CATS BACK IN THE HUNT WITH DOMINANT WIN OVER MAGPIES
Ben Jensen 9 May 2015

AFL ROUND 6 2015: COLLINGWOOD MAGPIES V GEELONG CATS GEELONG burst out of the blocks against Collingwood last night, challenged by the Magpies in the final quarter and a bit but ultimate a seven goal to one first quarter and eleven to two first half made it a bridge too far. The lead was cut down to 23 points 14 minutes into the last quarter, causing the television commentators into meltdown, but a burst of three goals by Nakia Cockatoo, Steve Motlop and Cory Gregson smashed any hopes the Magpies had of winning.

Technically it wasn't an end to end lead, the Magpies scoring a rushed behind in the first minute but in the next ten minutes the Cats slammed home five goals - two to the very impressive Gregson and singles to Motlop, Darcy Lang and Steve Johnson who is back in form. Unfortunately the game was over far too early for Josh Cowan, in his first game since 2011 he pulled a hamstring and will likely miss another six or seven games. He was replaced by the sub Cockatoo in the first quarter. Rhys Stanley, who we keep banging on about is a great recruit but it's true, and Tom Hawkins bagged goals before the Magpies finally saluted, Dane Swan bobbing up for one. The lead was 34 points at the first break.

The Cats certainly didn't show any mercy in the second quarter kicking the other way, Motlop, skipper Joel Selwood and Mitch Clark (two) extending the lead before Collingwood skipper Scott Pendlebury kicked his side's solitary goal for the quarter and second for the half. The half-time score a lazy 52 points.

Jordan 'Murda' Murdoch blew the lead out to just under ten goals but from there the Magpies had the better of the quarter. The Geelong backmen led by Tom Lonergan in game number one fifty had kept the Magpies extremely quiet but goals to Jack Crisp, Swan, Jesse White giving them a glimmer of hope and respectability heading into the final quarter, the three quarter time lead cut back to 35 points.

Cloke and White as noted got the commentators and crowd excited with the first two goals, the Magpies still requiring another four goals to snatch an unlikely lead. But with Selwood stepping up a gear and Motlop and Gregson combining well, the goal from Cockatoo sparked a three goal burst that snuffed out the Magpies' chances.

Mitch Duncan who was great last week but pretty quiet all season again had a dominant game, coach Chris Scott admitting after the game that he'd been played out of position down back the first few rounds. 38 possessions are not to be sneezed at; his highest ever according to the stats gurus. Duncan and some others including Johnson, Corey Enright and Josh Caddy had been written off by many (possibly by us too) after the first four rounds but repaid the selectors' faith on the night.

For us Mark Blicavs was up there with the best in game 51; in the ruck at times if he lost the hitout he'd rove the ball then seconds later somehow be on the wing taking a mark. Selwood who sported an awfully enlarged right hand was great and increasingly copped knocks to the abdomen; Duncan, Motlop, Lonergan and Harry Taylor in our best. Younger backmen Jed Bews and Jackson Thurlow were great.

The ruck duo of Stanley and Blicavs seems to work best for the Cats, if these two remain fit we wouldn't expect to see Dawson Simpson or Hamish McIntosh to get too many more games this season. Johnson was good all over the ground but we'd like to see him spend more time as a forward. Shane Kersten didn't do an awful lot, and may be under pressure for his spot by Josh Walker should he do any good in the VFL match in Bendigo against the Magpies today.

Mitch Clark had a pretty good night, though appeared upset after the game and was consoled by coach Scott in the rooms. Hawkins had a pretty dominant first half but did fade.

Amazing what a difference a week makes in footy. With that the Cats are three and three; the same situation as after round six 2007. Next Saturday night the Cats travel to play the Swans at ANZ Stadium, a tough road trip but one they'll go into with confidence after accounting for a side that had only lost one match until last night.

GEELONG: 7.1, 11.4, 12.8, 15.10 (100) DEFEATED
COLLINGWOOD: 1.3, 2.6, 6.9, 8.11 (59)

GOALS
GEELONG: Motlop 3, Gregson 3, Clark 2, Lang, Johnson, Stanley, Hawkins, Selwood, Murdoch, Cockatoo
COLLINGWOOD: Swan 2, Cloke 2, White 2, Pendlebury, Crisp

BEST
GEELONG: Duncan, Blicavs, Hawkins, Taylor, Caddy, Motlop, Lonergan, Selwood
COLLINGWOOD: Brown, Pendlebury, Oxley, Swan, Grundy, Langdon

SUBSTITUTES
GEELONG: Nakia Cockatoo, replaced Josh Cowan in the first quarter
COLLINGWOOD: Tim Broomhead, replaced Sam Dwyer at half time

INJURIES
GEELONG: Josh Cowan (right hamstring)
COLLINGWOOD: Sam Dwyer (leg)

UMPIRES:

FIELD: 3 - Leigh Fisher, 7 - Jeff Dalgleish, 9 - Matt Stevic EM: 1 - Chris Donlon
BOUNDARY: Ian Burrows, Jason Moore, Christopher Gordon, Damien Cusack
GOAL: Adam Wojcik, Daniel Wilson EM: Stephen Williams

REPORTS: Harry Taylor (Geelong) reported for striking Travis Cloke (Collingwood) in the third quarter

CROWD: 52,152 MCG, Melbourne