By JOHN VAN KLAVEREN
Geelong can demonstrate just how professional it has become under Chris Scott when it takes on St Kilda on Saturday night at Etihad Stadium.
The Cats have geed themselves up well for the big games this season but faltered against lower-ranked sides.
The Saints game gives Geelong an opportunity to prove it is a team that has become clinical enough to get up for those it is expected to win.
That was a hallmark of Geelong teams during its recent premiership period when it racked up the best win-loss record in the modern era.
Geelong has the best record of any team in the eight playing against other top eight sides, having accounted for Hawthorn, West Coast, Adelaide, GWS, North Melbourne and Western Bulldogs.
It has dropped only one game against a top side, GWS in round two.
And the remaining three games against top sides – Sydney, Adelaide, and Western Bulldogs, are all at Simonds Stadium.
But there’s little point in dropping games unexpectedly.
The commentary around the Cats this week following their demolition of the Western Bulldogs was that the team has now gelled with the inclusion of its big name recruits.
It is obvious that both Patrick Dangerfield and Joel Selwood have thrived with the development of their dynamic partnership.
It will be interesting to count how many times the pair share a give-and-go in the remaining home and away games.
Scott himself was pleasantly surprised at the way the team had found its mojo as demonstrated against the Western Bulldogs.
“I didn’t expect the score line,” Scott admitted.
“We weren’t sure how long our cohesion would take, but I feel more confident about that now.”
And it’s been the defence, where the tweaks occurred after the unexpected losses to Collingwood and Carlton, driving the turnaround.
That has led to Geelong dominating in contested possession, where it is plus 8.5 over last season and plus 4.7 in clearances.
Geelong’s biggest advantage is its ability to lock the ball in its forward half, giving forwards repeated opportunities to score.
The rugby-style territory-gained statistic creeping into Aussie Rules, even though it flies in the face of football’s flow, at least demonstrates Geelong’s advantages.
Highlighted by Dangerfield’s record 1042 metres gained against the Kangaroos, he still averages 600 metres a game with Selwood regularly clocking up 400 metres.
With that kind of supply, Geelong’s forwards are always on the lookout for their next scoring opportunity.
