Cats break premiership drought in comeback victory

Geelong   92 defeated Adelaide   84

Geelong has sent an ominous warning to the rest of the competition with a drought breaking eight-point victory over Adelaide, to secure the Cats first premiership, day or night, in 43 years, in the NAB Cup Grand Final Saturday night.

The Cats staged a gallant last quarter comeback, led by the burly Cameron Mooney with three final term goals, to stun the home side and pundits alike and record a spirit lifting result against a Crows side that led at every break before Geelong’s barnstorming finish. Crows midfielder Simon Goodwin was awarded the Michael Tuck medal for best on ground despite ending with 25 disposals and one goal.

However, the victory came at a cost with the Cats influential midfielder Cameron Ling going down with a knee injury following a heavy clash in the second term.

Cats midfielder Corey Enright starred for the premiers with 30 touches, as did Paul Chapman who led the Geelong fight back from the forefront. Crows star Simon Goodwin was the solitary stand out for the Crows, while Bode contributed with three majors. However, it was Cameron Mooney who proved to be the match winner with 21 possessions including 11 marks, and three crucial final quarter goals, to lead the Cats to victory.

Following a hectic and frenetic opening to the contest, the fancied Crows soon asserted themselves on the match as Matthew Bode slotted home the opening goal of the match. Whilst a haphazard Cats managed to claw a goal back through the mercurial Gary Ablett Jr, a slick Crows outfit took a stranglehold on the contest, as Burton extended the Crows lead.

With the Crows bursting with confidence and placing the away side under significant strain, the Cats were confined to a stop and start brand of football as they struggled to create space through the midfield. Late goals to Crows youngsters Chris Knights and Bernie Vince consolidated Adelaide’s lead as an under fire Cats entered the break 22 points down.

The solid Crows defence caused problems for the Cats early into the second stanza with ruckman Matthew Clarke dropping back to assist Adelaide’s backline. A stunning effort from forward Trent Hentschel propelled the dominant Crows further into the lead, before a fighting Cats commenced a valiant comeback as James Kelly cut the lead before turning to provider, as he played Jarad Rooke into the clear to take the Cats within three goals of the home side.

Geelong dominated the centre clearances as a stagnant Adelaide struggled to keep up with a rejuvenated and rampant Cats. Further goals to Playfair and Chapman brought the Cats within a goal, before Geelong’s inspirational midfielder Cameron Ling went down with a knee injury just before the main break.

Geelong burst out of the blocks early in the third quarter as Josh Hunt kicked a super goal from a tight angle to propel the Cats into the lead for the first time since early in the first term, before quick flanker Gary Ablett made it consecutive super goals as he streamed through the centre of the park before unloading a drop punt from 52 metres out into a vacant goal square silencing the raucous home crowd, as the Cats raise the level of intensity in the fiercely fought affair.

As a demonstration of the rollercoaster nature of the contest, an inspired Adelaide side commenced a gallant fight back with three quick goals, before rising star Bernie Vince powered home the third super goal of the night, and Adelaide’s first to wrestle back the ascendency and stretch the Crows lead to three goals.

Cats forward Paul Chapman cut back the lead back 12 points with minutes remaining in the third term, stemming the Crows momentum and setting the stage for a grand conclusion to the contest.

Early in the final term, Crows forward Luke Jericho made an embarrassing miss running into a vacant goal square before shooting wide in a miss that would prove costly for the home side. The spirited Cats side utilised the lifeline and were able to muster the energy to mount another fight back, as bustling forward Cameron Mooney brought the Cats to within two majors.

The Crows made a quick reply as the teams went goal for goal mid-way through the final term with his second major, before the much-maligned Mooney stamped his authority on the last term. Matthew Bode was able to slot home his third goal of the evening and place the Crows in a seemingly insurmountable position.

However, the Cats weren’t yet finished as Byrnes raced into an open goal to cut the Crows lead to within two goals before midfielder Joel Corey unleashed a super goal to send the resurgent Cats into the lead late in the contest.

In time on, Cameron Mooney kicked his third goal of the final term to emphatically secure the NAB Cup title for Geelong.

•  Have a view on this story? Send us your feedback!