Australian Football

Match Report

Geelong sent off three of its favourites sons in style at Kardinia Park on Saturday. The Cats had a resounding win over the finals-bound Adelaide Crows, celebrating the last games of Steve Johnson, Matthew Stokes and James Kelly in the best possible way. While those three have played their last matches for Geelong, the door remains ajar for all three to reappear at other AFL clubs next season, with none of them confirming they'd played their last AFL game. 

The match got off to a rather uninspiring start, both sides having opportunities for goals but neither attaining one in the first 13 minutes. Brodie Smith broke the drought with a tumbling goal for the Crows at the 14-minute mark, but Geelong regained the lead with a goal to Josh Cowan two minutes later. After another dour period, the Cats got on a roll in time on and goals to Johnson, skipper Joel Selwood, George Horlin-Smith and Tom Hawkins on the quarter-time siren had them leading by 27 points at the first change.

Rory Sloane brought the margin back to 22 with the first major of the second term, but Nathan Vardy responded for the Cats at the 11-minute mark. Crow Taylor Walker's first at the 15-minute mark brought the deficit back under four goals, but Geelong's Hawkins and Vardy closed out the half with goals to give the Cats a 31-point lead at the long break.

The Cats had chances to go further ahead early in the third term, but Johnson and Cockatoo both missed. Adelaide then seized the initiative and two goals each to Eddie Betts and Tom Lynch, and another to Scott Thompson in the space of just 14 minutes saw the Crows suddenly within a point at the 18-minute mark. But Geelong steadied and majors to Cam Guthrie, Josh Walker and Vardy saw the difference back out to three goals before a late goal to Betts cut the margin to 11 points at the last break.

Any chance of a Crow comeback was extinguished early in the final term as Geelong peppered the goals in the first 10 minutes. The Cats kicked 3.2, the goals going to Walker, Andrew Mackie and Stokes it extend the margin to five goals and put the result almost beyond doubt. Eddie Betts face Adelaide brief hope with a goal at the 13-minute mark but the next three majors went Geelong's way, the last fittingly going to 'Stevie J' in his final match, as the Cats cruised home by 39 points.

Geelong's best included Mackie (34 possessions, 11 marks) and Selwood (34 touches, eight tackles), while the Crows were well served by Betts (four goals) and Sam Jacobs (52 hitouts). 

The game signalled the end of an era for Geelong, with Johnson, Kelly and Stokes having played their last games and the club missing the finals for the first time since 2006. Adelaide lives to fight at least one more day, the Crows to take on the Western Bulldogs in an Elimination Final at the MCG next Saturday.

GOALS
Geelong: Vardy, Walker, Hawkins 3; Johnson 2; Cowan, Selwood, Horlin-Smith, Guthrie, Mackie, Stokes
Adelaide: Betts 4; Lynch 2; Smith, Sloane, Walker, Thompson, Jenkins

BEST - AFL.COM.AU
Geelong: Mackie, Selwood, Guthrie, Enright, Vardy, Kelly, Stokes
Adelaide: Betts, Jacobs, Henderson, Sloane, Dangerfield, Douglas, Laird

BEST - THE AGE
Geelong: Mackie, Selwood, Enright, Guthrie, Stokes, Kelly, Johnson
Adelaide: Jacobs, Betts, Dangerfield, Henderson, Douglas, Crouch

INJURIES
Geelong: Nil
Adelaide: Smith (left ankle)

SUBSTITUTES
Geelong: Josh Walker replaced Daniel Menzel in the third quarter.
Adelaide: Jarryd Lyons replaced Brodie Smith (left ankle) in the first quarter.

UMPIRES: Rosebury, Findlay, McInerney

TELEVISION BROADCAST: Fox Footy

COMMENTATORS: Anthony Hudson, Gerard Healy, Jason Dunstall, David King