Geelong will contend for a top-four spot when they clash with Fremantle at Domain Stadium on Friday night.
The Cats have been heavily criticised for their form against bottom eight sides. After losses to Carlton, Collingwood and St Kilda, Geelong will enter this weekend’s match determined to reverse the trend.
The Last Time
Round two, 2015: Fremantle 15.14 (104) def Geelong 9.6 (60).
After a tightly contested first half, Freo burst out of the blocks in the third term. Led by Nat Fyfe and David Mundy, the side piled on seven goals to two, and entered the final change with a 41-point advantage.
Lyon’s men consolidated their position in the final term to eventually run out 44-point winners.
Fyfe was at his dominant best, gathering 36 disposals, three goals and three Brownlow votes.
David Mundy amassed 39 disposals and nine tackles in a line-breaking role through the midfield and half-back.
Michael Barlow was also in good form, collecting 31 disposals, 13 marks and three goals.
For the Cats, Geelong skipper Joel Selwood finished with 27 disposals while Rhys Stanley impressed in his first game at the Cattery.
The story against Geelong
What has changed?
Geelong has been lauded for securing the services of star midfielder Patrick Dangerfield, whose impact has been profound.
Key defender Lachie Henderson has slotted seamlessly into Geelong’s backline since moving from Carlton last year, while ruckman Zac Smith (Gold Coast) has been influential at stoppages.
Stalwarts James Kelly, Matthew Stokes and Steve Johnson have all left to play for opposition sides, while Josh Caddy (knee) and Billie Smedts (broken fibula) are missing through injury.
The Stats
Geelong’s ball movement forward of centre is damaging. The Cats are fifth in the league for scoring and deliver the ball inside 50 the second-most of any side. Chris Scott’s men are also unrivalled for marks inside 50, with Tom Hawkins (3rd in the AFL) and Daniel Menzel the major beneficiaries.
Conversely, Fremantle sits 16th for both scoring and inside 50s.
The Cats’ midfield dominance is also typified by their performance at stoppages. Geelong leads the league for centre clearances (14.5 per match) and sits fourth for clearances in general play (38.6 per match).
Match preview v Geelong
The match-ups:
Dangerfield versus Freo’s midfield
Dangerfield is in career best form. The star on-baller leads the league for metres gained, is second for total disposals and contested possessions, fifth for score involvements and eighth for clearances. His endurance, strength and acceleration is near impossible to replicate, so Freo may need to adopt a team-first approach to quell his influence.
Ross Lyon emphasised the need for a high-pressure performance ahead of Friday’s clash, while defender Hayden Crozier suggested on Tuesday that the side would not target any individuals, but rather collectively defend.
As a consequence, Dangerfield may, at various stages, find himself opposed to several Fremantle midfielders.
Neale versus Selwood
While Dangerfield’s influence is profound, Selwood still has a significant role to play at stoppages. The Geelong skipper sits 10th in the league for contested possessions, and averages more than 27 disposals, five tackles and four inside 50s per match.
For Fremantle, Lachie Neale shapes as the best candidate to match him on the inside. To date, Neale has amassed more than 32.8 disposals, four marks, four tackles and three inside 50s per match.
Both players boast elite fitness and upper body strength, and shape as catalysts in middle of the ground.
