GEELONG CATS V FREMANTLE DOCKERS; FOOTY ALMANAC REPORTS
4 April 2011

By Ben Jensen twitter.com/thecattery GEELONG held off Fremantle to win by eleven points at Subiaco Oval tonight. The Cats led for most of the evening, but got a fright when Docker Hayden Ballantyne, earlier described as an annoying midget by the Geelong coach Chris Scott, kicked a goal to cut Geelong's lead to just five points with less than two minutes remaining. Matthew Stokes sealed the match however with his second goal in the final sixty seconds to give Geelong what a fortnight ago seemed an unlikely perfect record two rounds into the 2011 AFL season. Dan Menzel booted three goals including a brilliant banana or check-side for his third.

THE FOOTY ALMANAC'S Marcus Holt and Katherine Giese wrote these stories respectively:

CATS PURR WHILE THE DOG BARKS By Katherine Giese

There was an ominous feeling in the air at my place. The impending arrival of my family, to tut-tut at my badly behaved dog, Mixie (I like to think of her as effervescent…maybe exuberant), and judge me on my housekeeping, was weighing heavily on my mind. There was the threat of another draw, or even worse, a loss. For some reason, we’ve had a few not-so-good games against the Dockers. Last year’s round three game at Subiaco Oval saw Fremantle taking the four points with their seven-point victory over a disappointing Geelong… and that was with one bald-headed superstar, whose name can no longer cross these lips. READ FULL STORY

CHAPPY'S 200TH GAME By Marcus Holt

The footy talk all week has centred on concussion. So much so it’s given me a headache to rival the one Joel Selwood copped courtesy of Farren Ray’s hip last week. The media speculate all week: Will Selwood play? Much as I love having him in the team I really hope the Cats play it safe and don’t pick him to play the Dockers. Why take the risk, especially when it involves flying to Perth and back? I’m relieved when the news comes through that he’s not playing but am less thrilled to hear that both Mooney and Lonergan are out too! With Scarlett already serving a week’s penance we’ll be significantly under-manned in the backline. On the strength of this and home ground advantage I’ve tipped Fremantle. On the plus side Ling is back and Chappy will line up for his 200th game. READ FULL STORY

GEELONG: 5.3 8.6 10.9 13.11 (89) DEFEATED
FREMANTLE: 4.4 7.9 8.12 10.18 (78)

GOALS
GEELONG: Menzel 3, Stokes 2, Varcoe 2, Ling, Bartel, Podsiadly, Duncan, Chapman, Johnson
FREMANTLE: Bradley 3, Ballantyne 2, Mayne, Mundy, Pavlich, Walters, Hill

BEST
GEELONG: Varcoe, Enright, Corey, Menzel, Ling, Bartel
FREMANTLE: Mundy, Hill, Bradley, Pavlich

REPORTS
GEELONG: Nil
FREMANTLE: Nil

INJURIES
GEELONG: Nil
FREMANTLE: Nil

CROWD: 37,004 at Subiaco Oval, Perth

UMPIRES

FIELD: Michael Vozzo (2) Matt Stevic (9) Jason Armstrong (26) EM: Todd Keating (31)
BOUNDARY: Alan Zanich Nathan Doig Jace Collingridge Richard Heptinstall
GOAL: Dale Edwick Brett Rogers EM: Matthew Laycock

THE CATTERY'S PRE-MATCH TIP? Freo probably the stronger side but think we can do another win at the death; Cats by 3 points

.