Australian Football

Match Report

An inaccurate Geelong side has further strengthened its top four position on the ladder with a hard-fought win over Adelaide at the Adelaide Oval on Friday night. With former Crow Patrick Dangerfield returning to his old home ground to the first time since moving to Geelong, the Cats led for the entire night, save for a brief period in the third term when scores were level, to record a 26-point win. While the final margin was a comfortable one, the game was well and truly in the balance until midway through the last quarter, at which point the Crows were still within a point.

The Cats steadied in the last 15 minutes, however, and kicked the last four goals of the match to win 13.20 to 11.6. Adelaide had kicked two more goals than Geelong at three-quarter time but trailed by two points, 11.3.69 to 9.19.71, and the Cats inaccuracy looked like it could cost them the game at that point. But the sides virtually reversed roles in front of goal in the final term, with the Crows kicking 0.3 to Geelong's 4.3 as the visitors finished the stronger. 

Geelong dominated the early proceedings but could not translate that into scoreboard pressure, with Steven Motlop's goal at the six-minute mark punctuating five missed shots from Tom Hawkins, Rhys Stanley, Daniel Menzel and Cam Guthrie twice. After nine minutes, Geelong led 1.5 to 0.0, its 11-point lead not a true reflection of its control of the match. The rest of the quarter was an even affair, each side adding two goals and at the first break the Cats led 3.8 to 2.1.

Inaccuracy continued to haunt Geelong early in the second term, as Hawkins (twice), Menzel and Shane Kersten all missed shots while Mitch McGovern and Eddie Betts kicked accurately to bring the Crows to within five points. Motlop's second at the 18-minute mark opened the margin up to 11 but Charlie Cameron cut the difference back to five with a goal soon after. After ex-Crow Dangerfield missed a shot, Kersten kicked truly to put the Cats ahead by 12 points at the long break. 

Adelaide came out firing after half time and goals to Rory Atkins and Betts and the Crows on level-pegging with the Cats after just two minutes. Motlop's third returned the lead to Geelong, but the Cats then missed three more shots at goal through Zac Smith, Joel Selwood and Josh Caddy before Caddy and Stanley kicked majors to put them 19 points clear after 14 minutes. But the Crows hot back, and three goals in a row to Josh Jenkins, McGovern and Rory Sloane had them back within a point before Mitch Duncan goaled for Geelong. A last-minute goal to Jenkins had Adelaide back within two points at the final break.

The first 10 minutes of the last tern were a dour struggle, neither side managing a goal. Kersten missed once for the Cats before Betts and Paul Seedsman registered behinds for the Crows, who were still within a point after 12 minutes. A long goal from outside 50 to Cat Corey Enright proved pivotal, and Motlop and Darcy Lang added further majors over the next three minutes to open the margin up to 19 points. The Crows were unable to respond and a final goal to Shane Kersten sealed a 26-point win for Geelong at the 27-minute mark.

Guthrie (36 disposals, 10 tackles) and Dangerfield (33 possessions, 11 tackles) were outstanding for the Cats while Rory Sloane (11 tackles, 28 touches) was best for the Crows.

Geelong, second on the ladder with a 7-1 record will take on Collingwood (11th, 3-5) at the MCG on Saturday while the Crows, who have slipped to ninth with a 4-4 record, will take on the out-of-form Gold Coast at Carrara, also on Saturday afternoon. 

GOALS
Adelaide: Betts, Jenkins, McGovern, Walker 2; Atkins, Cameron, Sloane
Geelong: Motlop 4; Kersten 3; Caddy, Duncan, Enright, Lang, Menzel, Stanley

BEST - AFL.COM.AU
Adelaide: Sloane, Cameron, Lynch, R. Henderson
Geelong: Guthrie, Motlop, Dangerfield, Bartel, Selwood, L. Henderson

BEST - THE SATURDAY AGE
Adelaide: Sloane, Henderson, Atkins, Cameron, Lever, Jacobs
Geelong: Dangerfield, Guthrie, Motlop, Bartel, Selwood, Kersten

INJURIES
Adelaide: Nil
Geelong: Tom Lonergan (concussion)

UMPIRES: Stevic, Kamolins, Meredith

TELEVISION BROADCAST: Seven Network

COMMENTATORS: Bruce McAvaney, Dennis Cometti, Wayne Carey, Cameron Ling, Matthew Richardson