Geelong’s VFL team will start their 2024 Finals campaign this weekend, when they head to Avalon Airport Oval for a Qualifying Final clash with Werribee on Saturday afternoon.
The Cats will have the chance to earn a week off and to progress straight through to a Preliminary Final, if they can knock off the Tigers on Saturday.
Geelong secured a hard fought win in the last round of the regular season against Sandringham, ensuring they enter the Finals campaign with some momentum.
Werribee secured the minor premiership in a dominant 2024 season, winning 12 of their last 13 games to sit on top of the ladder heading into the postseason.
Ladder
Werribee: 1st (15-3)
Geelong: 4th (12-5-1)
Points For
Werribee: 1504
Geelong: 1537
Points Against
Werribee: 1067
Geelong: 1242
Finding a path through Werribee’s Defence
Werribee have a notoriously stingy defence, conceding an average of just 59 points per game to opposition teams across the home and away season.
The Tigers conceded a total of 1067 points for the year, nearly 200 points less than Geelong who ranked as the VFL’s second best defence this season.
In their stretch of 12 wins in the last 13 games, Werribee only conceded more than 63 points on one occasion and while keeping seven opponents under 50 points.
Holding the Tigers Forwards
While Werribee are not necessarily a high scoring team, they do rely reasonably heavily on key forward Hudson Garoni to be their primary goalkicker.
Garoni finished third in the VFL for goals in the regular season, kicking 44 majors for the year to finish 15 ahead of Werribee’s next best option Jay Dahlhaus.
In the last meeting between the two sides Garoni kicked 4 goals, meaning the Cats will be paying close attention to the dominant forward this weekend.
Controlling the football
It is quite a while ago now, but Geelong and Werribee have already faced each other this year right back in the opening round of the season.
In that contest, the Tigers managed to possess the footy for large portions of the game collecting nearly 100 more disposals than the Cats.
Werribee have four different players who rank in the top 13 across the VFL for total marks this season, showing their desire to control the football and keep it away from the opposition.
In their most recent loss, Southport managed to find more of the football than the Tigers, a formula the Cats will need to consider on Saturday afternoon.
