Where and when: MCG, Saturday, August 7, 7.10pm AEST
Head to head: Geelong 92 wins, Collingwood 124 wins, one draw
Last time: Geelong 12.14 (84) d Collingwood 6.14 (50), round nine, 2010 at the MCG

The Cats led by one point at the first break and, after Dayne Beams kicked one right on the siren, five points at half time. Geelong couldn’t break clear of the persistent Pies but, despite the dour contest, it slammed on five goals in 10 minutes to steal a gap in the third term. Cam Mooney and Mathew Stokes each booted three, while Jimmy Bartel was important for the winners. Magpie forwards Travis Cloke and Chris Dawes didn’t manage a goal between them, with Beams booting four of his team’s six.

MISSING IN ACTION
Geelong
Mitch Brown (shoulder) - season
Max Rooke (knee) - indefinite
Jesse Stringer (hip) - season
Adam Varcoe (knee) - season

LAST WEEK
Geelong 20.5 (125) d Sydney Swans 9.18 (72) at ANZ Stadium
The Cats got the jump on the Swans early through Steve Johnson and Gary Ablett, and there was no coming back for Paul Roos’ men. Geelong’s engine room controlled the night while the home team struggled to penetrate its own forward 50 when it did go into attack as Matthew Scarlett, Josh Hunt and Darren Milburn mopped up anything that came their way. Johnson finished with an equal career-high six goals.

Leading goalkicker - Steve Johnson (46)
Leading ballwinner - Gary Ablett (540)

DANGER MEN
Geelong, the competition’s highest-scoring team, has plenty of versatility in attack. Mark Thompson has the ability to go tall with a Mooney-Podsiadly-Hawkins combination but if it isn’t a night for big men, the Cats have an abundance of smalls.

While the Cats will always have at least one tall stay forward, smaller goalkicking options such as Travis Varcoe, Shannon Byrnes, Stokes, Johnson, Paul Chapman and Ablett will ensure the Collingwood coach’s box is kept on its toes.

HOW’S STAT?
Geelong’s run of consecutive home fixtures won is up to 30 matches. That record-breaking streak started back in round two, 2008 against Essendon. Can the Pies end it in front of what promises to be the biggest home-and-away crowd to watch a Cats clash?

WHAT’S AT STAKE
Neither club will talk up the significance of this one, but just a month out from the finals and with every chance the two will meet again in September, a psychological blow can be struck. The Pies have won just one of their past six against the Cats, and the reigning premiers will be eager to show them they still have a way to go before being legitimate contenders to their throne.

WHAT THE OPPOSITION SAYS
“[They’re] usually not the event or the types of games we all want to probably see. It’s going to be a real contest, probably low scoring, probably lots of tackles and lots of mistakes. I hope that’s not the case, but they usually are.” - Geelong coach Mark Thompson on blockbuster matches

WHAT THE PIES SAY
“I guess that’s the test. I don’t want to make any rash predictions ... the test is each week. [Last week] the Collingwood-Carlton thing seemed to be pretty big. [They were] fighting for a place in the eight [and] we met that challenge … there’s never for want of challenges in the AFL.” - Mick Malthouse when asked if his team was better prepared for the Cats

The views in this article are those of the author and not necessarily those of the club.