The Cats played some of their best footy on Thursday before things fell apart. Can they play at that level for longer in a massive clash against Melbourne?
The Cats sit a game out of the top eight with a 6-7 record.
Since 2006, Geelong has had a negative win-loss record after the halfway mark of the season just once, in 2015, the only year the Cats missed the finals in that time.
Zach Guthrie kicks long. Picture: Sarah Reed/AFL Photos via Getty Images
A loss to the Demons on Thursday night could be a hammer blow to Geelong’s flag defence, with the Cats to face finals contenders in each of their last seven games of the season.
But defender Zach Guthrie says the Cats still believe they can deliver against the best sides and produce more consistent football after booting six goals in the first term of a loss to Port Adelaide last week.
“I think our best footy this year has still been really good,” he said.
“I thought that first quarter in particular, we were playing some really dangerous footy. That whole first half we were playing the way we wanted to and were looking really dangerous. It was probably that third quarter that (Port Adelaide) started looking dangerous.
“Melbourne are going really well at the moment. They have been a really good team for a number of years now. I watched the game against Collingwood (on King’s Birthday) and they looked really good too.
“I think the good thing for us is when we do play our best footy, we can match it with anyone. I think we just have to keep drawing on that and trying to bridge that gap and hold them up when teams do get on a run (against us).
“I think the good thing is we can be confident that our best footy is really dangerous.”
Geelong enjoyed a big win over Melbourne at home last year. Photo by Michael Klein
Geelong played with dare in that first term against Port Adelaide as the Cats took the ball forward with aggression and attacked the Power.
Guthrie said the first half of the 38-point loss showed the Cats playing “a really good brand of footy”.
The Cats will be without Patrick Dangerfield (ribs and collapsed lung) for the Melbourne game, while a shoulder injury to Tanner Bruhn was being assessed over the weekend.
Ruck Rhys Stanley made a successful return in Geelong’s VFL win over Frankston on Friday and should be available for an AFL return against Melbourne, while mid-season draftee Mitch Hardie and forward Ollie Dempsey impressed.