Geelong will be looking for consecutive wins for the first time since Round 5 when they take on St Kilda at Simmonds Stadium today. Join The Roar for live scores and commentary from 1:10pm (AEST )
Since going 5-0 to start the 2014 season the Cats have not been able to string consecutive wins together sitting on eight wins and three losses at the half way point of the season.
They have the perfect opportunity to break the trend against a Saints team that has struggled in recent weeks.
St Kilda won the first two matches of the season but has lost eight of the last nine matches. In their last six matches – which have all been lost by St Kilda – the average losing margin is 62 points.
Not great form heading into a big clash against a top six team.
What also isn’t helping is their form at Simmonds Stadium, the venue of today’s clash. In 57 meetings in Geelong the Saints have won just 13 times at the venue.
Their last win was in 1999 and they have won just twice at Kardinia Park since 1990. Last year when the two teams met at the venue the Cats were victors by 102 points.
It doesn’t look pretty for a St Kilda fan or player.
This match used to be one of the matches of the season. In 2009 the two teams faced off in the two biggest clashes of the year.
The first was in Round 14 with both teams battling each other with a 13-0 record. St Kilda won that famous match and then went on to win the minor premiership.
Geelong would exact revenge in the Grand Final, winning the other big clash between the two by 12 points. It would be their second Premiership in three years.
This rivalry continued in 2010 when St Kilda defeated the Cats twice during the year as they made the Grand Final for the second year in a row.
Since then the Cats have dominated the contests between the two winning the last four meetings. They have made three changes for the clash with Dawson Simpson, Bradley Hartman and Jed Bews in the squad.
Hamish McIntosh, Jesse Stringer and Darcy Lang are the three that miss for the Cats. Hartman will make his debut for the Cats tomorrow and was recruited from the Sturt SANFL club.
St Kilda has made two changes for the clash with David Armitage returning after a cut knee in Round 4 forced him into a long layoff. Jimmy Webster is also in with Clinton Jones and Sam Dunell the two that miss the clash.
I can’t see St Kilda beating the Cats today and they should record a comfortable victory.
The Cats have too much class in the midfield and the forward line with Tom Hawkins will have a field day against the inexperienced defenders of the Saints.
Geelong will win and put keep themselves within distance of a top four finals spot.
The Cats by 55 points.
Cat
Roar Guru
Yep, same as everyone else who has gotten to play the Saints this year.
big dallo
Guest
Geelong the old flat track bullies.
Cat
Roar Guru
Would have liked the Cats to run out that last quarter a little better but can't complain really. 96 point winners without MacIntosh, Johnson, Caddy, Christensen or Rivers playing. Lang and Hartman both had good debut games.
Shane Jones
Roar Guru
That is it from me for the match. Geelong far too strong for St Kilda. The Saints just couldn't stop the run and carry of the Cats. They also couldn't get enough good entries in their 50. It will be a tough last part of the year for the Saints. Thanks for joining in. Collingwood and the Bullodgs are playing right now. The live blog for that is here. http://www.theroar.com.au/2014/06/15/collingwood-magpies-vs-western-bulldogs-afl-live-scores-blog/ Thanks again.
