Geelong crush Fremantle in Round 1 statement

Geelong has opened its 2025 AFL season in dominant fashion, shaking off a blistering third-quarter burst from Fremantle debutant Murphy Reid to claim a 78-point win at GMHBA Stadium on Saturday afternoon.

The Cats led comfortably throughout but were momentarily stunned when Reid exploded with four goals in a five-minute stretch, cutting a 10-goal deficit to a more manageable margin before Geelong reasserted control, storming home to a 23.9 (147) to 10.9 (69) victory.

Chris Scott’s side looked unstoppable early, suffocating the Dockers with relentless pressure and dominating possession to take a 54-point lead into the main break.

Geelong laid 32 tackles in the first quarter alone, the most they’ve recorded in an opening term since Round 11, 2022. By halftime, a triple-figure thrashing seemed inevitable, with Fremantle unable to find any fluency against the hosts’ well-drilled system.

The game took an unexpected turn in the third quarter when Reid, the Dockers’ Pick 17 from last year’s draft, single-handedly sparked a dramatic fightback.

After a quiet first half with just three disposals, the 18-year-old electrified the contest, slotting four goals in rapid succession to breathe life into the visitors.

His ability to adjust on the fly saw him shake a slow start and momentarily put Geelong on the back foot.

However, the Cats steadied in the final term, silencing the Dockers’ momentum and piling on goals to cruise to victory.

Jeremy Cameron led the way in attack with four goals, while new recruit Bailey Smith was instrumental in his first game for Geelong, gathering 32 disposals and adding a goal of his own.

Despite missing all of 2024 with an ACL injury, the former Bulldog showed no signs of rust, seamlessly fitting into the Cats’ midfield-forward rotations.

Fremantle’s day went from bad to worse when pressure forward Sam Switkowski was subbed out in the third term with a groin complaint, adding to the concerns for coach Justin Longmuir.

With star recruit Shai Bolton still unavailable and Hayden Young sidelined with a hamstring injury, Fremantle were left exposed against Geelong’s well-oiled machine.

The Cats’ relentless pressure, combined with their forward efficiency, ensured they sent a strong message to the rest of the competition.

Geelong will look to maintain its early-season momentum when they play St Kilda next Saturday as $1.39 favourites with top online bookmakers, while Fremantle will need to regroup quickly ahead of next week’s home clash against Sydney.

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