In the blue corner, Geelong: undefeated with an amazing record of 55 wins from a possible 58 bouts, including 13 knockouts this year.
In the red corner, the challenger, St Kilda, which has been as destructive and punishing of its opponents in 2009, with 13 TKOs beside its name.
The match lived up to the hype, with the Cats and the Saints putting on arguably one of the greatest home-and-away performances of all time. These two champions slugged it out from the opening bell to the final siren.
The commitment of every player to give mind, body and soul was epitomised by Harry Taylor late in the game.
A draw would have been a fitting result for two teams who threw absolutely everything at each other, but unfortunately the result doesn’t always seem fair.
Well, not for Geelong anyway. The Saints remain undefeated and deservedly so.
Even the great teams can look uncomfortable when the opposition employs an 18-man blitz like the Saints did in the opening quarter. Normally unflappable Geelong was put under pressure to such an extent it was forced backwards, beaten to the contest, made uncharacteristic mistakes, hesitated and looked vulnerable.
Like all great champions do, the Cats slowly worked their way back into the contest as the game went deeper. They had their opportunities to notch a 14th victory but in the end it was the challenger that triumphed.
The Saints should savour their best win to date but rest assured the Cats will come again and personally, I can’t wait for the next installment.
FOUR QUARTERS
Q1: St Kilda 5.3 (33) v Geelong 2.2 (14)
The Saints intimidated the Cats in the opening term with a wonderful display of physical football. They caught the Cats off guard with a ferocious attack on the ball and the opposition rarely seen against Geelong in recent times. The Bulldogs’ pressure on Hawthorn the previous night was exceptional but the Saints raised the bar to another level.
Every time a Geelong player won possession there was a St Kilda player closing their space, laying a tackle (19 for the quarter) and forcing an error. St Kilda managed to do to Geelong what the Cats generally do to their opponents. It was brilliant to watch. The two Sams – Fisher and Gilbert – along with Jason Gram ran riot off half-back.
As in last year’s grand final, the Cats lacked a genuine presence inside 50 with Cam Mooney and Tom Hawkins ineffective, which meant their delivery forward was without real purpose (15 inside 50s for two goals). The Cats could think themselves a tad fortunate with their only two goals the result of free kicks.
Q2: St Kilda 8.4 (52) v Geelong 5.5 (35)
Mark Thompson shuffled the decks, starting Hawkins on the bench with Mooney and Max Rooke the targets forward in the hope of finding a productive combination, but it was the Saints who began as they did in the first, kicking the first two goals of the quarter.
Void of options forward, Darren Milburn took it upon himself to push forward and kick an important goal. Gary Ablett bobbed up for his second of the game and the Cats were back in the contest.
The Cats were beginning to find space and time with their customary use of handball from defence. Jimmy Bartel was critical, finishing with 21 first-half possessions, but countering that was Milburn going off late in the quarter with an ankle injury.
Q3: St Kilda 10.5 (65) v Geelong 8.7 (55)
The Saints kicked the first goal of the quarter thanks to Michael Gardiner, but the Cats responded with the next three. Bartel, Joel Selwood and Paul Chapman dragged the Cats back into the contest and the Saints looked flatfooted, possibly from such a physical first half.
Geelong began to open the Saints up, but leaders arrest the situation when required and that’s exactly what Nick Riewoldt did, kicking his third.
Q4: St Kilda 14.7 (91) v Geelong 13.7 (85)
Football’s brutality was there for all to see in the last quarter. Players from both sides pushed themselves beyond their physical capabilities, willing themselves past exhaustion.
Both teams traded blows; St Kilda landing the opening two punches with goals to Justin Koschitzke and Gardiner before a Geelong goal to Rooke, the big hairy cat, from outside 50.
A Chapman goal after Gardiner slipped over at the top of the defensive goal square had the Cats believing they might snatch this one. But it wasn’t to be, and the hero would be Gardiner, who took his most important mark, collecting Harry Taylor in the process before he duly converted for his fourth of the afternoon.
The Saints had multiple options inside 50, with Gardiner, Koschitzke and Riewoldt combining for nine goals, which proved decisive in the end. It also posed the question of how much Geelong lost with the late withdrawal of Steve Johnson before the match.
The points were safe when ...
Michael Gardiner kicked his fourth
The game in a nutshell
Bruising, engrossing, physical, punishing and captivating. In summary this game highlighted everything that makes AFL football truly unique and wonderful – the best game in the world. I feel privileged to have seen such an epic battle from two worthy teams. Thank you St Kilda and thank you Geelong.
The views in this article are those of the author and not necessarily those of the clubs or the AFL.
