Geelong must address concerning trend against bogey team St Kilda and nullify Saints’ matchwinner

St Kilda has enjoyed surprise success against Geelong in recent times, and the Cats must address one key area to ensure it doesn’t happen again. And locking down a matchwinner will be pivotal.

A concerning trend reared its head again in Geelong’s loss to Greater Western Sydney, and the Cats’ bogey team is sure to try and exploit it on Sunday.

Geelong goes at breakneck offensively as the fastest ball-movement team in the competition according to Champion Data, but the Cats are vulnerable going back the other way.

Renowned in recent years for their strong defensive game, the Cats have been opened up by the best teams this year and were torched off turnover against the Giants.

Geelong conceded an alarming 72 from their own mistakes last week — their second worst return of the season, also giving up 74 points from turnover in in their win over Adelaide in round five.

Brisbane has hurt them in transition in each of its wins over Geelong this season, and the Western Bulldogs and Collingwood both had shootouts which the Cats won in epics.

Geelong upcoming opponent St Kilda has seized upon this area against the Cats in recent times, helping the Saints win three of their past four meetings.

The one loss was by just eight points in a round 1 thriller at GMHBA Stadium in 2024.

Cats players walk off the ground after the loss to St Kilda in round two this year, Picture: Michael Willson/AFL Photos via Getty Images

St Kilda hasn’t tasted victory down at Kardinia Park in 26-years, where the two sides meet on Sunday, but the Saints have dominated possession and made the Cats pay in transition in their past four meetings.

The Cats conceded an average of 43.5 points from their defensive half in those matches – the most significant a 67-point return for the Saints in round 23 last year.

Geelong had everything to play for with a home qualifying final in its grasp, while the Saints’ season was over.

The Cats held a 33-point lead at the main break before a 51-point second half turnaround where Ross Lyon’s men ran them off their feet in transition.

In round two this year, Geelong entered heavy favourites after the Saints were thumped by 63 points in round one against Adelaide, but the Cats went on to concede six goals to one in the opening quarter and fell just short of a comeback.

The Cats find themselves in a similar scenario now with a top-four spot in their sights.

Geelong conceded 70 more uncontested possessions and allowed St Kilda to take 98 uncontested marks in their last meeting, yet Cats coach Chris Scott bristled at any assertion that intensity played a part.

“Forget all the cliches that you hear from commentators who don’t know what they’re talking about around intensity, I just thought they were clean. We couldn’t get the ball forward enough and when we did they were able to bounce it out really quickly,” Scott said after the round two defeat.

“It was obvious to everyone that their kicking skills are at a really high level, so you need to have enough pressure on them to create a little bit of doubt.

“It wasn’t Harlem Globetrotter stuff but I thought they were just so good early.”

Nasiah Wanganeen-Milera is the most in-form halfback in the competition and was thrust into the midfield against Hawthorn a fortnight ago and finished with 43 disposals – 15 of those in the final term.

Nasiah Wanganeen-Milera looks for an option. Picture: Michael Klein

Distributing duo Wanganeen-Milera and Jack Sinclair were allowed to roam free in St Kilda’s win over Geelong in round two, where the former tallied 29 disposals and the latter 25 and two goals.

To ensure they aren’t cut up in transition once again by the Saints, the Cats should deploy a forward tagger to nullify Wanganeen-Milera’s influence, just as Sydney did last week with James Jordon.

Irishman Oisin Mullin has done several jobs this season, his best coming against Zak Butters, and has the athleticism to match Wanganeen-Milera.

The inclusion of key defender Sam De Koning should strengthen Geelong’s back six but the onus will be on the Cats to run both ways and perhaps play a bit safer in attack to ensure they aren’t hurt in transition.

It is certainly a danger game but a win will edge them one step closer to a qualifying final berth.

With the Giants and Gold Coast closing in the race for the top-four, the Cats can’t afford to drop another game to the Saints.

Originally published as Geelong must address concerning trend against bogey team St Kilda and nullify Saints’ matchwinner