The Cats head to IKON Park in Week 3 for a clash with Carlton, searching for their first win of the AFLW season.
Geelong put in a strong performance against the Kangaroos last Sunday, but the two teams could not be separated as the Cats recorded their first points of the year in a draw.
Carlton have split their opening two games, falling to Hawthorn by 38 points in Week 1 before securing their first win of the season in a one point victory over Gold Coast last Sunday.
The Cats and Blues have not faced each other in nearly three years, with the last meeting coming back in round two of the 2022 AFLW season (Season 6).
2024 Ladder
Carlton: 14th (1-1)
Geelong: 15th (0-1-1)
Points For
Carlton - 67
Geelong - 76
Points Against
Carlton - 104
Geelong - 78
Abbie v Amy: An Electric Midfield Battle
Week 3 will see two of the competition’s top midfielders go head to head, with Geelong’s Amy McDonald and Carlton’s Abbie McKay set to do battle on Saturday.
McKay has made a strong start to the 2024 season, ranking among the AFLW’s top players for disposals (sixth), clearances (fifth) and contested possessions (third).
Amy McDonald has been a dominant force for Geelong in the opening two weeks, rated first in the competition for clearances, while also sitting in the AFLW’s top ten for inside 50’s (second), contested possessions (seventh) and disposals (eighth).
This is set to be an incredible matchup between two players who will have a significant impact in Saturday’s clash.
Nullifying the Blues Handball Heavy Style
Across the opening two weeks, Carlton have shown a desire to link up through handballs and it has proven to be their primary ball movement tactic.
In Week 1, 46% of the Blues disposals were handballs recording +11 more than Hawthorn, and in Week 2 that number rose to 47% while recording +30 more than Gold Coast.
Abbie McKay and Mimi Hill are key drivers of Carlton’s handball game, with McKay first in the competition for handballs and Hill ranked fourth.
Forcing Turnovers
Carlton were very susceptible to turnovers in Week 1, recording 81 turnovers against Hawthorn which was 24 more than their opponent and was a significant contributor to their 38 point loss.
In Week 2 the Blues were able to clean up that area, recording 68 turnovers which was only four more than their opponent and helped them secure their first win of the season.
Geelong have a number of players who can apply plenty of pressure, something they will need to do this week to force Carlton into making mistakes and turning the ball over.
