There was plenty of speculation about whether Aaron Sandilands would recover from his knee injury in time for this game. The speculation continued when 21 Fremantle players ran out for the warm-up. Sandilands eventually emerged five minutes later but going by the way he and his team played, he may as well have stayed in the rooms.
HERO
His side may have started strongly before easing off in the next couple of quarters but Jimmy Bartel got better and better as the game wore on. Nine first-half disposals were followed by 13 in the third quarter and another 13 in the final term.
The Brownlow Medallist ran hard up and down the wings and had his hand in several goals along the way. He threw himself into every contest and applied pressure when he had to, but he was at his most dangerous when the ball was in his hands.
GOAT
Stiff to award this one to a bloke carrying an injury but Sandilands’ influence was minimal at best and he looked severely hampered by the PCL injury that cast doubt over him all week. The Fremantle ruckman started forward and didn’t present well enough when the ball came his way. When he was moved back to his customary position in the middle, he was beaten by Brad Ottens. Fremantle’s gamble was one worth taking, but it didn’t pay off.
OVERHEARD
"Geelong will win easily but I just hope Freo smash the hell out of them." - A Collingwood-supporting football journalist, who shall remain anonymous, tells the press box what they really think.
BY NUMBERS
166 - the combined number of possessions gathered against Freo by the fab five of Ablett, Bartel, Chapman, Kelly and Selwood
26 - the number of possessions Jimmy Bartel had after half time
18 - the height difference (in centimetres) between Freo giant Aaron Sandilands and Geelong defender Harry Taylor
1 - the number of centimetres Sandilands, nursing his sore left knee, was able to spring off the MCG turf for most of the evening
LOST IN COMMENTARY
"He's pretty hard to move, Ottens. He's got a 45-kilogram head." - Triple M commentator and afl.com.au’s Luke Darcy recalls one of the Geelong ruckman's most distinguishing features from his playing days.
THE MOMENT THEY'LL REPLAY
Travis Varcoe had left most Fremantle players in his wake on Friday night, yet entering time-on in the final term, he didn’t have a goal to his name. It looked as though his run of 10 straight games with a major would come to an end, which would have been a shame given his output. Enter Cats favourite Stevie J. The enigmatic forward gathered, looked right, dished left to Varcoe who calmly slotted his first of the night and Geelong’s 19th - capping a great night for the Cats’ No.5.
THE MOMENT THEY SHOULD REPLAY
David Wojcinski’s importance to Geelong was evident for all to see against Fremantle on Friday night. In a team many are labelling as too old and too slow, the 29-year-old’s pace is a crucial factor for Mark Thompson. Late in the first quarter against Freo, Wojcinski turned on his trademark afterburners, had a couple of bounces and set sail for the goalsquare. The ball just carried the fingertips of Cameron Mooney, and Wojcinski had his first of two memorable goals for the night.
The views in this story are those of the authors and not necessarily those of the clubs or the AFL.
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