Shane Jones
Roar Guru
STATS: GOAL KICKERS: GEELONG T Hawkins 3 M Duncan 3 J Selwood 3 J Walker 3 J Murdoch 2 J Bartel 1 D Lang 1 S Motlop 1 M Stokes 1 A Mackie 1 J Stringer 1 ST KILDA M Weller 1 C Shenton 1 N Riewoldt 1 D Armitage 1 J Billings 1 DISPOSAL LEADERS: GEELONG: Stokes 36, Bartel 32, Motlop 29, Mackie 26, Kelly 25 ST KILDA: Ross 28, Armitage 21, Ray 21, Webster 20, Steven 19 OVERALL STATS: DISPOSALS: GEELONG 381 ST KILDA 304 CONTESTED POSSESSIONS ST KILDA 116 GEELONG 115 UNCONTESTED POSSESSIONS GEELONG 266 ST KILDA 188 MARKS GEELONG 134 ST KILDA 69 TACKLES GEELONG 69 ST KILDA 63 HIT OUTS GEELONG 63 ST KILDA 21 INSIDE 50's GEELONG 57 ST KILDA 34
Shane Jones
Roar Guru
FULL TIME Geelong are comfortable winners at Simmonds Stadium as they smash the Saints by 96 points. They now move to fourth position on the ladder but will move back to fifth if Collingwood win later today. SCORE: GEELONG 20 13 133 ST KILDA 5 7 37
Shane Jones
Roar Guru
David Armitage gets a free kick for a high tackle and kicks St Kilda's third for the quarter. The margin is back under 100 points. GEELONG 20 13 133 ST KILDA 5 7 37
Shane Jones
Roar Guru
Hawkins kicks his third and Geelong lead by 102 points. A wonderful kick from Kelly finds Hawkins and he makes no mistake. GEELONG 20 13 133 ST KILDA 4 7 31
Shane Jones
Roar Guru
Hawkins makes it three goals for the term for the Cats. They now lead by 96 points with just over four minutes to go. GEELONG 19 13 127 ST KILDA 4 7 31
Shane Jones
Roar Guru
Sean Dempster makes a cardinal sin for the Saints as he hand passes to Murdoch in the Cats 50. He kicks his 2nd for the match and the margin goes out to 89 points. GEELONG 18 12 120 ST KILDA 4 7 31
Shane Jones
Roar Guru
Joel Selwood kicks Geelong's first goal of the final quarter as they extend the margin back out to 83 points. The Cats have kicked the majority of their goals today with plays that have started inside their defensive 50. GEELONG 17 12 114 ST KILDA 4 7 31
Shane Jones
Roar Guru
St Kilda are showing a little bit in the final quarter as they lift their intensity. Jack Billings kicks his first goal for the afternoon as St Kilda kick their second for the quarter. GEELONG 16 12 108 ST KILDA 4 7 31 9 and a half minutes to go in the match.
Shane Jones
Roar Guru
Cameron Shenton kicks the goal of the day for the Saints. He runs to 55 metres out and kicks truly. This was after they won the clearance from the throw in. Good start to the final term for them. GEELONG 16 11 107 ST KILDA 3 5 23
Shane Jones
Roar Guru
Geelong's biggest win against St Kilda is 161 points at Corio Oval in 1899. At Kardinia Park the biggest winning margin by the Cats against the Saints is 122. They did that in 2002. The Kardinia Park margin looks under threat if Geelong apply the pressure in the final term.
Shane Jones
Roar Guru
STATS: DISPOSAL LEADERS: GEELONG: Bartel 25, Stokes 24, Motlop 22, Mackie 21, Kelly 20 ST KILDA: Ross 18, Ray 17, Montagna 16, Armitage 14, Hayes 14 OVERALL STATS: DISPOSALS: GEELONG 292 ST KILDA 215 CONTESTED POSSESSIONS: GEELONG 85 ST KILDA 89 UNCONTESTED POSSESSIONS: GEELONG 207 ST KILDA 126 MARKS: GEELONG 112 ST KILDA 44 TACKLES: GEELONG 46 ST KILDA 49 INSIDE 50's: GEELONG 44 ST KILDA 23
Shane Jones
Roar Guru
Tom Hawkins kicks a goal after the siren to keep the misery going for the Saints. They lead by 90 points at 3/4 time. The Saints were kept goal less for the third quarter. Both teams are running through the motions at the moment. GEELONG 16 11 107 ST KILDA 2 5 17
Shane Jones
Roar Guru
Darcy Lang kicks his first goal for the Cats as they bring up the ton. The Cats rebounded from the defensive 50 once again as they ran through the middle of the ground. Varcoe kicked to a leading Hawkins who kicked to Lang. Geelong lead by 83. GEELONG 15 10 100 ST KILDA 2 5 17
Shane Jones
Roar Guru
As I say that Tom Hawkins gains a free kick from Delaney but misses from about 45 metres in front. He now has two behinds for the day. GEELONG 14 10 94 ST KILDA 2 4 16
Axle an the guru
Guest
In reply to Shouts Chen, St Kilda are one of the bottom six sides that are all on three wins apice, all of them are effectively a second grade competition inside a competition.
Shane Jones
Roar Guru
The only positive of the day for St Kilda is Luke Delaney. He has held Tom Hawkins to 1 behind.