Match

Geelong Cats vs GWS Giants

Commentary / 27 May 2023

Pre Game

00:00
Gryan Miers has recorded 16 kicks that have been marked by a teammate when his kicks have entered the Cats forward 50, the most of any player in the AFL in this regard in 2023.

Quarter 1

00:00
Q1 is now underway.
02:07
SCORE BEHIND - Cats (Rushed)
03:07
SCORE BEHIND - Cats (Rushed)
06:11
SCORE BEHIND - Cats (Rushed)
07:24
Geelong have recorded the first 14 marks of the game. The Cats have averaged 89 marks per game over the last five rounds, the fifth-lowest average of any side during this period of the season.
07:37
SCORE GOAL - Giants (Toby Greene)
08:31
After Geelong had all the early running, recording five inside 50's but managing only three rushed behinds, the Giants get a goal through captain and milestone man Toby Greene.
10:21
SCORE GOAL - Cats (Tom Hawkins)
11:04
Both goals scored early in today's match have been launched from forward half intercept possession chains. Geelong average 36 points per game from this source in 2023, ranked third, whereas GWS average 26 points per game, ranked ninth.
14:56
Jake Riccardi kicks a goal from the Giants first mark inside 50 of the match. The Giants have recorded 19 goals from marks over the last four weeks, the equal fifth-lowest tally of any side in the AFL.
18:33
SCORE BEHIND - Giants (Daniel Lloyd)
20:06
SCORE BEHIND - Giants (Aaron Cadman)
20:28
Giants are leading the clearance count 11-5 early in today's match. They have also recorded 10 tackles inside 50 already, a metric in which they average 12 per game.
21:50
Cats Interchange - Jack Henry off due to an injury.
21:56
SCORE BEHIND - Giants (Aaron Cadman)
22:45
SCORE BEHIND - Cats (Rushed)
23:26
GWS could be dominating the first term more if not for their ordinary use of the ball by foot. Their kicking efficiency of 54 per cent is almost 20 per cent lower than their opposition (72 per cent).
27:27
SCORE GOAL - Cats (Jeremy Cameron)
27:35
Geelong convert their first defensive 50 intercept to transition into their forward 50 for a goal through Jeremy Cameron who plays his 50th game for Geelong after playing 171 for GWS. The Cats have been outscored by 12 points per game over the last four weeks from defensive 50 scoring chains, the third-lowest margin of any side from this zone.
28:54
Isaac Smith's 310 metres gained in the first term is the second-highest first quarter tally of any player in a game in 2023, behind Gold Coast's Jack Lukosius who recorded 349 metres gained in the first term against Walyalup in Round 5.

Quarter 2

00:00
Q2 is now underway.
01:58
SCORE GOAL - Giants (Toby Greene)
02:48
The Giants go coast-to-coast for the first time to open the scoring in the second term. The Giants have been outscored by four points per game from defensive 50 chains in 2023, the fourth-lowest margin of any side from this zone.
06:38
GWS are leading the pre-clearance contested possession count 5-1, leading to a clearance lead of 4-1 to start the term. GWS have lost the pre-clearance contested possession count by an average of two per game over the last four rounds, the fifth-lowest margin of any side in this metric during this period.
07:10
SCORE BEHIND - Giants (Stephen Coniglio)
08:49
SCORE BEHIND - Giants (Toby Greene)
09:34
GWS have now scored 2.4 (16) from set shots in today's match so far in an inefficient performance thus far. Since Round 6, the Giants have been the most accurate side in the AFL from set shots, scoring a goal from 64.5 per cent of their set shots.
11:24
Cats Interchange - Tanner Bruhn off due to an injury.
11:55
SCORE GOAL - Giants (Toby Bedford)
13:16
Geelong just recorded their second inside 50 of the term, after conceding eight to GWS so far in the quarter. They have done well to limit the Giants to two goals for the quarter. The Cats concede a goal from an average of 26 per cent of their opponents inside 50's in 2023, the third-highest concession rate of any side defensively.
16:39
SCORE GOAL - Giants (Toby Greene)
17:50
Toby Greene now has three goals in four of his last five matches against Geelong.
19:05
SCORE BEHIND - Cats (Gryan Miers)
19:22
After winning the mark count 28-14 in the first term, the Cats find themselves down 4-13 in this count in the second term.
23:12
SCORE BEHIND - Cats (Oisin Mullin)
24:33
SCORE GOAL - Cats (Brandan Parfitt)
30:27
SCORE GOAL - Giants (Toby Greene)
30:30
The Giants are hoping to maintain their two match winning streak over Geelong at GMHBA Stadium in the second half. Their 47 tackles at half time is their highest half-time figure in this metric this year. If they can improve on their 54 per cent kicking efficiency they will be hard to stop.

