DT: 55
SC: 61
4 ANDREW MACKIE played an excellent game in defence, collecting 26 disposals. He cycled through a number of opponents, freeing Harry Taylor to move forward in the second half, and enabling Chris Scott to try Cameron Guthrie and Jared Rivers in a variety of roles throughout the match. Mackie was one of four Cats to take 10 marks and he was damaging once he gained possession of the ball, disposing with 84.6% effectiveness.
DT: 105
SC: 112
5 TRAVIS VARCOE is still working to find fitness and form, playing his fifth game since returning from injury. Positioned on the forward and back flanks, he gathered just seven disposals but was 85.7% efficient when in possession. Varcoe displayed a commitment to hassle the opposition, chasing with intent and making seven tackles.
DT: 57
SC: 60
7 HARRY TAYLOR showed all of his versatility and value, dominating at both ends of the ground. It is easy to see why Taylor was so eagerly courted by other clubs, with 10 marks and 20 effective disposals from a total of 22. He ran off Justin Westhoff in the first term to kick the Cat’s second goal and was moved forward permanently 20 minutes into the third quarter. Within two minutes of the change, Taylor kicked his second and set up a goal to Motlop only moments later. He took a mark on the boundary, 45m from goal, when the three quarter time siren rang and calmly slotted his third goal with a perfect drop punt.
DT: 112
SC: 119
9 JAMES KELLY was solid through the midfield, collecting 18 disposals. Port Adelaide play a very contested brand of football and Kelly’s strength around the stoppages was important. He won three clearances and made nine tackles, an equal game high. Early in the third term he breezed past Ollie Wines and executed a beautifully balanced snap for goal.
DT: 88
SC: 82
11 JOEL COREY has been a consistent contributor over the last few weeks and again had an influence against the Power. Early in the season he played across half back, but accumulated 28 disposals predominantly in the forward half of the ground. Corey tallied four clearances, three of which were won out at centre bounces, and made five tackles. His decision making and delivery into the forward line was superb, kicking inside 50 seven times and providing five goal assists.
DT: 108
SC: 120
13 TOM LONERGAN went head to head with Power key forward Jay Schultz from the opening bounce to the final siren. Lonergan suffocated Schultz, protecting the dangerous space and forcing him to search for the ball high up the ground. He was effective with every one of his eight disposals and prevented his opponent from troubling the scoreboard until the final 15 minutes of the match.
DT: 46
SC: 54
14 JOEL SELWOOD was at his scintillating best, accumulating 28 disposals and kicking four goals, a career best. He won six clearances and took a game high 12 marks. The one weakness over Selwood’s career has been his ability to regularly contribute to the scoreboard. Over the last month he has kicked 10 goals and on Saturday he scored Geelong’s first goal for the third time in four weeks.
DT: 157
SC: 160
20 STEVE JOHNSON continues to accumulate possessions, leading every player on the ground with a total of 32. His disposal efficiency was below his best but Johnson’s work ethic was unsurpassed, adding four rebounds 50s and three inside 50s. Johnson won four clearances and spread from contests to take eight marks.
DT: 109
SC: 96
22 MITCH DUNCAN added another game to his career tally but not much more, forced from the field with concussion five minutes into the match. He won the ball in congestion close to the Geelong bench and thumped his head on the ground in a heavy tackle. He flung himself back into traffic to win a free before the medical staff could reach him, but was not in a fit state to take his kick and sat out the rest of the match.
DT: 1
SC: 4
23 JOSH CADDY played a very good game, gathering 18 possessions through the midfield and across half forward. He was give a run-with role on Port Adelaide's Matthew Broadbent, preventing him from rebounding out of defence and limiting him to just 12 disposals. Caddy provided a highlight of the game, bursting through two would-be tacklers in the centre of the ground and hitting James Podsiadly on the lead. Caddy continued his run into the forward 50, receiving a short pass from the J Pod and scoring a goal from the set shot
DT: 63
SC: 59
25 JARED RIVERS played his fourth game as a Cat and his first for over three months. He was positioned predominantly as a key defender, ably competing in aerial contests. Rivers also made four tackles but had little impact with possession, adding three rebound 50s from a total of six disposals.
