Australian Football

Match Report

Two undefeated sides met at Docklands in Saturday's twilight match and, after three very tight quarters, it was the Cats that broke away in the final term to record a 29-point win over Melbourne and keep their record intact. The Cats could largely thank their own accuracy in front of goal for the win, while the Demons will be ruing the reverse. Geelong finished with 20.6, having been an incredible 17.2 at one stage early in the final quarter. In contrast Melbourne ended with a score of 13.19, its total of 32 scoring shots six more than that Cats had.

The match got off to a slow start with the Demons scoring two behinds and Geelong one in the first eight minutes. Dan Menzel broke the goal drought, scoring his first major, and then Tom Hawkins followed up with another goal to put the Cats ahead by 12 points after 12 minutes. Mark Blicavs followed up with another goal and Geelong was three goals clear midway through the first term. Christian Petracca scored Melbourne's first at the 18-minute mark but a second goal to Hawkins had Geelong 17 points clear once more. Tim Smith's kicked his first AFL goal in his debut match for the Demons but a late major from Blicavs had the Cats ahead by 16 at quarter time.

Melbourne came out strongly in the second term, goals to Jack Watts and Billy Stretch bring the Demons within four points. Patrick Dangerfield's first goal at the seven-minute mark had Geelong back out to a 10-point lead and, after two misses from Demons Smith and Nathan Jones, the margin was extended to 14 with another goal to Hawkins half way through the quarter. Another Melbourne behind was followed by a goal to Jayden Hunt, to cut the margin to seven points, and then the Demons missed twice more again before Jeff Garlett put them ahead by a point with a goal at 21-minute mark. Geelong reacted with two quick majors but a late goal to Watts had Melbourne within three points at the half.

The Demons dominated the early part of the third quarter, goals to Alex Neal-Bullen and Dean Kent along with two behinds giving them an 11-point lead. Hawkins' fourth major had the margin back to five points and then Melbourne's inaccuracy continued with behinds to Stretch and Garlett. The Cats made them pay when Dangerfield kicked his second to restore the lead to Geelong. Two more misses from the Demons followed by a goal to Neville Jetta had them out to a nine-point lead but Steven Motlop has the Cats back within three. Two in a row from Melbourne saw the Demons out to a 15-point lead but Geelong got two crucial late goals to Zac Smith and Menzel to trail by just three points at 'orange time'. 

With the match on the line, Geelong scored the first goal of the final term with Hawkins kicking his fifth, That gave the Cats the lead and they followed it up quickly with further majors to Lincoln McCarthy and Dangerfield, to jump to a 15-point lead. Mitch Hannan got one back for Melbourne but the next two goals went Geelong's way to third-gamer Brandan Parfitt and captain Joel Selwood. That put the Cats 23 points clear early in time on and Menzel 'iced' the match with his fourth goal late in the match, Geelong the winners by 29.

The old firm of Selwood (37 touches, seven tackles) and Dangerfield (36 disposals, three goals) led the way for the Cats, while co-captain Nathan Jones (36 possessions, six marks) played a typically fine game for Melbourne.

Geelong, undefeated after three rounds will host Hawthorn - amazingly without a win - in the traditional Easter Monday clash between these sides next weekend, while Melbourne (eighth on the ladder with a 2-1 record) will host Fremantle at the MCG on Saturday.

GOALS
Geelong: Hawkins 5; Menzel 4; Dangerfield 3; Blicavs, Motlop 2; McCarthy, J.Selwood, Smith, Parfitt
Melbourne: Kent, Watts 2; Petracca, Smith, Stretch, Hunt, Garlett, Neal-Bullen, Jetta, Hannan, Harmes

BEST - AFL.COM.AU
Geelong: J.Selwood, Dangerfield, Menzel, Hawkins, Blicavs, Ruggles, Parfitt
Melbourne: Jones, Hunt, Watts, Viney, Stretch, Neal-Bullen, Kent

BEST - THE SUNDAY AGE
Geelong: Dangerfield, Selwood, Menzel, Hawkins, Smith, Duncan
Melbourne: Jones, Hunt, Kent, Watts, Neal-Bullen, Oliver

INJURIES
Geelong: J.Selwood (cut head), Hawkins (corked quad)
Melbourne: Gawn (right hamstring), Kent (cut head)

UMPIRES: Hosking, Ryan, Mollison

TELEVISION BROADCAST: Fox Footy

COMMENTATORS: Anthony Hudson, Brad Johnson, Paul Roos, David King