Australian Football

Match Report

Geelong's top-eight chances remain very mauve alive after the Cats comfortably accounted for GWS in front of a sell-out crowd at Manuka Oval on Saturday. Establishing a three-goal lead in the first quarter, the Cats kept the Giants at bay for the other three terms to record a 27-point win which knocked GWS from the top eight and brought Geelong top within half a game of the eighth-placed North Melbourne.

GWS got off to a good start with a goal at the three-minute mark but Tom Hawkins then stamped himself on the contest with goals at the six and nine-minute marks, giving Geelong a seven-point lead. Goals became hard to come by after that. The Cats controlled the general play but could not find the big sticks again until Steve Motlop kicked his first at the 23-minute mark. The visitors added another couple of behinds after that to take a 17-point lead into quarter time.

The Cats' wastefulness continued early in the second quarter, with Motlop, Jordan Murdoch and Josh Walker all missing before Motlop kicked his second and Hawkins his third to give Geelong a 32-point lead, one that could have been much larger. A mark and goal to Giant Adam Tomlinson cut the margin back to 25 points to give GWS some hope as the two sides left the field at half time.

GWS turned things around in the third quarter, dominating general play, but the Giants could not translate that onto the scoreboard in a big way, kicking three consecutive behinds while holding Geelong scoreless. Josh Kelly finally kicked straight at the 18-minute mark to cut the difference to 16 points but Hawkins' responded with his third two minute later. A late goal to Giants Tom Downie saw the margin back to 14 points at the final change and GWS appeared to be in with a chance.

That chance disappeared in the early stages of the final term as Geelong regained control and peppered the goals. Behinds to Mitch Duncan and Josh Caddy were followed by a fourth goal to Hawkins as the Cats reestablished a four-goal buffer at the eight-minute mark. They continued to attack after that and majors to Joel Selwood and Mitch Duncan extended the difference to 39 and put the result beyond doubt at the 23-minute mark. The Giants got late consolation goals through Jed Lamb and Callan Ward but Geelong won by a comfortable 27 in the end. 

Motlop was outstanding for the Cats, with 31 possessions and two goals, while Hawkins (five goals) and Caddy (25 touches) were also influential in the win. For GWS, Adam Treloar (31 disposals, six tackles) and Stephen Coniglio (25 possessions, six tackles) were amongst the best. 

Geelong will have a big chance to push for a place in the eight next Saturday when it takes on Brisbane at Kardinia park, while the Giants face a big challenge on Sunday, taking on top team Fremantle at Subiaco. 

GOALS
GWS: Greene, Tomlinson, Kelly, Downie, Lamb, Ward
Geelong: Hawkins 5; Motlop 2; Selwood, Duncan

BEST - AFL.COM.AU
GWS: Treloar, Coniglio, Williams, Haynes, Tomlinson, Shaw
Geelong: Motlop, Hawkins, Caddy, Enright, Selwood, Lonergan

BEST - SMH.COM.AU
GWS: Treloar, Coniglio, Williams, Haynes, Tomlinson, Shaw
Geelong: Motlop, Hawkins, Caddy, Enright, Selwood, Lonergan.

INJURIES
GWS: Rhys Palmer (corked hamstring)
Geelong: Nil

SUBSTITUTES
GWS: Jed Lamb replaced Rhys Palmer in the first quarter.
Geelong: Billie Smedts replaced Josh Walker in the final quarter.

UMPIRES: Donlon, Schmitt, Kamolins

TELEVISION BROADCAST: Seven Network

COMMENTATORS: Hamish McLachlan, Basil Zempilas, Tim Watson, Andrew Welsh