Geelong vs Collingwood: AFL live blog, scores
Columnist By Geoff Lemon, 14 Jul 2012 Geoff Lemon is a Roar Expert
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- AFL, Collingwood Magpies, Geelong Cats, live blog
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It could be a season-defining AFL match for both sides tonight, as Geelong takes on Collingwood at the MCG. Join our live blog from 19:30 AEST.
Many fans have remained lukewarm on Collingwood, even as last year’s grand finalists compiled a 10-game winning streak. The Magpies then stumbled badly last week against Carlton, to hand the Blues their only win in their last six starts.
Tonight Collingwood will be keen to set the record straight, anointing themselves as genuine premiership contenders with at least one night on top of the ladder.
The Cats are in a somewhat comparable position – five wins (and so very nearly six) from six, but leaving many viewers unconvinced with their creaky victories over low-ranked sides.
Nonetheless, they’ve tended to raise their game against better sides this season, with final-minute losses to Fremantle in Perth, Sydney at the SCG, and Collingwood last time around. Reverse those results and the Cats would be four points clear in first.
But looking to the past won’t help them. They need wins in the next few weeks, in a vicious run that includes Hawthorn, Adelaide, Essendon, and the Eagles in Perth. Tonight is the best place to start.
Geelong was leading recent contests between the sides 8-2, including two season wins and a grand final last year, but Collingwood finally got one back with a close one earlier this year.
Scott Pendlebury was the difference with 30 touches and four goals. The Pies will be glad to have him back, but after five weeks out he may have some rust to shake off. They also welcome back experienced defenders Nathan Brown and Chris Tarrant.
Geelong, in contrast, are bringing in their ninth and 10th debutants, with 196cm Josh Walker named at full forward, and mature-age midfielder Jackson Sheringham on the bench. They also bring back plenty of experience, with Steve Johnson back from injury and Harry Taylor returning after the birth of his daughter.
The crucial out for Geelong is the loss of Jimmy Bartel to suspension. Bartel and skipper Joel Selwood have been the difference in so many matches this season, willing their team over the line when they’ve been flagging. Without the Brownlow medallist, tonight could be a bridge too far.
But, while the Cats have looked flat at times this season, they’ve rarely looked flustered. Two experienced teams who’ve been there and done that, both desperate for some sort of momentum going into the crucial last weeks of the season.
Should be a cracker. Leave us your thoughts below.
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Geoff Lemon is a writer and radio broadcaster. He joined The Roar as an expert columnist in 2010, writes the satirical blog Heathen Scripture, and tweets from @GeoffLemonSport.
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The Crowd Says (63) | Page 1 of Comments
The Roar Live Blog: Latest comments displayed at the top of the page | Click here to jump to leave a comment
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- AFL, Collingwood Magpies, Geelong Cats, live blog
10:23pm
Geoff Lemon said | 10:23pm | Report comment
That’s it for me tonight, thanks for hanging out. Let us know your thoughts on the game, and if any happy Pies fans want to buy me a beer, I’ll be at the British Crown.
10:21pm
Geoff Lemon said | 10:21pm | Report comment
And that’s the final margin. So what do we have there? A Collingwood side that dominated early, won its buffer, then was able to hold its opponent at arm’s length in tricky conditions.
A game-high 39 stats for Swan, though he had some cheapies, meaning Beams should really take the chocolates for his 37 with two goals. Pendlebury had 36 in his return from injury, and Heath Shaw 30 as a rebounding runner. Thomas kicked three goals, and a host of others had two, including Chris Tarrant in his return to Collingwood and to the forward line.
Not a great day for Geelong – 38 disposals for Kelly and 36 for Stevie J, while Selwood battled hard for 23 with a couple of goals, and Enright was good with 25. Finesse was missing, the links broke down too easiy, and Collingwood’s counter was too much for the Cats, who looked confused at various stages.
Geelong didn’t help themselves with poor kicking. Hawkins was dominant with 8 marks and many more crumbs, but kicked 1.4 from his shots on goal, while young forward debutante Walker kicked three behinds. Turn some of those into goals and they would have run out winners.
As with most of their losses this year, Geelong are playing below par but still doing enough to win, aside from converting their shots at goal. It has been the main problem at the club for a long time now, and it’s hurting them terribly this year.
Collingwood go top of the ladder tonight, and though they’ll presumably hand that position back after tomorrow’s games, they’ll be confident having disposed of their bogey side twice this season.
10:12pm
Geoff Lemon said | 10:12pm | Report comment
Again Stevie J providing the run through the middle. Could have had a shot from 50, instead flicked wider to Duncan, who missed.
79 plays 110.
