AFLW 2024 AFLW season - Geelong & the greater league...

[Cursed Cat]

It's both football's biggest cliche and truism - it's amazing what a win can do.

We produced more or less the same kind of football today that we have all season, but this time held on for the points.

And suddenly we're reminded of some positives.

Anna-Rose Kennedy is shaping to become our most important defender moving forward; she is slightly undersized height-wise for a genuine KD but she is strong and she has the kind of instincts that can't be taught.
Her countrywoman Rachel Kearns plays smaller but is equally tough and brings her own flair to the defense.

Meg Mac has slowed down and Claudia Gunjaca hasn't quite matched her stellar form from last season; Chantal Emonson has been ok but she has definitely plateaued in terms of her development. But the defense with the aforementioned Irish girls and Becky Webster down back we have something to take the team forward.

Jackie Parry has given us a excellent service since transferring from Melbourne; the good news is she probably still has 3-4 years of very good football to give. Loved her game today.

Aishling Moloney is one of the competition's genuine match-winners.

Zali Friswell should go close to playing 100 games, she's steadily improved in her 3 seasons and has the running capacity to play for a long time.

So, yes, we have underachieved results-wise to date. I've struggled to find positives throughout AFLW IX to date but it's amazing what a win can do.

 

[Cursed Cat]

Yikes!

She played really well against us - hopefully nothing too serious, she has a bright future.

 

[CatToTheFuture]

Could only watch on and off today but have to say was really impressed by Crockett-Grills.

Feel like NiMo and Prez got caught HTB a fair bit.

 

[winty]

Hope we end up drafting "Zippy Fish" for the name alone.

 

[cats_09]

I reckon my kids watched a show called Baba.

Not sure of current shows, but there used to be one called Babar the Elephant

 

[cats_09]

The Cats recorded an important win over Sydney on the weekend, knocking over the Swans in a three-point nailbiter at Henson Park.

Registering nineteen scoring shots for the game, Geelong controlled the majority of the contest before Sydney mounted a late surge to set up a grandstand finish.

A notable area of improvement for the Cats on Sunday was their ability to beat the Swans around the contest.

Geelong finished with 111 contested possessions, recording their best differential (+21) of the 2024 season.

Sunday marked just the second time this season that the Cats have won the contested possession battle, following on from their Week 4 clash against Gold Coast (+16).

It also marked the first time in 2024 that Dan Lowther’s side have held an opponent to less than 100 contested possessions for a game.

Leading the way for Geelong was Georgie Prespakis, who received close attention from the Swans midfield but still managed to collect a season high 13 contested possessions.

Geelong Contested Possession Count - 2024 AFLW Season​

Geelong – Contested Possessions	Opponent – Contested Possessions	Differential
Week 1 - 124	Melbourne - 129	-5
Week 2 - 104	North Melbourne - 124	-20
Week 3 - 103	Carlton - 129	-26
Week 4 - 118	Gold Coast - 102	+16
Week 5 - 103	Hawthorn – 134	-31
Week 6A - 91	Fremantle - 111	-20
Week 6B - 111	Sydney - 90	+21

---
Definitely an area we need to improve on ahead of next season

 

[cats_09]

Week 6B | Post Game Coach Takeaways​

See what Dan Lowther had to say following the Cats win over Sydney on Sunday

Lowther on the Tense Finish​

It was hard to watch, really exciting footy to watch but I thought what we had done prior to that last 20 minutes of the game was really positive.

It was enough to give us that confidence in the last quarter that we were doing things right.

Full credit to the Swans with that surge, they used the breeze really well, tried a few little tricks and they played their need to score scenarios really well.

Our girls defended it well towards the end and did enough, which I am really proud of.

Lowther on the Team's Focus​

I think for us it was about regaining the way we play our game, to a level that is required to win games.

We have been in games up to our necks, but just haven't got across the line.

The aim for today was to win and we move onto Richmond next week, that will be the same aim.

Whatever happens off the back of that is out of our control, but that is what we want to get from the rest of the season and that is to improve our footy.

Lowther on the Forward Unit​

We have got a bit of a different mix up front too with Chloe Scheer being out, so it is a little bit different than what we are used to.

But the fact that players like Shelley Scott can compete from the start, Jackie Parry had a super game and we threw her in defence to support when the heat was on late in the game, she stood up for us.

We are getting looks, Kate Kenny is getting some looks, Aishling Moloney continues to get looks up front so it is really positive that we are getting that.

If we can score a goal every now and again, that might help everyone's heart rates.

Lowther on the Takeaways from Sydney​

We had the ball going the right way, that forward half pressure and shots on goal is what we were after.

Yes kicking straight will win games by better margins, but the fact that our girls were playing the game in our front half was another positive to take out.

Week 6B | Post Game Coach Takeaways

See what Dan Lowther had to say following the Cats win over Sydney on Sunday

www.geelongcats.com.au

 

[winty]

Can't believe players still have to put up with this s**t. Fair play to Maddy for sticking it up her haters.

