Tom Hawkins has feasted on a lacklustre Brisbane, claiming another seven-goal haul as Geelong boosted their AFL finals chances with a 42-point win at GMHBA Stadium.
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Final score
Geelong Cats 18.12.120
Brisbane Lions 11.12.78
We head down to GMHBA Stadium to see the Geelong Cats hoping to bounce back into the top 8 as they face up against a resurgent Brisbane Lions. Join The Roar for live scores and a blog of the match from 2:10pm AEST.
It is hard to get a read on Geelong’s season to date, given that for all appearances they continue to look like a team that will win, and invariably do, however find themselves in 9th on the ladder with 5 matches to go.
And what can you make of their win over the Dees? For the second time this season, Geelong have come back from the dead against the Melbourne outfit, and last weekend snatched amazing victory from the jaws of seemingly inevitable defeat.
The never-say-die attitude of the Cats lives on, and yet here we are, the Cats in 9th, but with an opportunity to jump back into the 8, and profit from the Swans’ profligacy against the Bombers overnight.
For what it’s worth, the Cats may want to be mindful of two things.
Firstly, while the teaming up of Joel Selwood, Patrick Dangerfield, and Gary Ablett was lauded at the start of the season as the greatest midfield to ever grace a sports field in Australian history, the bottom line is that, great as those three players individually are, they are yet to gel as a match winning unit.
If they are going to make finals, let alone make any damage in the finals, now is the time for those three players to start working with one another.
Secondly, the Cats are one of the top performing teams against top eight opponents, one of the few teams to have a superior record against top eight opposition met this year.
Which is a great statistic, but if you are not in the eight itself, that perhaps suggests that you are not performing as well against teams outside the eight.
Which brings us to Brisbane.
The Lions have won three of their last five, and their two losses (to the Giants and Adelaide) have been tight affairs.
All five matches will have pleased Chris Fagan, who has also been given the long-term road mapakin to that which Brendan Bolton is navigating, but unlike Bolts, Fages has one or two more wins on the board to shown some tangible progress.
To see the likes of Cam Raynor, Eric Hipwood, and in recent weeks, Alex Witherden, Hugh McCluggage and Nick Robertson rising up in confidence and execution will give Fagan confidence himself not just for the long-term, but for today.
Brisbane should hold no fears here. They are playing a quality, fast, and precise brand of football, and only a lack of belief will hold them back. And coming up against a side that required a kick after the siren to win after being five goals down, why can’t the Lions spring a surprise of their own in Victoria?
Brisbane haven’t won in Geelong since 2003, when funnily enough Chris Scott was playing for them. Given the feats of the Bombers last night, in beating Sydney for the first time in a very long while, then perhaps this might be a round for drought breakers.
Prediction
The Cats will be pretty riled up about winning last weekend, but dropping positions. No doubt they will feel that the table simply does not reflect who they are as a team and a contender.
While the Lions should put up more of a fight than in recent years, given just how poorly the Lions have performed at this venue in recent years, it really is hard to go past the Cats.
Geelong Cats by 34 points.
Join The Roar for live scores and a blog of the match from 2:10pm AEST.
perry cox
Roar Guru
Full Time And that does it. Full time sounds, as the Cats have taken this out by 7 goals, essentially, by Hawkins' bag full. he had the chance for 8, but seven is enough. This game turned on those 30 seconds before half time, when the Cats were down by 1, and finished with an 11 point lead. Cats ran away with it in the second half, and a nice little percentage booster for them. Great contest in the first half, bit of a clinic in the second. Not a bad display to watch though. Lions will look back on missed chances, with a few positives from the first half, but some disappointing negatives from the second. Cats by 42. Thanks for joining us. What are your thoughts Roarers?
Geelong Cats: 120 Brisbane Lions: 78
perry cox
Roar Guru
4th Q - Behind 32' - Umpires getting in on the percentage boosting parade here for the Cats, another 50m free takes Duncan into the danger zone for a goal. Unfortunately he can't kick straight, young Duncan, it's just a behind. Cats by 42.
Geelong Cats: 120 Brisbane Lions: 78
perry cox
Roar Guru
4th Q - Goal 30' - Cats get a 50m free, high shot after the mark. What a shot by Menegola, distance and direction. That's a goal! Cats by 41.
Geelong Cats: 119 Brisbane Lions: 78
perry cox
Roar Guru
4th Q - Goal 28' - Lions chipping away at this lead, this time Beams from a 50m set shot, but that sails to the left, and the Lions with yet another point. Cats by 35.
