Another week brings another trip up the highway for the VFL Cats, travelling to AIA Centre (Olympic Park) for a clash with Collingwood on Saturday afternoon.  

Geelong will be looking to bounce back from another nail-biting defeat, falling to Box Hill with one of the final kicks of the day last weekend in a one point loss.  

The Cats have lost only two of their last 11 games, with the losses coming by one and two points as they currently sit in fourth position on the ladder.  

Collingwood have struggled this season winning just two of 13 games, currently on a 10 game losing streak with their last win coming in round three.

Match Details  

Geelong v Collingwood 
1.05pm Saturday 13 July  
Victoria Park, Melbourne 

Ladder    
Geelong Cats: 4th (9-4) 
Collingwood: 20th (2-11)  
  
Points For   
Geelong Cats - 1155 
Collingwood - 942 
  
Points Against   
Geelong Cats - 900 
Collingwood - 1213 

What it Means

The Cats can cement their position in the top four with a win, with only one game currently separating second down to sixth on the ladder.  

With five games remaining, the Cats only have one match against a top eight opponent, with the Cats charging towards the end of the season. 

Last Time We Met  

The VFL Cats faced Collingwood in round 21 last season, falling to the Magpies by 74 points in rainy conditions at Victoria Park 

Geelong were led by a young George Stevens who collected 29 disposals, firmly helping his chances of getting drafted later in the year.  

Mitch Hardie was strong picking up 26 possessions, while Dan Capiron took a game high 11 marks in the wet.

Key Players  

Mitch Hardie continues to build on his strong form collecting a season high 38 disposals against the Hawks last week, while adding two goals and seven clearances.  

George Stevens is developing strongly as a midfield bull, picking up another 25 disposals and nine tackles against Box Hill to be one of Geelong’s best.  

Of the VFL-Listed players, Marcus Herbert continues to be a strong contributor this season, amassing 31 disposals last week against Box Hill. 

Broadcast   

All matches in the 2024 Smithy’s VFL and VFLW seasons are also live streamed free via the AFL website, AFL Live Official App and VFL App. 

GEELONG has recorded a 29-point victory against Collingwood in their Round 16 Smithy’s VFL clash at AIA Vitality Centre on Saturday.

Collingwood started stronger but the Cats were able to fightback and controlled the contest in the second half, returning to the winner’s list with a 15.13 (103) to 11.8 (74) victory.

CATS v MAGPIES Full match coverage and stats

Rhys Stanley made an impressive return with a dominant performance in the ruck. The 32-year-old finished with 22 disposals (96% Efficiency), 32 hitouts, six clearances and a goal.

His influence in the middle saw Geelong’s onballers find plenty of the football, with Brandan Parfitt having a big afternoon recording a game-high 34 disposals and seven clearances.

Ted Clohesy, George Stevens and Mitch Hardie were equally influential finding plenty of the football and impacting the scoreboard.

Geelong shared the scoring in attack with 12 individual goal kickers. While behind the ball the defensive unit restricted Collingwood to 11 majors, with Jed Bews and Connor O’Sullivan combining for 15 intercepts, including some crucial goal saving marks when the Magpies had the momentum.

It was an evenly contested opening quarter with Collingwood leading by six points at quarter time.

The Pies extended their advantage to 19 points midway through the second term with Ben Crocker impacting the scoreboard inside attacking 50 for the home side with two goals for the term.

The Cats needed a spark, and it was Bews who provided it, with a long-range goal from beyond the arc to bring the Cats back within 12 points.  

The goal helped shift the momentum and soon the Cats were back within a kick after Clohesy found Mitch Knevitt in space who kicked a nice finish on the run.

The game evenly poised at half time with the late surge bringing the Cats within four points at the main break.

Two goals inside the first five minutes of the third term to Joe Furphy and Stanley saw the Cats hit the lead for the first time since the first quarter with a nine point lead.

Harry Mahoney ended Geelong’s four-goal streak with a goal against the run of play to cut the Cats advantage to two points.

Kaelan Bradtke got the immediate reply, atoning for a miss moments earlier with a brilliant finish from the boundary, after James Willis spotted him inside 50 after taking a courageous mark.

In the final passage of play, Stevens snapped truly on the three quarter time siren to hand the Cats a 16 point advantage heading into the final term.

The Cats defence absorbed the pressure well in the opening minutes of the fourth quarter as the ball was stationed inside Collingwood’s attacking 50.

A crucial spoil on the goal line by O’Sullivan stopped a certain goal and immediately the Cats were able to rebound effectively from one end to the other. A clever handball over his shoulder from Knevitt setup Clohesy for his second major of the game and hand the Cats a 21-point lead.

Geelong won the next centre clearance and were again inside 50, this time it was Hardie executing a strong tackle to win a free kick and he kicked truly to extend the Cats margin to 27 points.

Both sides then went goal-for-goal for the remainder of the quarter, but the Cats withstood the late challenge to record a 29-point victory.

Next week, Geelong will return to GMHBA Stadium to host the Western Bulldogs on Saturday 20 July at 4.35pm.

VFL Round 16

COLLINGWOOD       4.2     7.3     8.5     11.8     (74)
GEELONG               3.2     6.5     10.9    15.13     (103)

GOALS
Hardie, Foster, Clohesy 2, Stevens, Stanley, Lucas, Knevitt, Hughes, Herbert, Furphy, Bradtke, Bews

BEST
Clohesy, Parfitt, Knevitt, Bews, Stanley, Hardie