Georgie Prespakis celebrates kicking a goal during the match between Essendon and Geelong at Windy Hill in round four, 2025. Picture: Getty Images

GEELONG’S season has arisen off the canvas, the Cats finally breaking through for their first win of 2025 with a 31-point victory over Essendon at a howling Windy Hill.

The Cats had made the courageous decision to drop skipper Meg McDonald – a decision magnified by the late withdrawal of fellow key back Claudia Gunjaca (toe) – but the defence was barely tested in the 8.10 (58) to 4.3 (27) victory.

BOMBERS v CATS Full match coverage and stats

The Bombers’ first loss of the year was compounded by a potentially serious right knee injury to veteran winger Brooke Walker, with co-captain Steph Cain also ruled out late with a knee complaint.

Asked if there were ACL fears for either of the two, coach Natalie Wood said, “not to my knowledge, at this point.”

“Both have got knee injuries, they’ll get scanned and we’ll have a look at them. We’re hopeful those two players aren’t out for too long,” Wood said.

Led by acting skipper Nina Morrison, Geelong’s midfield was superb over the ground, dominating the centre clearances and helping the side lock the ball in its attacking half time and time again.

Essendon’s backline – helped somewhat by the unpredictable yet powerful gusts of wind that rattled the old grandstand roof – held up remarkably well in the circumstances, but the weight of numbers won out in the end.

The Cats should have had a larger lead than the 11 points they carried in at the first break, Mikayla Bowen in particular battling with kicking into the strong wind, kicking two behinds with a third shot falling short.

Kicking with the wind in the second, Geelong hammered its forward 50, but most of the entries were very wide, and forwards struggled to read the ball in flight given the varying gusts.

There wasn’t one triumphant quarter for the Cats – they ground their lead out term by term, just being that little bit cleaner and harder at the contest, and pressuring Essendon’s few entries into attack.

In the absence of both Bonnie Toogood (suspended, returning next week) and Daria Bannister (broken hand), Essendon’s forward line relied on Georgia Gee, who kicked two of the Bombers’ four goals.

Geelong ruck Piper Dunlop received treatment on her right calf in the second term but played out the game, while Erica Fowler emerged with a “Batman” face mask in the second half, protecting a previously broken nose.

Rachel Kearns may come under MRO scrutiny for a very late bump on Gee in the second term, which resulted in a 50m penalty and the small forward’s second goal.

A season-saving victory
Geelong copped North Melbourne, Adelaide and the resurgent Sydney in the first three rounds of its season, and at 0-3, were in serious trouble of being ruled out of the finals mix just a month into the 12-round fixture. The Cats played like their season was on the line, running in waves, defending with fervour and focused from siren to siren. Key forwards Jackie Parry and Aishling Moloney marked well in the swirling conditions, kicking five goals between them.

A Wale of a return
Essendon star ruck Steph Wales completed a remarkable comeback from a torn ACL, just over 10 months after injuring her knee in late October. She completely controlled Geelong relief ruck Gabbi Featherston, blocking the undersized opponent’s run and jump. She finished with a game-high 12 hitouts (in a low stoppage game) and five clearances.

Up next
Back-to-back games at Windy Hill for Essendon, hosting Euro-Yroke on Sunday afternoon, while the Cats also come up the highway for a successive Sunday, taking on the winless Richmond at Ikon Park.

ESSENDON    1.0    2.0    3.3    4.3 (27)
GEELONG      2.5    4.7    6.8   8.10 (58)

GOALS
Essendon: Gee 2, Belloni, Prespakis
Geelong: Parry 3, Moloney 2, Prespakis 2, Morrison

BEST
Essendon: M.Prespakis, Wales, Nanscawen, Gaylor
Geelong: McDonald, G.Prespakis, Bowen, Parry, Morrison, Moloney

INJURIES
Essendon: Walker (knee), Cain (knee)
Geelong: Nil

LATE CHANGES
Essendon: Nil
Geelong: Claudia Gunjaca (toe), replaced in selected side by Erica Fowler

Crowd: TBC at Windy Hill