Geelong hosts Essendon at GMHBA Stadium with the Cats building momentum at the right time of the season and the Bombers searching for a response after another heavy defeat. Recent scoring, goalkicking and possession trends point to a significant contrast between the two sides heading into their Round 22 clash.
Geelong has won three consecutive matches against St Kilda, Melbourne and Collingwood, improving to 12-8 after its 97-72 victory over the Magpies. Essendon sits at 2-18 after losing 145-73 to Adelaide, with its surprise three-point victory over GWS its only win from the past five matches.
Last Three Meetings
- Round 23, 2025: Geelong 15.19 (109) defeated Essendon 10.5 (65)
- Round 15, 2025: Geelong 23.13 (151) defeated Essendon 8.8 (56)
- Round 17, 2024: Geelong 16.9 (105) defeated Essendon 9.6 (60)
Geelong has won the past three meetings by an average margin of 61.3 points, while those matches have produced an average combined total of 182.0 points.
Leading Goalkickers – Past Five Games
Geelong
- Shannon Neale: 11 goals
- Ollie Henry: 10 goals
- Ollie Dempsey: Nine goals
Neale has led Geelong’s scoring across its past five matches, highlighted by a five-goal performance against Melbourne. Henry has kicked seven goals across the Cats’ past two matches alone, while Dempsey has continued to provide another dangerous scoring option.
Essendon
- Nate Caddy: Nine goals
- Peter Wright: 13 goals
- Sullivan Robey: Three goals
Wright’s six-goal performance against Adelaide boosted his five-game tally considerably, while Caddy has remained Essendon’s most consistent young forward through a difficult stretch. Robey has also contributed when pushing forward before missing this matchup through injury.
Leading Disposal Averages – Past Five Games
Geelong
- Bailey Smith: 30.8 disposals per game
- Max Holmes: 29.0 disposals per game
- Tom Stewart: 23.0 disposals per game
Smith has averaged more than 30 disposals across all five of Geelong’s most recent matches, recording 31, 32, 35, 28 and 28. Holmes averaged 29.0 from his three appearances during that five-game team window before injury interrupted his run, while Stewart has averaged 23.0 across all five matches.
Essendon
- Zach Merrett: 24.8 disposals per game
- Archie Roberts: 24.3 disposals per game
- Sam Durham: 21.8 disposals per game
Merrett remains Essendon’s leading possession winner, averaging just under 25 disposals across the Bombers’ past five games. Roberts has averaged 24.3 from four appearances during that team window, while Durham has played all five and averaged 21.8 disposals.
Average Total Match Points – Past 10 Games
Geelong
Geelong’s past 10 matches have produced an average combined total of 180.5 points.
- Highest total: 224 points
- Lowest total: 149 points
- Matches reaching 180+ points: Four of 10
Essendon
Essendon’s past 10 matches have produced an average combined total of 159.3 points.
- Highest total: 218 points
- Lowest total: 130 points
- Matches reaching 180+ points: Two of 10
Geelong’s matches have averaged 21.2 more combined points than Essendon’s across their respective past 10 games. The Cats have also scored at least 97 points in each of their past three victories, while Essendon has conceded 132 and 145 points in its past two matches.
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