Round 5 – Port Adelaide v Geelong: Don’t poke a Cat

Port’s performance last week being a focus point all week, a shocking loss to the Giants after a week that had accomplished so much. The announcement of a Port game being played in China, even though it’s at least twelve months away, and I don’t care about the Power you can’t help but feel a little bit excited. An 86 point loss gave the Giants their biggest win in their short history, Port would be sure to come into this game hard. Geelong weren’t all positives, in fact there were very few positives about last week’s game against Essendon. As the pre-game show is going on, my sister and I help my Dad make the delicious home-made pizzas for dinner. Just as the game is about to start I assemble my place on the couch in our lounge room, my shoulder is feeling unusual, after coming out of its socket in my basketball game. I’m excited for this game, I’m sure both teams will come out hard. The Anzac ceremony has commenced and the last post echoes around the silent Adelaide oval, honouring the ANZACs in which we have lost.

 

Broadbent kicks the first goal, after shanking the exact same shot a minute ago. Wines snaps over his head, as soon as he kicked it he knew the result. Points are falling our way on regular occasions and it’s annoying. Port have three, after a Charlie Dixon goal, before Cam Guthrie gets our first. Through the dominance Port have shown, we’re only ten points down and I consider it lucky. Ruggles gives away a free kick and a fifty resulting in Port’s fourth. Brad Ebert gives Port a strong lead going into quarter time and if Port keep playing like this, I establish they’ll be very hard to beat.

 

At quarter time Danger gets the most unnecessary knee in the back after the siren, and the Cats aren’t happy.  Vicious jumper punches are being exchanged, players are being slung to the ground and an all in melee ensues. Josh Caddy’s jumper had to be ripped in half before the players realise that’s enough. Just as I thought they were walking off, Ruggles gets dumped to the ground, and the players are more furious than ever. As it calms down Chris Scott gives Hamish Hartlett a few words of advice, I was watching highlights of his career the other day. If he was playing he would have been the most into it.

 

When the second quarter begins the game is taken to a new level. At every opportunity the players have to tackle, they tackle hard. Selwood and Trengove are on the ground fighting, as they both get up it continues before Trengove gives Joel an elbow in the face. Selwood only minutes after being bashed in the head, takes a strong contested mark in the square and goals. Danger follows up getting a set shot, and kicking it beautifully.

 

Guthrie, to Cockatoo to Danger, Dangerfield runs from 70 out to 60 out then launches it to the goal square where McCarthy does the shepparding. Danger’s pumped and so am I, now we’re only one goal down and have all the momentum. Cockatoo follows up getting a set shot through and now it’s all even. Kersten launches it in to Stanley, who doesn’t manage to get the mark, but does manage to get a handball off to McCarthy who kicks a quick snap. Before I know it, Stanley has a shot on goal and gets it. At half time everything is going our way and now we have a slightly more comforting two goal lead.

 

I go to stretch my legs by walking out to the shed and seeing what Mum, Dad, Aunty Catherine and friend John think of the first half. The TV is showing the replay of the first quarters brawl. ‘Has it happened again’ Aunty Catherine says in shock. We all started laughing at the comment.

 

I make my way back into the lounge room ready for a good second half, but I can’t help going back into the shed and stealing a snickers bar for the second half. I can only expect more fire in this half from both teams, I’m very excited.

 

At the start of the third term Dixon quickly stops the run of Geelong goals getting one himself. The Port crowd are getting involved whenever the ball spills loose to the fence. I imagine it doesn’t make them happy when Shane Kersten kicks a goal. Gray dumps Ruggles to ground behind play, resulting in a Hawkins miss. Motlop gets paid holding the footy and kicks a goal. I have no clue what Port are doing when one of their players kicks it to a two on one in the goal square, resulting in a Cats goal, I mean really. Hawkins follows up taking a convincing contested mark, proving he’s too strong, bending it around the body, from the boundary, with his non preferred left boot. Ollie Wines gives Port some hope, kicking a nice running goal near the conclusion of the quarter. Just before the quarter finishes Lincoln McCarthy has a shot on goal and kicks truly.

 

Three quarter time, the margin is a sort of convincing but comfortable 5 goals our way. 11 goals in the last 2 quarters is enough to say that we have got our mojo back. Menzel kicks a floating snap to build the Cats lead. Then he’s straight back in the action again, stabbing one from 50. It’s hard to believe that 8 months ago he was sitting in his house, thinking about whether he would ever play AFL again. To be honest, I didn’t think he would, but I knew he had the determination and now it’s paid off for him. Dixon launches a bomb from just outside the centre square after a score review, I wanted it to be called touched, but it was clearly over the line. Caddy kicks a great drop punt from 50 out and with some help from Shane Kerston shepparding it gives the Cats a 49 point advantage over the Power.

 

The siren sounds, its full time, game over. Port showed good fight (literally), and good skill in the first quarter. However the Cats were too powerful in the end. Its little things like Menzel booting three goals and Blicavs getting 12 tackles that makes me happy. Danger was just phenomenal again, not as much so as Easter Monday but we’ll take it. The Port fans were leaving before the game was over, so now it was mainly just celebrating Cats fans. Chanting ‘We are Geelong’.