Injury to star midfielder Amy McDonald and a Kate Surman concussion have rubbed further salt into the wound for Geelong, which finds its AFLW finals hopes hanging by a thread following an 18-point loss to Hawthorn at GMHBA Stadium.
The Cats were reduced to three on the bench by half-time of the 12.7 (79) to 9.7 (61) loss in an entertaining Thursday night clash in which Dan Lowther’s team kicked their highest losing score.
Geelong used only 44 of their allowed 60 interchange rotations as a result.
McDonald was noticeably limping post-game with a hamstring issue, while Surman will miss upcoming games against Fremantle and Sydney as part of the compressed fixture.
The home team appeared in control when it led by as much as 15 points during the second quarter.
However, the visitors kicked two late goals before half-time to cut the margin to two points at the main break before taking the lead and kicking clear with a four-goal burst in the third quarter.
The Cats were beaten in the disposal count, 290-219, with uncontested possessions (156-110) especially damaging.
“I just said to the girls, ‘Don’t be too despondent on the loss, even though it’s a hard one to swallow; to score like we scored would win a lot of games in the competition’.”, Lowther said.
“There was no issue celebrating that we got that part right across the four quarters.
“But, when you’re giving up four goals in that third quarter, and quick response, too, off the back of us scoring and thinking we might get a bit of a run on, and then to give up a score pretty quickly was the disappointing part.”
Another impressive performance from Irish star Aishling Moloney was a positive for the Cats.
She backed up a career-high four goals against Gold Coast last week with a three-goal, 19-disposal effort against the Hawks, including a contender for goal of the year in the final term.
“It was another exceptional game,” Lowther said.
“Last week she kicked four, and tonight was three… and she set a few others up as well with the way she attacks the footy and gets the ball forward.
“(A) unique around-the-corner kicking style, and gets lots of territory off the back of it.
“She’s the ultimate competitor, and she hates to lose.
“Whether it be a ground ball or whatever it may be, she just wants to get that footy in her hands, which is a really good skill and motivating factor.”
Midfield duo Georgie Prespakis and Nina Morrison had 21 disposals, while Becky Webster racked up 19 possessions after being moved into the midfield following McDonald’s injury.
The loss could leave Geelong as much as ten points outside the top eight at the end of Week 5.
The Cats are next in action against Fremantle at GMHBA Stadium on Tuesday night.
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