Four for Motlop as Geelong down Adelaide
Cats overwhelm Crows by 26 points in to bank their sixth consecutive victory.
PT1M30S 620 349GEELONG 3.8 5.13 9.17 13.20 (98) ADELAIDE 2.1 5.1 11.3 11.6 (72)
Goals: Geelong: S Motlop 4, S Kersten 3, C Enright, D Lang, D Menzel, J Caddy, M Duncan, R Stanley. Adelaide: E Betts 2, J Jenkins 2, M McGovern 2, T Walker 2, C Cameron, R Atkins, R Sloane.
BEST: Geelong: Dangerfield, Guthrie, Motlop, Bartel, Selwood, Kersten. Adelaide: Sloane, Henderson, Atkins, Cameron, Lever, Jacobs.
INJURIES: Geelong: Lonergan (concussion), Lang (concussion).
Umpires: Matt Stevic, Simon Meredith, Chris Kamolins.
Official Crowd: 54,158 at Adelaide Oval.
Geelong and Adelaide did everything to lose but led by Patrick Dangerfield, the man everyone came to see, the Cats clawed their way to a memorable 26-point victory at Adelaide Oval on Friday night.
Patrick Dangerfield. Photo: Getty Images
The Cats had dominated for most of the match, but blew chances with appalling kicking for goal – 33 scoring shots to 17 – while the Crows repeatedly missed their targets going into attack and crumbled dismally in a poor goal-less last quarter.
Geelong will now wait anxiously for concussion tests after Tom Lonergan was forced out of the game after just seven minutes following a head clash with an opponent upon being pushed, and in the closing minutes Darcy Lang was accidentally kicked in the face by teammate Rhys Stanley.
But in a game that was full of pressure before a near-record 53,141 fans with most giving "Danger" a boo every time he got near the ball – and that was a lot – Geelong ultimately showed their class.
Cameron Guthrie of the Cats attempts to tackle Matt Crouch of the Crows. Photo: Getty Images
Adelaide were kept in the game with their kicking for goal, but in a cruel twist the turning point came nine minutes into the last quarter when Paul Seedsman missed a "sitter" from 20 minutes to deny his team the lead for the first time.
Three minutes later Geelong had another three remarkable goals – game over. Having struggled to kick straight all night, Lang did a better off-break than some of the great Australian spinners on this hallowed cricket ground to seal victory for the Cats.
Geelong won because they smashed the opposition at the stoppages. Their structure was well-drilled, and having also fared badly in this area against the Western Bulldogs six days earlier, Adelaide need to sort this deficiency out quickly. And unlike the previous round, the free-kick count was well in Adelaide's favour, but again it was just the way the game was played.
Harry Taylor of the Cats is tackled by Eddie Betts of the Crows. Photo: Getty Images
But this night was so much about Dangerfield, and his one-on-one battles with his mate Rory Sloane was memorable. Both were very good, and while some of Dangerfield's kicks went astray, his competitiveness and prominent use of handball was excellent.
A good side would have made Geelong pay for its inaccuracy, especially early, but the Crows were poor going inside-50 after they repeatedly missed targets.
The game was there to be won at half-time and three-quarter time, and as much as the Crows battled hard, they lacked Geelong's class when it really mattered.
The good news for Adelaide was the considerable improvement by their captain Taylor Walker, who kicked their opening two goals and contributed to two others.
Coach Chris Scott worked his team defence well to prevent a lot of Adelaide's sling-shot game style having a big impact. The defenders worked well and picked off the Crows' kick-and-hope disposals, but at the same time Adelaide's defence was for most part rewarded for its hard work.
Adelaide responded magnificently in the opening minutes of the third term with two quick goals, but continued to get slaughtered at the stoppages. Geelong set-up at them so well, and nearly every time cleared with players running from the pack. But again, the disposals and the shots at goal weren't always clean.
When Stanley kicked a goal midway through the term to set up a 19-point lead the Cats seemed as if they would take complete control. However, Josh Jenkins, who had been well held by Harry Taylor, finally began to have impact with two great goals and the margin was reduced to two points at three-quarter time. Geelong had managed 26 scoring shots to 14.
Given the occasion with Dangerfield, and everything else that was at stake, the Crows didn't raise a squawk in the last term, which really ruined up to then a good, tight contest.
