By Josh Barnstable
Despite getting onlyone out-of-uniform day a term thanks to the government, we treat the ones we get as the best days of the year. Jeans for Genes day was celebrated by my school, and majority of the school wore their denim to school. Except me, though. I had a weird dream that Friday would be 28 degrees so I decided to wear shorts. After once again being mobbed by teachers, wanting to know the latest best buys in Supercoach and my tips for the weekend, I think about the game between the Blues and the Cats. Cats will win, for sure.
Deciding to do the dishes each night until my birthday to get some brownie points for an extra cool present, I just make it in time to watch the first bounce. The Cats start well with Mathew Stokes working hard to mark and goal, before Cam Mooney kicks an early goal to get rid of the “devil” sitting on his shoulder, something that haunts him after an early miss. The Blues fight back, though, and goals through Brendan Fevola, Nick Stevens and Marc Murphy see Carlton lead by 7 points at quarter time, 3.5 to 2.4.
The second quarter begins and the Cats get more early form, with goals through Simon Hogan and Mooney to lead by 7 points. The Blues fight back through Simpson and Murphy before Tom Harley kicks a rare goal for Geelong after a 50m penalty on the wing. Matthew Kreuzer snaps a goal from a stoppage and Ryan Houlihan goals from 50m to give Carlton a 13-point lead at half-time, 7.7 to 5.6.
I wait for a Geelong avalanche to come, and I think I see the start of it with a goal on the run from Cameron Ling seeing the margin cut to 7 points. Simpson takes an uncontested mark though and goals, before Stokes reduces the margin back to 8. Fevola goals but Max Rooke replies with a clever snap. A late goal to Heath Scotland sees the Blues go into three-quarter time with an 11 point lead, 10.10 to 8.11. The devil returns for Mooney and also comes to haunt many other Geelong players, as the Cats once again suffer from the yips.
The final quarter starts and I start to see the light: Carlton is going to win. Simpson kicks an inspiring goal on the run, Aaron Joseph goals from outside 50, Fevola goals from a tight angle to bring the crowd to their feet in a mighty roar, giving Carlton a lead of 29 points. The icing on the cake is yet to come, though. Fevola marks on the boundary line, 45m from goal and the siren sounds as he kicks his fourth goal of the night, the crowd lets off an amazing roar as the Blues celebrate knocking off the Cats by 35 points, 14.13 (97) to 8.14 (62).
The Blues’ finals spot is now cemented, it’s a matter of whether they can host the first final or face a tough task in Adelaide or Brisbane. The Cats have second spot sewn up, but they need to get in some more form if they are gonna feature in the Grand Final. But after tonight, I know Carlton is coming, but they are definitely not here yet.
Carlton 3.5—7.7—10.10—14.13 (97)
Geelong 2.4—5.6—8.11—8.14 (62)
Goals:
Carlton-Fevola 4, Simpson 3, Murphy 2, Houlihan, Joseph, Kreuzer, Stevens, Scotland
Geelong-Mooney 2, Stokes 2, Hogan, Harley, Rooke, Ling
Best:
Carlton-Gibbs, Judd, Thornton, Simpson, Fevola, Joseph
Geelong-Enright, Corey, Stokes
Crowd: 55,057 at the MCG
Votes:
3: Bryce Gibbs (CARL)
2: Chris Judd (CARL)
1: Bret Thornton (CARL)
:)
ive got this one teacher who baggs my Nathan Brown love-affair. he firstly called him ‘average’ and then claimed that my use of the word ‘pretty’ on guys is too femine!
you should have seen his face when i argued that Buddy is now minus 5000000 hotness points.He had that ‘here we go again’ look.
hes a Bomber what else could i expect!