Where and when: GMHBA Stadium, Saturday, August 24, 1:45pm (11:45am WST)

TV: Live on 7 in WA, Fox Sports and streaming on Kayo

Last time we met: Geelong 21.10 (136) defeated West Coast 13.11 (89) at Adelaide Oval, round five, 2023.

It has been 16 months since the Eagles and Geelong clashed in Adelaide during Gather Round, with the Cats emerging with a 47-point triumph. A disastrous second quarter proved costly for West Coast as Geelong piled on nine goals to one – including a run of 12 unanswered from the first term – to blow the game open. To their credit, the Eagles dug in and kicked 10 goals to seven after half-time, with Jake Waterman and Oscar Allen slotting four majors apiece.

What it means for the Eagles: Geelong hasn’t been a happy hunting ground for the Eagles, with eight-straight defeats to the Cats at GMHBA Stadium since an unforgettable come-from-behind triumph in 2006. The Eagles will have a young team for the season-finale and responding to a disappointing loss to Carlton last round, plus finishing 2024 on a more positive note and taking momentum into the off-season will be important. Interim coach Jarrad Schofield would love nothing more than conjuring a major upset and spoiling retiring champions Tom Hawkins and Zach Tuohy’s farewells to the Geelong locals, too.  

The stat: The Eagles have just one win and a draw (in 2003) from 15 trips to the Cattery this century, including a loss to Sydney at the venue during Covid in 2021.  

The match-up: Patrick Dangerfield v Harley Reid

Fresh from selection the 22Under22 team, Reid will travel to play against one of the competition’s greats. Whether the pair actually spend much time directly opposed remains to be seen, but it will be another terrific learning opportunity for the up-and-coming Eagles star to see the Brownlow medallist up close and personal in a game that could decide the Cats' top-four fate.

It’s a big week for: Rhett Bazzo

It will be an uplifting sight when Bazzo takes to the field for his only AFL game this season following lingering groin issues that have severely hampered his third year at the club. Bazzo will partner Harry Edwards in the key defensive posts and the duo will have their work cut out on Geelong superstar Jeremy Cameron and Shannon Neale. It will be Bazzo’s 21^st senior game and first since round 20 last year.

Big call: Brady Hough will hold All-Australian fancy Tyson Stengle goalless to cap an outstanding third season which could see him in the mix for a top-five finish in the John Worsfold Medal.  

West Coast's 2024 campaign has come to a disappointing end following a 93-point thrashing from flag contender Geelong at GMHBA Stadium on Saturday.

With the half-time margin sitting at 100 points, the result could have been close to record-breaking territory.

But a better showing by the Eagles in the second half stemmed the bleeding somewhat as the Cats cruised to the 26.12 (168) to 11.9 (75) win.

Without experienced key defenders Jeremy McGovern (thumb) and Tom Barrass (back) it shaped as a tough challenge for the Eagles and the Cats' forward line took full toll amid a limp first half from West Coast.

A lack of pressure on the ball-carrier and centre bounce dominance allowed the home team to do as they pleased, setting up an unassailable lead before West Coast had given a yelp.

Geelong spearhead Jeremy Cameron took advantage of West Coast's undermanned defence to kick an equal career-best nine goals, including seven from as many kicks in the first half as the margin ballooned to triple figures before the main break.

It was the equal-biggest individual haul of any player this season and moved Cameron from equal-fifth to second in the Coleman Medal race behind runaway leader Jesse Hogan.

Ollie Henry also kicked an equal career-best haul with four majors, while Max Holmes (26 disposals), Patrick Dangerfield (25), Jack Bowes (24) and defender Jack Henry all shone in the Cats' biggest win of the season.

Victory came at some cost, with All-Australian defender Tom Stewart substituted out as a precaution at half-time with a tight left hamstring.

Lawson Humphries also sat out the second half with a right calf issue.

Cameron snapped the opening two goals and Geelong rammed through the first seven - three of them to Ollie Henry - to lead 8.3 to 1.1 at quarter-time.

The statistics at that early stage already made horror reading for the visitors.

Geelong had more than twice as many disposals in the first term, scored from 11 of 14 forward entries, and even led the tackle count despite dominating possession.

A 10-goal second quarter gave the Cats an 18.6 to 2.2 buffer at the main break, and second spot was in their sights.

However, the Eagles showed some fight, stemming the flow and narrowly outscoring their hosts in a far better second-half showing.

Young gun Harley Reid (15 disposals) responded with two late goals after missing with a left-foot swing on the goal-line, underlining his rare ability to impact in attack and on the ball.

Jake Waterman, Jack Darling and Jamie Cripps also finished with two each, while Elliot Yeo (25 disposals) and Tim Kelly (21) were the Eagles' best ball-winners in a midfield that was comprehensively outplayed.

The result was West Coast's 10th consecutive defeat at Kardinia Park, where it has a horror record of just one win and a draw in 16 appearances this century.

A knee injury suffered by promising young defender Brady Hough during the third quarter added injury to insult for the visitors. 

The Eagles finish their tumultuous season in 16th spot with a 5-18 record. 

GEELONG             8.3    18.6     21.8     26.12 (168)  
WEST COAST       1.1     2.2      7.8       11.9 (75)  

GOALS
Geelong: Cameron 9, O.Henry 4, Neale 2, Stanley 2, Stengle 2, Bowes, Dangerfield, Dempsey, Holmes, Mannagh, Miers, Tuohy
West Coast: Cripps 2, Darling 2, Reid 2, Waterman 2, Allen, Dewar, Hutchinson

BEST
Geelong: Cameron, Holmes, Dangerfiekld, Stanley, Atkins, Mannagh
West Coast: Waterman, Hutchinson, Yeo, Reid, Cripps

INJURIES
Geelong: Humphries (lower leg), Stewart (hamstring tightness)
West Coast: Hough (knee)

SUBSTITUTES
Geelong: Jed Bews (replaced Tom Stewart at half-time)
West Coast: Ryan Maric (replaced Brady Hough in the third quarter)

Crowd: TBC at GMHBA Stadium