Quarter 3

00:00
Q3 is now underway.
01:15
The Cats get the start to the second half they were hoping for. They get their first goal of the match from a clearance chain. Geelong have outscored their opponents by 12 points per game from this source in 2023, the second-highest margin of any side.
03:49
SCORE BEHIND - Giants (Jesse Hogan)
04:46
SCORE BEHIND - Giants (Rushed)
06:44
Cats Interchange - Esava Ratugolea off due to an injury.
07:02
SCORE GOAL - Giants (Kieren Briggs)
08:02
That goal is the Giants second from a free kick for the match. GWS have scored 13 goals from free kicks in 2023, the seventh lowest total of any side from free kicks. Geelong are yet to score from any free kick in today's match.
09:58
Cats Interchange - Mark Blicavs off due to an injury.
10:04
SCORE BEHIND - Giants (Jesse Hogan)
12:24
Mitch Knevitt has replaced Esava Ratugolea (hamstring) as the medical substitute.
13:52
GWS are continuing to lead the hunt for the football at ground level, leading the groundball-get count 11-5 for the term as well as intercept possessions 8-7, and have registered the only scores from this source for the term.
14:48
SCORE BEHIND - Cats (Isaac Smith)
16:30
SCORE GOAL - Cats (Brad Close)
16:44
Geelong just scored the first goal of the match to be launched from within 15 metres of the goal line by either team in today's match. The Cats have scored four goals over the last five rounds from this distance, the equal third-lowest tally of any side during this period.
20:51
SCORE BEHIND - Giants (Toby Greene)
21:58
Both teams have successfully laid eight tackles in the third term, however GWS have attempted 15 tackles to the Cats nine.
23:01
SCORE GOAL - Giants (Brent Daniels)
25:01
GWS has won five of their eight defensive one-on-one contests in the third term. GWS have won 53 defensive one-on-one's in 2023, just one behind league leaders in this category Narrm.
27:03
SCORE GOAL - Cats (Jack Henry)
29:14
SCORE BEHIND - Cats (Jeremy Cameron)
30:31
SCORE BEHIND - Cats (Gryan Miers)
32:00
GWS recorded a kick-to-handball ratio of 1.15 kicks per handball in the first half. This changed drastically in the third quarter, as they recorded 2.44 kicks per handball.

Quarter 4

00:00
Q4 is now underway.
01:56
SCORE GOAL - Giants (Brent Daniels)
02:57
GWS get the first goal of the final term, and their fifth from a forward 50 possession chain in today's match. Since Round 6, GWS have been outscored by six points per game from this zone, the fifth-lowest margin of any side from this area.
07:35
SCORE GOAL - Giants (Jake Riccardi)
07:58
Two goals from five inside 50's, while denying the Cats from entering forward 50 to begin the final term, and GWS have one hand on a third straight win in Geelong. GWS average a goal from 22 per cent of their inside 50 entries in 2023, ranked 11th in the AFL.
09:20
SCORE BEHIND - Cats (Jeremy Cameron)
10:36
SCORE GOAL - Cats (Tyson Stengle)
11:13
Tyson Stengle gets his first goal of the game, and the Cats fourth from a shot at goal in general play. GWS have scored just one goal from a general play shot. geelong have been outscored by a goal a game from general play since Round 6, ranked 12th in the AFL.
11:43
Joshua Fahey has replaced James Peatling as the tactical substitute.
13:28
After recording average pressure ratings in the third term, both team have lifted into the elite range. GWS are leading Geelong 213-194 in pressure factor in the final term.
13:48
SCORE BEHIND - Cats (Rushed)
15:22
SCORE GOAL - Cats (Oliver Henry)
16:08
Geelong have been able to turn both of their last two defensive half intercept possessions into goals in the final term to bring the margin back to 10 points. Over the last five rounds, the Cats have scored 21 points per game from defensive half intercepts, the second-lowest average of any side in this span.
16:56
SCORE BEHIND - Cats (Jeremy Cameron)
18:24
SCORE BEHIND - Cats (Oliver Henry)
19:45
SCORE GOAL - Cats (Oliver Henry)
23:14
SCORE GOAL - Giants (Jake Riccardi)
23:24
Geelong get their first goal of the game from a free kick, but GWS answer back with their 10th goal of the match from a set shot, double their opponents tally.
24:20
SCORE GOAL - Cats (Tyson Stengle)
24:54
That goal to Tyson Stengle is the first goal of the match to be launched from a centre bounce clearance. Geelong have won this count 12-9 for the match, and generated eight inside 50's to just two for GWS from centre clearance chains.
26:52
SCORE GOAL - Giants (Brent Daniels)
27:14
Brent Daniels has been instrumental in today's match, and his third goal is a just reward. He leads all Giants players with seven tackles and eight score involvements, to go with 19 disposals and 10 contested possessions.
30:24
In just his 11th game, Kieren Briggs has been critical to the Giants performance from stoppages. He has 33 hitouts, including seven to-advantage of a teammate and leads all players on the ground with eight clearances, four of them from centre bounces.
31:06
SCORE BEHIND - Cats (Jed Bews)
31:09
GWS get captain Toby Greene a win in his 200th game. He lead all players for scoreboard impact with 4.2 (26) and recorded an equal game-high seven marks.