A fast start could be crucial in the Cats’ clash with Collingwood at the MCG Sunday, according to in-form midfielder George Horlin-Smith.
“We’ll be looking to do things during training that will help us start well in the first 10 minutes,” Horlin-Smith said at Simonds Stadium Wednesday morning.
“We’ve got a couple of sessions this week where we can try those things, and hopefully they come out on the weekend.”
The Magpies stunned the Cats in round nine last season, booting the first seven goals of the game to snare a 44-point lead at quarter-time.
They fought back strongly from there but ended up falling 24 points short. Horlin-Smith was adamant the Cats wouldn’t be caught off guard again.
“Regardless of who we’re playing, we really want to start the game well.“
Horlin-Smith said controlling the midfield would be vital against Collingwood, which had plenty of talent in the middle of the ground.
“They’ve got some champion players, and we’ll have to put some time into making sure that they don’t influence the game early so that we can start well.”
Horlin-Smith again had a stand-out performance against the Saints, with 27 possessions and a goal.
He was instrumental in a Geelong goal which started a last-quarter avalanche.
The Cats will look to him for leadership in Sunday’s clash with the Pies.
In a post-match press conference, Cats coach Chris Scott praised Horlin-Smith for his improvement in both skills and communication.
“He would be an example of a player that has a much bigger influence over our leadership and how we set up than most people would give him credit for.”
The Cats have continued to smash their opponents in last quarters and accuracy, with eight goals to one in the final term against the Saints.
“We were good enough to hang in when they had the momentum and ran out the game really well,” Scott said.
But he said Cats needed to improve their whole game and warned they couldn’t rely on their finishing.
He shrugged off suggestions the Cats were one of the fitter teams in the AFL.
“The numbers do suggest that if we’re close enough in the final quarter we can win it,” he said.
“But we shouldn’t be relying on that.”
Cats captain Joel Selwood had yet another stellar performance with 43 possessions.
“All roads have led to Joel when we’ve been under pressure,” Scott said.
“His game today was spectacular.”
But Scott added Geelong’s young midfielders had improved dramatically, reducing the side’s reliance on Selwood at the bounce.
The versatile Blicavs was “super” against the Saints and integral to the side, Scott said.
“We were asking him to play in the ruck a fair bit today.”
“And then when (Jack) Steven was getting away from us we asked a 198cm ruckman to go and play on a really short, quick guy who was probably the best player to that point.”
