All Eyes On… The Burswood Bowl

Western Australia has been good to the Cats over the years.

Think Polly Farmer, Gary Malarkey, Mark Bairstow, Joel Corey, and Harry Taylor through to Mitch Duncan, Sam Menegola, Jordan Clark, and Quinton Narkle. The list goes on. Even Brian Peake’s arrival to training via helicopter back in 1981 was worth the price of admission.

The Cats even won 18 of the 35 matches played at  Subiaco Oval between 1988 and 2017, a better percentage than most you’d assume.

However, the gleaming new Optus Stadium hasn’t been as kind since it was opened three years ago, Geelong having won just one of five games there since 2018.

Thursday night is as good a time as any to start evening up that ledger.

All Eyes On… Higgo for PM

It’s a part of footy folklore now, but as former prime minister Robert Menzies’ health began to falter back in the 1970s the Carlton Football Club built a ramp so the lifelong Blues fan could drive his Bentley up onto the committee box at Princess Park to watch his beloved Blues.

It was fitting then, that the Cats’ very own Rolls Royce pulled into the MCG on Saturday afternoon to take on those same Blues.

Noted for his exceptional skill with ball in hand over 248 games to date, and more than a few times compared to a luxury car by excitable AFL scribes, Shaun Higgins had lost a bit of bark over the past month from some quarters. But as all the good players do he responded emphatically on the weekend with his best game as a Cat, picking up 25 disposals, seven marks, seven score involvements, and five inside 50s. But best of all, his execution and disposal of the footy was almost flawless.  

The analogy might be a bit of a stretch but when a player of Higgins' ability is at his best, the Cats have an extra gear.

All Eyes On… Moroccan Sunsets

Speaking of luxuries, Zach Touhy’s ability to play, and perform, wherever the coach puts him must help Chris Scott rest easier at night, and conversely will likely give the Dockers coaching staff nightmares this week.

The Irishman has been in red-hot form over the last month and was a driving force again on the weekend, even drifting forward to kick a couple in the final term, dousing any hope Carlton had of pinching the game.

Touhy was playing his 100th game since crossing to Geelong from Carlton back in 2016, and after his 24 touches on Saturday, there would have been more than a few Blues trudging home post-match with scratchy throats after they made the curious decision to boo him and fellow milestone man Lachie Henderson every time they touched the footy.

It’s been that kind of year for the man with the best mustache in football. After single-handedly making torps cool again back in Round 9, he was ceremoniously booed for not doing it a week later. You can’t boo Zach Touhy though, that’s like saying you don’t like a Moroccan Sunset.

All Eyes On… The Double Chance

Players don’t have the luxury of looking too far ahead in the schedule, but fans do and more than a few would have taken a sneaky look at the draw recently, especially with top-four aspirants Brisbane, Port Adelaide, and the Western Bulldogs all dropping games.   

For those that haven’t, it looks like this:

- Fremantle @ Optus Stadium

- Richmond @ MCG

- North Melbourne @ Blundstone Arena

- GWS @ GMHBA Stadium

- St. Kilda @ GMHBA Stadium

- Melbourne @ GMHBA Stadium

At least that’s how it looks at the minute. The Cats are currently third, equal on points with the Dogs, and a game behind Melbourne with four home games, including three in Geelong, to come.

As we’ve seen time and again this season, there are no easy games but Geelong still has their destiny in their hands which is exactly where you want to be this time of the year.