Geelong Cats vs Western Bulldogs
Sunday 6 July 2014, 4:40pm
Venue: Simonds Stadium

Head-to-head:

Round 5, 2013: Western Bulldogs 13. 8. (86) defeated by Geelong 15. 17. (107), Etihad Stadium
Round 22, 2012: Geelong 16. 11. (107) defeated Western Bulldogs 11. 7. (73), Simonds Stadium
Round 9, 2012: Western Bulldogs 11. 9. (75) defeated by Geelong 14. 11. (95), Etihad Stadium
Round 11, 2011: Geelong 23. 10. (148) defeated Western Bulldogs 13. 9. (87), Simonds Stadium
Round 20, 2010: Western Bulldogs 9. 6. (60) defeated by Geelong 25. 11. (161), Etihad Stadium

Last time they met:

  • Harry Taylor was dominant up forward for Geelong with five goals, while Steven Motlop kicked three. At the other end of the ground Liam Jones led for the Bulldogs with four and Jake Stringer contributed three of his own
  • The Bulldogs won the ruck contest 42 to 25 but weren’t quite as dominant at the clearances, posting just six more than their opposition
  • On average the Bulldogs side was almost two years younger and had played nearly half the number of games (WB 58, Geel 103.1)
  • Stevie Johnson was the leading possession getter, with 30 touches. But he was also dominant around the ground with six inside 50s, ten tackles and one goal, three behinds

Recent form:

Western Bulldogs

The Bulldogs have won two of their past three games, including jagging a win against Collingwood in round 13. Despite playing one of their youngest sides last week against Melbourne, the team stood firm under pressure in the final quarter and did not rely solely on the experienced heads to get the job done. The Bulldogs depth backed by a performing VFL team has also lifted the side this season – with spots in the senior side hotly contested. The Bulldogs will be looking to back up after a positive performance last week and put in a competitive showing against the Cats at their home stadium.

Geelong Cats

Geelong are yet to lose a game in Victoria this season and playing at their fortress will pose a tough task for the Bulldogs. Three of their four losses in 2014 have been to top four sides, while finals fancy Gold Coast also claimed a win in front of a home crowd. While Joel Selwood has carried hamstring soreness in recent games, he is still anticipated to line up against the Bulldogs and the club captain certainly has a number of fellow midfielders to stand up in his place.

Key matchups and game breakers:

  • The spread of talent and experience on Geelong’s list means the Bulldogs will have to be strong defensively across the board if they want to be competitive. Comparing the round 15 sides, the Cats on average have 39.3 more games experience than the Bulldogs
  • Currently ranked second in the race for the Coleman Medal, Tom Hawkins will need to be contained on Sunday. The forward powerhouse has had a consistent run lately, kicking three or more goals a game for the past seven weeks. Dale Morris is the likely opponent and will aim to wear him like a glove
  • After a quieter game against Melbourne last week, Tom Liberatore will be hoping to put in a stronger performance against Geelong. His efforts to gain first touch will be important to give the Bulldogs an edge at the stoppages, while his tackling pressure has been immense this season – having laid 20 more tackles than any other player in the competition
  • It is rare for the two teams to meet without some banter between Club veterans Bob Murphy and Stevie Johnson, but the Geelong veteran may attract a run-with player as a direct opponent across the four quarters. After claiming a number of scalps this season Liam Picken could be the man for the job – although Mitch Wallis’ admirable job on Nathan Jones last week could also see him spend time on Johnson