Gather Round LIVE: Geelong take on West Coast at Norwood Oval

As for the teams, Geelong made three changes at the selection table, resting (they call it managing) Mark Blicavs, Jack Henry and Jack Martin and recalling Jake Kolodjashnij, Mark O’Connor and James Worpel.

Blicavs’ exclusion from the team means his 300th AFL game will be postponed, most likely to this Friday night when the Cats play a blockbuster home match at GMHBA Stadium against the Western Bulldogs. Meanwhile, the two Jacks were named as emergencies alongside Mitch Knevitt, so we’ll keep a close eye on the team sheets to see if coach Chris Scott makes any of his trademark late changes.

Powerfully built defender Kolodjashnij did not play a senior game for the Cats last year, so this will be his first outing since the 2024 preliminary final loss to the Brisbane Lions.

West Coast also made three changes after their Easter loss. Jamie Cripps has been managed, while Matt Flynn and Malakai Champion were both dropped. Their inclusions are Elijah Hewett, Bailey Williams and Deven Robertson, who they recruited in the off-season from Brisbane.

Mark Ricciuto, commentating for Fox, reckons the match review officer will have a close look at Mark O’Connor’s bump on Eagles gun draftee Willem Duursma early in the second quarter.

Duursma had his head down, tracking the ball on the ground and was O’Connor chose to bump him.

The Irishman will be thankful that Duursma was able to get up quickly and immediately take his free kick for the head-high contact.

What’s more, he snuck forward a short while later and took a mark before slotting an excellent set shot from the boundary. The bump doesn’t seem to have affected him much at all.

Geelong 4.5 (29) v West Coast 4.6 (30).

The Cats will take a seven-point lead into quarter time after Bailey Smith missed a set shot after the siren.

Smith – who had 10 disposals and gained 352m for the Cats in that quarter – was awarded a free kick from a stoppage inside the Cats forward 50m because of an undisciplined act from Eagle Harley Reid.

That’s something Reid needs to eliminate from his game, and Ken Hinkley – in commentary for Fox – said the third-year Eagle was fortunate the umpire didn’t respond to his remonstrations by awarding a 50m penalty.

If he had Reid would’ve been standing the mark on the goal line, and Smith would’ve been a certainty to kick the goal.

As it was, Smith missed.

Geelong lead at quarter-time: 4.5 (29) to 3.4 (22).

Bailey Smith is getting plenty of the ball and proving the difference between the teams.

Jeremy Cameron was denied a chest mark after the umpires deemed the ball touched the ground – replays showed it should have been paid as a mark. But it mattered not for the Cats, with mark O’Connor scoring a major moments later.

But West Coast responded through co-captain Liam Baker to reduce the margin to just six points.

Geelong 4.4 (28) v West Coast 4.4 (22).

The Cats have slotted two goals in quick succession.

First, power forward Shannon Neale took a strong grab and converted his set shot. Then, from the ensuing centre clearance Bailey Smith was felled while bursting forward.

Fox commentators Ken Hinkley and Mark Ricciuto agreed it was a “soft free”, but Smith made the most of it, bombing his set shot from just inside the 50m arc to kick Geelong’s third.

Geelong 3.4 (22) v West Coast 2.4 (16).

That’s better kicking! Matthew Owies has slotted West Coast second major, with a long-range set shot from dead in front.

It was a rapid-fire passage of play, with Geelong surging the ball forward before West Coast opened them yup on the rebound through the centre of the ground.

Geelong 1.4 (10) v West Coast 2.4 (16).

The wind and the narrow confines of Norwood Oval seem to be causing trouble for both teams so far.

There’s been a few uncharacteristic misses by foot, both in field play and shooting for goal.

The scores are level 1.4 (10) apiece.

Both teams are on the board now.

Geelong opened their account after finding some fluency on the outer wing.

Gryan Miers started the passage with a neat chip-kick to Ollie Dempsey, and the ball ended up with Ollie Henry marking 45m out.

His set shot missed, and the Eagles swept the ball forward for Harry Schorenberg to score the first major of the game.

Jake Kolodjashnij’s return to the team has started inauspiciously. He coughed up a free kick for attempting to rush the ball through for a behind while not under sufficient pressure deep in Geelong’s defence.

Let’s not forget, Kolodjashnij hasn’t played AFL footy since the 2024 preliminary final.

Thankfully for him, Jake Waterman missed again with the free kick.

The Eagles have done most of the attacking here and lead with three behinds, while Geelong are yet to score.

The Eagles are in a distinctive guernsey today, featuring a bright shade of orange alongside their usual blue and gold.

Apparently, the club first donned this design back in the year 2000. They’ve won the toss, and are kicking to the northern end of the ground, which is the left of screen if you are tuning in on TV.

The Cats are in their traditional navy and white hoops.

Eagles are first on the board, with Jake Waterman putting a set shot wide for a point to open the scoring.

Just a couple more pics for you from the warm-up: