1. Cats number one
For the first team this season Geelong is on top of the ladder, and they deserve the mantle as best team in the AFL right now. The Cats' back-to-back losses of round nine and 10 seem a long time ago as superstar Patrick Dangerfield and captain Joel Selwood lift them to new heights. They have knocked off contenders in Greater Western Sydney, North Melbourne and now the Western Bulldogs in the past three weeks, separating themselves from the rest of the competition. The Bulldogs also had the opportunity to go top on Saturday night, but one goal in the first half showed they are not in that category yet.
2. Pressure blitz leaves Dogs in a panic
Geelong started with a clear mandate to suffocate the Bulldogs, laying 15 tackles in the first 10 minutes and getting inside their opponents' heads. The inferred pressure that resulted for the rest of the quarter meant the Dogs rushed possession and weren't clean with their hands. Even the impressive and in-form Marcus Bontempelli found himself fumbling two handballs inside two minutes. By quarter-time the tackles read 18-9, despite Geelong having just four more possessions. The Cats' pressure didn't let up.
3. Menzel keeps his feet on patchy turf
It was the artificial turf at Etihad Stadium that earned the ire of the players this week, and on Saturday night there were eyebrows raised at the state of the real stuff, which appeared particularly sandy on the wings. It didn't bother Menzel, who recovered from his ankle complaint to kick the first two goals of the game and three in the first half. The classy 24-year-old was strong in one-on-one contests and covered the ground beautifully, getting free over the top to kick and set-up goals. He faded out of the game, but his early contributions to stun the Dogs were brilliant.
4. Dogs lose their Etihad advantage
The Bulldogs played eight of their first 10 games at Etihad Stadium this season and returned to the venue on Saturday night with a reputation for playing ferocious and slick football under the roof. It has been their hard-nosed midfielders who have been hardest to counter – ranking No.1 in the AFL for centre clearance differential – but they were embarrassed by the Cats. The clearances (35-31) and centre clearances (12-9) were slightly in the Cats' favour, but it was the ease at which they ran the ball out at times that mattered. The Dogs, meanwhile, were rarely able to take advantage of their midfield wins due to the savage pressure they were under.
5. Why does Patrick Dangerfield get so much space?
It is hard to understand how the best player in the competition right now can be given such free reign to do his thing. After amassing 1042 metres gained against North Melbourne last week – the second highest on record – Dangerfield was again able to do as he pleased on Saturday night. He racked up 37 possessions (19 contested) and 12 inside 50s – all game highs – and kicked two goals. He appears impossible to stop in the contest right now, but he was still able to roam the outside with little attention on Saturday night. His 12 handball receives was second at the Cats only to Steven Motlop.
