Geelong have shown off their versatility with coach Chris Scott swinging the magnets around in their comfortable 46-point win over West Coast at Norwood Oval on Sunday.
After a tight first quarter and a half, the Cats released the shackles with a five-goal burst to lay the platform for the 7.20 (122) to 11.10 (76) win in front of 9434, which is a record for the suburban venue in Gather Round.
Superstar Bailey Smith was best afield with 34 touches and a goal, while regular midfielder partner Max Holmes racked up 34 as well, but in a different role off half-back.
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Holmes’ shift to the backline allowed recruit James Worpel and young gun Tanner Bruhn to step up in the midfield and combine for 16 clearances.
It was just Worpel’s second game of the season after his off-season move from Hawthorn, while Bruhn is like a virtual new recruit after missing all of last year.
Smith even lined up in the forward line at times to allow Scott to experiment with his team.
Regular defender Mark O’Connor pushed forward to kick three goals — all of which came in the first half.
“We always talk about Holmes and Smith, but they’ve had Holmes on the half-backline, and the reason being a couple of other guys through the middle of the ground in Worpel and Bruhn — two guys who have basically come into the club this year,” Geelong great Cam Mooney said on Fox Footy.
“That is the reason why you’re allowed to play Holmes on the half-backline, you can throw Bailey Smith onto a wing, because you’ve got a little bit more depth now — something that they didn’t have last year.
“Those two (Worpel and Bruhn) have been absolutely important today.”
Former Port Adelaide coach Ken Hinkley was impressed with Bruhn’s performance and added that coming up against Geelong is a nightmare of opposition coaches.
“It’s not going to be a surprise if he ends up being a great midfielder for them, and he was playing off half-back at the start of the year,” he said of Bruhn.
“Again, the flexibility of the Geelong side with what they do — Chris coaches them to play in multiple positions. O’Connor’s been forward a lot today, Holmes is down back today, Bailey Smith started the second quarter in the forward line.
“They mix and match everything they do all the time, and it certainly works for them, and it puts the opposition on the back foot, because when you’re in the opposition box, you’re trying to keep up with the moves they’re doing.”
For the Eagles, young key forward Jobe Shanahan impressed again, kicking four goals, while Tom McCarthy had a team-high 28 disposals.
Bailey Williams also dominated the ruck battle in his first senior game of the season.
There were multiple lead changes in the first half as the Eagles had the first four scoring shots, but only managed one goal.
While the Cats led by a goal at the first break, every time they looked like kicking clear the Eagles would respond.
Young gun Harley Reid was prominent in the midfield and West Coast still had a one-point lead midway through the second term.
Then Brad Close’s soccered shot was ruled a goal on video review, which sparked the Cats’ decisive surge.
O’Connor snapped a stunning goal from 45m out and kicked his third soon after as the Cats dominated stoppages.
Deven Robertson, who returned to the Eagles’ side from suspension, limped off in the last quarter with a knee injury.
This was the first AFL game for Cats defender Jake Kolodjashnij since the 2024 preliminary final, and he had a solid duel with Eagles star Jake Waterman, who kicked a goal.
– With AAP
