Geelong VFL team powers into Prelim final
September 9 2002

Geelong 18.15.123 d Sandringham 4.9.33

Geelong defeated Melbourne aligned VFL side Sandringham by 90 points at TEAC oval yesterday. Paul Chapman led the way for the Cats, given good support by Gary Ablett, Peter Street, Mitchell White and James Bartel. Josh Hunt was solid across half-back, where he hopes to play more AFL footy in 2003. Sandringham were simply not able to match the Cats, who had too many players with recent AFL experience. With Melbourne still alive in the AFL, the Zebras only boasted four players with recent AFL game time.

Leading the thirteen Geelong goalkickers was Danny O'Brien with 4, all coming in the third quarter, when the Cats kicked 7 unanswered goals. Matthew McCarthy slotted two goals through in the forth quarter, and James Kelly kicked his only goal after the final siren.

Geelong now faces the Werribee Tigers in a Preliminary Final next Sunday at 2PM. The Tigers, who finished 2nd to Geelong, will also field a strong team, stacked with Western Bulldog players, so the match is sure to be closer than yesterday's. In the other Preliminary final, Port Melbourne faces the Coburg Tigers on Saturday at 1PM.

Four players are in doubt for Geelong: Tim McGrath (late withdrawal because of a hamstring complaint), Will Slade (back), David Johnson (back/hamstring), Andrew Carazzo (wrist).

Geelong - Goals: O’Brien 4, McCarthy 2, Mensch 2, Bartel, Chambers, P.Chapman, Gardiner, Grgic, S.Johnson, Kelly, Playfair, Street, White.
Best: P.Chapman, Hunt, S.Johnson, Rahilly, Street, Gardiner, Bartel.
Sandringham - Goals: Rodgers 3, Breese.
Best: A.McDonald, Miller, Clark, Lynch, Radford.