Geelong’s VFLW side put together a mighty second half at Deakin University on Saturday afternoon but were unable to overcome Carlton’s early lead, falling by 19 points in their second match of the season.

The Cats were looking to bounce back after suffering defeat in the opening round, but the Blues early dominance left Geelong 37 points adrift at half time which ultimately proved too big a deficit to overcome. 

Vice-captain, Abby Favell displayed strong leadership for the Cats collecting 16 disposals, 10 tackles, and five clearances, an instrumental performance that helped drive the team in the second half.

Hayley Peck performed exceptionally across the ground, leading hit-outs for the game (20) and booting a major for the Cats, while also laying eight tackles against a tough opposition.

Carlton found momentum early holding the Cats in their back half for the majority of the first quarter, resulting in three unanswered goals to leave Geelong trailing. 

Zoe Cowan and Abby Favell laid a combined seven tackles to stifle the Blues attacks, assisted by Elise Cook’s two intercept marks, allowing the squad to find opportunities to breach the centre line. The Cats finished 21 points behind at the end of the quarter.

Geelong stayed aggressive heading into the second term, leading the tackle count (+8) and disrupting Carlton’s relentless offense.

The Blues booted another three majors in the second term to extend their lead to 37 points at half time, continuing to maintain possession within their forward 50.

Janessa Fitzgerald had five clearances throughout the first half, allowing Chloe Bryant (17 disposals) and Mekah Morrissy (13 disposals) to work the ball away from their backline. 

A thrilling start to the second half saw Seisia White, Jemima Woods and Hayley Peck each kick a goal to bring the margin back to 21 points by the final break. 

Geelong swung the momentum their way, taking space on the wings and finding their own success by countering through the centre, holding Carlton goalless for the entire quarter.

The promising turnaround for the Cats put immense pressure on Carlton, with Stephanie O’Kane booting through the first goal of the last quarter to close the gap even further.

Carlton regained confidence after slotting their first major of the second half, both teams locking into a back and forth contest.

The final minutes of the game were played out in the Cats front half, but opportunities to close the gap were limited by Carlton’s unforgiving defence, leaving them with a 19 point deficit at the final siren.

2025 VFLW Season - Round Two

GEELONG      0.1      0.2       3.3      4.5      (29) 
CARLTON      3.3      6.3       6.4      7.6      (48)
 
GOALS 
Geelong: Woods, White, Peck, O'Kane 1
Carlton: Burke 3, Keck 2, Vickers, McCarthy 1

DISPOSALS
Geelong: Bryant 17, Favell, Cook 16, Woods, Morrissy, Cowan 13
Carlton: Trindade 30, Vickers 27, Di Donato 25, Keck 19, Field 18

@ Deakin University, Waurn Ponds