Geelong Cats: Why potent Cats are flag chances
The potent forward line Geelong possess is firing on all cylinders and putting together a stretch of games eerily similar to 2022.
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Geelong is quickly proving it can be a genuine chance for back-to-back flags after another resounding win at home.
Once again the Cats burst out of the blocks, booting seven goals from 12 scoring shots in the opening term, while keeping the Bombers to just a solitary behind.
From their seven goals, there were six goal scorers in the first quarter, with just Brad Close kicking multiple goals in the opening term.
Geelong’s potency in the forward 50, coupled with its stifling defence in the absence of converted utility Esava Ratugolea, showed the fans at GMHBA Stadium real glimpses of the style of football that won the Cats a flag 10 months ago.
Cats coach Chris Scott said after the win over North Melbourne in round 17 that Geelong was the danger in the finals; a comment that was scoffed at by many fans, with the result coming against one of two sides vying for the wooden spoon.
Fast forward a week, the Cats were dominant again on GMHBA Stadium’s surface, a ground they will play three of the final six games at.
The midfield battle was even, with Geelong winning the clearance count 36-34, but despite the evenness in the contest the Cats still dominated time inside the forward half, winning the inside 50 count 64-27.
Doing what Sydney did to them in the draw in round 15, the Cats lowered their eyes going into attack and found marking targets, with 18 marks inside 50 for the game.
In his 100th game of AFL football, forward Gryan Miers had another great game, recording 26 disposals, two goal assists and a goal in the milestone.
Hawkins has become an unlikely chance at the Coleman Medal after booting five goalsin the win, another beneficiary of effective ball movement through the middle of the ground.
The veteran forward, who started the season with three goals in the opening three weeks, has now booted 45 goalsfor the season and is just six goals behind Charlie Curnow in the Coleman Medal standings.
His most dominant game of the season came in round seven against the Bombers at the MCG when he booted a career-high of eight goals.
Geelong’s finals hopes, and premiership chances, never hinged on Hawkins’ ability to kick a bag, instead relying on an even contribution from a number of dangerous forward options.
Jeremy Cameron will still be required to play a big part in any deep finals push the Cats may have, but the star forward was kept to1.3 from 17 touches in a day that was marred by multiple injury concerns.
A clash of knees in the opening term forced Cameron to the bench, before a second quarter collision left him bloody at the nose.
But despite Cameron’s quiet in front of goal in his first game back from concussion, the Cats still booted 18 goals from 11 goal scorersafter kicking 19 majors from last week from eight contributors.
The Cats have always relied consistent performances from each member of its selected 23 players, and the form the group is showing in the back half of the season is similar to last year.
Geelong averaged almost 17 goals per game in the final five weeks of the Home And Away season in 2022, a run of form that resulted in a premiership.
If the potency of Geelong’s forwards can maintain, history suggests a push for consecutive flags could be on the cards.
Originally published as Geelong Cats: Why potent Cats are flag chances
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