10:10pm
Geoff Lemon said | 10:10pm | Report comment
Last minute goal to SHERINGHAM!
No, it’s not Man U versus Bayern, it’s debutant Jackson Sheringham, nailing his first AFL goal with a cool-headed snap under pressure.
And now a rushed behind makes it 78 plays 110.
10:08pm
Geoff Lemon said | 10:08pm | Report comment
Lions by a point at the Gabba. Looks like a good finish up there.
Cloke shooting for goal here… misses. Get that contract in before you miss too many more from 25 out.
71 plays 110.
10:06pm
Geoff Lemon said | 10:06pm | Report comment
Ok, there has been some poor umpiring tonight, but that might be the softest 50 metre I’ve ever seen. Fasolo marked on 50, Joel Corey pulled out of the challenge and made the slightest contact with him, and Fasolo fell as his momentum from the lead took him forward.
50 penalty, goal, bullsheeze.
10:05pm
Geoff Lemon said | 10:05pm | Report comment
Steaming run from Motlop! That was good. It was a magnificent round-the-corner kick from.. Guthrie, was it? to place it out in front of Motlop running through the centre square. He put on the afterburners, saw he was going to get caught, handballed to space, sprinted clear, picked up, and having run 80 metres, took the time to steady as he was being closed down, and ran the ball through from 40.
71 plays 103.
10:02pm
Geoff Lemon said | 10:02pm | Report comment
There have been a number of games this year where the Cats have had more scoring shots than the opposition and lost. Certainly could be the case again tonight.
10:01pm
Geoff Lemon said | 10:01pm | Report comment
Bulldozing it forward, Selwood’s flying shot from the pocket is off line.
8 goals 17, Geelong – more than twice as many points as goals.
16 goals 7 Collingwood – less than half as many points as goals.
Huge difference.
9:59pm
Geoff Lemon said | 9:59pm | Report comment
Steve Johnson has been in a class of his own with outside-of-the-boot passing while on the run. They just need two of him: one forward, and one kicking to him.
9:55pm
Geoff Lemon said | 9:55pm | Report comment
Cloke gets one for the Mags to take them past the century. Combination of terrible play and terrible luck for Geelong in a couple of passages – that ball bouncing off Corey Enright’s heel on Geelong’s half forward line, onto the chest of a passing Pie, who raced it down the other end.
63 plays 103.
9:53pm
Geoff Lemon said | 9:53pm | Report comment
Ok, that’s some of the worst umpiring I’ve ever seen. Harry O was wearing Chapman like a mink stole. No free.
9:52pm
Geoff Lemon said | 9:52pm | Report comment
Was that Beams again, with another blazing run through the middle?
9:51pm
Geoff Lemon said | 9:51pm | Report comment
And he duly dobs this one.
62 plays 97. No chance of a comeback, but the Cats should fight hard to avoid a wipeout.
9:50pm
Geoff Lemon said | 9:50pm | Report comment
Stevie J marks on 50, then squares up to Selwood 35 out. The skipper has added a lot of goalkicking to his game this year.
9:49pm
Geoff Lemon said | 9:49pm | Report comment
Swan watch – three more stats in a series of give-and-gos from defensive 50 to his defensive goalsquare.
9:48pm
Geoff Lemon said | 9:48pm | Report comment
The British Crown is playing the footy to a soundtrack of Roisin Murphy. This reminds of the time the ground technician replaced the Cats’ club song with the theme from Dawson’s Creek.
9:47pm
Geoff Lemon said | 9:47pm | Report comment
And nearly another – out of Hawkins hands to the hands of West lumbering past, who lined up for his third… and missed.
9:46pm
Geoff Lemon said | 9:46pm | Report comment
Again he gets too close to the man on the mark, again he stabs at it uncomfortably, but this time he manages to stab it through – a high, up-and-under goal.
We’ve been making the same observations about his goalkicking style for over a year – you’d think the coaches might pick that up.
55 plays 97.
9:45pm
Geoff Lemon said | 9:45pm | Report comment
Hawkins another mark, and a ripper! This feller is a beast on the lead and in the contest. If only he could kick straight.
9:38pm
Geoff Lemon said | 9:38pm | Report comment
And there’s three quarter time. Afraid the pessimists have a point. If Geelong can’t lift several gears from here, they might be lucky to even be making up the numbers in September.
What think ye, wise old Roar?
9:37pm
Geoff Lemon said | 9:37pm | Report comment
The Geelong sub is coming into force. Matty Stokes off, 24 year old Jackson Sheringham waiting to come on.
9:37pm
Geoff Lemon said | 9:37pm | Report comment
From 51 metres this time, tougher kick, he ices it! Was just playing psych games, then.
