Geelong triumph in last quarter against Fremantle

Geelong   101 defeated Fremantle   81

Geelong booted six goals, including a booming Joel Corey nine-pointer, to Fremantle’s one in the final term of their NAB Cup semi-final to run out 21-point victors at Telstra Dome.

The final term onslaught has secured a grand final berth against Adelaide next Saturday night.

Without key forwards Kent Kingsley, Brad Ottens and captain Steven King, Geelong had limited firepower up forward but brilliant cameos from Corey, acting captain Cameron Ling, Corey Enright and youngster Brent Prismall enabled the Cats to produce a winning score.

Fremantle regained skipper Peter Bell, who was rested last week, and Des Headland who returned from injury.

Exciting Cat Paul Chapman was lively all night collecting 23 touches and slotting through two important majors. Corey (24 disposals), Ling (19), and Enright (29) were superb, particularly in the final term when the heat was on and together amassed 72 touches of the leather. Matthew Egan, who played on Fremantle star Matthew Pavlich, made the match-up a stellar contest out-marking Pavlich on numerous occasions.

With exception of the final term fade out Fremantle had plenty of productive players lead by Pavlich, who although inaccurate (1.3), notched up 17 possessions and reeled in eight marks. The midfield brigade of Paul Hasleby (19), Ryan Crowley (16), Bell (21) and Matthew Carr (23) were dominant when in space and rookie Paul Duffied again showed his poise.

Giant ruckman Aaron Sandilands was arguably best on ground. His ruck work was sublime with his tap work more often than not direct with ease to a team-mate.

Antoni Grover and Cameron Mooney kicked off proceedings with a few jumper-punches but it was the Dockers who troubled the scoreboard first with a Jarrad Schofield major. Geelong struck back soon after courtesy of Mooney, who was playing in the Cats depleted forward line. He gained possession of a juggling ball and slotted it through from point blank range. Mooney then missed which was directly followed by a Enright behind.

Another wrestle broke out between Crowley and Milburn in the centre as the Dockers turned the ball over regularly. But it was Fremantle who went into the first break with a four-point buffer after Josh Carr converted form 35 metres out after he was awarded a soft free kick against Chapman.

Pavlich started the second stanza with a spark, positioning himself perfectly to pull down a speccy only to fumble at the last second. Geelong looked fazed early playing around with the ball in the Dockers forward fifty, which enabled Jeffery Farmer to extend the margin.

At the nine-minute mark a fumbling Schofield gave away a fifty that ultimately resulted in a Chapman nine-pointer and the margin being levelled at 22 apiece. After a Pavlich behind the Cats, through youngster Prismall and the injury prone Will Slade, slotted through another goal to give themselves a six-point lead.

Prismall then superbly skidded, picked up and bent through one himself before Farmer drew one back for the Dockers just on half-time.

Fremantle dominated the third term coming out and booting three goals in five minutes thanks to some Pavlich theatrics, a Bell snap and a thumping Medhurst kick. The Dockers were able to control the kick-ins with ease all night by forming a line and then randomly breaking to various parts of the ground.

Geelong started to ease the momentum back their way with a Chapman major that resulted from a Byron Schammer holding the ball. The much-hyped Nathan Ablett then reeled in a spectacular pack mark that got the Cat fans pumping.

A rare mistake from classy David Mundy saw Enright dish off to Prismall for his second, before Fremantle regained control through a Medhurst snap. Farmer burst down the side of the ground taking three bounces before dishing it off to Daniel Gilmore who bent it back from fifty, giving the Dockers their only nine-pointer of the match.

The Dockers look set to steal the match away from Geelong when Bell slotted one from fifty but the Cats hardness and determination unsettled the Dockers in the final stanza.

After a series of posters to both outfits, a fully bearded Corey swooped on fifty giving the Cats their second nine-pointer and the inspiration to go on and win. Fremantle, once again, stumbled under the pressure watching on helplessly as the Cats booked a grand final berth against Adelaide.

The Cats scored five goals to the Dockers solitary Justin Longmuir major to stamp their authority in emphatic style.

Fremantle will take to the NAB cup challenge next week as they ponder what could have been.

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