GEELONG
V
MELBOURNE
126
97
Preview
Patrick Dangerfield and Joel Selwood put the Cats on their back last week to record a one-point win over North Melbourne however Cats fans can't have been too happy with the performance in a shootout.
A win nevertheless, but the cats lost the contested possession and tackles count - two area of the contest they often pride themselves on.
Melbourne meanwhile are also 2-0 and managed to scrape their way to a win last week against the Blues but come up against the Cats without key duo Jordan Lewis and Jesse Hogan, who sit out due to suspension.
Bernie Vince returns for Melbourne to bolster their midfield however Hogan's absence leaves coach Simon Goodwin with a bit to think about. Jake Spencer, Cam Pedersen and Tim Smith are all options for the rookie head coach.
Geelong's -78 hitout differential - the biggest in the league - means the Cats will consider including Zac Smith in the team to take on Max Gawn, which could mean either of Mark Blicavs or Rhys Stanley could miss out. While the work of their midfield has masked over the issue somewhat, Chris Scott has certainly taken notice.
Cam Guthrie looks likely to miss due to a calf injury as Jed Bews and Sam Menegola loom as his likely replacements.
There's no doubting that suspensions to two of their key players will hamper the Dees and we think it'll be enough to see the Cats get home quite comfortably.
Cats by 25.
Team Line-Ups
Geelong |
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IN | J. Parsons, Z. Smith, S. Menegola, C. Guthrie | ||||||||||||||
OUT | R. Stanley, J. Cowan, G. Horlin-Smith, D. Lang | ||||||||||||||
|
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Melbourne |
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IN | B. Vince, D. Kent, T. Smith | ||||||||||||||
OUT | A. Brayshaw, J. Hogan, J. Lewis | ||||||||||||||
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Team Stats
Geelong
Melbourne
Player Stats
Geelong
Melbourne
Summary
Score Breakdown
1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | |
---|---|---|---|---|
5.2 32 |
9.2 56 |
14.2 86 |
20.6 126 |
|
2.4 16 |
7.11 53 |
12.17 89 |
13.19 97 |
Best On Ground