Geelong obliterated Fremantle by 133 points in one of the worst performances of 2018 by the losing team.
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Final score
Geelong Cats 24.14.158
Fremantle Dockers 3.7.25
The Geelong Cats will take on the Fremantle Dockers this Saturday afternoon at GMHBA Stadium, in what may be a one-sided game. Join The Roar for live scores and a blog of the match, starting at 2:10pm (AEST).
This one is fairly simple – Geelong needs to smash the Dockers to improve its percentage and boost its chances of making finals.
The Cats have two simple matches to finish the season, which should see them jump into the top eight – however, the Dockers have a good recent record in Geelong which could buoy the club.
Nat Fyfe is back for Fremantle which is enormous, while Bailey Banfield is an underrated inclusion for the club.
In the team’s last three matches at GMHBA, they have won one match and lost the two other games by two points each.
It’s a ridiculous record for such a low-rated team, but it immediately gives the club a boost.
The Cats have made four changes, with only one forced. Ryan Abbott will take on Sean Darcy in an intriguing match-up to see who gives their midfielders first use, while Harry Taylor is an important inclusion.
Jordan Murdoch tends to thrive in these sorts of matches, and a 20-disposal, two-goal effort wouldn’t surprise, while Jackson Thurlow is the fourth inclusion.
Fremantle’s strength in this match is its pace when moving the ball off half-back and on the wings, both by foot and with their kicking. Nathan Wilson will be particularly important in this game, as the key to beating Geelong is to avoid kicking high to contests.
Wilson needs to either kick the ball over the top for his small forwards to run onto, or hit up the likes of Cox and McCarthy on the lead.
It all boils down to how important this match is for Geelong, however. Chris Scott would be well aware of the issues his team has had with the Dockers, and there’ll be no complacency here by the club.
Geelong’s bottom six players aren’t of particularly high quality, but that’s an issue when they come up against the better teams.
Despite the record Fremantle may have against the Cats, this will be ugly. Geelong needs to win well, and that’s exactly what they’ll do.
The live blog will have a bit of fun, because we could be seeing a massacre on our screens.
Tip: Geelong by 64 points
Hawthorn
Guest
Man, I missed this game on tv but I looked at the highlights, I couldn't believe that the dockers were leading at quarter time
Jon Boy
Guest
No your right make it Monday week. We fell in against Carlton if it was played in Melbourne ? Carlton have had some bad losses But 23 consecutive goals.
Cat
Roar Guru
A lot has been said about Fyfe's 37 disposals, but only 56% effective and 9 turnovers. At least he tried. Not too many more could claim the same.
Cat
Roar Guru
I'm not going to complain but it could have been closer to 28 goals straight. Cats missed several sitters in that last quarter.
Cat
Roar Guru
I did say to someone sitting near me at 3/4 time that the last time a game had this feel to it, Dean Bailey got sacked straight after.
13th Man
Guest
Honestly, Carlton have more upside than we do whilst Ross Lyon is still at the helm. Look at the players we had out there today. Fyfe, Neale, Mundy, Walters, Brad Hill, Nathan Wilson, Alex Pearce. That is some serious quality that should never be losing a game by that kind of margin.... ever! Fyfe's 37 touches must have been the most ineffective 37 disposals in history (sidenote: I turned it off after half time, couldn't bear it any more). There is something seriously wrong and I think it's the coaching. Man for man we are not 133 points worse than Geelong, they have some good players in Ablett, Danger and Selwood but they aren't world beaters, before today they weren't even in the 8! There is clearly a serious mismanagement going on and the buck has to stop with the Coach, he has to be held accountable for this utter shemozzle. If this was the EPL his head would already be on a stake, the club needs to grow a pair and cut Ross loose, the sooner the better, he is an absolute cancer on the club!
