Australian Football

Match Report

As the old saying goes, a week is a long time in footy, and that adage couldn't ring any truer than for the GWS and Geelong football clubs. The Giants blew a chance to start their year off perfectly in round one when they kicked themselves out of a win against Melbourne while the Cats couldn't have started their season any better, a five-goal round-one win against reigning premier Hawthorn signalling a return to glory days. 

By the end of Sunday's match between the two sides at Manuka Oval in Canberra, though, it was Giants' fans talking about glory days, while the Cats went home with their tails between their legs after succumbing to an impressive GWS side that may well figure in September calculations this year. 

The first quarter was a relatively even affair, although Geelong squandered several chances in from of goal after Tom Hawkins marked and goaled to put the Cats ahead after just one minute. They had 1.3 on the board before GWS scored without at least two of the behinds being gettable shots at goal. The Giants then hit their straps and majors to Nathan Wilson and Ryan Griffen had them in front at the 24-minute mark before Mark Blicavs missed another shot for Geelong. At quarter time it was the Giants by two points, 2.1 to 1.5.

A goal from Darcy Lang put the Cats in front after just one minute in the second term but it was then that the Giants began to exert some significant influence on the match. Goals to Devon Smith, ex-Cat Stevie Johnson and Stephen Coniglio suddenly had them 14 points clear. Blicavs hit back with his second but to more GWS goals via Dylan Shiel and Tom Scully had the Giants ahead by 21 as the term ticked into time on. Blicavs third kept Geelong in touch and the two sides then added one further goal each, the Giants 15 points clear at the long break.

The first 15 minutes of the third quarter were the decisive ones of the match. In that period the Giants got right on top, attacking incessantly and peppering the goals. The net result of that onslaught was 3.4, perhaps not as productive as it could have been, but importantly, the Cats did not trouble the scorers at all in that period so it was enough to give GWS what looked like a match-winning 37-point lead. Three of the last four goals of the term went Geelong's way as the tide appeared to turn just before three-quarter time but the Giants seemed comfortable with a four-goal break at the final change of ends.

Geelong, however, had other ideas, attacking heavily early in the final term. With two goals to Hawkins and one to Rhys Stanley in the first 12 minutes, the difference was suddenly an even goal. The game became a titanic arm-wrestle from then on, the two sides trading only in behinds. Finally, with only a couple of minutes remaining, the deadlock was broken with a goal to Ryan Griffen, putting the Giants 13 points clear and giving them a highly meritorious victory. 

Griffen (32 disposals, two goals) was a standout and played possibly his best game for the Giants, while Hawkins (10 marks, three goals) was a fine player for Geelong. 

With the two sides heading into round three with a 1-1 record, both will be keen for a second early-season win, GWS against cross-town rivals Sydney at the SCG on Sunday and Geelong at home at Kardinia Park against Brisbane. 

GOALS
GWS: Griffen, Smith, Johnson 2; Wilson, Coniglio, Shiel, Scully, Mumford, Hoskin-Elliott, Lobb 
Geelong: Hawkins 3; Blicavs, Stanley 2; Lang, McCarthy, Caddy, Gregson

BEST - AFL.COM.AU
GWS: Griffen, Scully, Mumford, Johnson, Kelly, Greene
Geelong: Hawkins, Blicavs, Mackie, Enright, Guthrie, Lang

BEST - THE AGE
GWS: Griffen, Scully, Mumford, Johnson, Kelly, Greene
Geelong: Hawkins, Blicavs, Mackie, Enright, Guthrie, Lang

INJURIES 
GWS: Marchbank (ankle)
Geelong: Nil

UMPIRES: Stevic, Fleer, Mitchell

TELEVISION BROADCAST: Fox Footy

COMMENTATORS: Anthony Hudson, Dermott Brereton, Alastair Lynch, Barry Hall