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GEELONG OWN WORST ENEMY GEELONG let go of another match today, to the Adelaide Crows. In front by 3 points in the final term, and with a set shot for goal, the Cats could only manage a behind. From then on, the Crows kicked away, veteran Nigel Smart professionally slotting one through from 50m to take the lead. A David Johnson mistake a minute or so later, and it was good night. The Crows finally won by 17 points in front of a crowd of 19,608. The day was marred by a vicious brawl on the ground ten minutes after the match. Hume Security's days at Skilled Stadium will be numbered. Joel Corey was Geelong's best for the second week in a row. Matthew Scarlett was not far behind, joined by Jarad Rooke (kept Andrew McLeod very quiet - 20 relatively ineffective possessions), Paul Chapman and Gary Ablett. Steven King spent most of the second half on the interchange bench, still troubled by an achilles injury that kept him out of the Round 8 clash with Sydney. Paul Chambers was serviceable in King's absence but still struggled against Crows duo Rhett Biglands and Matthew Clarke. Crow Ian Perrie took 11 marks, had 14 kicks and 2 handpasses to be best on ground. Perrie broke the Cats apart from the half forward line in the second term and went on with it in the second half. Geelong is never going to win matches when it does not score a goal for an entire quarter, as it did in the second term. The Cats managed a solitary point while the Crows piled on 5 goals 3 behinds to take a 14 point lead into the changerooms. The Cats only ventured inside 50 some 30-odd times, against the league average of closer to 60. It is amazing that Adelaide did not win by a far greater margin, looking back at the game. Next week Geelong has another home game at the Telstra Dome, against Carlton. The Blues have not won since Round 8, against the Western Bulldogs, and will be as desperate as the Cats for a win. We all remember 2002 at the same venue in Round 15, when Peter Riccardi won the match with a goal from 55m out after the siren. Surely Brenton Sanderson will be absent from this fixture, having been in very poor form all season. |
ADELAIDE: 1.2, 6.4, 8.6, 11.10 (76) defeated GOALS: Geelong:Lord 3, Graham, Mooney, McCarthy, Rooke,
Chapman. |
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