Meg McDonald and Cameron Ling hosted this week’s episode of Geelong’s podcast ‘To the Final Bell,’ see the top moments below.

Reviewing the Bulldogs Game & Shaun Mannagh’s Impact

(Timestamp: 2:32 – 11:00) 

Cameron Ling: “I think importantly, and I'm not trying to gloss over it, is the fact that the Cats have shown even during the tough patch where they dropped six out of seven games, to not overreact and go too crazy.

They got the form back with three wins in a row, it was a poor one against the Bulldogs but don't overreact and then make sure that this week is a really positive one. 

I liked seeing Shaun Mannagh up around the midfield a little bit more at times.

I know he was still forward for the majority, but we have seen the last few weeks that his tackling and his pressure has been excellent.

To see that around the ball when he was asked to step into the middle, I thought he showed a lot and he ended up with eight clearances which was a real positive.”

Meg McDonald: “I feel like Shaun wouldn't be a stranger to perhaps some rougher conditions, he has played his fair share of local and VFL footy.

He is hungry for an opportunity and he is a mature player, so credit to him.”

The VFL Cats draw with the Bulldogs

(Timestamp: 15:08 – 17:14) 

Meg McDonald: “I was having a chat to K rock but we were half doing the interview, half watching the end of the game because it was locked in our forward 50.”

Cameron Ling: “I think it was a Caleb Daniel smother, where it was about to go through for a point and he managed to knock it out of bounds to hold on for the draw. 

The good news from that game is that Tanner Bruhn was excellent.

He kicked a goal and had 35 touches, given the injury to his scaphoid it was important for him to have that one game preparation.

We would have loved him to play AFL, but now it sets up where is 100% ready to go next week.”

Meg McDonald: “It was good to see him put together a faultless return.

I know they have been noting how much he has been running and how fit he is, but by nature of a hand injury you do a lot of running around the outside.

He will be a welcome addition back into the side.”

How the Cats can bounce back against North Melbourne

(Timestamp: 18:51 – 23:23) 

Cameron Ling: “For me it goes back to simplifying things, around the contest we have to get that right and that was excellent in those three consecutive wins.

Clearances were first class in those games, that's what we have to go back to and get that fixed up.

If there is enough pressure on the opposition, even when they do win the ball that will bring take the heat off our backline and allow them to be more proactive.

We can then create turnovers and set up counterattacks, which is harder to do when we are not controlling the midfield.

I think we can reverse that pretty quickly by fixing up some of our fundamentals. 

Meg McDonald: “The past month has been a good period of footy for the Cats, so no babies going out with the bathwater here.

I feel like we have to remember what has made us a good team in the past couple of weeks and go back to it, as you say keep it simple.

The front half footy was starting to come about again, so we need to get it forward but then the pressure on the footy allows out intercept game to come in.

There is no reason to doubt that they won't be straight back onto it this weekend”