Cats Overpower Swans

The prospect of being home alone appealed to me. Listening to music loudly, playing my favourite radio station instead of 95.3 that Dad insists on listening to and watching a bit of TV. With Mum away in Adelaide and Dad at the footy in Waaia (I’m a week away from playing again), I would be at home alone until 6pm.

Enjoying a sleep in (10:05am), Dad woke me up to tell me that the papers were on the table as he left for the footy. I had a quick read of the Herald Sun, before going on the computer to listen to a bit of music, check my Facebook, Supercoach and all the AFL news. The minutes were ticking away very slowly, so I went and watched some VFL action between the Bendigo Bombers and Williamstown, with the Essendon VFL side also looking like pulling off an upset victory. Soon, the AFL action finally started. Collingwood v Carlton, the biggest rivalry in football, going head to head at the MCG on a Saturday afternoon.

And halfway through the first quarter, I was out like a light. I woke up as the half time siren sounded, and was surprised to see Collingwood leading by 50 points. Actually, I wasn’t surprised at all. My plans of doing a report on the game had disappeared with my snooze, so I decided to try and go back to sleep, but to no avail. I endured the rest of the game; quite a boring game in fact, as Collingwood maintained top spot on the ladder (groan).

Dad got back home, and he decided to cook some sausages. I braced myself for an explosion from the kitchen, but it didn’t come. Before The Game began on the telly, and soon the Swans v Geelong match from ANZ Stadium was minutes away from starting. I can’t say I was jumping out of my seat at the prospect of this game, as games involving Sydney at Homebush are usually low-scoring and not thrilling, but I was intrigued whether Sydney could bounce back from the Round 17 shocker against Melbourne, and if Lewis Jetta could get the monkey off his back, having kicked 0.16 for the year. C’mon Lewis!

Steve Johnson opened proceedings with a goal, before James Kelly’s perfectly weighted kick found Stevie J, who goaled. The Cats had come to play. Kieren Jack received a beautiful handball from Adam Goodes before kicking a clever goal under pressure, but it was Gary Ablett who kicked two quick majors to give Geelong a 17 point lead. Sydney kept coming though, and impressed with Goodes marking uncontested and converting, before Brad Ottens kicked his first from a free kick. Josh Kennedy landed a huge goal from the centre square, and Sydney went into quarter time with a six point deficit, 3.7 to 5.1.

The Cats got off to another good start, Johnson splitting the middle from the boundary line, just inside 50 for his third, before Cam Mooney kicked consecutive goals. Darren Milburn dished off to Ablett, who handballed to Joel Selwood, before running hard to get the ball back. Ablett sprinted to the 50 and kicked for goal, with the ball taking an eternity to swing from right to left as the crowd roared, Geelong extending the lead to 28 points. Goodes kicked his second, but Travis Varcoe impressed with a great half-volley pick-up, before speeding away to give the Cats a 25 point lead at the main break, 10.1 to 4.12.

The second half started with Josh Hunt receiving a handball from Tom Hawkins before ramming through his first goal since 2008, a set-play that the Swans should have been ready for. James Kelly kicked his first, before Jesse White got one home for Sydney. The margin was five goals. Geelong went in for the kill. Johnson marked, played on and snapped his fourth, before Shannon Byrnes received from Ablett to run into an open goal. Trent West dropped a mark but followed up to run into an open goal, Johnson snapped his fifth, Cameron Ling unloaded on the non-preferred from 50m out and Andrew Mackie goaled on the run from 55m out, completing the best quarter of football from the Cats since the third term at Skilled Stadium in Round 4 earlier this year against Port Adelaide. They led by 65 points going into the last quarter, 18.3 to 5.16. Funnily enough, with all the behinds the Swans had, Jetta had contributed nothing!

The final quarter saw the Swans get a few in junk-time. Mooney kicked his third after a good mark, before Brett Kirk was flattened by West, earning a free kick. He converted, then Jude Bolton kicked his first to cut the margin to 57 points. Goodes bagged his third on the run from 50m out, then Bolton got his second. Johnson lit the night up though, and ended it superbly, snapping a terrific goal, a career-best sixth, achieved for the sixth time, and the Cats had again brutally thumped a team on foreign land, 20.5.125 to 9.18.72.

In the lights of Harbour City, there are serious question marks over Paul Roos’ Sydney team. Beaten by just under nine goals this weekend, they are in serious danger of missing the finals, clinging to eighth spot with Melbourne and North Melbourne wanting to overtake them. It would be a terrible shame if Paul Roos went out in Round 22 instead of on the big stage in September, I hope Melbourne and North Melbourne fail in the next few weeks, I hope Sydney play in September. For Roosy.

Sydney 3.7—4.12—5.16—9.18.72

Geelong 5.1—10.1—18.3—20.5.125

Goalkickers:

Sydney-Goodes 3, Bolton 2, Kennedy, Jack, White, Kirk

Geelong-Johnson 6, Ablett 3, Mooney 3, Mackie, Kelly, Hunt, Ling, West, Ottens, Byrnes, Varcoe

Best:

Sydney-Kennelly, Goodes, Mumford

Geelong-Johnson, Ablett. Corey, Selwood, Milburn, Ling, Taylor, Enright

Crowd:

30,710 at ANZ Stadium

Votes:

3: Steve Johnson (G)

2: Gary Ablett (G)

1: Joel Corey (G)

About Josh Barnstable

21 year old North Melbourne supporter from country Victoria. Currently living in Melbourne studying a Bachelor of Sports Media. Dreams of becoming a sports journalist and broadcaster.

Comments

  1. How do I know, judging by the intro, that JB put this piece up? :P

  2. 2- hmmmm..i wondeerrr…
    i mean..are you sure it was JB??
    Do you have any hard evidence?
    Have charges been laid?
    LOL

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