KANGAROOS LEAP AWAY WITH CATS' SEASON; MOONEY STRIKES OUT AGAIN; ABLETT CLEARED OF SERIOUS DAMAGE
Ben Jensen 31 July 2006

By Ben Jensen GEELONG'S season is now all but over, after being smashed by the Kangaroos in Canberra yesterday. Not only did the Cats lose but rival for eighth spot Fremantle defeated Carlton to put a two game buffer between the two clubs. Geelong also lost Gary Ablett (shoulder) and Cameron Ling (concussion) to injury. In addition to the Big Hairy Cat, Cameron Mooney, after being reported for the second time in two games, may have played his final game for the Geelong Football Club.

Gary Ablett sustained a heavy blow to his right shoulder from Kangaroo Jess Sinclair in the first quarter and immediately left the field. He took no further part in the match. After undergoing an X-Ray this morning, Ablett has been cleared him of any serious damage but will miss between one and three matches due to an injured AC joint. The club referred to Ablett's injury as a ' grade one injury'. AFL umpire Darren Goldspink was reportedly tightlipped immediately after the incident.

KANGAROOS 6.1 9.3 11.9 13.12 (90) DEFEATED
GEELONG 2.1 3.6 5.7 8.12 (60)

GOALS: KANGAROOS: N Thompson 4 S Grant 2 B Rawlings 2 H McIntosh C Urch B Harvey A Swallow S Watt.
GEELONG: B Ottens 3 C Mooney 2 C Enright J Hunt A Mackie.

BEST: KANGAROOS: B Harvey J Sinclair N Thompson D Petrie C Jones B Rawlings A Swallow.
GEELONG: J Hunt B Ottens C Enright J Bartel.

Cameron Mooney is in the soup again - this time for charging the Kangaroos' Daniel Pratt. This afternoon Geelong media manager Kevin Diggerson confirmed the club would be accepting the AFL match review panel offer of a one match suspension. Mooney's hit was was assessed as reckless conduct (two points), medium impact (two points), in play (no points) and body contact (one point).

The total of five activation points, which relates to a Level Two offence, draws 125 points and a one-match sanction. He has a total of three matches suspended within the last three years (as difficult to believe as it is, only three!), increasing his penalty by 20 per cent to 150 points and he also has a further 50 residual points from within the last 12 months, increasing the penalty to 200 points and a two-game sanction. The early plea reduced the penalty by 25 per cent to 150 points and a one-game sanction.

Peter Riccardi replaced Jarad Rooke (injured shoulder) in the selected side, while Steve Johnson, who was in doubt, took his place in the side. Matthew McCarthy played but for the third game running had little (positive) impact on the game.

Brad Ottens kicked three goals but missed several relatively easy shots early in the game. Geelong's only other multiple goal kicker was Mooney, while Andrew Mackie kicked one late goal to go with his second strong game in a row playing further up the ground. Roo Nathan Thompson booted four goals to remain his club's leading goal kicker.

Geelong key forwards Kent Kingsley and Henry Playfair kicked nine goals between then in Saturday's VFL win over Bendigo, and are both strong chances of regaining their placed in the AFL side. The pair are expected to replace suspended Mooney and down on luck McCarthy.

Geelong travel to the GABBA next Sunday afternoon to face the Brisbane Lions on their turf. The Lions lost to Essendon by thirty-seven points on Saturday night at the Telstra Dome in a high scoring game that saw sixty-eight scoring shots. Whether or not he travels and sits in the stand listening to his IPod or stays at home entertaining for the day, Mooney won't be there to help the Cats fight for what is still mathematically possible - making the finals.

Mooney's time with the club must be just about up - prior to the game Coach Mark Thompson mused the 'Big Hairy Cat' would've been in trouble had the side not defeated the Western Bulldogs last week in his absence. Talk of making him Captain is just nonsense - anyone at the club would be better at this stage.

VFL ACTION

GEELONG overcame a shaky start and determined Bendigo Bombers side to win by twenty-seven points in their VFL clash at Skilled Stadium this afternoon. For their efforts, the Geelong (Bendigo Bank) Cats were awarded the Bendigo Bank Cup, by their and Bendigo Bombers' main sponsor. Captain James Byrne was deservedly named best on ground after his on ball effort.

Discarded spearheads Kent Kingsley and Henry Playfair kicked six and three goals respectively, both far too good for their VFL opponents in marking contests. However, both could have kicked a few more, Playfair in particular inaccurate in front of goal.

FULL MATCH REPORT

GEELONG: 1.2 (8) 6.9 (45) 11.12 (78) 15.16 (106) DEFEATED
BENDIGO BOMBERS: 2.4 (16) 4.10 (34) 7.14 (56) 10.19 (79)

GOALS – GEELONG: Kingsley 6, Playfair, Ablett 3, Byrne, Batchelor
BENDIGO: Maddern 2, Carter 2, Bowe, Young, Cartledge, Lee, Dempsey, Ryder

BEST – GEELONG: Byrne, Playfair, Tenace, Prismall, Kingsley