It was a tough season for Geelong, with the Cats collecting the rebel VFLW wooden spoon for the first time in club history.
BY THE NUMBERS
Position: 12th
W-L-D %: 3-11 (33.7%)
Players used: 49
Played every match: 3 – Sophie Mahar, Breanna Pratt, Molly Walton
AFLW players used: 7 (37 matches)
Debutants: 28 – Bridget Aughton, Lillee Barendsen, Chloe Bryant, Caitlin Charles, Bridie Collings, Elise Cook, Zoe Cowan, Isabella Davies, Piper Dunlop, Samantha Gooden, Kelsea Gray, Lily Jordan, Millie Lang, Cecilia Lowrey, Sophie Mahar, Lucy Marescuk, Kate Martin, Chantal Mason, Mekah Morrissy, Bryde O’Rourke, Hayley Peck, Caitlin Reid, Madeline Sexton, Bella Smith, Johanna Sunderland, Alex Trezise, Seisia White, Kiara Woods
Leading Goalkickers: Chantal Mason 8, Hannah Burchell 4, Zoe Larkins, Brooke Plummer, Breanna Pratt, Poppy Schaap 3
STAT LEADERS
(Averages – Minimum 6 matches)
Disposals: Abbey McDonald 25.1, Lily Jordan 17.4, Poppy Schaap 16.3
Contested Possessions: Abbey McDonald 11.6, Lily Jordan 9.2, Caitlin Reid 8.7
Kicks: Abbey McDonald 12.1, Lily Jordan 10.8, Johanna Sunderland 9.5
Handballs: Abbey McDonald 13.0, Poppy Schaap 9.1, Caitlin Reid 7.7
Marks: Abbey McDonald 5.8, Hannah Burchell 3.5, Brooke Plummer 2.7
Tackles: Lily Jordan 9.3, Poppy Schaap 6.9, Mia Fuller 6.8
Hitouts: Piper Dunlop 26.7, Caitlin Reid 20.5, Samantha Gooden 15.7
Clearances: Abbey McDonald 4.3, Lily Jordan 2.9, Poppy Schaap 2.7
Inside-50s: Brooke Plummer 2.5, Breanna Pratt 2.2, Sophie Mahar 1.8
Rebound-50s: Johanna Sunderland 4.4, Molly Walton 2.9, Abbey McDonald 2.6
What went right: Out of finals contention very early, the Cats took the opportunity to have a good look at generation next. The gave no less than 12 Coates Talent League youngsters a taste of the level they need to get to if they want to be good VFLW, and potentially AFLW, players. But despite all that happened, nothing can ever take away from the fact they claimed the scalp of eventual premier North Melbourne by four goals in Round 6.
What went wrong: Everything that happened after that big win over the Kangaroos. The Cats narrowly fell short against Carlton the week after and then completely collapsed. They failed to kick a goal on four occasions and managed just one major three times as they slumped to their first wooden spoon.
Summary: Geelong is better than that. It was a forgettable year, but the Cats have the talent to bounce back quickly, and it would surprise if they endure a 2025 as bad as 2024. They’ll enter next season on an eight-game losing streak but with plenty of valuable experience under their belts.
Grade: 3/10
