A blistering ten goal final quarter has propelled the Bendigo Bank Cats to a comfortable 67-point win over Tasmania at Bellerive Oval on Saturday.
In a match highlighted by the return of several senior players from injury, the Cats were simply too fit and experienced for the young Tasmanian side, finishing 21-13-139 to 10-12-72 in front of a healthy crowd in pleasant conditions.
After a competitive first half, the Devils capitulated to concede 14 of the last 17 goals, as the Cats displayed their superior fitness and ran the Devils off their feet in all areas.
Steve Johnson and Henry Playfair starred at opposite ends of the ground, while Liam Bedford impressed off the half backline.Steven King made his return from a month-long absence, while Max Rooke completed a long-awaited comeback for his first game of the season.
Rookie Todd Grima unleashed a treat for his native Tasmanians by kicking six goals – including four in the last - and provided a viable tall target in attack for the Cats.
Matthew Spencer sustained a corked calf early in the match, but played out the match until leaving the ground midway through the final quarter.
Johnson, who completed a hat trick of best on ground performances, worked meticulously through the midfield and up forward to collect 34 possessions, 11 marks and four goals, as he fine-tunes his preparation for a recall in round seven.
Playfair provided a resilient force across halfback and read the ball like a forward – playing in front and cutting off Tasmania’s attacking forays as if he was a leading forward.
Bedford gave the Cats plenty of drive from half back and was exciting, setting up Grima and Johnson with some clean disposal and worked hard all afternoon to collect 26 disposals.
King played most of the match and got better as it transpired, dominating the ruck in the final quarter to give the Geelong midfielders a Rolls Royce ride.
The ruckman got through unscathed and finished with 23 disposals, six marks and eleven hit outs in a promising return.
Rooke looked like a warrior and played like a warrior, as he was finally released of the injury-related shackles that had hampered his preseason.
Unsurprisingly, there was no backwards approach, with the courageous defender succumbing to his perilous attack on the ball with a bout of concussion midway through the first quarter.
He returned after half time and played with the same ruthless intensity for the remainder of the match, revelling across halfback as he collected 16 possessions and five marks.
Kane Tenace with 35 disposals, James Byrne 36, Charlie Gardiner 26 and Tim Callan 29 (including 11 marks) displayed the consistency of the team’s performance, where more than half the team could have been named in the best.
The Cats ran all over the Devils in the last quarter, flexing their top four potential and showed the clear disparity between the two side’s fitness and experience levels.
Geelong slammed on five goals in nine minutes in a scintillating start to the last quarter, brought about by the sublime ruckwork of King and the industrious work of the Cats’ midfield lead by skipper Byrne, Johnson and Tenace.
Tenace worked hard to generate run and drive off the halfback line and was a prolific last quarter ball winner.
Rooke won plenty of the ball and was eager to be amongst the action, Bedford showed commendable running endeavour and the Cats’ main ball winners showed their wares.
Johnson showed mercurial brilliance again, improvising at ground level to set up Grima who stormed into an open goal, en route to four last quarter majors.
Barnes kicked a long sweeping goal from the pocket, while Grima matched the effort with a deadeye kick just moments later.
Ryan Butler got in on the party with a goal from fifty, as the Nathalia boys (Butler and Barnes) collaborated well on the outer forward flank.
Tom Couch travelled over as an emergency and did not play.
The Bendigo Bank Cats tackle Frankston at Skilled Stadium on Saturday from 1pm.Entry is free with a 2007 Geelong membership.
Geelong: 3.2, 7.7, 11.11, 21.13-139
Tasmania: 3.3, 5.7, 9.9, 10.12-72
Goal Kickers: T. Grima 6, S. Johnson 4, R. Butler 2, M. Firman 2, D. Barnes 2, S. King, C. Gardiner, T. West, N. Djerrkura, L. Bedford 1.
Best: S. Johnson, H. Playfair, L. Bedford, T. Grima, K. Tenace, S. King
