GEELONG’S heart-stopping win against the Western Bulldogs at Mars Stadium yesterday meant more than just the four points for the Cats, who have now achieved their most successful season on record. In his second season at the helm of the blue and white hoops, Dan Lowther is pleased with what his squad has been able to produce and that it “means everything” for the playing group to be 4-2 from the season.

“We’ve never beaten the Bulldogs before, they’re one of the original teams that have been in the AFLW from the start,” Lowther said. So to get a win against one of the founding teams is super important. Last week against St Kilda another first, this week against the Bulldogs.

“We’re just ticking along nicely which is good, but the last 18 months has seen a lot of change and I think it’s starting to now come to the front with some of the things you’re seeing on the ground now. It means a lot for our girls, the belief factor.

“To win away in Ballarat and good crowd too, it sounded pretty good for both teams to be fair. Going to Essendon next week, another trip to Warrnambool, it just gives us another chance to breathe again and go forward.”

The victory meant Geelong surpassed its effort in 2019, when the club bowed out in a preliminary final in a shortened seven-gam season when Conferences were still a thing. Since that inaugural year, the Cats have won a combined five games in three seasons, but are now just one win away from matching that in just seven games.

Yesterday’s victory was not without further obstacles, with Georgie Prespakis out due to suspension from a tackle the week before, and then Kate Darby fell ill on the team bus en route to the ground, with the Cats staff making the decision to withdraw her from the squad. It enabled netballer Melissa Bragg to make her AFL Women’s debut.

“She (Darby) didn’t pull up very well from the warmup so we decided to make a late change and bring Mel in, and she took the moments that came her way,” Lowther said. “I thought she did a really good job at late notice to come in and play her role as a medium-tall for us.

“Especially that third quarter she took a couple of nice contested marks and put the ball inside 50 for us, so it was a nice taste for her. A shame for her thought because i don’t think many of her family are around, but it was an important change we had the trust in her to do it so it was really good.”

Though the team was without Prespakis in the match, Lowther said the side played a “really strong system” and relied on individuals playing to a set role. He praised Prespakis for her investment into the group and had to remind her that she had not let the team down. Another player who Lowther was pleased for was the returning Mia Skinner who kicked a ripping goal in a tight match.

“She kicked a couple of goals up in the Gold Coast in our praccy game earlier in the year, so to kick an important goal in a tight, tough game was good for her belief because she struggled in and out of the side the last few weeks,” Lowther said.

“We expect a lot from our high forwards and our pressure players, and she brought that today which was pleasing. Got a reward off the back of hard work … getting shots on goal as a high forward is tough. She’s pumped, her teammates are pumped for her so I’m pleased.”

Aside from a tough Round 9 trip to Norwood Oval to play reigning premiers Adelaide, Geelong takes on Essendon, West Coast (home) and Sydney (home) in the remaining three matches. Winning those three games would see the Cats possibly snatch a top four spot with Collingwood having a tough run home.