Classy Geelong Cats crank it up to blow away winless Collingwood Pies

SHOOTOUT at Victoria Park?

Both Collingwood and Geelong rose to the challenge on a warm Saturday afternoon, with the ball pinging from end to end, resulting in a 14.6 (90) to 7.7 (49) Cats win in which the Pies lost no fans.

MAGPIES v CATS Full match coverage and stats

Remarkable goals kept coming, including a 75m bomb from Aishling Moloney, an off-spin bouncer from Ruby Schleicher, and a nonchalant snap from Rachel Kearns. It was an impressive showing of what attacking footy can be in the AFLW.

With its first six inside 50s for the day, Geelong kicked four goals, signalling just want kind of game it was going to be as Chloe Scheer (four goals, seven disposals) was back at her very best, and Moloney’s athleticism in the front half bore 20 disposals and three goals.

After a fast start from Georgie Prespakis through the middle – recording six clearances for the opening term despite carrying a Carly Remmos tag – the Pies opted to shift stalwart Brit Bonnici (11 disposals, six tackles, one goal) onto the Cats playmaker. The AFLW’s original tagger, Bonnici certainly minimised Prespakis’ freedom around the contest, but both continued to get productive across the ground.

Prespakis ultimately finished with 27 disposals, 13 clearances, and one goal for the day, equalling the AFLW’s centre clearance record of eight in the process.

As part of Collingwood’s attacking game, it was far more willing to move laterally once within 60m of goal, creating higher percentage opportunities to score and genuinely challenging the highly fancied Cats for much of the day.

Bonnici, Lucy Cronin, and Eliza James kicked the home side’s first three goals as a result of this improved movement in attack. Late inclusion Liv Lewis also landed her first goal in the AFLW by way of a 50m penalty.

It was evidence of Collingwood’s increased ability to share the load in the forward 50, still relying on Schleicher’s impact but being able to score through other avenues more reliably. It helped the Pies to their highest score since round eight, 2022 S6.

But a six-goal third quarter from the Cats put the game to bed, Geelong able to counterpunch twice every time Collingwood looked a chance at minimising the damage.

Nina Morrison’s work through the middle continued her career-best season, finishing with 30 disposals and nine tackles, and Chantel Emonson’s distribution from half back set up the Cats’ transition game beautifully.

Goal(s) of the year?
Within the space of two minutes, two genuine contenders for the goal of the year mantle were kicked. First, Irishwoman Aishling Moloney kicked a long bomb from behind the centre line into an open forward line. Clearing the one-on-one sitting at the top of the goal square, the ball bounced through for a goal reminiscent of Danielle Ponter in 2023. But she was usurped almost immediately by Collingwood captain Ruby Schleicher. With a quick, deep entry, Schleicher snatched the ball 35 metres out and kicked across the face of goal, only for it to bounce on its end and skid through for a major.

Was it touched?
In the opening term Brit Bonnici was part of Collingwood’s surge in attack, with a shot on goal thanks to a squaring kick from captain Ruby Schleicher. Geelong defender Claudia Gunjaca was sure it was touched as it sailed over the goal line, but a review was unable to turn over the umpire’s decision given the angle of the camera. The following quarter, in an identical position, Kate Surman dobbed one with a snap. But Pies defender Amber Schutte claimed she got a finger to it. This time, after an extended review, the goal was overturned, registering the first behind of the game.

Up next
Collingwood will return to Victoria Park to host Greater Western Sydney on Sunday afternoon, while Geelong’s now-annual marquee clash with Hawthorn will see them do battle on Thursday evening at GMHBA Stadium.

COLLINGWOOD            4.0    6.1     7.4     7.7 (49)
GEELONG               5.0    6.4    12.5   14.6 (90)

GOALS 
Collingwood: James, Bonnici, Cronin, Lewis, Centra, Rigoni, Schleicher
Geelong: Scheer 4, Moloney 3, Kearns, Mason, Parry, Prespakis, Surman, Murray, Crockett-Grills

BEST 
Collingwood: Schleicher, Cronin, White, Bonnici, Rowe
Geelong: Prespakis, Moloney, Scheer, Morrison, Bowen, Emonson

INJURIES 
Collingwood: Nil
Geelong: Nil

LATE CHANGES
Collingwood: Brianna Davey (illness) replaced in the selected side by Olivia Lewis
Geelong: Nil

Crowd: 2041 at Victoria Park