Geelong’s VFLW coaching group has its work cut out for it ahead of Round 1 as it looks to consolidate its starting 21 after a strong performance against Western Bulldogs.

The Cats looked switched on from the first bounce, with an encouraging team performance lifting them to a 6.2 (38) to 2.6 (18) win in their second and final practice match at Deakin University Elite Sports Precinct.

The home side’s defensive pressure was palpable across the whole ground, with a miserly defence conceding just two goals for the game – both coming during a lull in the third term.

While they made opportunities at goal difficult for the Bulldogs, the Cats made the most of their opportunities up the other end, kicking six goals straight across the game, before a couple of misses as fatigue set in late.

Chloe Leonard and Melissa Bragg looked impassable in defence, regularly cutting off Bulldogs’ attacking forays, while Analea McKee kicked two first half goals, and Mia Skinner presented well and always looked a threat, finishing with 1.2 and a goal assist.

The only injury concern to come from the game for the Cats was a potential concussion for forward Cherly DeGroot, who came off worse for wear in a big contest on the wing in the third quarter.

The Cats will have next weekend off as they prepare for a big Round 1 clash against North Melbourne at Deakin University on March 25.

VFLW coach Elise Coventry spoke to Cats Media after the game:

Elise Coventry on … the team's performance

"There was a lot of what we’d trained that came through out on the ground. The girls worked hard when we lost momentum a few of the times to gain it back.

"And what we really liked, too, (that) everything we spoke about at the quarter-time breaks, they went to work on. The third quarter dropped off a little bit, but it wasn’t so much our method, it was more so our fundamentals: dropping marks, uncontested marks, too. So we just spoke a bit more about respecting those fundamentals as you get a tired throughout the game."

Elise Coventry on ... the forward's making the most of their opportunities in front of goal

"Yeah, it was (a really accurate scoreline). Like we said with our dropped marks, we could’ve had a few other looks in the third quarter as well.

"What the forwards are able to achieve down there, to create space for one another and get some really good looks on goal, has been really good. And even then our midfielders coming in and supporting that too. It was good to see them get some score on the board."

Elise Coventry on ... the pressure applied all over the ground

"That is really pleasing, because we spoke a lot through the week after looking at the Williamstown game about what our defensive pressure looks like. To see them come out and do that from the first quarter, I thought, was really pleasing."

Elise Coventry on ... the players who took their moments

"I thought behind the ball Chloe (Leonard) and 'Braggy' (Melissa Bragg) read the ball really well. Last week it probably went over our heads a little bit, but today they were in positions to intercept, which was really good to see and then start our attack from there.

"'Skins' (Mia Skinner) presented well all day. She dropped a few marks, but her positioning and her work rate to get free from her opponent was really good.

"'Feathers' (Gabbi Featherston), for her first game of the year, came out and her intensity around the ball and just her powerful body through the midfield looked really good.

"'Sach' (Sachi DeGiacomi) had her moments, comes in and out of the game a little bit, but she had her moments. And Analea (McKee) too had some good looks up in the forward line.

"There’s a lot of girls seeing some of the progress from what they’ve trained."

Elise Coventry on ... the challenges of narrowing the squad down to 21 for Round 1

"The focus will be that: having conversations with the other coaching staff to work out what our best 21 look like. There’s definitely more than 21 that are capable to play.

"The challenge for us as a group for the whole year is to work out the right balance, especially when we start to lose AFLW players to their pre-season; making sure that the whole group is ready to play at any time, because there’s opportunities that will pop up the whole way through."

VFLW Practice Match 2

Geelong                   2.0   5.0   5.0   6.2 (38)
Western Bulldogs   0.3   0.3   2.5   2.6 (18)

GOALS
Geelong Analea McKee 2, Mia Skinner, Poppy Schaap, Cheryl DeGroot, Olivia Cicolini