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Cats smash reigning premiers
0 hours, 28 minutes ago | Back
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Cats smash reigning premiers
0 hours, 28 minutes ago | Back
Exclusive to AFL BigPond Network
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GEELONG has won revenge for West Coast’s Houdini act at Skilled Stadium last year, beating the reigning premiers by 39 points.
The Cats kept West Coast goalless for almost two quarters and kicked away in the final minutes to win 16.13 (109) to 10.10 (70).
The Cats led by 45 points early in the last quarter, but West Coast kicked three consecutive goals to close within 21 points and threaten a repeat of the match that must still give many Geelong fans nightmares.
But Cameron Mooney’s third and fourth goals capped a deserved victory for the underdogs, who extend their season record to 5-2 and end West Coast’s unbeaten run.
For much of the second and third quarters the Cats managed what no side has been able for some time: to make West Coast look slow, short of ideas and second-best.
Geelong bossed the clearances for most of the game, including a 20-minute slice of the third quarter during which the Cats kicked five unanswered goals and did not allow West Coast a single mark inside 50.
The Eagles did not kick a goal between Matt Priddis’ effort in the sixth minute of the second term and Matt Rosa’s drought-breaker in the seventh minute of the last.
Forward Steve Johnson was instrumental in Geelong’s dominance, kicking two goals in only his second game after returning from a club-imposed suspension in round six.
Johnson’s long bombs into the forward line set up several other chances, including one that Cameron Mooney converted as the Cats kicked eight goals in a row to open up a 45-point lead.
West Coast would have had memories of the 2006 match between these two teams, when the Eagles won at Skilled Stadium despite trailing by as many as nine goals during the third quarter.
But this time there was no way back, and the Eagles’ attempts to regroup were hampered late in the third term by some inaccuracy and bad luck.
Steven Armstrong missed twice, then Brent Staker marked in the goal square and banged the ball through, only to find himself penalised 50m for an infringement against Matthew Scarlett.
Armstrong had the chance to make amends, but opted to handball over the top to a man under pressure when he could have taken a set shot from the top of goal square.
When Matt Rosa finally added a goal to cut the margin to 39 points, seven minutes into the final term, the margin was of the second quarter.
The Eagles trailed by nine points at half time after an opening that made up in ferocity what it lacked in class.
Michael Braun was the most dangerous of West Coast’s running midfielders, with Chris Judd testing the Cats defence with his trademark barnstorming runs.
Geelong coach Mark Thompson chose to tag Judd with Joel Corey, and the Cats midfielder proved equal to the task, wearing Judd closely for the opening half.
Corey even brought Judd to a halt with a crunching tackle in the second quarter that saw a rare holding the ball decision against the West Coast champion.
Cameron Ling blanketed Daniel Kerr, restricting the Eagles danger man to a handful of possessions, most of them in West Coast’s defensive half.
Geelong 4.4 6.8 11.12 16.13 (109)
West Coast 4.2 5.5 5.9 10.10 (70)
GOALS
Geelong: Mooney 4, S Johnson 2, Ottens 2, G Ablett 2, N Ablett 2, Bartel, Stokes, Varcoe
West Coast: Hansen 3, Rosa 2, Braun, Hunter, Hurn, Priddis,
BEST
Geelong: Bartel, Ottens, Mooney, Corey, Ling, G Ablett, N Ablett, S Johnson
West Coast: Chick, Waters, Hunter, Braun, Stenglein
GEELONG has won revenge for West Coast’s Houdini act at Skilled Stadium last year, beating the reigning premiers by 39 points.
The Cats kept West Coast goalless for almost two quarters and kicked away in the final minutes to win 16.13 (109) to 10.10 (70).
The Cats led by 45 points early in the last quarter, but West Coast kicked three consecutive goals to close within 21 points and threaten a repeat of the match that must still give many Geelong fans nightmares.
But Cameron Mooney’s third and fourth goals capped a deserved victory for the underdogs, who extend their season record to 5-2 and end West Coast’s unbeaten run.
For much of the second and third quarters the Cats managed what no side has been able for some time: to make West Coast look slow, short of ideas and second-best.
Geelong bossed the clearances for most of the game, including a 20-minute slice of the third quarter during which the Cats kicked five unanswered goals and did not allow West Coast a single mark inside 50.
The Eagles did not kick a goal between Matt Priddis’ effort in the sixth minute of the second term and Matt Rosa’s drought-breaker in the seventh minute of the last.
Forward Steve Johnson was instrumental in Geelong’s dominance, kicking two goals in only his second game after returning from a club-imposed suspension in round six.
Johnson’s long bombs into the forward line set up several other chances, including one that Cameron Mooney converted as the Cats kicked eight goals in a row to open up a 45-point lead.
West Coast would have had memories of the 2006 match between these two teams, when the Eagles won at Skilled Stadium despite trailing by as many as nine goals during the third quarter.
But this time there was no way back, and the Eagles’ attempts to regroup were hampered late in the third term by some inaccuracy and bad luck.
Steven Armstrong missed twice, then Brent Staker marked in the goal square and banged the ball through, only to find himself penalised 50m for an infringement against Matthew Scarlett.
Armstrong had the chance to make amends, but opted to handball over the top to a man under pressure when he could have taken a set shot from the top of goal square.
When Matt Rosa finally added a goal to cut the margin to 39 points, seven minutes into the final term, the margin was of the second quarter.
The Eagles trailed by nine points at half time after an opening that made up in ferocity what it lacked in class.
Michael Braun was the most dangerous of West Coast’s running midfielders, with Chris Judd testing the Cats defence with his trademark barnstorming runs.
Geelong coach Mark Thompson chose to tag Judd with Joel Corey, and the Cats midfielder proved equal to the task, wearing Judd closely for the opening half.
Corey even brought Judd to a halt with a crunching tackle in the second quarter that saw a rare holding the ball decision against the West Coast champion.
Cameron Ling blanketed Daniel Kerr, restricting the Eagles danger man to a handful of possessions, most of them in West Coast’s defensive half.
Geelong 4.4 6.8 11.12 16.13 (109)
West Coast 4.2 5.5 5.9 10.10 (70)
GOALS
Geelong: Mooney 4, S Johnson 2, Ottens 2, G Ablett 2, N Ablett 2, Bartel, Stokes, Varcoe
West Coast: Hansen 3, Rosa 2, Braun, Hunter, Hurn, Priddis,
BEST
Geelong: Bartel, Ottens, Mooney, Corey, Ling, G Ablett, N Ablett, S Johnson
West Coast: Chick, Waters, Hunter, Braun, Stenglein
