CATS ASSERT SUPREMACY OVER MAGPIES
Anthony Jensen 10 April 2009

By Anthony Jensen GEELONG continued its unbeaten run in season 2009, ending up 27 point winners over near-certain finals contenders Collingwood at the MCG on a clear Thursday night in the opener to this Easter weekend of football. While Collingwood coach Mick Malthouse had hinted otherwise, there was no sign of big Anthony Rocca up forward for the Pies, nor any sign of a dominant tall forward, with Paul Medhurst as the Pies' only multiple goal scorer, finishing with 3.

The Cats' efforts of the first quarter drew concerned looks from many a Geelong fan, who were again dwarfed by the mostly black and white striped MCG brigade totalling 58,527.

GEELONG 2.3, 10.6, 11.11, 18.14 (122) DEFEATED
COLLINGWOOD 5.5, 5.9, 8.15, 13.17 (95)

GOALS
GEELONG: Chapman 4, Johnson 3, Varcoe 2, Stokes 2, Hawkins 2, Ablett, Wojcinski, Byrnes, Rooke, Mooney
COLLINGWOOD: Medhurst 3, Dick, Cox, L. Brown, Thomas, Didak, Davis, Lockyer, Fraser, Beams, Anthony

BEST
GEELONG: Chapman, Ablett, Mooney, Bartel, Kelly, Johnson
COLLINGWOOD: Pendlebury, Clarke, Beams, Swan, O’Bree, Cox

UMPIRES
FIELD: Michael Vozzo (2) Stephen McBurney (3) Matt Stevic (9) EM: Ray Chamberlain (18)
BOUNDARY: Robert Haala Adam Coote Justin Bennison Shane Jansen
GOAL: Peter Nastasi Daniel Wilson EM: Stephen Williams

INJURIES
GEELONG: Ling (ankle)
COLLINGWOOD: Johnson (broken leg)

REPORTS: Heath Shaw (Collingwood) reported for making contact with an umpire in the second quarter

CROWD: 58,527 at MCG

A severe lack of space and clean possession in the midfield for Geelong allowed Collingwood twice the amount of scoring shots in the opening term and a lead of 20 points, which could have been far greater. A telling team goal completed by Alan Didak had the Pies up and about early as they blatantly reminisced about Round 9 2008 when they trounced Geelong by 86 points.

But it wasn't to be as the Cats piled on 8 unanswered majors in the second term and took a stranglehold on the game from that point onwards. Once again Gary Ablett was damaging in the midfield, finishing with 37 touches, with Jimmy Bartel (28 touches) and Joel Selwood (26) often linking up with him.

Paul Chapman booted 4 goals straight, and along with Steve Johnson with 3 goals (plus an unlucky poster from 55m out) was the most valuable up forward for Geelong, supplied by the pace and penetration of smalls Mathew Stokes, David Wojcinski and Travis Varcoe. It was also great to see young Hawkins (2 goals) keep up appearances for our quota of Toms, with both Harley and Lonergan on the sidelines this week.

A Collingwood surge in the 3rd quarter, bringing the margin back to a mere 14 points, would prove to be too little as Geelong proceeded to kick 7 goals in the final term to run out convincing victors.

Perhaps another promising result for Geelong was to buck the trend of recent weeks and come out of the clash with no major injuries, the only concern being Cameron Ling's rolled ankle forcing him out of much of the second half, but which should be just a 1-2 week injury.