 

[winty]

 

[cats_09]

View attachment 2134403

Anyone else really confused by these votes

It's such a random spread

 

[cats_09]

Trying to breakdown the coaches votes, this is the potential splits I could think of:

5: Morrison; 5 or 4 & 1
5: Webster; 5 or 4 & 1
5: Gardiner; 5 or 4 & 1
4: JCG - 4 or 3 & 1
4: Parry - 4 or 3 & 1
3: Hurley - 3
2: Pres - 2
2: McCarthy - 2

Or

5: Morrison; 5 or 3 & 2
5: Webster; 5 or 3 & 2
5: Gardiner; 5 or 3 & 2
4: JCG - 4
4: Parry - 4
3: Hurley - 3
2: Pres - 2 or 1 & 1
2: McCarthy - 2 or 1 & 1


It's crazy the coaches only agreed on 2 players being in the top 5 on ground

Hard to know how they've broken them down because Gardiner finished with 30 disposals & 3 clearances and can easily see her getting the 5 votes, but that then means the other coach gave her no votes

I would have had Morrison as the more influential player ahead of Webster, so thinking Becky got votes from both coaches as I didn't see her game being one of the best on

I also thought that JCG start to the game was really important, but not sure it was necessarily second best on across all 4 quarters, while I could see Parry being recognised, especially for her aerial impact across the match

 

[cats_09]

 

[cats_09]

Kate Surman and Gabbi Featherston will be both be a test for Saturday’sgame against Richmond as they look to make their way back from injury.

Surman suffered a concussion in Geelong’s Week 5 game against Hawthorn but is progressing well as she continues to work through the AFL’s concussion protocols.

“Kate is progressing well through the protocols – up until this point, everything is on track and we expect her to be available for this weekend,” Geelong Cats Assistant General Manager of Football Brett Johnson

Brett Johnson

Age

43

Ht

179cm

Wt

80kg

Pos.

Mid

Career

Season

Last 5

D

13.2

3star

K

7.8

3star

HB

5.4

4star

M

2.4

3star

T

2.0

4star

No current season stats available

D

11.6

3star

K

7.6

3star

HB

4.0

3star

M

1.8

2star

T

1.2

3star

said.

Featherston missed Geelong’s win over Sydney on Sunday with an achilles complaint.

“Gabbi will be a test for this week. We took the conservative approach byleaving her out on the weekend,” Johnson said.

“Provided Gabbi gets through training this week, she’ll be available to play.”

Amy McDonald is aiming for a Week 9 return from a hamstring injury as she continues to make good progress in her recovery.

Chloe Scheer is progressing through her rehabilitation for a toe injury, with the Club expecting to have more information following a review this week.
Geelong takes on Richmond this Saturday at the Swinburne Centre in the AFLW Pride Round, with first bounce at 3.05pm. Tickets for the clash against Richmond are available through Ticketmaster.

On Saturday, Geelong will wear its 2024 AFLW Pride Guernsey, featuring the colours of the Pride Progress Flag intertwined with the Cats’ iconic blue and white Hoops, as well as a rainbow Geelong Cats logo. The middle blue hoop features key words, phrases and concepts that players and staff at the Geelong Football Club, as well as the Geelong Cats Pride Supporters Group, contributed as representing what Pride means to them.

Purchase your 2024 Geelong Pride Guernsey today via The Cats Shop.

Geelong Cats Deakin Health Update Week 7​

Player	Injury	Timeline
Kate Surman	Concussion	Test
Gabbi Featherston	Achillies	Test
Amy McDonald	Hamstring	2 weeks
Bryde O'Rourke	Collarbone	3 weeks
Chloe Scheer	Toe	TBC
Lilly Pearce	ACL	Season

 

[winty]

Yikes!

Probably the best possible result here.

 

[cats_09]

 

[Cursed Cat]

Can't believe players still have to put up with this s**t. Fair play to Maddy for sticking it up her haters.

bit late to respond to this, but I absolutely love Maddy Prespakis, I still reckon she's the best player in the comp, a footballer's footballer.

screw the haters.

 

[cats_09]

Is it wrong to say this looks pretty good - would make for a good clash or alternate guernsey

 

[cats_09]

 

[cats_09]

 

[winty]

Hope Kate Kenny's injury isn't too serious....

 

[goyoucatters]

Great news that she's on the mend. Given she's just out of the moon boot and hasn't even started running, I can't see how she could be expected to make any meaningful contribution on the field this season, though.

Just getting back to full training and some measure of fitness would be a real achievement, I figure. I know the club won't risk her and I'm absolutely fine with that. Disappointing to miss a whole season but her long-term prospects for footy and life after the game simply must be prioritised at this point.

 

[cats_09]

Well ****

Get one back and another goes down

 

[winty]

Interesting that Gabby's been named as first ruck too, not that it means anything nowadays.

 

[winty]

I know it's a rival code, but interesting fixturing last night having Port Adelaide and Collingwood play in Adelaide while the Socceroos were playing a World Cup qualifier at the Adelaide Oval.

I remember reading somewhere that the average Australian follows a half a dozen sports, so I wonder how many people who would otherwise have gone to the AFLW last night went to see the Socceroos instead, especially since they don't play in Adelaide all that often.

 

[winty]

Didn't see the game last night, but looking at this, it sounds like I didn't miss much...