49 plays 97.
9:36pm
Geoff Lemon said | 9:36pm | Report comment
Now he gets another go! Cuts off Collingwood’s clearing kick. Try again, young man.
9:35pm
Geoff Lemon said | 9:35pm | Report comment
Finally a nice move from the Cats, and Trent West chest marks 40 out.
His kick is an absolute scrubber though, sums up Geelong’s night. Out on the full.
9:35pm
Geoff Lemon said | 9:35pm | Report comment
I may be giving Dawes some stick, but he’s doing a lot of gut-running for his side. Spent more time on the wing than a flock of migratory geese.
9:34pm
Geoff Lemon said | 9:34pm | Report comment
Free kick to Corey Enright outside 50. He didn’t trust himself with the distance, so handed off to the newly-minted goalkicker Taylor, who bombed the distance with ease but offline.
Inaccurate Cats, not helping their troubles. For all their dominance the last few years, their handful of surrenders have usually been to Collingwood. This one is going the same way.
9:32pm
Geoff Lemon said | 9:32pm | Report comment
Dane Swan racking up the stats by taking the kick-ins. He’s approaching 30 and it’s not three quarter time.
9:32pm
Geoff Lemon said | 9:32pm | Report comment
And the romp goes on. Rebounding again from their defensive goal square to the forward line with just far too much ease. Beams gets his second, 22 disposals.
Collingwood need him to put less ink on his arm and more on his contract.
9:30pm
Geoff Lemon said | 9:30pm | Report comment
Motlop lively, screws a ball back from the boundary to the goal square, but it’s rushed. He’s a bright light for the Cats this season.
9:28pm
Geoff Lemon said | 9:28pm | Report comment
Well, emblematic. Another dangerous Geelong ball defused by the Pies’ defence, then they rocket forward and Tarrant takes a terrific grab against Taylor. Cats are really not judging their marks tonight, Taylor was too far under that all day.
Taz kicks it! Welcome back to the forward line.
40 plays 91.
9:26pm
Geoff Lemon said | 9:26pm | Report comment
That kick was about as ugly as Taz in high school too. It screwed across to the other pocket. But somehow it ended up with Dawes snapping a goal. That’s his second. The monkey that was previously on his back has retreated to the bar.
40 plays 85. Big win in the post.
9:25pm
Geoff Lemon said | 9:25pm | Report comment
Pies working the boundary game well, and they’ve found their way to Tarrant, 49 out. Playing forward today. Must feel like visiting his old high school.
9:23pm
zacbrygel said | 9:23pm | Report comment
With this type of Footy it seems to me that Collingwood want to make a statement after last weeks surprising loss to Carlton. Keep up the great updates Geoff. Who do you think has been best on ground so far tonight?
9:29pm
Geoff Lemon said | 9:29pm | Report comment
Might be Heath Shaw for mine, Zac (much as it irks me to admit it). He’s been rebounding like a dumped 18 year old.
9:31pm
zacbrygel said | 9:31pm | Report comment
Fair enough. His rebound has been dominating.
9:40pm
Geoff Lemon said | 9:40pm | Report comment
Swan 30 disposals to three quarter time. Pendles 24, Beams 25 and two goals.
Kelly has had 29 for Geelong, but you wouldn’t say he’s been hugely influential. Stevie J trying hard with 24, has done some nice things.
9:21pm
Geoff Lemon said | 9:21pm | Report comment
And Hawkins misses again. Three from three tonight. That was a close one on a tightish angle, but he really needs to address that. He honestly looks more comfortably taking the Stevie J set-shot snap rather than the straight approach shots. Why don’t Geelong’s coaches tell him to play on from the top of his mark?
9:20pm
Geoff Lemon said | 9:20pm | Report comment
Stevie J turns beautifully out of the centre square to deliver to Motloip, who puts it in Hawkins’ hands on the lead. Go round the corner Tom! Straight shots aren’t for you.
9:20pm
Geoff Lemon said | 9:20pm | Report comment
Can’t keep the pies down for long. Thomas comes back with an easy goal for them, sharking the ball off the pack and dinking through the snap. Least he made it look easy. Margin back to 40.
9:19pm
Geoff Lemon said | 9:19pm | Report comment
So I’ve fled the rain at the ground and have posted up in the British Crown hotel on Smith Street.
For those who don’t know, that’s right in the heart of Magpie territory, but they’re a friendly bunch down here.
9:18pm
Geoff Lemon said | 9:18pm | Report comment
Goal to Chapman! Cats are piling on the pressure early, the ball was locked in their forward line for a long time there.
