Cats’ season on tenterhooks after loss to Hawks

Ben Jensen 11 August 2018, AFL Round 21 2018, Hawthorn Hawks v Geelong Cats GEELONG’s season hangs on the balance after their second loss in a row, this time to the Hawks at the MCG. The first quarter was an arm wrestle but the Cats kept the Hawks goalless, and kicked two of their own. Hawthorn’s five goals to Geelong’s none established a lead the Cats could never get back. In the final quarter the Cats got within a goal of levelling the scores but the final goal of the match by Jaeger O’Meara within less than a minute on the clock snuffed out what hope the Cats had.

The Cats’ finals hopes are no longer in their own hands even if they win their final two matches against Fremantle and Gold Coast at GMHBA Stadium. Starting with the Melbourne v Sydney clash tomorrow, a win to the Demons helps the Cats’ chances, and with the Swans playing GWS and Hawthorn in rounds 22 & 23. That might account for the Swans but North Melbourne, equal with the Cats on wins, slightly behind on percentage but playing the Bulldogs on Sunday are a strong chance to leapfrog the Cats, and the Swans if they lose on Sunday into eighth position. Although on the same wins as Sydney, the percentage of Melbourne is too high for the Cats to overcome. Port Adelaide plays Collingwood next round at the MCG, a game on paper it should lose, and hosts the Bombers at Adelaide Oval in the final round. North then play Adelaide in Adelaide and St Kilda at Etihad Stadium. You’d expect North to win at least two of those, and the Cats their final two, so it’ll probably come down to percentage. Sydney haven’t been in good form and while we right them off at our peril, they might struggle to win more than one of their remaining three games.

There was better news in the VFLW with the Cats beating the Bombers by 45 points, and in the VFL the guys also beat the Bombers, by 28 points.

HAWTHORN HAWKS: 0.4, 5.8, 9.10, 10.11 (71) DEFEATED
GEELONG CATS: 2.4, 2.6, 5.8, 8.12 (60)

GOALS
HAWTHORN HAWKS: Smith 2, Gunston 2, Breust 2, Ceglar, Schoenmakers, Morrison, O’Mearas
GEELONG CATS: Ablett 3, Narkle, Hawkins, Henry, Menzel, Kelly

BEST
HAWTHORN HAWKS: Worpel, Mitchell, Burgoyne, Hardwick, Ceglar, Shiels, O’Meara
GEELONG CATS: Ablett, Dangerfield, J.Selwood, Hawkins, Menegola, Duncan

INJURIES
HAWTHORN HAWKS: –
GEELONG CATS: Rhys Stanley (calf; same injury that saw him miss last week)

CHANGES
HAWTHORN HAWKS: Roughead (ankle) replaced by Pittonet
GEELONG CATS: –

REPORTS
HAWTHORN HAWKS: –
GEELONG CATS: –

UMPIRES: Harris, Ryan, Stevic

CROWD: 59,529 at MCG

GEELONG CATS TEAM
IN: Tom Stewart, James Parsons, Quinton Narkle, Rhys Stanley, Mark O’Connor
OUT: Jed Bews (shoulder), Jackson Thurlow Jamaine Jones, Ryan Abbott, Jordan Cunico (all omitted)

B: Tom Stewart, Lachie Henderson, Jake Kolodjashnij
HB: Cameron Guthrie, Mark Blicavs, Zach Tuohy
C: Scott Selwood, Joel Selwood, Mitch Duncan
HF: Sam Menegola, James Parsons, Quinton Narkle
F: Daniel Menzel, Tom Hawkins, Brandan Parfitt
FOLL: Rhys Stanley, Patrick Dangerfield, Gary Ablett
INT: Lachie Fogarty, Jack Henry, Tim Kelly, Mark O’Connor
EMER: Ryan Abbott, Jamaine Jones, Jordan Murdoch, Jackson Thurlow

HAWTHORN HAWKS TEAM
IN: Conor Nash
OUT: Brendan Whitecross (dodgy prawn)

B: Ryan Schoenmakers, James Frawley, Ben Stratton
HB: Jack Gunston, Kaiden Brand, Blake Hardwick
C: Harry Morrison, Tom Mitchell, James Worpel
HF: Jarman Impey, Ryan Burton, Isaac Smith
F: Luke Breust, Jarryd Roughead, Paul Puopolo
FOLL: Jonathon Ceglar, Shaun Burgoyne, Jaeger O’Meara
INT: Teia Miles, Liam Shiels, Ricky Henderson, Conor Nash
EMER: Marc Pittonet, Taylor Duryea, David Mirra, Jonathan O’Rourke

VFL 2018 – ROUND 19
GEELONG CATS V ESSENDON BOMBERS
SATURDAY 11 AUGUST 2018, 19:00 AEST
GMHBA STADIUM

GEELONG CATS: 1.4, 4.5, 6.7, 8.10 (58) DEFEATED
ESSENDON BOMBERS:  2.2, 2.5, 3.6, 4.6 (30)

GOALS
GEELONG CATS: J. Murdoch 3, W. Buzza 2, J. Jones, G. Horlin-Smith, H. Taylor
ESSENDON BOMBERS:  L. Collins, M. Leuenberger, S. Draper, J. Houlahan

