TonyK
CibbuanoCats win thriller
July 25th 2009 08:10
GEELONG has dealt a massive blow to Hawthorn’s finals hopes with a thrilling one-point win at the MCG on Saturday afternoon.
The Cats trailed by as much as 28 points in the final term but lifted themselves off the canvas and levelled the scores before James Bartel kicked a point after the siren to seal a memorable 15. 9 (99) to 14.14 (98) victory in a contest that was worthy of a Grand Final.
The win was even more impressive considering Geelong lost defenders Matthew Scarlett and Harry Taylor to groin injuries.
For the Hawks, the loss means they could be a game and percentage outside the top eight with just five rounds remaining in the home-and-away season.
They face a tough run home with matches against Port Adelaide, St Kilda and Essendon to come.
Cats young gun Joel Selwood was simply inspirational with a game-high 42 possessions, 10 marks, 11 tackles and one goal.
Selwood was well supported by Gary Ablett (33) while Cameron Ling did a superb blanketing job on Luke Hodge, keeping the Hawthorn vice-captain to just 11 touches.
Joel Corey (27) was also instrumental in the win while Max Rooke kicked three goals.
Hawthorn skipper Sam Mitchell led from the front with a team-high 38 possessions while Lance Franklin continued his recent run of good form with five majors.
Geelong jumped out of the blocks in the opening stanza and had three goals on the board - two of which came from Rooke - before Hawthorn forward Jarryd Roughead dribbled home a clever goal from the pocket at the 22-minute minute mark.
Franklin then drilled one home from outside 50 before the Hawks won the next centre clearances and hit the front after Michael Osborne kicked truly.
But it was the Cats who went into quarter-time in front thanks to Tom Hawkins who converted his long set shot to give his side a five-point buffer at the first change.
It was the Franklin show in the second term - last year’s Coleman medallist kicking three goals for the quarter, including two brilliant snaps from the boundary.
The Hawks had 36 more possessions than Geelong for the quarter and were rewarded for their hard work around the ground with a 14-point advantage at half-time after Campbell Brown kicked his first in the dying seconds of the first half.
Hawthorn increased their lead to 22 points at three-quarter time after a five-goal-to-third-quarter and looked set to record a much-needed when Brent Guerra goaled in the opening minute of the final stanza.
But the Cats refused to give in and responded with three goals in five minutes from Simon Hogan, Travis Varcoe and Joel Corey to close to within 10 points.
The game developed into an arm wrestle for the next 10 minutes before Mathew Stokes ran into an open goal and when Rooke kicked his third at the 24-minute mark the deficit was just one point.
Bartel levelled the scores with a quick snap before marking a ball scrambled forward in hope by Corey deep in the forward pocket just moments before the siren sounded.
The 2007 Brownlow medallist’s set shot from an acute angle sprayed to the left but it was enough to earn Geelong one of its best wins in recent memory.
GEELONG: 4.2, 6.5, 10.6. 15.9 (99)
HAWTHORN 3.3, 8.7, 13.10, 14.14 (98)
GOALS: Geelong: Rooke 3, Mooney 2, Hawkins 2, Ablett, Chapman, Ling, Selwood, Varcoe, Corey, Hogan, Stokes
Hawthorn: Franklin 5, Roughead 2, Brown 2, Osborne, Lewis, Rioli, Bateman, Guerra
BEST: Geelong: Selwood, Ablett, Ling, Corey, Mumford, Mackie, Enright
Hawthorn: Franklin, Guerra, Mitchell, Lewis, Sewell
INJURIES: Geelong: Scarlett (groin), Taylor (groin)
Hawthorn: Osborne (foot)
REPORTS: Nil
CHANGES: Nil
UMPIRES: Chamberlain, Jeffery, McInerney
CROWD: 64,803 at the MCG
The Cats trailed by as much as 28 points in the final term but lifted themselves off the canvas and levelled the scores before James Bartel kicked a point after the siren to seal a memorable 15. 9 (99) to 14.14 (98) victory in a contest that was worthy of a Grand Final.
The win was even more impressive considering Geelong lost defenders Matthew Scarlett and Harry Taylor to groin injuries.
For the Hawks, the loss means they could be a game and percentage outside the top eight with just five rounds remaining in the home-and-away season.
They face a tough run home with matches against Port Adelaide, St Kilda and Essendon to come.
Cats young gun Joel Selwood was simply inspirational with a game-high 42 possessions, 10 marks, 11 tackles and one goal.
Selwood was well supported by Gary Ablett (33) while Cameron Ling did a superb blanketing job on Luke Hodge, keeping the Hawthorn vice-captain to just 11 touches.
Joel Corey (27) was also instrumental in the win while Max Rooke kicked three goals.
Hawthorn skipper Sam Mitchell led from the front with a team-high 38 possessions while Lance Franklin continued his recent run of good form with five majors.
Geelong jumped out of the blocks in the opening stanza and had three goals on the board - two of which came from Rooke - before Hawthorn forward Jarryd Roughead dribbled home a clever goal from the pocket at the 22-minute minute mark.
Franklin then drilled one home from outside 50 before the Hawks won the next centre clearances and hit the front after Michael Osborne kicked truly.
But it was the Cats who went into quarter-time in front thanks to Tom Hawkins who converted his long set shot to give his side a five-point buffer at the first change.
It was the Franklin show in the second term - last year’s Coleman medallist kicking three goals for the quarter, including two brilliant snaps from the boundary.
The Hawks had 36 more possessions than Geelong for the quarter and were rewarded for their hard work around the ground with a 14-point advantage at half-time after Campbell Brown kicked his first in the dying seconds of the first half.
Hawthorn increased their lead to 22 points at three-quarter time after a five-goal-to-third-quarter and looked set to record a much-needed when Brent Guerra goaled in the opening minute of the final stanza.
But the Cats refused to give in and responded with three goals in five minutes from Simon Hogan, Travis Varcoe and Joel Corey to close to within 10 points.
The game developed into an arm wrestle for the next 10 minutes before Mathew Stokes ran into an open goal and when Rooke kicked his third at the 24-minute mark the deficit was just one point.
Bartel levelled the scores with a quick snap before marking a ball scrambled forward in hope by Corey deep in the forward pocket just moments before the siren sounded.
The 2007 Brownlow medallist’s set shot from an acute angle sprayed to the left but it was enough to earn Geelong one of its best wins in recent memory.
GEELONG: 4.2, 6.5, 10.6. 15.9 (99)
HAWTHORN 3.3, 8.7, 13.10, 14.14 (98)
GOALS: Geelong: Rooke 3, Mooney 2, Hawkins 2, Ablett, Chapman, Ling, Selwood, Varcoe, Corey, Hogan, Stokes
Hawthorn: Franklin 5, Roughead 2, Brown 2, Osborne, Lewis, Rioli, Bateman, Guerra
BEST: Geelong: Selwood, Ablett, Ling, Corey, Mumford, Mackie, Enright
Hawthorn: Franklin, Guerra, Mitchell, Lewis, Sewell
INJURIES: Geelong: Scarlett (groin), Taylor (groin)
Hawthorn: Osborne (foot)
REPORTS: Nil
CHANGES: Nil
UMPIRES: Chamberlain, Jeffery, McInerney
CROWD: 64,803 at the MCG
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