9:16pm
Geoff Lemon said | 9:16pm | Report comment
Good replay. Looks like Selwood kicked it, and then Sidebottom got a touch on it with his boot. A point the result.
72 plays 33.
9:13pm
Geoff Lemon said | 9:13pm | Report comment
And we have a video review. Moment of brilliance – Stevie J snapped high to the goal line, Hawkins palmed back into the goal square and Selwood soccered it home. But he might be stripped of it on review, it’s hard to see whether it maybe clipped the Collingwood defender’s leg.
9:12pm
Geoff Lemon said | 9:12pm | Report comment
Another inside 50 for the Cats. Stokes collected high and sets up from the paint, but his kick was chopped off courageously.
9:11pm
Geoff Lemon said | 9:11pm | Report comment
And their best passage of play for the day! A series of linking handballs through midfield, some surge and dash from Kelly, and Chapman put the ball on the chest of Selwood, starting the half in the forward line. He kicks truly. Still a long way adrift.
11.6.72
4.8.32
9:09pm
Geoff Lemon said | 9:09pm | Report comment
And we’re off. A pattern to the Cats’ year has been letting the opposition off to a flyer, clamping down on scoring through the second half, and surging late to win or narrowly lose.
They’ll need to do all that again to have any hope of a rescue here.
8:54pm
Geoff Lemon said | 8:54pm | Report comment
Well. I’ve fled the ground to a place of more reliable net reception (and beer). But the half I spent there was instructive for me, if less so for you. Let’s see if I can pass it on. They key thing I noticed is a real hesitance about Geelong players today in the contest. They’re not attacking the ball when it’s there to mark, they’re hanging back, staying on ground, trying to protect position with their bodies to take chest marks rather than going with the hands first. Admittedly the conditions are wet, but there seems to be, in this, a real indicator of where Geelong’s play is going wrong.
For those who’ve watched them over the past half dozen years, the hallmark has been confidence in their attack at the ball. Now, with a lot of new faces in the team, that confidence isn’t there.
Collingwood, for their part, have been patiently applying the pressure, and waiting for those hesitant moves by Geelong to give them opportunitiies, They’ve been extremely impressive.
Any thoughts out there on that?
8:45pm
Geoff Lemon said | 8:45pm | Report comment
Even Chris Dawes has kicked a goal now. One of the signs of the apocalypse, if I recall.
8:30pm
Geoff Lemon said | 8:30pm | Report comment
Geelong pegging one back through Motlop, but theyve looked outclassed tonight.
9.4.58
3.6.24
8:20pm
Geoff Lemon said | 8:20pm | Report comment
Sorry, lost connection there. Ended first quarter 2.2.14 – 8.2.50.
Pies romping.
8:13pm
Geoff Lemon said | 8:13pm | Report comment
And Tarrant! The handball back to the goal line was overcooked, but he just got back for their fifth.
8:05pm
Geoff Lemon said | 8:05pm | Report comment
Another Hawkins special, missing from the set shot. His conversion cost them in Sydney, missed two already tonight.
8:01pm
Geoff Lemon said | 8:01pm | Report comment
Oh dear. And a mix up there with the jumpers hands Collingwood their 5th. James Kelly handballed straight to an opponent, and they pinball the handball chain around for Thomas to score.
5.2.32
1.2.8
7:58pm
Geoff Lemon said | 7:58pm | Report comment
They do! Guthrie picks out stokes on the lead and he kicks their first.
4.2.26
1.2.8
7:56pm
Geoff Lemon said | 7:56pm | Report comment
And now Geelong’s Walker shanks a shot. Cats need to pull themselves together.
4.2.26
0.2.2
7:55pm
Geoff Lemon said | 7:55pm | Report comment
Maxwell nails it.
7:53pm
Geoff Lemon said | 7:53pm | Report comment
Inside 50s are 6 to 3 now, and Geelong has coughed up a 50 metre penalty. Maxwell to shoot.
7:52pm
Geoff Lemon said | 7:52pm | Report comment
Daisy Thomas slides a point across the face from the boundary. All Magpies.
7:50pm
Geoff Lemon said | 7:50pm | Report comment
Pies flying, and the Cats are bleeding early, as they’ve done all year. Elliot marks and goals from 30 out.
3.1.19
0.1.1
7:49pm
Geoff Lemon said | 7:49pm | Report comment
Two in a minute! Goldsack scraps one through.
2.1.13
0.1.1
7:46pm
Geoff Lemon said | 7:46pm | Report comment
First goal to Thomas, after Hawkins and Tarrant each kicked a behind early.
1.1.7 – 0.1.1
7:39pm
Geoff Lemon said | 7:39pm | Report comment
Ready?