Geelong women surge across all grades

GEELONG’s Premier Women have shaken off a slow start to the season to become a genuine contender for the 2025/26 premiership.

Heading into the Christmas break, the Cats sit atop the ladder in the one-day competition, after seven rounds and have not lost since their bye in November.

Their recent victories have featured several standout performances, including record-breaking first and fourth wicket partnerships.

In Geelong’s Round 4 win over Dandenong, Stephanie Townsend and Mia Perrin combined for a 208-run opening stand to set a new First XI record, before Mia Rogers and Bronte Leishman added a 108-run fourth-wicket partnership in the Round 5 victory against Melbourne.

The Cats have a smooth run to the finals ahead, with clashes against seventh-placed Box Hill, eighth-placed Essendon Maribyrnong Park and ninth-placed Plenty Valley to come.

Perrin leads all First XI run-scorers so far with 229, while Aanliya Cheeran tops Geelong’s wicket-takers with nine.

In the Seconds competition, the Cats enter the break in third place and have displayed some impressive performances, including Noura Abdul Qader’s monster 156-run knock in their final match of the year.

They also face a favourable run home, meeting all of the current bottom four sides to close the season.

Geelong’s Thirds have continued the club’s strong start, sitting second on the ladder.

Their Round 9 win over Dandenong was a highlight, with Aisha Hendriks scoring an unbeaten 79 and Biance Deckker contributing 67.

After navigating matches against fellow finals contenders, the Cats will finish the season against bottom-two sides Plenty Valley and Box Hill, a run that could set them up for a semi-finals berth.