Geelong will be looking to bounce back this week as they head to Adelaide Oval, preparing to do battle with Yartapuulti on Saturday afternoon. 

The Cats remain in the top eight on the ladder through the opening nine weeks of the season, but only one game separates them and the Power who currently sit in 13th. 

Yartapuulti fell narrowly short in an entertaining Showdown clash last weekend, but they have plenty of damaging players that Geelong will need to keep an eye on in Round 10. 

Check out all the key stats and figures to watch this weekend, proudly presented by Deakin University. 

Ladder  

Yartapuulti: 13th (4-5)

Geelong: 7th (5-4)

Points For 

Yartapuulti - 745

Geelong - 856

Points Against 

Yartapuulti - 841

Geelong - 748

Deakin Performance Stat of the Week - Exposing Yartapuulti's Defence

The Power have struggled defensively this year, conceding the fourth most points per game (93.4) of any team in the competition across the opening nine weeks. 

On two occasions this year they have given up well over 100 points, in Round 1 against Collingwood (136) and two weeks ago against the Western Bulldogs (131). 

A factor that weighs into this is the Power's lack of rebounding prowess, with only one player (Kane Farrell) ranked in the AFL's top 40 players for rebound 50's this year. 

They are the 11th ranked team for intercept possessions per game this year, while also ranking number one in the AFL for clangers which means it is possible to catch them out defensively in a number of ways. 

This is a factor that bodes well for Geelong who average 101.6 points per game in their last five games against the Power, including a total 138 points in their most recent meeting with Yartapuulti at Adelaide Oval (2024 Qualifying Final). 

Geelong's Last 5 Games v Yartapuulti

Restricting Connor Rozee's Impact

Yartapuulti's captain, Connor Rozee has been playing a slightly different role off half back this year but has been just as damaging, highlighted by his 32-disposal performance last week that won him the Showdown medal in a losing team. 

Rozee has accumulated the sixth most disposals of any player in the AFL this year (10th for average disposals), while also ranking highly in defensive half pressure acts (fourth) and inside 50 entries (11th). 

The Power star has still been able to push forward and have an impact, sitting fifth at the club for score involvements while also booting seven goals himself, something the Cats will need to watch this week. 

Winning the clearance battle

The clearance battle is always influential on a result, but it will be even more important this weekend as the Cats come up against a very good Power on-ball unit. 

Through nine weeks the Power have the fifth highest clearance average in the competition lead by Zak Butters, who currently has the third highest average (7.5) for clearances per game of any player in the AFL. 

Yartapuulti have a number of damaging players through that part of the ground including Ollie Wines, Jason Horne-Francis and Willem Drew alongside Butters, with all four players ranked inside the AFL's top 40 for total clearances this year.