Geelong 3.5 9.11 15.14 17.17 119
Melbourne 3.0 6.1 10.5 11.10 76
Reigning Premiers Geelong recorded a comfortable victory over the winless Demons at Simonds Stadium today.
It won’t be remembered as a classic, but the contest that will have satisfied both sets of supporters. Mitch Clark converted four majors to star on his return from a neck injury, while James Podsiadsly, Paul Chapman and Steve Johnson kicked three each.
The confident Cats made two late changes, resting Tom Lonergan and Joel Selwood for Tom Gillies and Shannon Byrnes.
While the game didn’t come anywhere near last season’s infamous shellacking, the Cats were without worry for all but a small period of the third quarter.
Jeremy Howe’s snap had the Dees within 14 points, but James Kelly stood up after a turnover to snap from 40; before some of Geelong’s old guard stood up to ride the quarter out.
The Cats’ breakdown of an underwhelming Melbourne zone was a talking point. Matthew Scarlett, who was given the job on the shockingly ineffectual James Sellar, was left with copious amounts of room to dispose of the ball cleanly.
With a huge wind meant to be swinging at Kardinia, both sides showed incredible commitment to the ball when kicking against what Hamish McLachlan described as ‘The Waterslide End’. The ‘five goal wind’ was ineffective in everything apart from stopping Geelong from blowing the Dees out of the water early with some dodgy kicking.
Jordie McKenzie kept Jimmy Bartel quiet, the latter booted two quick goals before being substituted – though one came from a laughable puch in the back call.
Despite some good signs by the Demons, they still clocked their sixth loss of the season. Patience is a virtue, but something must be done to stop the bleeding. Geelong, meanwhile, seem to have their season well back on track.
Expect even more scrutiny on the Dees this weekend, not on Jack Watts who kicked four in the curtain raiser, but on reserve David Wojcinski who will collect weeks for his hit on 17-year-old Jack Viney in the same game.
Votes:
3-Steve Johnson (Geelong) starred once again at Simonds, he has been showing just how valuable he is to his side as the Cats progress through a list transition.
2-Mitch Clark (Demons) continues to show why Melbourne invested so much time, effort and money into him. 6 contested marks, 4 goals and 2 behinds as a roaming forward.
1-James Podsiadly (Geelong) booted 3 and kept the ball moving towards the goal square.
GOALS
Geelong: Chapman 3, Podsiadly 3, Johnson 3, Bartel 2, Mackie 2, Stringer, Kelly, Hawkins, Motlop
Melbourne: Clark 4, Jones 2, Bate 2, Davey, Dunn, Howe,
BEST
Geelong: Johnson, Corey, Christensen, Enright, Bartel, Podsiadly, Duncan
Melbourne: Clark, Howe, Jones, T McDonald, Grimes, Frawley
INJURIES
Geelong: Joel Selwood (concussion) and Tom Lonergan (soreness) replaced in selected side by Shannon Byrnes and Tom Gillies, Jimmy Bartel (ankle)
Melbourne: Nil
SUBSTITUTES
Geelong: Cameron Guthrie replaced Jimmy Bartel in the third quarter.
Melbourne: Lynden Dunn replaced Luke Tapscott in the third quarter.
Reports: Nil
Umpires: Bannister, Wenn, Fleer
Official crowd: 18,010 at Simonds Stadium
