By JOHN VAN KLAVEREN
The steadying hand of defensive coach Matthew Scarlett was apparent in Geelong’s change of fortunes against Port Adelaide last week.
In all the hullabaloo over scuffles and cheap shots, Geelong’s ability for the first time in a long time to change the momentum of a game was overlooked.
That will be one of the most pleasing aspects of the win for coach Chris Scott and will stand the Cats in good stead this season.
The first half of the second quarter against Port Adelaide was an arm wrestle.
Geelong kicked its six comeback goals all in the second half of the quarter, generating its own momentum after spending 16 minutes quelling the Power.
Scarlett was displeased by Geelong’s inability to negate and then reverse opposition momentum during the NAB Challenge.
Apart from the renewed engine room with the addition of Patrick Dangerfield, checking momentum swings will prove to be the most valuable improvement for the Cats this season.
Gold Coast has beaten bottom-huggers Essendon, Fremantle and Carlton then lost to Brisbane and North Melbourne, so its form line is average at best.
The danger lies with Suns forward Tom Lynch, who leads the goal kicking with 22 majors after five rounds.
The good news is that in Tom Lonergan and Harry Taylor, Geelong has the talls to negate him.
Both sides are top two when it comes to marks inside 50 so far this season, Geelong averaging 15.8 per game, while the Suns are next with 15.
The intercept marking of Lonergan and Taylor, with the return of Lachie Henderson, will help swing that further in Geelong’s favour.
Suns vice-captain Dion Prestia will bolster the midfield after overcoming a virus that sidelined him last weekend.
But Geelong’s revved-up engine room will be more than a match, even with former Cat Gary Ablett racking up his normal 30 or so possessions.
Skipper Joel Selwood and Dangerfield are gaining ever more assistance from Cam Guthrie, Mitch Duncan and Josh Caddy.
Dangerfield has helped redress last season’s imbalance in the contested possession count and at the clearances, areas where the Cats struggled last year.
Playing in the comfy confines of Simonds Stadium in a Saturday night game will also suit the Cats, with the prospect of a sell-out of the restricted capacity on the cards.