Liam Salter
Roar Guru
Sacking him Monday doesn't make too much sense to me, especially given we've got one more game left anyway. But I don't doubt they'll be some discussions during the week. Also, I think we're a little better than Carlton ;)
13th Man
Guest
The club needs to grow a pair and sack Ross monday morning. A completely unnaceptable performance. No side should be losing by 133 points. Ross needs to be held accountable, he cannot remain coach after this shambles. Looking forward to see how Don spins a positive out of this wreck. And people say we are making progress? We are further away from a flag than Carlton!
bryan
Guest
This raises memories of the Connolly era, although, at least we didn't have players standing around with their hands on their hips like those days. It's "not that easy being purple" when Freo in this competition & the Glory in the "A" League each year promise a lot & fail to deliver. Still, like Kermit & green, I guess "purple is all there is to be". :) The Cats definitely deserve their win, but I don't think this thing of playing poorly in the first quarter, then coming on like gang busters in the last three will quite so effective against the Tigers or Eagles.
Kane
Guest
Looking forward to seeing how Don spins this one. And he thinks Carlton are bad!!
Peter the Scribe
Roar Guru
133 point loss is usually a coaching sacking. Lucky Ross contract is stitched up.
Liam Salter
Roar Guru
Was this all a bad dream? Ah, no. Just a brutally visceral disappointment. Conceding 23 consecutive goals is literal insanity, and something that is a terrible proof of the peaks and troughs of the footy club at the moment. The problem being there's a lot more troughs than peaks. Can't expect Collingwood to be taking it easy next week, particularly is they're still fighting for as high a finals spot as they can, but a performance that oozes competitiveness would be good to see. I don't even feel like saying much more. I'm sure they'll be plenty on this site that'll do that for me in the next few hours!
Doc Disnick
Roar Guru
That's all you can do. I'm fairly dissapointed in Freo this year myself. Had high expectations. Got that one wrong.
Dem Panopoulos
Expert
MATCH REPORT Geelong obliterated Fremantle by 133 points in one of the worst performances of 2018 by the losing team. Geelong broke all sorts of records, kicking an astonishing 23 goals in a row after quarter time to put aside a disappointing start to the game. In terms of positive for Fremantle, Nat Fyfe played and finished with 37 disposals. This performance almost guarantees Geelong's spot in the finals, particularly after Port Adelaide's loss earlier in the day. The Cats sit inside the top eight with an excellent percentage and face the lowly Gold Coast Suns in the final round of the season. Most of the home team's players were good on the day, with Tim Kelly (26 disposals, 3.2), Tom Hawkins (22 disposals, 6.1) and Sam Menegola (27 disposals, six marks, 1.0) the three likely to be involved in the Brownlow votes. With only one week left in the season proper, there will be two different mindsets heading into the final round. Geelong will look to demolish Gold Coast in a similar manner, while Fremantle will be hoping to at least get within 50 points of Collingwood based on this performance. It was an ugly game for footy purists, but Geelong's record-breaking display will put some fear into those sides finishing 5-8 on the AFL ladder.
FreoFan
Roar Rookie
No excuses for it. Well done to your boys - you took full advantage.
FreoFan
Roar Rookie
Not acceptable. There is ‘excuses’ you can make by saying we have lots of kids in the team and we are developing but there is still plenty of talented players and we should not be dishing up something like this. We’ve played some half decent football throughout the year but have been destroyed by decent opposition on many occasions. I’ve seen glimpses of hope but there is still a lot of work to do. We are no where near finals yet. But I’ll continue to support the boys through it all. Chins up Freo, go back home and do some hard work.
Doc Disnick
Roar Guru
I don't care what anyone says. No team should be 133 points off the pace in a salary capped league. Thanks for the call, Dem. GO CATS!
Dem Panopoulos
Expert
FULL TIME This game is finally over. One of the worst performance ever seen in the final three quarter by Fremantle, who scored five points compared to 147 from Geelong. Those who continued to follow the blog and watched the game should be congratulated, this was one hell of a shellacking. Thanks all for joining me. There's a special bond among all those who watched every minute now.
Dem Panopoulos
Expert
Q4– 00:43 BEHIND (Cats) Patrick Dangerfield is tackled high 15 metres out. He misses. It's the equivalent of turning up late to the party, and only the parents are home. Everyone else has gone. No sense of occasion for Dangerfield. Geelong – 158 Fremantle – 25
Dem Panopoulos
Expert
Q4– 1:58 A round of applause at GMHBA stadium for those still watching the game. Geelong – 157 Fremantle – 25