THE WESTERN Bulldogs' winning run has come to an abrupt halt, with an overwhelming Geelong assembling a dominant second half for a 61-point victory at Skilled Stadium on Saturday afternoon.
It was an engaging first half that saw the scores level at both changes, but the premiers asserted their authority after the main break to kick 13 goals to three and win 19.17 (131) to 10.10 (70).
Lindsay Gilbee was good for the Dogs against Travis Varcoe, while Daniel Cross worked hard for 23 possessions and Daniel Giansiracusa booted three goals.
However, their winners were too few and far between as they managed just one goal in the final stanza to the Cats' eight.
For the first time since round 16, 2002, the Cats were without Cameron Ling (cheekbone) and Gary Ablett (ankle). To compound their injury woes, David Wojcinski was a late exclusion with a sore achilles.
But their delivery from Jimmy Bartel and Corey Enright, combined with rebound from Darren Milburn and Matthew Scarlett, saw the Cats claim ascendency in the third term and consequently run away with it.
The match commenced at a cracking pace with both sides keen to play-on at all costs.
It also lived up to the lofty standards expected with exciting early match-ups including Cross and Bartel, Matthew Boyd and Joel Corey, Robert Murphy and Tom Harley and Brian Lake and Cameron Mooney.
The Dogs, eager to match the Cats for pace, were quick to bomb the ball forward but at times lacked structure and allowed the premiers to speedily rebound.
In the first term alone, Milburn and Scarlett were the biggest ball collectors with the former picking up an all-time record of 19 touches and the latter close behind with 14.
The Dogs suffered a scare in the first with Brad Johnson rolling an ankle, but the skipper returned for the second and resumed his contest with defender Josh Hunt.
The scores were level at the first break after a low-scoring opening stanza, but with the Dogs failing to take use of a strong breeze the Cats looked to have a slight advantage.
The happenings continued to defy nature in the second with the Bulldogs booting the first two through Scott Welsh and Mitch Hahn, for a 12-point lead and the biggest difference for the half.
Geelong bit back through late inclusion Ryan Gamble, but was then penalised when Paul Chapman – in his 150th game – gave away a 100m penalty for a late tackle on Farren Ray and arguing with the umpire.
Goals were then traded before Bartel got the Cats one up, and when Brad Ottens shanked a shot after the siren, the score was again level with a half to go.
The home side got the first of the third through Mathew Stokes, which was followed by majors to Gamble and Steve Johnson as the Dogs' goalkicking dried up.
A six-pointer to Giansiracusa at the 15-minute mark broke the side's drought and halted the Cats' charge, which saw them get 16 points clear.
But Jarrod Harbrow's kick out of defence minutes later was smothered by Geelong's Harry Taylor, who promptly booted a goal. Gamble followed up, but a late major to Nathan Eagleton kept the Dogs alive.
However, an emphatic final quarter to Geelong inflated its three-quarter time lead of 13 points to a huge 61 at the final siren.
The Bulldogs face Carlton next Sunday at Telstra Dome, while Geelong has another blockbuster looming with Hawthorn on Friday night at the MCG.
Geelong 3.3 6.11 11.12 19.17 (131)
Western Bulldogs 3.3 7.5 9.9 10.10 (70)
GOALS
Geelong: Gamble 4, S. Johnson 3, Mooney 3, Bartel 2, Stokes 2, Ottens, Mackie, Taylor, Chapman, Lonergan
Western Bulldogs: Giansiracusa 3, Eagleton 2, Johnson, Lake, Welsh, Hahn, Ray
BEST
Geelong: Scarlett, Milburn, Bartel, Enright, Taylor, Mooney, Gamble, Ottens
Western Bulldogs: Gilbee, Cross, Giansiracusa, Griffen, Cooney
INJURIES
Geelong: Wojcinski (achilles) replaced in selected side by Gamble
Western Bulldogs: Johnson (ankle)
Reports: Nil
Umpires: Donlon, Vozzo, Ryan
Official crowd: 24,801 at Skilled Stadium
The views in this article are those of the author and not necessarily those of the club.
