After a shaky start, everything has goneright for the Cats in 2007. They have won their past seven matches to be theform team of the competition and are now outright premiership favourites. Theyhave kicked the most goals of any side in the league and conceded the fewestpoints to boast a massive percentage, while they look to have no obviousweakness on the paddock. They have often blown teams off the park but a dourstruggle against Adelaideshowed they could play tight, contested footy.
Recent form:
Round 8 – Geelong 14.10 (94) def Fremantle 10.9 (69)
Round 9 – Port Adelaide8.12 (60) lost to Geelong16.20 (116)
Round 10 – St Kilda 9.11 (65) lost to Geelong 19.11 (125)
Round 11 – Adelaide9.8 (62) lost to Geelong9.15 (69)
Round 12 – Geelong12.13 (85) def Brisbane5.5 (35)
Last time out:
Geelong 14.6 (90) def Sydney Swans 9.9(63), round 20, 2006 at Skilled Stadium.
Joel Corey and Cameron Mooney helped theCats gain control of the contest while Max Rooke did a good job on Adam Goodesdespite the Brownlow Medallist winning plenty of the ball. Rooke laid ninetackles and was with Goodes every step of the way. Meanwhile, Barry Hall had aquiet day and had no impact on the contest.
The venue:
Skilled Stadium lost a little of its aurafor a while, but the way the Cats are playing the trip to Geelong looks imposing. The Swans haven’t wondown there since 1999, so despite their success of recent seasons Paul Roos’men haven’t found it easy recently. They’ll have to overcometheir current up-and-down form, a drought at the ground and an in-formopposition to break their Skilled Stadium hoodoo.
Coach: MarkThompson
"Bomber" looked liked losing his job whenthe Cats finished 10th in 2006, but with his side sitting a game clearon top of the ladder, all that talk has been quickly forgotten. The addition ofNeil Balme as football manager has allowed Thompson to concentrate on coachingand coaching alone, and he looks to be making a pretty good fist of it. Hepromised fans a more attacking style of play in 2007, and the statistics – andhis team’s ladder position - speak for themselves.
Strengths:
Perhaps the strength of the Cats is theirdepth and how well-balanced this side looks. Geelong’s defence has always been sound, but thisyear they have a potent attack as well as six or eight genuine midfieldoptions – much like the Swans. An injection of youth – such as Joel Selwood andTravis Varcoe – has also given this team an extra dimension.
Missing in action:
The Cats are virtually all hands on deck.Former skipper Steven King (knee) is still a week away from resuming in the VFLbut, as they have been all season, Geelongwill be full strength to take on the Swans.
The key – The dynamic duo
Neither of them wear a cape or tights(although Swans fans might beg to differ) but Gary Ablett and James Bartelhave been superheroes for the Cats this season. Bartel, more workmanlike thanglamorous, continues to win plenty of the ball while Ablett, cousin of SwanLuke, has also won plenty of the ball and always uses it. Both players are in the top three in Brownlow Medal betting, so the Swans’ midfielders haveone of their toughest assignments of the year.
The young gun: Matthew Stokes
Stokes has been superb for the Cats this season,with his fresh legs often proving crucial late in a quarter. While he willbecome more of a midfielder as his career continues to blossom, he plays mainlyas a forward and his sure hands and neat disposal have made him a trickymatch-up for opposition sides throughout 2007.
The stopper: Max Rooke
While Cameron Ling is the Cats’ mainrun-with man and he has claimed some of the biggest scalps in the AFL thisseason, Rooke is almost certain to return to the Geelong side this week. One can bet his mainaim will be to stop Adam Goodes. Rooke is as tough as they come, while thisyear he has shown a liking to sneak forward and kick a goal when theopportunity presents itself.
The unknown: Something different
Swans coach Paul Roos has flagged adifferent approach and perhaps a different game plan from his team this week asthe Swans try to rebound from their disappointing effort against Collingwood.Just what the Swans come up with against the red-hot Cats will be well worthwatching. Adelaidetried a shut-down approach and came close. Will the Swans try theclose-checking, contested style that served them so well against the Hawks justa few weeks ago? Or will they tempt fate, throw caution to the wind and attackthe AFL’s highest-scoring side?
The views in this story are those of theauthor and not necessarily those of the club