DT: 39
SC: 40
26 TOM HAWKINS was well held by Power defender Alipate Carlisle, collecting just six disposals. Hawkins seemed to be inhibited by the back injury that has plagued him all season, but battled hard to provide a forward marking target. He kicked a goal late in the first term and would have had a second soon after, but Travis Varcoe took the advantage after a free to Hawkins and ran into open goal.
DT: 35
SC: 38
27 MATHEW STOKES has struggled to match the career best form he exhibited early in the season, but is still accumulating plenty of possessions. He tallied 19 touches against Port Adelaide, starting most centre bounces on the wing. Stokes ran his opponents of their legs, pushing hard into space to take 10 marks. He is only 175cm tall but averages over five marks per game and his effort on Saturday was the fourth time he has managed 10 or more marks this year.
DT: 84
SC: 56
28 ALLEN CHRISTENSEN was a welcome return to the Geelong side with 22 disposals in his first senior appearance since round 15. Returning from a hamstring injury, he attacked the ball with reckless abandon, gathering half of his possessions in a contest and making nine tackles. Christensen’s physicality around stoppages was influential, winning four centre clearances from a total of six. He was also effective when he gained possession, disposing with 82% efficiency and kicking two goals.
DT: 117
SC: 114
29 CAMERON GUTHRIE played an excellent game and displayed an ability to have an impact beyond the defensive 50. He tallied 15 effective disposals from his total of 17, and took five marks. He spent periods positioned in defence and, as he did last week, was rotated through the midfield. During the second quarter, Guthrie took two critical contested marks, leading to a Geelong goal. He was able to kick one himself later in the term, starting on defensive 50 and sprinting through the middle of the ground to receive a handball and goal on the run.
DT: 74
SC: 97
30 NATHAN VARDY was charged with the responsibility of being the Cat’s number one ruckman and had 17 hit-outs. Although beaten in the aerial contests, he was superior at ground level, winning 10 possessions and four clearances. Vardy has only played five games this season and will certainly have benefited from greater exposure in the ruck and three consecutive matches at the top level.
DT: 48
SC: 56
31 JAMES PODSIADLY was sorely missed last week against North Melbourne and made an emphatic return on Saturday. He took 10 marks and kicked two goals, providing an important key target inside attacking 50. Podsiadly collected 15 disposals, playing most of the game forward and rotating with Harry Taylor at different stages of the match. He even competed in the ruck at a centre bounce late in the final term. He didn’t jump but waited at ground level to receive the tap and win a centre clearance.
DT: 95
SC: 93
32 STEVEN MOTLOP continued his run of good form with an exhilarating performance against the Power. His work ethic and aerobic capacity is enormous, regularly contributing to a contest in defence and running forward to have a second and third involvement in a chain of possession. This is reflected in the four rebound 50s and three inside 50s he managed with his 23 disposals. Motlop also added 2 goals, one of which involved a miraculous effort to keep the ball in play, weave through traffic and snap around the body.
DT: 89
SC: 120
34 JOSH WALKER was selected for his first game of the year as part of a dramatic reshuffle of Geelong’s ruck set-up. He looked to have sustained a game-ending wrist injury midway through the first quarter after launching himself into a marking contest and landing awkwardly. Walker pushed on and proved a versatile inclusion, playing as a tall utility all over the ground and taking five marks. During the third term he took a diving contested mark deep inside 50 and kicked a goal from 20 metres out.
DT: 69
SC: 55
41 JESSE STRINGER barely had time to put on the green substitute vest, activated five minutes into the opening term. He replaced Mitch Duncan, who was concussed in a tackle and forced to withdraw from the game. Stringer’s first possession was a forward 50 entry after three running bounces along the wing. He finished with seven disposals playing as a small forward, and applied immense defensive pressure inside 50 with seven tackles.
DT: 52
SC: 58
44 COREY ENRIGHT played the entire match as a half-back and still managed to be among Geelong’s leading possession winners with 27. On four occasions he put the Cats inside 50, including a long range attempt at goal that was denied by a cruel bounce. Ever reliable, Enright rebounded defensive 50 four times and took seven marks.
DT: 99
SC: 90
