1. Cats on a hot tin roof
After an undefeated first five weeks of the season, Geelong has dropped two successive matches it was expected to win. They were outworked by a more desperate Collingwood and looked slow against Gold Coast. Joel Selwood (24 disposals) and Patrick Dangerfield (29) led the way, and they got a bit more support from Mitch Duncan (33) and Sam Menegola (22), but the younger, less experienced Cats struggled. With Essendon, Western Bulldogs, Port Adelaide and Adelaide ahead, and in an incredibly even season, these unexpected losses could come back to bite.
2. Speed kills
Gold Coast has been slowly but steadily improving over the season, and on Saturday night the team clicked into gear. They simply out-ran the Cats, streaming through the middle of the ground off half-back. Jarrod Harbrow (30 disposals), Aaron Hall (32 and 10 marks), Touk Miller (relatively quiet with 18) and Adam Saad were creative with their handballs and movement through the centre. They turned the Cats inside out, putting enormous pressure on their defence and causing chaos in their own forward line. Callum Ah Chee ran a slow Geelong backline in circles, kicking three goals, and was ably supported by fellow small Brandon Matera (two).
3. Remember me?
Geelong fans would have watched with a wry smile as ex-favourite Sun Gary Ablett strutted his stuff through the middle of Metricon Stadium. With rumours circling about his playing future, it was a typical Ablett game, complete with a shoulder injury scare. Loosely matching up with fellow superstar Patrick Dangerfield, Ablett (32 touches) used the ball to force his teammates in better positions, and was instrumental in their first half onslaught. He turned back the clock with a stunning goal from 45 metres right on the boundary line. Ablett sent a scare through the Suns camp after jarring his "good" shoulder in a tackle, but only spent a short time off the ground.
4. A very late change for the better
Chris Scott raised eyebrows before Geelong flew up to the Gold Coast when he suggested a late change could be made. The Cats took all three emergencies with them, a rare occurrence for any team, and Sam Menegola came into the team as an extremely late change after Lachie Henderson suffered a knock in the warm-up. Menegola, who was unlucky to be omitted in the first place, duly turned in one of the best performances of his career. While his disposal numbers weren't as high as they have been, the big-bodied midfielder threw his weight around in stoppages, broke tackles and kicked three goals.
5. Gun Sun returns
Star defender and co-captain Steven May missed the past two matches with a hamstring injury, leaving the young Gold Coast defence undermanned and a bit rudderless. The Suns welcomed him back with welcome arms against Geelong. While opponent Tom Hawkins did kick three goals, May was instrumental in deflecting numerous Geelong forward entries, and often played goal-keeper as the last defender back. May had 26 disposals at 92.3 per cent efficiency, as well as seven marks and seven rebound 50s. Possibly their most valuable player, the Suns will be praying May stays fit for the rest of the season.
