Cats were down, but not out

Shocker for Dockers after Cats looked gone at the last break

IT was the moment Cats fans were dreading: skipper Joel Selwood knocked out in the first 45 seconds of their game against Fremantle yesterday. And sure enough, the Dockers pounced and looked the side to beat with a 19- point buffer at three- quarter time. The upset was on — but then Selwood’s partnerin-crime Patrick Dangerfield stepped up.

THE ground announcer at Simonds Stadium yesterday missed a perfect opportunity at three-quarter time.

Bonnie Tyler’s famous anthem Holding Out for a Hero had to be getting a run through the speakers.

In case you’re not up with Bonnie’s work it goes:

“I need a hero; I’m holding out for a hero ’til the end of the night; He’s gotta be strong; And he’s gotta be fast; And he’s gotta be fresh from the fight.”

Geelong had been horrendous all day — at one stage the Cats trailed by 34 points in the second quarter — and at threequarter time Fremantle led by 19 points.

The regular hero Joel Selwood had been missing since the opening minute of the game, knocked out in a head clash with Hayden Ballantyne.

By the last break he’d been joined by the injured Tom Stewart and Darcy Lang.

There’s no prize for guessing which Cat decided to listen to Bonnie’s plea — and you’re not getting any think music.

Patrick Dangerfield decided he could no longer be a part of such rubbish. It all started with one inspirational act, a chase down of Fremantle’s Lachie Weller when he looked completely out of the contest.

Dangerfield caused the turnover and was then involved in a string of handballs which led to a goal to youngster James Parsons. Two minutes later Parsons had another one as he was having a crack at being the hero.

When Tom Hawkins woke from his slumber to take a hanger and kick his first goal, the Cats were remarkably in front nine minutes into the final quarter.

For the next 20 minutes no more goals were scored. But there nearly was one, in the final seconds from Fremantle’s Michael Walters.

After several Cats had choked with their opportunity to look after Bonnie, the game remained in the balance.

The Dockers were always going to get one last crack and it happened to be the final play of the match. A brilliant centring ball from youngster Brennan Cox set the Dockers away with the ball ending up being sent to the hot spot at the top of the goal square.

After a frenzy of activity it ended in Walters’ hands who had a clear look at the goals from 20m out.

He missed and a second later the siren sounded.

Geelong had won the unwinnable game by two points.

Dangerfield had nine possessions in the final quarter to earn himself another three Brownlow Medal votes and hero status.