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Cats scrape past Blues in Ablett return

(Mark Dadswell/Getty Images)
Roar Guru
26th May, 2018
57

Geelong have celebrated Gary Ablett’s Kardinia Park homecoming with a hard-fought 28-point win over Carlton.

In his first game for the Cats at the venue since departing for a seven-season stint at Gold Coast, Ablett was influential in a dour 11.7 (73) to 5.15 (45) win on Saturday night.

The upstart Blues trailed by just eight points early in the final term but Tom Hawkins kicked two of the last three goals to seal the premiership points.

Geelong’s sixth win of the season was marred by an ugly leg injury to exciting youngster Esava Ratugolea.

The 19-year-old was sent to hospital after his right leg was broken when it was trapped beneath him in a marking contest in the second quarter.

Carlton had their chances to score an upset win in their first match at the ground since 1997 but were left to rue missed opportunities in front of goal.

Tom Stewart had a couple of uncharacteristic moments of ill-discipline but put in another eye-catching 28-possession display down back for the Cats.

Skipper Joel Selwood (20 disposals) struggled to shake an Ed Curnow tag but Patrick Dangerfield (29), Mitch Duncan (27) and Ablett (25) were prominent.

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Evergreen Carlton defender Kade Simpson starred with 33 touches, while Patrick Cripps was a bull at the stoppages with 31 disposals.

Fireworks greeted Ablett and the Cats as they entered the arena.

In keeping with the celebratory atmosphere, debutant Jamaine Jones kicked the Cats’ first goal, returning champ Ablett the second and 100-gamer Jordan Murdoch the third.

The signs weren’t good for the visitors when Stewart Crameri added a fourth but the Blues steadied.

Goals to Charlie Curnow and Harry McKay cut the deficit to 11 points at the first break.

A week after Melbourne destroyed them by 109 points, Carlton dominated possession for much of the second term.

But they peppered the goals without finding the middle and were stung when Sam Menegola kicked the only goal of the quarter to put the Cats up by 14 points.

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David Cunningham bounced through a long bomb late in the third quarter to keep the Blues in it at 12 points down at three-quarter time.

But Hawkins stepped up after a quiet night to take his tally to three majors, and Menegola put the icing on the cake with the best goal of the night with a minute left.

Harry Taylor was a late out for the Cats with a foot injury, and was replaced by Aaron Black.

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