TonyK
CibbuanoCats claim premiership
September 26th 2009 08:25
GEELONG has claimed its second premiership in three years with a 12-point win over St Kilda in a classic grand final at the MCG on Saturday afternoon.
The Cats trailed by seven points at the last change but kicked three unanswered goals in a pulsating final stanza including one after the siren to prevail 12.8 (80) to 9.14 (68).
The Saints will be left to rue the many opportunities they wasted to secure their first flag since 1966.
Paul Chapman won the Norm Smith Medal as best on ground for his 26-possession three-goal performance while Joel Corey (29 disposals), Gary Ablett (25) and Joel Selwood (24) were also instrumental in the win.
Harry Taylor and Matthew Scarlett were superb in defence, keeping St Kilda skipper Nick Riewoldt and Justin Koschitzke to one goal apiece.
For the Saints, Jason Gram generated plenty of run with a game-high 30 touches while Lenny Hayes (24) and Leigh Montagna (23) were prominent.
Steven Baker won his duel with classy Cats forward Steve Johnson, restricting him to just nine possessions.
Geelong started brightly, handling the pressure of the occasion better than their opponents as they booted the first two goals of the match through Max Rooke and Cameron Mooney.
The Saints were tentative early but controlled general play in the second half of the opening stanza.
They won more of the football at the stoppages and hit back with three of the last four majors to go into the first change with a two-point lead.
Hayes was particularly influential with 12 disposals and one goal in the first quarter.
Sean Dempster kicked the first goal of the second term before St Kilda wasted several gettable opportunities - Stephen Milne the chief offender.
The Cats made the Saints pay for their poor kicking for goal, slamming on four unanswered goals in 11 minutes to establish a 12-point break.
Included in that burst was a controversial goal from Tom Hawkins who intercepted a Zac Dawson kick from fullback and kicked his first of the day.
Replays showed that the football grazed the inside of the post.
It appeared as if Geelong would go into the main break in front but the Saints responded with three majors in the space of two minutes.
An opportunistic snap from Clinton Jones was followed by a grubber goal from Koschitzke which veteran Cats defender Darren Milburn disputed - claiming he'd touched it - which he clearly had not.
Milburn's abuse of the goal umpire resulted in a free kick to Adam Schneider who slotted one home from directly in front to put his side six points ahead at half-time.
Goals were hard to come by in a tight and tough third term with both teams managing only two majors.
Scores were level for a 10-minute period before Montagna converted from deep in the pocket at the 30-minute mark to help give the Saints a seven-point buffer at three-quarter time.
The Cats got the crucial first goal of the final stanza through Hawkins after just two minutes but they had to wait until the 23-minute mark to hit the front with Chapman snapping truly.
Geelong then held firm in the dying stages to confirm themselves as one of the all-time great teams.
ST KILDA: 3.2, 7.7, 9.11, 9.14 (68)
GEELONG: 3.0, 7.1, 9.4, 12.8 (80)
GOALS: St Kilda: Schneider 2, Riewoldt, Hayes, Dempster, Goddard, Koschitzke, Jones, Montagna
Geelong: Chapman 3, Mooney 2, Hawkins 2, Rooke 2, Selwood, Byrnes, Ablett
BEST: St Kilda: Gram, Hayes, Ball, Montagna, Baker, Goddard
Geelong: Chapman, Ablett, Corey, Selwood, Taylor, Scarlett, Milburn, Rooke, Bartel
INJURIES: St Kilda: Nil
Geelong: Nil
REPORTS: Nil
CHANGES: Nil
UMPIRES: Rosebury, S.Ryan, McBurney
CROWD: TBC at the MCG
The Cats trailed by seven points at the last change but kicked three unanswered goals in a pulsating final stanza including one after the siren to prevail 12.8 (80) to 9.14 (68).
The Saints will be left to rue the many opportunities they wasted to secure their first flag since 1966.
Paul Chapman won the Norm Smith Medal as best on ground for his 26-possession three-goal performance while Joel Corey (29 disposals), Gary Ablett (25) and Joel Selwood (24) were also instrumental in the win.
Harry Taylor and Matthew Scarlett were superb in defence, keeping St Kilda skipper Nick Riewoldt and Justin Koschitzke to one goal apiece.
For the Saints, Jason Gram generated plenty of run with a game-high 30 touches while Lenny Hayes (24) and Leigh Montagna (23) were prominent.
Steven Baker won his duel with classy Cats forward Steve Johnson, restricting him to just nine possessions.
Geelong started brightly, handling the pressure of the occasion better than their opponents as they booted the first two goals of the match through Max Rooke and Cameron Mooney.
The Saints were tentative early but controlled general play in the second half of the opening stanza.
They won more of the football at the stoppages and hit back with three of the last four majors to go into the first change with a two-point lead.
Hayes was particularly influential with 12 disposals and one goal in the first quarter.
Sean Dempster kicked the first goal of the second term before St Kilda wasted several gettable opportunities - Stephen Milne the chief offender.
The Cats made the Saints pay for their poor kicking for goal, slamming on four unanswered goals in 11 minutes to establish a 12-point break.
Included in that burst was a controversial goal from Tom Hawkins who intercepted a Zac Dawson kick from fullback and kicked his first of the day.
Replays showed that the football grazed the inside of the post.
It appeared as if Geelong would go into the main break in front but the Saints responded with three majors in the space of two minutes.
An opportunistic snap from Clinton Jones was followed by a grubber goal from Koschitzke which veteran Cats defender Darren Milburn disputed - claiming he'd touched it - which he clearly had not.
Milburn's abuse of the goal umpire resulted in a free kick to Adam Schneider who slotted one home from directly in front to put his side six points ahead at half-time.
Goals were hard to come by in a tight and tough third term with both teams managing only two majors.
Scores were level for a 10-minute period before Montagna converted from deep in the pocket at the 30-minute mark to help give the Saints a seven-point buffer at three-quarter time.
The Cats got the crucial first goal of the final stanza through Hawkins after just two minutes but they had to wait until the 23-minute mark to hit the front with Chapman snapping truly.
Geelong then held firm in the dying stages to confirm themselves as one of the all-time great teams.
ST KILDA: 3.2, 7.7, 9.11, 9.14 (68)
GEELONG: 3.0, 7.1, 9.4, 12.8 (80)
GOALS: St Kilda: Schneider 2, Riewoldt, Hayes, Dempster, Goddard, Koschitzke, Jones, Montagna
Geelong: Chapman 3, Mooney 2, Hawkins 2, Rooke 2, Selwood, Byrnes, Ablett
BEST: St Kilda: Gram, Hayes, Ball, Montagna, Baker, Goddard
Geelong: Chapman, Ablett, Corey, Selwood, Taylor, Scarlett, Milburn, Rooke, Bartel
INJURIES: St Kilda: Nil
Geelong: Nil
REPORTS: Nil
CHANGES: Nil
UMPIRES: Rosebury, S.Ryan, McBurney
CROWD: TBC at the MCG
| 43 |
| Vote |
subscribe to this blog
