Cameron Ling and Meg McDonald talked all things Geelong ahead of the Cats Preliminary Final, on this week’s episode of Geelong Football Club podcast ‘To the Final Bell.’  

See the top moments below.

Reviewing Geelong's Week 3 AFLW Clash

(Timestamp: 0:29 – 3:45) 

Meg McDonald: "We had two promising performances in the opening two rounds, we were disappointed to take two points away from those against teams who play a similar style to our own.

Carlton are quite different, they were harder and stronger around the contest and their pressure was what got us in the end across all lines.

Nobody is thinking it is a particularly acceptable performance, but sometimes you have those and luckily it has come with eight rounds to go. 

Cameron Ling: "As you said you review it, then you have to move on and start focusing on that next game."

Analysing the Brisbane Lions Strengths 

(Timestamp: 4:45 – 6:41) 

Meg McDonald: "They have had some close calls in recent seasons.

To turn it around from 44-points down speaks to their spirit, resilience and belief that is going to mean they feel like they are in the game no matter what the margin is." 

Cameron Ling: "They shared the load really well which I think was impressive.

Their hunt at ground balls, which is usually led by Lachie Neale who was pretty well held, they had others who really stood up like Jarrod Berry and Hugh McLuggage."

Previewing the Preliminary Final

(Timestamp: 6:43 – 19:06) 

Cameron Ling: "Because of how well our high half forwards and our small forwards played particularly in the Port Adelaide game, ground balls in our forward half have been outstanding. That was the most impressive aspect of the whole Qualifying Final.

Having multiple options means that it might be a Brad Close or an Ollie Dempsey, there is enough to worry someone like a Dayne Zorko that he has to play on a man rather than peeling off.

That is something I think the Cats will back with their small and medium forwards, hoping that their pressure will account for Brisbane's half backs and then maybe hurt going the other way.

This is what I love about Preliminary Finals. Every matchup matters, every moment matters and a random moment throughout the game matters towards the end result."

Answering some Fan Questions

(Timestamp: 20:20 – 35:42) 

Cameron Ling: "My best Preliminary Final memory was the sheer relief, joy and exhaustion of the 2007 Prelim.

As a player that was best Prelim, as a supporter the best one for me was in 1994.

I was six or seven rows back behind Gary Ablett Senior when he took that mark on Mick Martyn and kicking the goal."