AFL Round 11

Geelong Cats v Western Bulldogs
Thursday 22 May | 7:30pm AEST
GMHBA Stadium, Geelong • Wadawurrung
Broadcast: Channel 7, Kayo/Foxtel

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LAST MEETING

Round 19, 2024
Geelong Cats 7.6 (48) def. by 13.17 (95)

The Western Bulldogs showed dominance in a commanding 47-point win at GMHBA Stadium, controlling the contest across all four quarters. Adam Treloar starred with 31 disposals, 19 kicks and three goals, while Ed Richards was damaging with 29 disposals (21 kicks) and two goals.

Tim English impressed in the ruck with 41 hit-outs, 17 disposals and four tackles, consistently applying pressure around the ground. Rory Lobb was strong too with 27 disposals and eight clearances. 

THE LINE-UP

WHO TO WATCH

Tom Liberatore will bring up another milestone moment on Thursday night, continuing a proud family legacy that’s deeply woven into AFL (and Bulldogs) history.

The father-son duo of Tom and Tony Liberatore currently sit equal-ninth on the all-time list for most combined VFL/AFL games by a father and son - matching Essendon’s Tim and Jobe Watson with 527 appearances.

Tony, a relentless midfielder in the ‘80s and ’90s, played 283 games in a decorated career in the red, white and blue. Tom, since debuting in 2010, has added 244 of his own – averaging 29 disposals and 5.4 tackles this season alone. Thursday’s clash with Geelong offers another opportunity for Tom to lead by example, especially after a strong showing against the Cats last year (23 disposals, 12 kicks and seven tackles).

WHAT THE EXPERTS SAY

- Martin Pegan, afl.com.au

Geelong (6-4) has stayed in touch with the pacesetters without quite doing enough to prove its top-four credentials during a rollercoaster five-match stretch that has seen it alternate between wins and losses. The Cats can now make a huge statement with a victory over the in-form Dogs though their long-running streak of beating them on home turf is fading following defeats in their past two meetings at the venue. 

The Western Bulldogs (6-4) are closing in on claiming a top-four spot for the first time this season after four commanding victories in their past five matches. The Dogs might be two wins short of top spot but loom as a genuine premiership contender as their free-flowing style leaves them as the highest-scoring team in the competition while they set up many of their attacks in defence. 

The Western Bulldogs have fallen 14 points short to Geelong in a fierce contest at GMHBA Stadium.

The Bulldogs nearly completed the perfect comeback, levelling scores midway through the last quarter.

But the hosts were too strong in the 20.7 (127) to 16.17 (113) affair.

The Dogs will rue their missed opportunities in front of goal, finishing the evening with 17 behinds, which in the close contest proved costly.

Key Bulldogs hit the scoreboard, including Rhylee West and Ed Richards, the latter who booted a mammoth goal on the run from outside 50. But due to inaccuracy, even though the Dogs had more shots on goal, they only went into quarter-time with a three-point lead.

It was all Geelong in the second term as Jeremy Cameron's impact on the game grew. The rangy left footer kicked the first two of the quarter becoming the game's first multiple goal-scorer. His influence lifted Geelong, as the Cats began to dominate in the middle and inside 50s. The Cats added six unanswered goals, while the Dogs squandered the few opportunities they had forward.

Finally, with less than 30 seconds left before half-time, the Dogs got their first goal when Naughton soccered through his second – giving Dogs supporters a slight glimmer of hope heading into the main break.

The Dogs leaders lifted in the third term and they got the perfect start after the main break when Marcus Bontempelli delivered a centimetre perfect pass to Buku Khamis inside 50.

Tom Liberatore and Richards started to get their hands on the footy more, but with every step forward the Dogs took, Geelong had the answers.

Matt Kennedy, one of the recruits of the year, kicked two goals in quick succession and reduced the margin to 10 points, setting up a big final term.

Another Bulldogs goal, this time to Richards, reduced the margin to four points at the start of the fourth quarter, before last year's Rising Star Ollie Dempsey, who had a quiet night compared to his recent form, took a remarkable mark when he stayed down among a huge group of players and finished with a classy snap from the boundary.

With less than eight minutes remaining scores drew level with a Naughton goal and a James Harmes point tying the game. But just as Naughton had done moments before, a running goal gave the Cats some breathing space giving them back the lead

Geelong looked to seal the game when he kicked his second, but a third goal to Kennedy right before the siren reduced the margin again to 14 points.

GEELONG             5.1       11.4       16.5     20.7 (127)
WESTERN BULLDOGS             5.4       6.9       13.13     16.17 (113)

GOALS
Geelong: Cameron 6, Neale 5, Mannagh 2, Stengle, O.Henry, Blicavs, Atkins, Holmes, Dempsey, Stengle
Western Bulldogs: Naughton 3, Kennedy 3, Khamis 2, Vandermeer 2, Richards 2, West, Davidson, English, Freijah

BEST
Geelong: Cameron, Holmes, Neale, Smith, Blicavs
Western Bulldogs: Richards, Kennedy, O’Donnell, Bontempelli, Lobb

INJURIES
Geelong: Nil
Western Bulldogs: Nil

SUBSTITUTES
Geelong: Ted Clohesy (replaced Oliver Henry in the fourth quarter)
Western Bulldogs: Lachie Bramble (replaced Luke Cleary in the fourth quarter)

Crowd: 32,641 at GMHBA Stadium