Late surge takes game
Five Bomber goals in third term knocked ‘stuffing’ from Cats
GEELONG suffered its third single-digit loss this season, falling seven points short of Essendon at Windy Hill on Saturday.
The Cats led by 11 points midway through the third term before the Bombers slammed on five straight goals, dominating the visitors at the stoppages.
Wylie Buzza (three goals) and Rhys Stanley (four) tried to get the Cats back into the game, but despite kicking six of the last seven majors, they fell short, 13.13 (91) to 12.12 (84).
Coach Shane O’Bree said the Bombers made them pay in the third stanza.
“We had that first 15 minutes of play too, we had it all in our forward 50, we just couldn’t score,” he said.
“They kicked a couple of slingshot goals and knocked a lot of stuffing out of us. We went away from our structure at stoppages. I think they scored three or four goals from stoppages; a couple from centre bounces.
“They got a bit of momentum, started to get a bit of movement through the stoppages and got on top in the contests and that put us on the back foot for a little while.”
Playmaker Jamaine Jones, who remains close to an AFL debut, was one of the Cats’ most prolific in the first half and finished with 17 touches and two goals, while small forward Gryan Miers could have had a day out had he not finished with four behinds.
“I thought the first half was played basically on our terms,” O’Bree said. “We had a good first quarter when they had a bit of a breeze and second quarter we probably could have been more in front, but I was happy at half-time.
“We just had to fix a few little things up — they were hurting us on the short kicks and a few little stoppage things as well.”
At 3-3, O’Bree said eighth spot was reflective of the side’s season so far.
“The two previous losses, we just haven’t played our system very well, but yesterday was a 10-minute lapse where we got beaten around the contest,” he said.
“They (Essendon) were probably the better team and that was the difference in the end yesterday.
“To the boys’ credit they kept fighting it out but we fell just short again.
“We’re going OK but we haven’t hit our straps yet. We’ve got a lot of players that aren’t in their best form and we’re hoping it’s going to click soon so we can get the wins we deserve or need.”