Cats lose another MCG final

AFL Finals 2019 First qualifying final Geelong Cats v Collingwood Magpies, Ben Jensen GEELONG once more had a disappointing start to a finals campaign, the ladder-leader only losing to Collingwood by 10 points but that final margin was flattering. The Cats made a late change that didn’t really pay off, omitting (most of) this season’s first-choice ruckman Rhys Stanley in favour of diverting defender Mark Blicavs to ruck duties.

Before the game the message from footy boss Simon Lloyd was initially that they thought it would be wet so Stanley’s ruck would not be needed, but the match ended up being played without a drop of rain. The Magpies’ four goals to one opening term won it for them, the second quarter saw each side kick three goals. The Cats could only manage one goal to the Magpies’ two in the third term.

Collingwood actually went scoreless in the final quarter but Geelong kicked two goals three behinds to finish 10 points short and now face a semi final against West Coast at the MCG this Friday night. Win and the Cats will play Richmond the following Friday in a preliminary final.

AFL FINALS 2019 – FIRST QUALIFYING FINAL
GEELONG CATS V COLLINGWOOD MAGPIES
FRIDAY 6 SEPTEMBER 2019, 19:50 AEST
MCG MATCH PREVIEW

COLLINGWOOD MAGPIES: 4.2, 7.5, 9.7, 9.7 (61) DEFEATED
GEELONG CATS: 1.2, 4.4, 5.6, 7.9 (51)

GOALS
COLLINGWOOD MAGPIES: Elliott 2, Adams 2, Stephenson, Pendlebury, Howe, Hoskin-Elliott, Sidebottom
GEELONG CATS: Miers, Tuohy, Rohan, Parfitt, Menegola, Dangerfield, Kelly

BEST
COLLINGWOOD MAGPIES: Pendlebury, Sidebottom, Adams, Phillips, Grundy, Howe, Treloar
GEELONG CATS: Dangerfield, Parfitt, Stewart, Kelly, Menegola

INJURIES
COLLINGWOOD MAGPIES: Jordan De Goey (hamstring), Levi Greenwood (knee)
GEELONG CATS: Mitch Duncan (knee)

CHANGES
COLLINGWOOD MAGPIES: –
GEELONG CATS: Rhys Stanley (no injury) replaced by Sam Menegola

REPORTS
COLLINGWOOD MAGPIES: –
GEELONG CATS : –

CROWD: 93.436 at the MCG

UMPIRES
FIELD: Chamberlain, Meredith, O’Gorman

GEELONG CATS TEAM
IN: Jake Kolodjashnij, Tom Atkins
OUT: Cameron Guthrie (‘injured’), Lachie Henderson
B: Zach Tuohy, Mark Blicavs, Harry Taylor
HB: Mark O’Connor, Jack Henry, Tom Stewart
C: Mitch Duncan, Patrick Dangerfield, Brandan Parfitt
HF: Gary Ablett, Esava Ratugolea, Gary Rohan
F: Luke Dahlhaus, Tom Hawkins, Jed Bews
FOLL: Rhys Stanley, Tim Kelly, Joel Selwood
INT: Jake Kolodjashnij, Tom Atkins, Gryan Miers, Quinton Narkle
EMER: Scott Selwood, Sam Menegola, James Parsons, Lachie Henderson

COLLINGWOOD MAGPIES TEAM
IN: Steele Sidebottom, Jordan De Goey, Jaidyn Stephenson
OUT: Matthew Scharenberg, Jack Madgen, Travis Varcoe (ALL omitted)
B: Levi Greenwood, Jordan Roughead, Jeremy Howe
HB: Jack Crisp, Darcy Moore, Brayden Maynard
C: Tom Phillips, Scott Pendlebury, Chris Mayne
HF: Steele Sidebottom, Brody Mihocek, Will Hoskin-Elliott
F: Jamie Elliott, Jordan De Goey, Jaidyn Stephenson
FOLL: Brodie Grundy, Adam Treloar, Taylor Adams
INT: John Noble, Callum L. Brown, Josh Thomas, Rupert Wills
EMER: Matthew Scharenberg, Travis Varcoe, Jack Madgen, Josh Daicos