GEELONG'S WORST EFFORT IN QUITE SOME TIME; JIMMY BARTEL INJURED
B Jensen 8 April 2005

TONIGHT Geelong displayed their worst effort in well over a season. Faced with an in form Melbourne side, the Cats did not play to the required standard, putting in an embarrassing effort in front of nearly 52,000 at the MCG in balmy conditions.

Forwards continually missed shots at goal that were kickable - and worse still, sprayed shots at goal when they should've passed on to others. The kicking was downright embarrassing - and insulting to over 26,000 Members now signed up.

MELBOURNE 6.2, 11.4,14.5, 18.6 (114) DEFEATED
GEELONG 1.5, 5.8, 6.11, 8.18 (66)

GOALS
MELBOURNE David Neitz (5), Russell Robertson (3), Cameron Bruce (3), Brad Green (2), Aaron Davey (2), Travis Johnstone (1), Matthew Whelan (1), Colin Sylvia (1)
GEELONG Paul Chapman (3), Kent Kingsley (3), Gary Ablett (1), Joel Corey (1)
BEHINDS GEELONG Kent Kingsley (5), Shannon Byrnes (4)

Geelong got plenty of the ball; in fact too much - had dozens more possessions than the Demons, as they pushed wide. The Demons, in contrast, used the central corridor to far greater effect, and were very accurate up forward. The Cats just couldn't defeat this twin pronged attack.

JAMES 'JIMMY' BARTEL was cleared of serious injury a short time ago, after undergoing medical tests after crashing to the turf in the first minute. Bartel's head careered straight into the ground while diving for the ball; he was put in a neck brace and eventually taken to Freemason's Hospital. Such were the precautions against neck injury, Bartel was still fixed to the stretcher and wearing his gear.

After last week's season ending injury to David Wojcinski this was not what the Cats needed to start a game; the good news is that Bartel will have no ongoing injury and will likely miss a few games.

Darren Milburn looked good when he got the ball, as did Kane Tenace; both love to take a bounce. Paul Chapman was probably Geelong's best player on the night, making few mistakes and kicking three goals.

Can Kent Kingsley kick? He finished with four goals but had five behinds. Right up until the bitter end, Kingsley lead and marked. But he just couldn't kick; he had his third goal deep into 'junk time'; but followed it up a minute later with another very sad looking kick that managed to sail through for a behind. Shannon Byrnes, so lively the first two games, also had the yips, managing four behinds. The problem with Byrnes'' behinds, besides the one he missed from 12metres out, most shouldn't even have been attempted.

Charlie Gardiner took a fine mark in the final term. He ran with the flight of the ball, jumping in front of a pack to take a comfortable chest mark. As was his team's trend all night, Gardiner fluffed the kick at goal.

Next Saturday night at Telstra Dome Geelong host Essendon in our first 'home' game of the season - a MUST WIN game.