWS: Cats coach Chris Scott reacts to the thrilling four-point loss to the Giants

In another GMHBA Stadium thriller, GWS kept its remarkable league-best streak alive. But can Geelong be excused for this one? Coach Chris Scott has had his say.

Geelong coach Chris Scott is always at pains to avoid what he says might be perceived as excuses.

But after coming out on the wrong side of yet another GMHBA Stadium thriller against the GWS Giants, it wasn’t hard to tell he was lamenting the missing Cats.

The Giants, remarkably for the fifth straight time – the longest streak at the venue in the AFL’s 18-team era – pulled several rabbits out of the hat to prevail by four points.

“This is going to sound dangerously like an excuse and it shouldn’t, it’s not my intention,” Scott said after watching his forwards and the indefatigable Mark Blicavs blow several golden late chances that would have pinched victory.

“But in a relentless season … if you lose a few key players, there’s a big flow-on effect.

“We went into the season thinking Blicavs (forced into ruck duties), Jack Henry, (Jake) Kolodjashnij and (Tom) Stewart will be the cornerstone of our defence and none of them are available.

“So the levers (we have to pull) are somewhat limited.”

Chris Scott during the loss to GWS. Picture: Graham Denholm/AFL Photos

Several times in the action-packed match, multiple Cats flew for marks across half-back, leaving the speedy Giants with overlapping midfielders to stream by and feed spearhead Jesse Hogan for seven match-winning goals.

And it was obvious to all that a lack of organisation and the Cats’ usual flow from that area of the ground created a headache too great to quell as the Giants opted for pace, pace and more pace.

Scott was clearly disappointed to have lost, but was happy his charges fought back into the match after being 24 points down in the opening minutes.

“It’s not the outcome we wanted, but some of the process and the effort and the way we went about getting back into the game is something we should be proud of,” he said.

“And in a tight competition you (are going) to lose a game by a point or two, and it feels like the end of the world, but these are situations where the closeness of the comp’s actually a positive, because even the best teams will kind of lose close ones.”

Bailey Smith reacts to a GWS goal. Picture: Josh Chadwick/Getty Images

Blicavs crashed a set shot from 40m out into the woodwork in the closing minutes, but Scott said his giant utility should now bow his head.

“He’ll be disappointed, I’m sure … but he’s the eternal optimist.

“It’s not to say that he won’t be feeling it tonight, but if he is, I would encourage him when he feels that disappointment to remember without him, we’re not in the game.”

Scott said Stewart would return for the Cats’ big match away against Port Adelaide, with Lawson Humphries also poised to return.

He said the club would have to make a call on Jack Henry, but that he, too, was close to having overcome his hamstring injury.

Cats blow their chances in game of the year

A crowd of people went to an athletics meet at GMHBA Stadium on Sunday afternoon and eventually, a footy game broke out.

And oh, what a game.

In a seesawing epic that should be compulsory viewing for all coaches who “park buses” to avoid high-scoring games, Greater Western Sydney remarkably won its fifth consecutive game at Geelong’s fortress, this time by four points.

The Cats had several gilt-edged opportunities to pinch victory in the dying minutes, none more so than Mark Blicavs’ 40m set shot from dead in front that rattled the woodwork.

But in the end, a Jake Riccardi snap shot at the other end to complement a Jesse Hogan master class proved enough for the Giants.

Earlier this week on radio, former Giants captain Phil Davis said the stadium – a graveyard for so many visiting teams during Geelong’s dominant modern era – held no fears.

Their secret, he said, was simple: pace.

It’s hard to imagine the Cats’ brains trust didn’t know that, but it was surprising to see so many devastating GWS raids from half-back that were the very definition of ballistic football.

Lachie Ash, Finn Callaghan, Connor Idun and company simply blazed trails through the centre square, making the Cats pay by getting the ball one-out to deadly spearhead Hogan, who booted seven goals to cash in.

Conversely, once the Cats could establish themselves inside 50, their ability to generate front-half goals kept them in it.

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Adam Kingsley speaks to his troops at the final change. Picture: Michael Klein

In a sense, the traditional footy battleground of the centre circle was moved to Geelong’s half-forward line; whichever team won at that point seemed to control the play.

By game’s end, despite extraordinary tension and pressure, there were no heaving celebrations from the men in orange, so exhausted had they become from their method.

GWS scored an extraordinary 56 points from their defensive half, just enough to counter the Cats’ own amazing stat of 10 goals generated from within their own forward line.

But the one that would have mattered most, the squandered winner, will be discussed at length this week.

Should Patrick Dangerfield have had a shot instead of passed from 45m out when he intercepted in the final minute?

Should Shaun Mannagh have centred instead of blasting from long range?

Will Tyson Stengle and Blicavs sleep easily after their blown chances that suddenly have the Cats and Giants locked on the ladder at 5-4.

Jesse Hogan kicked seven goals. Picture: Graham Denholm/AFL Photos/Getty Images.

TURF WARS

The residual painted turf from the recent American football movie that was filmed on Kardinia Park was evident from higher angles, but there was one odd twist.

At the city end, the word “Eagles” was still legible from the movie’s football field, presumably featuring NFL teams from Philadelphia and New York.

And we say presumably because the artwork at the river end was much more heavily covered because it had featured the “Giants”.

So some extra mowing and paintwork was deemed necessary to remove any additional affinity for the ground the visiting GWS team already has in Geelong.

PARTY LINE

Hard to say what was more extraordinary – the rucking mishap that generated it, or the Giants goal that resulted midway through the third term.

One of the most rare free kicks in the book was paid – correctly – when Shannon Neale knocked a boundary throw-in back over the paint on the full from the ensuing throw-in.

Many doubted Tom Green’s ability to make the Cats pay as he took his shot adjacent to the 50m arc and boundary intersection.

But he justifiably celebrated in style as his right-foot shot extraordinarily sailed through at mid-post height to cap Neale’s error.

Oh my word. https://t.co/1i2O2VXDvC

— GWS GIANTS (@GWSGIANTS) May 11, 2025

DELIVERED, JUST

Nobody has ever denied Jake Stringer’s skill or potency in front of goal.

And there wouldn’t be a single Giants fan who would bemoan his return of two majors in the first term, especially given their spectacular nature.

But having “burnt” a couple of his mates in orange in way better position, the jubilant “Package” will be very grateful for his accuracy when he looks at the replays.

WHAT A MESS

It should have been hard to imagine a worse decision than Lachie Ash’s kick sideways early in the third term to a one-on-two contest.

But you didn’t have to wrack your brain for long.

When the ball hit the deck and spilt to Tyson Stengle, it seemed that he and Ollie Henry should be able to have a raffle and effectively run it in for a goal.

But the out-of-form Stengle snatched at a rare opportunity and somehow decided to snap around the corner from 25m and watch dismayed when Ash scurried back and ushered it over the line for a point.

Originally published as AFL Round 9 Geelong v GWS: Cats coach Chris Scott reacts to the thrilling four-point loss to the Giants