“Match them there”: Have opposition teams discovered the blueprint to beat Geelong?

Geelong were battered in the midfield in Thursday night’s164-100 loss to Gold Coast in Darwin.

While the Cats ended up winning the clearance count 43-47, their midfield lacked any kind of damage compared to Gold Coast.

The Suns’ starting midfield (Noah Anderson, Matt Rowell, Touk Miller, David Swallow and Ned Moyle) combined for 47 score involvements, while Geelong’s (Jack Bowes, Cam Guthrie, Tanner Bruhn, Brandan Parfitt and Toby Conway) could muster just 14.

That lack of damage from the centre didn’t give the Cats any chance as they were already down by more than five goals at half-time.

After also being battered in the centre in the Round 9 loss at home to Port Adelaide, Kane Cornes thinks that opposition sides are figuring out that their midfield is vulnerable and beating them on-ball is the key to victory.

His co-host on SEN Breakfast David King also is concerned about Geelong’s depth and how their youngsters fail to stand up without the likes of Patrick Dangerfield, Tom Hawkins, Jeremy Cameron and Mitch Duncan on the side.

Cornes: “I just get the feeling that's what everyone is seeing with Geelong, you match them there from the midfield (and you can get them).

“The opposition are seeing Geelong as vulnerable in that space, I reckon.”

King: “They are, yes.”

Cornes: “Who's their best midfielder?”

King: “Dangerfield is on the sidelines, that's the problem and he's not going to play forever.”

Cornes: “He’s 34 and he's done three soft tissue injuries in a short time.”

King: “I guess this is my point, isn't it, when you take those senior core players out and you expose those lesser ranked young players to the bright lights of being able to win your own ball and be effective (they struggle).

“At half-time … I'm big on the score involvements. Geelong’s midfield of (Jack) Bowes, (Cam) Guthrie, (Tanner) Bruhn and (Brandan) Parfitt had four score involvements between them and the other mob (Gold Coast) with (Noah) Anderson, (Matt) Rowell, (Touk) Miller and (David) Swallow had 21.

“You could see the damage that Anderson was putting on the game. You could see what Rowell was doing when the ball was in dispute and Miller is just able to ride shotgun on the edges and not have to be the absolute man anymore.

“It was brilliant to see the game of Anderson … what a player.”

Geelong will hope to return to form in Round 11 when they host GWS at GMHBA Stadium next Saturday while Gold Coast face Carlton at Marvel Stadium on the same day.