Australian Football

Match Report

GEELONG'S FINE RECOVERY

WEAK SIDE'S UPHILL FIGHT

But for a stirring ten minutes at the finish, the game at the Corio Oval between Geelong and Essendon would have been disappointing. Essendon had all the bad luck in shooting in the opening quarter; then misfortune came heavily on the home team in the loss of Slater, their sturdy centre-man, who just before half-time had to leave the field with a badly-sprained left ankle. He did not reappear, and the honours were with the 17 who pulled the game out of the fire.

1st Quarter

There was no excuse for the straggling play of the first quarter, because the ground was in good order and the day perfectly still. Geelong were perhaps "nervy" after the bout with unionism, which threatened during the week to divide the team. There were no brilliant phases in the opening quarter. Caine got Essendon's first goal with a sure punt from an angle. There was a breezy approach by Slater, Marsham, James, and Martini, and the big man's long kick found the post high up, but Heinz and Marsham gave him another chance, and he made full use of it. In a sustained attack by Essendon bad misses at goal were debited against Dinsmore, Caine, and Walker; and they should have held more than two points lead at the first change.

2nd Quarter

Though Geelong found their second ruck unsatisfactory, and had to fall back on the opening pack, they scored heavily in the second quarter. Slater had a share in three goals gained quickly by Martini (a clever snap and a great kick from 50 yards) and Brownless. Lumsden bungled a chance for Essendon and Geelong came again, Heinz scoring from a crush. In quick succession goals were tacked on by Gordon and Dinsmore for Essendon, and Geelong made a brilliant reply. Johns, Heinz, and Rankin worked finely, and James had a flying shot. Healy, a club mate, raced between two Essendon men for the goal, and as the ball dropped on the goal-line Healy touched it, and lost his side five points. It was at this stage that Slater brought Sewart down heavily, in what appeared a fair bump, and sprained his own ankle. Sewart was down for some minutes, and Slater was assisted off. Walker snapped another goal for Essendon, and at the half-time adjournment Geelong were three points ahead—5 goals 6 behinds to 4 goals 9 behinds.

3rd Quarter

With Slater away, Geelong people looked for the worst, and took it stoically, when Essendon in the third term ran to 7 goals 12 behinds to the home team's 5 goals 8 behinds. The seventh goal kicked by Gordon was really Dinsmore's, because his able shepherding let the ball dribble through.

4th Quarter

Baring and Walker got the others, and the former scoring again as soon as the final quarter opened, made Essendon look certainties. They tired suddenly, however, and there was 10 minutes to go when Eason got sixth goal for Geelong with a free at an acute angle. The big local following lost hope again when Martini for the second time hit the post with a lovely kick. He missed again at the opening made by Ranking and Gray, but the behinds were mounting up, and the deficit steadily falling. Marking from Orchard, Martini got seventh goal splendidly, and reduced the lead to seven points. One more stroke of bad luck came when an accidental crack on the head put Moulden, a new man, out of action, but the remaining 16 were running over Essendon. Sterling work was being done by Heinz, Orchard, and Rankin, at this stage, and it was three minutes short of time when Heinz snapped the side's eighth goal. One point separated the teams, and the home side's forcing tactics met a poor resistance from Essendon. There was tumultuous cheering when Gray equalised the scores, as the minute hand went its last round, and Geelong were dangerously close when the bell ended the game. The Geelong crowd gave the team a rousing reception in recognition of an admirable uphill fight. The scores were:—

Essendon, 8 goals 13 behinds (61 points).
Geelong, 8 goals 13 behinds (61 points).

Essendon have a fine speedy side, and will be dangerous. Their old men have jumped into form at once. Ogden had no equal on the ground when roving, and the work of the big fellows, Belcher, Hanley, and Baring was grand. White's defence was always sound, and he invariably beat his weightier opponent, Martini, in the run for the ball. They played two new men—Freeman, of North Melbourne, and Dinsmore, of Fitzroy and Wesley College. The former, playing full back, more than justified his inclusion, and Dinsmore showed excellent judgement. Sewart, Lumsden, Chalmers, Walker, and Laing were the pick of the rest. Geelong's new men were Wilton, who played a few games some years ago; and Moulden, captain of the Chilwell Juniors. The former hardly reproduced practice form, but battled hard in the ruck, where the side badly needs buttressing. Moulden marks well, but is too impetuous when he gets the ball. The little rover Heinz was the star performer for Geelong, notwithstanding that he had to rove with very brief spells. Dalton and Rankin were a clever wing pair, and the latter, a son of Ted Rankin, who was an artist with the ball, is one of the most promising of the younger players. Slater was doing solid work up to his retirement. Marsham was much below his best. McCarter, Grigg, Johns, Orchard, Eason, Healy, and Martini (for his four goals) stood out from the balance. Geelong have a capital reserve, and when last year's players strike their form the team will be dangerous. McCherry, though he missed many things, umpired capably.