Premier Men eye late push in 2026

GEELONG’S Premier Men return to action this weekend with work to do in the second half of the season as they look to climb the ladder and keep finals hopes alive.

The 12th-placed Cats will travel to face the 10th-placed Casey South Melbourne in a one-day clash tomorrow (Saturday, January 10), after dropping three of their last four matches before the Christmas break.

In their last outing of 2025, Geelong faced ladder-leading St Kilda and went down by seven wickets.

Batting first, the Cats posted a competitive 229, led by a brisk 69 from Liam Blackford and a combined 85 from openers Ashley Armstrong and Lincoln Koliba.

But, St Kilda opener Harry Dixon’s 92-run effort guided the Saints to the target, with the winning runs scored in the 39th over.

Josh Garner, Nathan Harper and Zane Attard each claimed a wicket for Geelong in the loss.

The Cats now turn their attention to Casey South Melbourne, who sit 6–5 for the season and have won three of their past four matches.

While a finals berth is not yet out of the question, Geelong will need to win the majority of their remaining games to stay in contention.

There is some encouragement in the run home, with three of the Cats’ final five matches against sides currently below them on the ladder.

Beyond this weekend’s clash with the Bloods, Geelong will also face Frankston Peninsula, who sit one place above them in 11th.

In the Seconds, Geelong sit fourth with a 7-3 record heading into 2026. The Thirds are third at 6-3, while the Fourths sit 13th at 3-5.