Game day has arrived with Geelong taking on St Kilda at the GABBA from 6.10pm AEST.
The Round 11 clash should be a highly entertaining encounter with the two highest scoring teams this season going head-to-head.
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The match will be televised on Fox Footy.
How the team’s stack up?
Tackles Inside 50: Geelong (6th) v St Kilda (1st)
Disposals: Geelong (3rd) v St Kilda (6th)
Goals Assists: Geelong (1st) v St Kilda (3rd)
Centre Clearances: Geelong (3rd) v St Kilda (2nd)
Total Clearances: Geelong (1st) v St Kilda (11th)
Highest Scoring: Geelong (2nd) v St Kilda (1st)
Team Changes
Geelong has made three changes recalling Gary Rohan, Jake Kolodjashnij and Brandan Parfitt after they were managed last round.
Kolodjashnij will play his 100th AFL game after being taken with the 41st selection in the 2013 national draft.
No better occasion for that goal number one ??????#GeelongStrong @bendigobank pic.twitter.com/jCPrIYedtA
— Geelong Cats (@GeelongCats) August 10, 2020
St Kilda has made two changes with captain Jarryn Geary named to play against great mate Joel Selwood and Jack Bytel who will play his first AFL game.
Key Matchups
Tom Hawkins v Jake Carlisle
After a slow start to 2020, Tom Hawkins has hit back with a strong run of form.
The 32-year-old was one of Geelong’s best in their Round 10 triumph against North Melbourne kicking three goals to take his season tally to 19.
What makes Hawkins’ importance to the Cats so great is his ability to bring his teammates into the game. He currently leads the competition with 14 goal-assists (four more than the next best) and averages 6.6 score involvements per game.
Hawkins has also been highly effective when he takes the ruck contests inside Geelong’s attacking 50. He is currently rated elite for stoppage clearances and hitouts to advantage from stoppages.
Either Jake Carlisle or Dougal Howard will get the job, but we are tipping Carlisle to get the nod given he is stronger in the air (rated elite for marking) and has outperformed his teammate in contested defensive one-on-ones this year.
Mitch Duncan v Jack Steele
Two men that have differing styles but are equally important to their respective team’s midfields.
Mitch Duncan hasn’t missed a beat since returning from a hamstring injury in Round 8, averaging 22 disposals and a goal during his past three games.
Speaking on Geelong’s official podcast, To the Final Bell, former premiership player Mathew Stokes has been amazed by the recent form of Duncan.
“The best thing about our makeup at this very moment is that you always go to Joel Selwood, (Patrick) Dangerfield and Hawkins, but probably our most important player and he is still probably a bit underrated as much as he is rated is Mitch Duncan,” Stokes said.
“I can’t believe how well Mitch Duncan is playing after the pre-season that he had.”
Last time the two sides met, Duncan had a game-high 33 disposals and a goal. If he can have a similar output again the Cats will be right in the game.
Jack Steele may not have the elite ball use that Duncan has, but he is strong in the contested side of the game and does the physical work that allows the likes of Jack Billings focus on their offensive game.
Steele is currently ranked second in the competition for pressure acts, whilst averaging a team-high 21 disposals, six tackles and four clearances per game. He also leads the Saints for goal assists.
Jed Bews v Dan Butler
Butler enters the Round 11 clash in red-hot form after kicking a career-best four goals in the Saints victory against the Suns. He currently sits inside the top five for the Coleman Medal with 21 majors to date.
Butler is not only lethal in front of goal, but he is a pressure machine and a major reason why the Saints are ranked number one in the AFL this season for tackles inside their attacking 50. Butler leads all players this season in this area with 24, seven ahead of the next best.
Geelong’s best small lockdown defender Jed Bews is the man for the task. He leads the team for defensive half pressure acts and has the athletic attributes to take it to Butler.
Mark O’Connor will also likely play on the dangerous Saint at some stage, but has been named to start on a wing.
