CATS STRUGGLE PAST TIGERS
Ben Jensen 4 May 2014

AFL 2014 ROUND 7 GEELONG CATS V RICHMOND TIGERS GEELONG battled past Richmond at the MCG today, leading from start to finish but facing a serious challenge from the Tigers who were asleep for most of the first half but booted four late goals to put them back into contention. It was a shocking day which along with the 3PM kick off time resulted in a poor crowd of 34,377, most of them huddled under cover. Pre game and half-time entertainment consisted of people dressed up as Storm Troopers in a Star Wars theme for May the 4th; 'May the fourth be with you' and all that.

The Cats kicked three goals to just the one behind in the first quarter, the Tigers having a fair amount of the ball but falling down once it got to their 50m arc. Geelong kicked the first two goals of the second quarter building a handy lead, but at the 22nd minute mark the Tigers fired up, booting two in a row inside a minute. The Cats answered back two minutes later; the Tigers booting another brace in the four minutes following to cut the lead back to 17 points. A goal with a handful of seconds to go by Mitch Duncan put the Cats up by 23 points into the main break.

The third quarter belonged to the Tigers, doubling their goal score and outscoring the Cats four goals to one. Duncan kicked the Cats' only goal, Shane Edwards who came on as the substitute after half time booting two of them. The three quarter time margin stood at just seven behinds, the sides being equal on goals yet it still seemed to be in the Cats' control.

The arm wrestle continued until the final siren, Geelong again getting more inside fifties but scoring just the three goals and five behinds; Richmond much more accurate with four goals and one behind. The final goal was kicked as the siren rang, Sam Lloyd booting his third of the match from a set shot, the Cats finishing with one less goal than the Tigers but five points and some ten scoring shots ahead.

In the VFL at Punt Road Oval, the Tigers belted the Cats in an extremely wet game in front of a handful of fans who braved the conditions.

Geelong has the bye next week, their season resuming in round 9 against Fremantle in the West in a twilight fixture.

GEELONG: 3.3, 7.8, 8.10, 11.15 (81) DEFEATED
RICHMOND: 0.1, 4.3, 8.3, 12.4 (76)

GOALS
GEELONG: Duncan 2, Murdoch 2, Hunt 2, Bartel, Varcoe, McIntosh, Johnson, Selwood
RICHMOND: Lloyd 3, Edwards 2, Vickery 2, Riewoldt 2, Deledio, Martin, Cotchin

BEST
GEELONG: Taylor, Duncan, Enright, Bartel, Guthrie, Selwood, Murdoch
RICHMOND: Rance, Hampson, Conca, Vlastuin, Astbury, Deledio, Jackson

INJURIES
GEELONG: Nil reports - Joel Selwood and Hamish McIntosh with abbrasions to head
RICHMOND: Chris Newman (calf)

SUBSTITUTES
GEELONG: Mark Blicavs, replaced Dawson Simpson in the third quarter
RICHMOND: Shane Edwards, replaced Nathan Gordon at half time

UMPIRES

FIELD: Ryan, Jeffrey, McInerney EM: Foot
BOUNDARY: Lefevre, Haala, Morrison, Marantelli
GOAL: Wojcik, Hammond EM: Roffey

TIP: Cats by 9 points

CROWD: 34,377 at Melbourne Cricket Ground

GEELONG DRAW AFL SEASON 2014