Australian Football

Match Report

After the first two matches of round 18 had been won by the underdogs, GWS went very close to making it three from three at the Sydney Showground on Saturday night, ultimately falling just seven points short in a gallant effort against the Cats. Geelong led for most of the night but the fast-finishing Giants were within six points with two minutes left on the clock, with a late behind from Stevie Johnson finally making the game safe for the Cats.

A low-scoring first quarter saw ex-Cat Josh Hunt get the Giants off to a flying start with a goal inside the first two minutes but Cat Cameron Guthrie responded with a major three minutes later to level the scores. Wasteful kicking for goal saw each side score only one more major for the term, with Geelong ahead 2.5 to 2.4 at the first break. The second term was played along similar lines, each team scoring two goals, although with the Giants getting the first pair they led by 11 points at the 12-minute mark before majors to Dawson Simpson and Johnson saw Geelong in front by four points at half time.

It was in the third quarter that Geelong made the decisive break of the match, kicking six goals - two of those to Josh Caddy - to the Giants' three to open up a 23-point lead at the final change of ends. And when Johnson and Tom Hawkins kicked the first two majors of the last quarter, it looked liker the Cats would canter to a comfortable win. But GWS turned things around from that moment. Tom Boyd, Dylan Shiel and Josh Kelly all goaled within a 10-minute period and the difference was only 16 points half way through the last quarter. Skipper Joel Selwood settled the Cats with a major at the 18-minute mark but then Jeremy Cameron and Boyd goaled again, with those majors and several behinds cutting the difference to an even goal with 30 minutes gone. The Cats held firm, however, and Johnson's behind was enough to see Geelong sneak home by seven points and take second place on the ladder.

The two skippers were best on ground, with Selwood (39 disposals, eight marks) playing an outstanding match for the Cats and Callan Ward (31 possessions, five tackles) doing likewise for the Giants.

After a week off Geelong will face North Melbourne at Docklands in a bid to maintain its place in the top four, while GWS, 15th on the ladder with four wins, will meet Richmond at the MCG on Saturday week.

GOALS
GWS: Patton, Boyd, Shiel 2; Palmer, Hunt, Kelly, Cameron, Hoskin-Elliott, Ward,
Geelong: Johnson 3; Hawkins Caddy 2; Selwood, Murdoch, Duncan, Bartel, Guthrie, Simpson

BEST - THE SUNDAY AGE
Geelong: Selwood, Taylor, Johnson, Enright, Stokes, Guthrie
GWS: Ward, Greene, Treloar, Hoskin-Elliott, Mohr

BEST - AFL.COM.AU
GWS: Ward, Patton, Sheil, Hoskin-Elliott, Greene, Tomlinson
Geelong: Selwood, Caddy, Horlin-Smith, Johnson, Hawkins, Duncan

COACHES' COMMENTS
Leon Cameron (GWS): Disappointing for them to get six goals in the third quarter, when it was an even first half. We had opportunities in the second quarter to probably go a little bit further ahead but we coughed up that lead coming into half time. They dominated the third quarter. But really pleasing on the other end, it was fantastic for our players coming off a six day break to understand that they can really push through games like that. To have 20 inside 50s in the last quarter and keep peppering the goals was pleasing.
Chris Scott (Geel): We're not happy with the way we are playing. We're a little bit inconsistent with our output at the moment. I thought we were very good at times tonight but the problem with our performance was we were very bad at times as well. We tend to be glass half full at our footy club and we've lost four games for the season. Our destiny is in our own hands and the most important thing is that we're really excited by how much we can improve.

INJURIES
GWS: Nil
Geelong: Nil

SUBSTITUTES
GWS: Lachie Plowman replaced by Josh Kelly in the third quarter
Geelong: Dawson Simpson replaced by Brad Hartman in the final quarter

UMPIRES: Hay, Findlay, Mitchell

TELEVISION BROADCAST: Seven Network

COMMENTATORS: Brian Taylor, Luke Darcy, Matthew Richardson, Cameron Ling