Geelong Cats: 113 Brisbane Lions: 78
perry cox
Roar Guru
4th Q - Behind 27' - Lions at least finishing strong here, but the ball is punched and hits the post. Cats by 36.
Geelong Cats: 113 Brisbane Lions: 77
perry cox
Roar Guru
4th Q 26' - For some reason, Hawkins, marking without a contest inside 50, lays it off, and the Lions force the turnover. That'll do me.
Geelong Cats: 113 Brisbane Lions: 76
perry cox
Roar Guru
4th Q - Goal 24' - Lions score a goal eventually. I say 'eventually' because McLuggage runs it in, the goal is basically open, but he waits so long that he runs out of space, lays it off, and Barrett snaps, under immense pressure, and eventually gets the goal the Lions should have had a while ago. Cats by 37.
Geelong Cats: 113 Brisbane Lions: 76
perry cox
Roar Guru
4th Q - Goal 23' - Mitch Robinson, fiery to the very last, takes a mark, and scores a goal. He even took that mark with all the aggression he could muster. Cats by 43.
Geelong Cats: 113 Brisbane Lions: 70
perry cox
Roar Guru
4th Q - Goal 21' - And Menzel bends the fabric of the space-time continuum from the boundary, and kicks under the ball, which sails through. Arms raised, looking to the crowd in delight. Dwayne Russell says it wouldn't happen in your wildest dreams, and while he may need more exciting dreams, that's a cracker! Cats by 49.
Geelong Cats: 113 Brisbane Lions: 64
perry cox
Roar Guru
4th Q - Goal 19' - And Hawkins takes a mark in front, right in close. Cats have turned on the class here, great movement of the ball from their defence, started by Selwood. Hawkins comes in and the crowd goes up. Cats by 43.
Geelong Cats: 107 Brisbane Lions: 64
perry cox
Roar Guru
4th Q - Goal 16' - Absolute ripper from Hipwood, and it's gone right into the crowd. From 50 out to begin with. Cats by 37. Geelong Cats: 101 Brisbane Lions: 64
perry cox
Roar Guru
4th Q 16' - Matheson to Beams, and Hipwood takes the diving mark, to try and stem the bleeding here.
Geelong Cats: 101 Brisbane Lions: 58
perry cox
Roar Guru
4th Q - Goal 13' - And Menzel is in a one on one with the Lions defender, the ball bounces over Walker, and Menzel has yards. He kicks from 55, and it bounces through. Cats by 43.
Geelong Cats: 101 Brisbane Lions: 58
perry cox
Roar Guru
4th Q 12' - Well, for mine, this is about percentage now. The contest is done, but can the Cats bump up their percentage. Mind you, as I type, here come the Lions through Taylor. Danger cleans up in defence though.
Geelong Cats: 95 Brisbane Lions: 58
perry cox
Roar Guru
4th Q - Goal 9' - Scott Selwood cops a knee to the head, gets the free, lines up for the goal, gets the goal, from the boundary, and he's off for the blood rule for the original hit. Weird play. Anyway, Cats by 37.
Geelong Cats: 95 Brisbane Lions: 58
perry cox
Roar Guru
4th Q - Goal 7' - The response and counter from the Cats is swift, and Duncan finds Hawkins. He lines up for six. Boom. Cats by 31.
Geelong Cats: 89 Brisbane Lions: 58
perry cox
Roar Guru
4th Q 6' - Crowd loses it again when the untouchable Dangerfield gives away a free for going low. Fair cop too. Lions switch and Rich with the ball on the right.
Geelong Cats: 83 Brisbane Lions: 58
perry cox
Roar Guru
4th Q - Goal 4' - Well, curious stuff there. McStay with the hanger, plays on to Kristensen, who is caught. Kristensen then forces the holding free and scores. Crowd is BLOWING up. Cats by 25.
Geelong Cats: 83 Brisbane Lions: 58
perry cox
Roar Guru
4th Q - Goal 2' - And there in lies the difference. Lions go forward, behind. Cats go forward, and Henry from some Ablett and Danger play, goal. Cats by 31.
Geelong Cats: 83 Brisbane Lions: 52
perry cox
Roar Guru
4th Q - Behind 1' - We are back. Dangerfield is down, that could mean anything to be honest. Hipwood meanwhile will go for a goal. Immediately. Not a bad effort, just wide, and rushed behind. Cats by 25.
Geelong Cats: 77 Brisbane Lions: 52