DESPITE an almighty scare, Geelong has responded accordingly to beat Richmond by 20 points at Skilled Stadium on Saturday afternoon.
The Tigers kicked eight goals to the Cats' three to lead by one point at three-quarter time, but the home side found the late answers it required to win 15.15 (105) to 13.7 (85).
Steve Johnson ensured the Cats' 44th victory from its last 47 games, kicking three of his four goals in the final quarter after utility Joel Bowden threatened to put Richmond in a winning position.
Paul Chapman was the only other goalkicker of a nerve-wracking last term.
However, Geelong has to wait on the outcome of scans for chief ruckman Brad Ottens, who was helped from the ground late in the first term with an injury to his right knee.
Ottens' absence allowed the Tigers to fight their way back from a 31-point deficit at half time, with Troy Simmonds handing back-up ruckman Mark Blake an onball lesson.
Richmond, thrashed by Carlton by 83 points in last week's season opener, looked a vastly different side, particularly in a third term encouraged by Brett Deledio (30 possessions), Nathan Brown (29) Nathan Foley (20), captain Chris Newman and veteran Matthew Richardson.
However, early signs suggested only minor progress with the endeavour of the midfield and backline showing up deficiencies in attack.
While the Tigers were able to get the ball into the forward 50, the lack of a genuine target allowed the Cats to bring it out with ease.
But when Richardson was used there, teammates seemed to feed off his confidence and they looked a much better structure.
Defender Alex Rance was very good on debut while Daniel Jackson saw out an effective tagging role on Geelong dangerman Joel Selwood.
For the Cats, Harry Taylor continued his emergence as a key defender, Andrew Mackie kept Mitch Morton to two goals, though both crucial to the Tigers' third-quarter fight-back, and Gary Ablett (29 touches) lifted at the most important stages.
Usual suspects Joel Corey (25), Jimmy Bartel (25) and Cameron Ling (21) played key midfield roles in Geelong's half-time lead and starved Richmond's productive ball-winners in the run home.
After Tom Hawkins and Foley traded the game's opening goals, Geelong countered any early resistance from the determined Tigers to slam on four goals without reply.
Most of those efforts were created by the Cats' clean run and carry further up the field.
Wherever Geelong sent the ball, there was a plethora of options and Chapman, Travis Varcoe, Gary Ablett and Ryan Gamble simply polished those advances off.
Twenty-six points down, the Tigers showed a much higher work rate in the second and, even though Brown kicked the first goal, the new intensity was worn down by the Cats en route to the main break.
It came late though, with Johnson and Max Rooke converting after Richardson and Jay Schulz sliced the margin to 15.
When Jack Riewoldt kicked the first goal of the third term, spirits were lifted but the Tigers were still well out of the contest.
Richardson, ever the motivator, kicked his second and when Brown snapped another from just outside the goal square it was clear that momentum had shifted.
Cameron Mooney provided a quick reply and Hawkins gave it further meaning when he kicked his second; Tiger defender Luke McGuane penalised for punching Mooney's ball into the stands.
But the Tigers stuck at it – dominating possession, dominating the contested ball and dominating forays into 50.
Although Deledio’s goal was answered by another from Corey, the Tigers kicked the last four of the term – Morton curled one home, Shane Edwards slotted form a tight angle and Morton found another from a contested mark.
When former Bomber Tom Hislop kicked his goal from a free kick just before the siren, Richmond was in front.
Geelong 5.3 8.9 11.11 15.15 (105)
Richmond 1.1 4.2 12.6 13.7 (85)
GOALS
Geelong: S.Johnson 4, Hawkins 2, Chapman 2, Ablett, Varcoe, Gamble, Enright, Rooke, Mooney, Corey
Richmond: Richardson 2, Brown 2, Morton 2, Foley, Schulz, Riewoldt, Deledio, Edwards, Hislop, Bowden
BEST
Geelong: S. Johnson, Corey, Ablett, Bartel, Milburn, Ling, Taylor, Selwood
Richmond: Richardson, Brown, Deledio, Bowden, Jackson, Tuck, Simmonds
INJURIES
Geelong: Brad Ottens (knee)
Richmond: Richard Tambling (hamstring tightness) replaced in selected side by Dean Polo
Reports: Nil
Umpires: Stevic, Sully, Nicholls
Official crowd: 22,288 at Skilled Stadium
The views in this article are those of the author and not necessarily those of the clubs or the AFL.
