DT: 89
SC: 82
4 ANDREW MACKIE returned to the Geelong side and appeared fully fit after a month disrupted by a hamstring complaint. He took seven marks and gathered 22 possessions across half back, providing great rebound with his penetrating kick. Despite immense physical pressure from the Dockers, Mackie disposed with 90.9% efficiency.
DT: 93
SC: 89
5 TRAVIS VARCOE did not have a possession in the opening term but quickly responded after the break, kicking a goal with his first touch. He gave a valuable contribution from then on, gathering 14 disposals and executing with 92.9% efficiency. Varcoe was effective when competing at centre bounces, winning two centre clearances. He added a second goal early in the final term which kept the Cats within reach of the Dockers late in the game.
DT: 79
SC: 66
7 HARRY TAYLOR started along side Matthew Pavlich, the centre of attention in his 300th game. He had his hands full with the Fremantle captain and made and equal game-high six spoils. Taylor was thrown deep into the forward line for the last quarter but was unable to trouble the scorers, finishing the game with four marks and seven disposals.
DT: 25
SC: 44
9 JAMES KELLY was one of Geelong’s best players, contributing first in defence and later in the middle. The Fremantle midfield dominated early so Kelly started the second half inside the centre square, where he won three of his four clearances. He competed well across four quarters, taking eight marks and collecting 30 disposals.
DT: 103
SC: 91
13 TOM LONERGAN started the match on Zac Clarke but was moved to Matthew Pavlich when he kicked his third first half goal. Lonergan drastically reduced the influence of the Fremantle skipper and held him goalless in the second half. He made six spoils, an equal game high, and tallied 16 possessions.
DT: 48
SC: 56
14 JOEL SELWOOD played without a hard tag for the first time in weeks and relished the freedom, collecting 18 touches in the first half. Geelong were lethargic early but Selwood worked tirelessly to keep his team in the match. He took eights marks and won seven clearances, four more than the next best Cat. Selwood was just as effective after half time, accumulating a tally of 35 disposals by the final siren.
DT: 138
SC: 140
16 DAWSON SIMPSON faced a monumental challenge rucking against man mountain Aaron Sandilands. He was dominated early in the game but adjusted his approach to win eight hit-outs. His follow up once the ball hit the ground was strong, making eight tackles along with his three disposals. Simpson was substituted for Jackson Sheringham in the third term to enhance the Cats’ running capability.
DT: 42
SC: 41
17 HAMISH McINTOSH competed strongly in the ruck, tallying 23 hit-outs, just three shy of counterpart Aaron Sandilands. His defensive effort was excellent, laying six tackles, but he was restricted from making an impact in attack, where he has been such an asset for the Cats. McIntosh took three marks and collected a total of 13 disposals.
DT: 89
SC: 74
19 TAYLOR HUNT was given a defensive role on speedy Docker Stephen Hill. He was not required to apply a hard tag but remained accountable for his opponent, making a game-high eight tackles. Hunt also seized opportunities to attack, contributing three forward 50 entries with his 16 disposals.
DT: 76
SC: 62
20 STEVE JOHNSON was shadowed by Ryan Crowley who is widely regarded as the most effective defensive midfielder in the AFL. Johnson was allowed just five possessions in the first quarter and even fewer in the second. He continued to hunt the footy and had a far greater influence in the second half, amassing 20 disposals. As Johnson and Crowley ran to the bench during the third term, Johnson forced his opponent into Joel Selwood as he entered the field, earning a fortunate and unusual free kick from the interchange umpire.
DT: 56
SC: 53
21 JORDAN MURDOCH was one of the few Geelong players to start the match aggressively and he continued to break the lines throughout the game. Geelong had very few forward entries in the opening half and Murdoch was forced to find many of his 16 disposals high up the ground. He made four tackles and took four marks but it was his willingness to take the game on and forced the momentum in Geelong’s favour that was most impressive.
DT: 74
SC: 74
22 MITCH DUNCAN was a consistent contributor, tallying 26 disposals for the match. His spread from the contest in both defence and attack was very valuable, rebounding defensive 50 five times and entering the forward 50 six times. Duncan also took a game-high 10 marks, all uncontested.
DT: 122
SC: 100
24 JED BEWS was very impressive making his debut in extremely hostile conditions. He played on the half back flank and won several one on one battles deep in defence. He was composed under pressure and was 80% effective with his 15 disposals. Bews made five tackles and took eight marks, rounding out an excellent start to a promising AFL career.
DT: 84
SC: 60
25 JARED RIVERS has been in excellent form over recent weeks, ably filling the void left be fellow defender and former school mate Andrew Mackie. With Mackie’s return Rivers played a more accountable defensive role, competing against Chris Mayne for much of the night. Rivers was effective with 10 of his 12 disposals and prevented Mayne from scoring.
DT: 54
SC: 59
26 TOM HAWKINS did not go near the ball in the first quarter but had taken a mark and kicked a goal one minute into the second. He set up a goal for Travis Varcoe soon after and scored his second goal of the term on the verge of half time. Hawkins made the most of limited opportunities, taking six marks and kicking three straight goals.
DT: 63
SC: 57
29 CAMERON GUTHRIE has taken on a number of run-with roles this season with increasing exposure in the centre of the ground. He played as a genuine on-baller on Saturday night, completing a rapid transition into the midfield. Fremantle boast the biggest and one of the best midfields in the competition but Guthrie was not overawed, collecting a career-high 29 touches. He was 86.2% effective with his disposal, regularly finding teammates with his possessions despite the the opposition’s fierce pressure.
DT: 88
SC: 99
32 STEVEN MOTLOP is still acclimatising to football at the highest level after a prolonged absence with a knee injury. Playing in the forward line for most of the match, he was starved of opportunity. Motlop worked hard for his 12 possessions and was able to snatch a goal late in the game.
DT: 70
SC: 55
33 GEORGE HORLIN-SMITH played one of his best games for Geelong, tallying a career-high 30 disposals. He battled hard against the strong-bodied Fremantle midfield, winning three clearances and snapping a goal from a stoppage inside 50. The Dockers dominated early and stamped out every attempt at a Cats comeback. Horlin-Smith’s outstanding contribution was a silver lining to a disappointing result.
DT: 102
SC: 99
38 JACKSON SHERINGHAM has been used regularly as a substitute this season and he again started the match wearing the green vest. He was activated during the third term and rotated between the midfield and defence. Sheringham was effective with all four of his disposals and made three tackles playing 33% of game time.
DT: 19
SC: 13
44 COREY ENRIGHT was strong in defence but unable to effect quick transition out of the back half. He took seven marks and 19 of his 23 disposals were effective. Fremantle’s tackling pressure in their forward half was first class and as a result Enright’s ability to rebound was restricted.
DT: 92
SC: 79
46 MARK BLICAVS was played in a variety of roles, as has become the norm for the versatile utility. The Dockers have an extremely fit and unusually tall midfield unit, so Blicav’s ability to run with their onballers and match them in the air was vital. He took six marks, made five spoils, and was effective with all but one of his 11 possessions.
DT: 61
SC: 69
