Patrick Voss, Josh Treacy and best-on-ground Luke Jackson have belatedly straightened up the wayward Dockers and trimmed Geelong’s advantage at half-time of an engrossing first-versus-third blockbuster at Optus Stadium.
General field play has been on Fremantle’s terms, their outside run a feature.
The Dockers have largely owned territory and, in the closing stages of the second quarter, began neutralising the Cats’ early dominance at stoppage.
But Freo’s waywardness – a contagious string of nine consecutive behinds and two no-scores either side of quarter-time – saw them crash to a 28-point deficit at one stage. The normally reliable Jye Amiss – with 0.3 and one wild out-on-the-full – has been the worst offender.
In contrast, Geelong have been efficient in attack on relatively limited opportunity and hungry on turnover. So far, the Cats have capitalised on virtually every Docker blue, in field play and in front of the sticks. Can they keep it going? There’s a whole half of footy to go.
Geelong lead 56-47 at half-time.