BEST
GEELONG CATS: C. Floyd, Z. Guthrie, G. Horlin-Smith, J. Thurlow, J. Murdoch, J. Cunico
ESSENDON BOMBERS: T. Mynott, A. Heppell, K. Mutch, S. Draper, N. Hind, M. Hartley

GEELONG CATS TEAM
IN: H. Taylor, J. Thurlow, J. Jones, J. Cunico, R. Abbott, P. Dowling
OUT: M. O’Connor, J. Parsons

B: 15. M. Hayball, 30. T. House, 51. J. Tsitas
HB: 39. Z. Guthrie, 7. H. Taylor, 21. J. Murdoch
C: 18. C. Constable, 64. T. Atkins, 31. J. Cunico
HF: 32. G. Miers, 12. W. Buzza, 37. S. Simpson
F: 41. J. Jones, 20. R. Gardner, 9. Z. Smith
FOLL: 45. R. Abbott, 33. G. Horlin-Smith, 40. J. Thurlow
INT (FROM): 63. S. Dobson, 79. P. Dowling, 62. C. Floyd, 66. A. Grace, 53. J. Keras, 55. L. Kiel, 78. J. McLachlan, 75. C. Mitchell
23P: 76. T. Lang

ESSENDON BOMBERS TEAM
IN: M. Dea, L. Collins, D. Hanna, J. McQueen, N. Dixon, J. Stewart, B. Laguda
OUT: L. Lavender, J. Harrison, W. Berry

B: 57. N. Hind, 36. M. Hartley, 14. J. Ridley
HB: 77. H. Hocking, 49. M. Dea, 30. B. Zerk-Thatcher
C: 20. J. Merrett, 59. A. Heppell, 39. T. Mynott
HF: 33. J. Laverde, 17. J. Stewart, 34. J. Long
F: 51. A. Boyse, 22. M. Leuenberger, 15. J. Green
FOLL: 38. S. Draper, 37. D. Clarke, 19. K. Mutch
INT (FROM): 76. L. Collins, 68. N. Dixon, 24. J. Houlahan, 60. B. Laguda, 79. J. McQueen, 70. J. Sheahan, 65. E. Sibbald, 55. D. Younan
23P: 50. D. Hanna

VFL WOMENS 2018 – ROUND 14
GEELONG CATS V ESSENDON BOMBERS
SATURDAY 11 AUGUST 2018, 16:30 AEST
GMHBA STADIUM

GEELONG CATS: 3.2, 4.4, 4.10, 8.11 (59) DEFEATED
ESSENDON BOMBERS:  0.1, 0.1, 1.1, 2.2 (14)

GOALS
GEELONG CATS: D. Orr 2, M. Clifford 2, M. Keryk, M. Fogas, H. Trevean, H. Burchell
ESSENDON BOMBERS: M. DeMatteo, A. Quigley

BEST
GEELONG CATS: H. Trevean, D. Orr, M. Clifford, R. Cranston, M. Keryk, A. Teague
ESSENDON BOMBERS: S. Nalder, H. Bullas, R. Neaves, L. Morecroft, M. DeMatteo, E. Cornish

GEELONG CATS TEAM
IN: L. Taylor, N. Morrison, C. Stevens, I. Currenti, M. Fedele, M. Janssen, O. Purcell
OUT: E. Hoare, G. Clarke, M. McMahon

B: 26. R. Pearce, 44. R. Goring, 40. A. Teague
HB: 25. E. Coventry, 1. J. Woollett, 34. A. McDonald
C: 4. C. Blakeway, 45. M. Keryk, 3. H. Burchell
HF: 7. M. Clifford, 2. D. Orr, 5. J. Ivey
F: 8. K. Darby, 6. M. Boyd, 33. H. Trevean
FOLL: 49. Z. Inei, 13. M. Fogas, 30. R. Cranston
INT (FROM): 11. M. Klingbeil , 17. H. Mangan, 20. N. Morrison, 10. L. Taylor
EMER: 23. I. Currenti, 28. M. Fedele, 15. M. Janssen, 41. C. Stevens
23P: 16. O. Purcell

ESSENDON BOMBERS TEAM
IN: C. Laan, E. Bult, C. Portlock, J. Wallace, A. Quigley
OUT: A. Madden

B: 20. J. Anwyl, 17. T. Hetherington, 27. A. Morcom
HB: 25. R. Neaves, 7. K. Hicks, 41. M. Warburton
C: 1. J. Trend, 46. C. Ugle, 9. L. Williams
HF: 35. V. Moreau, 16. L. Morecroft, 28. C. Portlock
F: 49. E. Bult, 3. M. DeMatteo, 6. A. Quigley
FOLL: 30. S. Nalder, 8. H. Bullas, 44. M. Collier
INT (FROM): 15. L. Caruso, 22. N. MacDonald, 37. I. Malliaras, 39. C. Rendelmann
EMER: 4. N. Hardy, 18. K. Heil, 29. C. Laan, 36. J. Wallace
23P: 10. E. Cornish