Cats gallop to comfy win
WINX had an amazing ability to put lengths on her opponents in the blink of an eye.
She could go from cruising, to challenged, to out of sight before punters had the chance to comprehend what was unfolding before their eyes.
So what has this got to do with footy?
Well, so does Geelong right now. The Cats are playing with that similar ability to find another gear when needed. And they needed all of that in the 24-point win over North Melbourne in round eight.
The Cats were forced to withstand a number of challenges from the lowly ranked but honest Roos in what could have been a lopsided contest at Marvel Stadium.
But it was Geelong’s ability to put the bit between its teeth and find an extra length that was the difference in the win.
The Cats had to withstand some heavy pressure in the first term, coughing up 12 inside-50s.
But it was Geelong’s ruthlessness at the other end that helped it open a seven-point lead at the first break. With only seven inside-50s for the term, the Cats were able to kick 3.0 to North’s 1.5.
Geelong was able to build on its lead in the second quarter, thanks to its work in midfield, dominating the clearances. Gary Ablett and Jordan Clark kicked the first two goals of the quarter, and then Gryan Miers added a third to extend the margin to 26 points.
Late majors for the Roos through Tarryn Thomas and Jared Polec had the halftime margin back to 19 points, but the Cats looked in control.
Geelong looked to have sewn the game up in the third term when goals to Tom Hawkins, Clark and Gary Rohan put the Cats 34 points up.
With Tom Stewart dazed and off the ground after a sickening clash of heads, the Roos were able to open up their forward 50m arc, creating space for Ben Brown.
Well held by Mark Blicavs in the first half, Brown led into those open areas and breathed life into the contest, kicking three goals in as many minutes to stamp North’s revival. And, when Cameron Zurhaar kicked North’s fourth
goal in five minutes, the Cats had a 10point lead. But they responded, taking the margin back to 28 points, kicking the final three goals of the term through Hawkins (2) and Tim Kelly.
The Kangaroos mounted one more challenge in the final term, kicking 2.5 to Geelong’s 0.1 to bring the margin back to 12 points.
But, like Winx at the top of the straight, the Cats kicked clear. Back-to-back goals from Ablett sealed the four points.
Joel Selwood was a late inclusion and then withdrawal for the match, first replacing Sam Menegola before being replaced by Charlie Constable. The Cats again showed they could win without their inspirational skipper, with Kelly (36 touches, two goals), Mitch Duncan (29 touches) and Constable (27 touches) all winning a heap of the ball.
Kelly was superb for the Cats, with both of his goals coming at key stages in the match, while his 11 clearances were unmatched by anyone else on the ground.
Ablett floated in and out of the contest, but also stood up when it counted.
He may have another nervy trip to the tribunal with a hit that seemingly caught North Melbourne’s Sam Wright, almost identical to last week’s one on Dylan Shiel, likely to be looked at by the AFL’s match review officer.
Geelong’s win keeps it a game clear at the top of the ladder, but its ability to find another gear when asked is another encouraging sign for Chris Scott and his team.