Footy Almanac – AFL Round 11
Geelong v Western Bulldogs
by Peter Argent
You gotta love a game that lives up to the hype!
As a part of Sir Doug Nicholls Rounds, the opening match of the second week was at “the cattery” now called GMHBA Stadium, billed as a Thursday night special.
To just get to the event my day started at Plympton Park in suburban Adelaide rising at 5:45 in the morning.
My son Isaac dropped me off at the Adelaide Airport on his way to work just after 7 am and I boarded a flight to the sporting capital of Australia, arriving late morning.
Utilizing Melbourne’s amazing public transport and an Airbus to the city I travelled out to my hosts at Elwood, Andre and Pauline – a couple that have been ultra supportive of my bold and reckless move into photojournalism – across the past two decades.
Then finding my way out to Moorabbin Oval, the spiritual and actual home of the Saints, I watched and snapped a Tjindu Foundation Academy football match in the afternoon.
To then get to Geelong I took a train from the Moorabbin station to Flinders Street – jumped on a couple of trams – and then from Southern Cross station took another train to the Geelong South stop.
Having not been to Kadinia Park (yes that’s what it was known as for a century) for nearly a decade I was suitably impressed with the restructured new stadium.
It has now become a “state of the art” venue, although I struggled to get to the press box and proceeded in through the wrong gate, before I was escorted across to the correct entrance.
Before the main event, both clubs had Academy boys and girl’s games on either side of the ground and the match itself started with 300-gamer and the ultimate quiet achiever, or “BP” as my mate, ‘Moods’ would call him, Mitch Duncan running through a special banner.
The contest was also a grudge match for the Western Bulldogs lads who were playing against former team-mate and high-profile social media performer, Bailey Smith.
This contest itself started at a hectic pace, both teams kicked five goals in an electrifying opening term. The Cats charged out to a significant half-time advantage before that was reeled in by the Bulldogs. The visitors had their chances missing a shot that would have given them the lead.
The Western Bulldogs also had five kicks across the night that hit the post as well, it came down to the old adage – “straight kicking is good football”.
The ingredients to produce a good contest were correct as well – both sides kicked over 100 points – there were 60 scoring shots for the game – and the ball moved up and down the ground at a frenetic pace.
Two goals to Shannon Neale late in the game and a sealer by Michael O’Loughlin’s nephew Tyson Stengle ensured the hosts had a 14-point win.
Previously, 19 minutes and 42 seconds into the final quarter a shot by former Melbourne premiership player James Harmes, another point, levelled the scores.
Young up-and-coming marking forward Shannon Neale stood up when it counted late and Jeremy Cameron – yes the man who puts his premiership medallion around one of his cow’s necks – also was a key performer with six majors.
Smith against his old club was more than serviceable with an equal game-high 33 touches, sharing that mantle with the industrious Max Holmes.
Tom Liberatore and Ed Richards where high among the Dogs best players along with ex-Blue Matt Kennedy who kicked three goals.
Athletic Buku Khamis, who just failed to hold on to the mark of the round in the third term, was also a strong contributor.
Completing a marquee evening, Duncan was chaired from the ground after the Cats 20.7 (127) to 16.17 (113) victory.
Personally, my adventure hadn’t finished as I needed to catch the 10:40 pm train back to the city and after some vigorous chatter with fellow patrons, jumping off at Southern Cross. I caught a tram up to Swanson Street only to find out that the connecting tram that I needed wasn’t running any more.
The neon screen told me it wasn’t coming past until 6:15 am in the morning.
This forced me to organise paid transport back to Elwood arriving just on 1am.
After two and a half hours putting teams into my match day public publication – The Barracker – for Barossa, Light and Gawler football (and netball), I finally hit the pillow after 3:30 in the morning.
The AFL owns the rights on all photos taken inside an AFL venue. This precludes us from publishing any of the photos Peter Argent took on the night, unless w pay a fee for the right to publish them. If you have any thoughts about this situation, please express them in the comments section.
GEELONG 5.1 11.4 16.5 20.7 (127)
WESTERN BULLDOGS 5.4 6.9 13.13 16.17 (113)
GOALS
Geelong: Cameron 6, Neale 5, Mannagh 2, Stengle, O.Henry, Blicavs, Atkins, Holmes, Dempsey, Stengle
Western Bulldogs: Naughton 3, Kennedy 3, Khamis 2, Vandermeer 2, Richards 2, West, Davidson, English, Freijah
BEST
Geelong: Cameron, Holmes, Neale, Smith, Blicavs
Western Bulldogs: Richards, Kennedy, O’Donnell, Bontempelli, Lobb
INJURIES
Geelong: Nil
Western Bulldogs: Nil
SUBSTITUTES
Geelong: Ted Clohesy (replaced Oliver Henry in the fourth quarter)
Western Bulldogs: Lachie Bramble (replaced Luke Cleary in the fourth quarter)
Crowd: 32,641 at GMHBA Stadium
Read more reports from Round 11 HERE.
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Interesting Peter; Stengle twice kicked singles?
Glen!
Thanks Peter. Although not as complex as yours, our journey also involved a flight, a hire car, and an ascent beyond Kardinia Base Camp to the back row of the highest level of the Reg Hickey Stand – but what a view of a wonderful spectacle. Like you, I thoroughly enjoyed the skills on display from the Academy players, and quickly identified favourites amongst those playing below us – including a natural showman from whom Marc Jackson might have learned a trick or two. I was so pleased to have been present for Mitch Duncan’s 300th game, and was awarded with the added bonus of a cracking match. The ROAR which erupted around the ground when Max Holmes slotted that magnificent running goal was something which will stay with me for a while.
Love you commitment Danny – cheers
loved this report, Peter
I picked up a copy of the Barracker after Park Run at Nuriootpa – always a great read!
For me, growing up in Queensland, it was ‘Big League’ magazine for the (rugby league) team lists, and the colour poster!
keep up the great work
Ownership of photographs inside AFL VENUES should not even exist! It just another one of the areas that people such as Peter Argent should not be restricted to showing. Does that mean that everyone who takes a photo inside the venue should be subject to a fee to the AFL?
As an aside I wanted to promote a painting, yes a painting, of L.Franklin by a brilliant young Tasmanian artist.
Because she (Shantelle Perry) had painted in the logos on the Sydney jumper to some extent the painting became the property of the AFL. We were persuaded not to use it. Unbelievable. One day Mr.Editor I will publish a list of all AFL sponsors. It is gob-smacking but would make a great story if one did not have to put the names of the sponsors in.
Keep up the good work Pete! I certainly use your art whenever I can!!