Where and when: Metricon Stadium, Saturday, May 25, 7.25pm AEST
Last time they met: GMHBA Stadium, round 23, 2018: Geelong 22.10 (142) defeated Gold Coast 5.10 (40)
The final round of the season resembled a training run for Geelong. With their spot in the top eight already secure, the Cats ran riot against a Suns outfit that was depleted, dispirited and looking for the season to finish. Patrick Dangerfield was best afield with 34 disposals and four goals.
What it means for Gold Coast: The Suns are hoping to continue their strong form in front of their home fans. Despite losing five straight matches overall, Gold Coast has been more than feisty at Metricon Stadium, winning two from four and losing in the final second to Melbourne last time at home.
What it means for Geelong: The Cats are rolling, sitting a game plus significant percentage clear at the top of the ladder. They’ve won five straight – and are undefeated away from home – and will be out to maintain that buffer in first place with another victory here.
How Gold Coast wins: With some luck. The Suns have proved to be scrappy and largely outplayed most pre-season predictions to date, but to win they’ll need the Cats to be below their best. Nothing short of four quarters at their top intensity will do.
How Geelong wins: As long as the Cats don’t treat the trip north like a holiday, they should have too much class. If they can match the hard-at-it Gold Coast midfield, the outside class should provide the multi-faceted forward line plenty of chances to kick a winning score.
The stat: Geelong is the most free-scoring team in the competition and the only one to average more than 100 points a game. Conversely, Gold Coast is stuck at the bottom of the scoring table, averaging 61 points a game – eight fewer than the next lowest, Melbourne.
The match-up: Mitch Duncan v Ben Ainsworth
While some bigger-name teammates often get the headlines, Duncan is having another super season for the Cats. Meanwhile, Ainsworth is quickly emerging as the most skilled Sun from their batch of high-end draft picks. Both spend plenty of time on the wing, while also moving onball, and can cause havoc for the respective teams forward of centre.
It’s a big week for: Chris Scott
Milestones often fly under the radar for coaches, but Scott will coach his 200th match for Geelong, third on the club’s list behind Reg Hickey (304) and Mark Thompson (260).
Thommo’s Tip: Geelong by 35 points.
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Just waiting for Constable to be that late in and take my captaincy
played in the VFL today. Groin strain but not serious. Played into the 3rdQTR only.
Who do I field?
TU – Clark
TD – Hinge
NO LATE CHANGES
Burgess outscoring the donut by 2 at quarter time!!
That’s a point then. Everyone starts on 1 😉
The donut is fighting back. Burgess now only leads by 1 at 1/2 time
Burgess killing it
Will burgess outscore
TU: the donut
TD: The bombers
Gryan Miers is killing me.
3/4 scores
The bombers: 22
Burgess: 20
The donut: 0
Strong 3/4 quarter by burgess, Bombers were better too.
The donut doing his thing all game
Thanks Bill 😉
Atkins with the ton :0
Atkins on that 100 rookie going big or go home!
Sorry all – been tied up all night
Gold Coast Suns: 9.10.64
Jarrod Witts 109
Darcy MacPherson 109
David Swallow 106
Anthony Miles 99
Brayden Fiorini 95
Jack Martin 90
Nick Holman 90
Lachlan Weller 89
Jordan Murdoch 88
Jesse Joyce 73
Jack Hombsch 61
Wil Powell 57
Jack Bowes 55
Alex Sexton 54
Peter Wright 52
Jarrod Harbrow 49
Charlie Ballard 49
Ben Ainsworth 47
Josh Corbett 47
Chris Burgess 40
Jack Lukosius 30
Ben King 22
Geelong Cats: 13.13.91
Tim Kelly 135
Mitch Duncan* 123
Tom Hawkins 121
Tom Atkins 114
Brandan Parfitt 96
Gary Ablett jnr 96
Cameron Guthrie 93
Luke Dahlhaus 91
Joel Selwood 89
Mark Blicavs 89
Tom Stewart 86
Jordan Clark 85
James Parsons 82
Gary Rohan 67
Harry Taylor 65
Rhys Stanley 63
Zach Tuohy 51
Darcy Fort 50
Jake Kolodjashnij 48
Jack Henry 42
Mark O’Connor 36
Gryan Miers 34
Anyone have any idea what Miers price might drop to this round? Starting to wonder if I was better off taking the donut instead of holding him (semi-seriously)
Just posted at the bottom of the ‘Progress scores’ thread …