QTR by QTR: Power v Cats
Geelong has defeated Port Adelaide by 38 points in Round 14.
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Geelong has defeated Port Adelaide by 38 points at Simonds Stadium in Round 14.
What did you think of the game? Have your say at the bottom of the page
First quarter
Jacob Surjan was a late withdrawal pre-game, replaced by Cameron O’Shea at a very wet and blustery Simonds Stadium in Geelong.
Not surprisingly it was a scrappy start but the Power started promisingly winning the first two clearances.
But it was the Cats who struck first through Harry Taylor, who drifted forward from defence to kick the opening goal before Kane Cornes answered back with a good snap.
[ Voted: Who did you think was best for the Power? ]
The Power’s young midfield worked hard in the opening stanza with the likes of Brad Ebert, Andrew Moore and Matthew Broadbent all finding the footy and impressing at the stoppages.
The visitors led the way in contested possessions and clearances but struggled to find an avenue going forward.
A dubious out on the full free kick to the Cats on the broadcast side led to the Cats second goal. An error on the goal line by Brad Ebert - where he missed a spoil through the goals - gave the Cats their third.
David Rodan was everywhere early and his strong bullocking work led to the Power’s second goal to Justin Westhoff.
Quarter time
Port Adelaide 2.3 (15) trail
Geelong 3.4 (22)
Goals: Cornes, Westhoff
Disposals: Cornes 9, Broadbent, Rodan, Logan 8
Tackles: Lobbe, Moore 4, Butcher, Chaplin 3
Hitouts: Lobbe, Renouf 8
Second quarter
The Cats missed several good opportunities to start the second quarter but the Power couldn’t capitalise at the other end.
A nice passage of play out of defence ended with a good kick to John McCarthy but he couldn’t hold onto the mark at full stretch.
John Butcher missed two good opportunities to cut the margin from set shots with the blustery conditions proving too much for the young key forward.
The Cats started to gain the ascendency late in the second and finally put it on the scoreboard through two goals from Joel Selwood.
Errors cost the Power dearly with missed targets from relatively simple kicks leading to turnovers and goals at the other end of the ground.
[ Watch: Kane Cornes great snap under pressure ]
Half time
Port Adelaide 2.7 (19) trail
Geelong 6.8 (44)
Goals: Cornes, Westhoff
Disposals: McCarthy 15, Cornes, Pearce 14, Logan 12, Broadbent, Brad Ebert 11
Marks: McCarthy 5, Jacobs 4
Tackles: Lobbe 6, Moore 5, Butcher, Chaplin, Brad Ebert, McCarthy 3
Hitouts: Lobbe 14, Renouf 12
Third quarter
The third quarter got off to a bad start for the Power with the Cats striking inside the first minute with a snap from Corey Enright.
But ruckman Matthew Lobbe struck back straight away as a result of a hands in the back free at a ruck contest.
Horlin-Smith goaled from a set shot before a piece of brilliance from Chad Wingard - where he weaved through traffic and snapped under pressure - answered back again for the Power.
A couple of poor decisions going forward for the Power very nearly cost goals, but the Power’s runners kept working and were rewarded with a goal to Brett Ebert on the rebound.
Kane Cornes went incredibly close to cutting the margin to 15 points with a snap shot from a tough angle, but it was touched on the line by veteran Corey Enright.
It was a two-goal swing, with the Steve Johnson goaling at the other end.
Brett Ebert was subbed out of the game for midfielder Aaron Young with 10 minutes to go in the third quarter.
A late goal to Justin Westhoff cut the margin to just 20 points and gave the Power a sniff going into the final quarter.
[ Related: Match stats ]
Three-quarter time
Port Adelaide 6.9 (45) trail
Geelong 9.10 (64)
Goals: Westhoff 2, Cornes, Brett Ebert, Lobbe, Wingard
Disposals: Cornes, Pearce 21, McCarthy 20, Broadbent, Brad Ebert 18
Marks: Jacobs, McCarthy 5, Chaplin 4
Tackles: Lobbe 8, Moore, Rodan 6, Butcher, McCarthy 5
Hitouts: Lobbe 27, Renouf 15
Fourth quarter
Again the Cats were the first to strike in the quarter, Motlop soccering through an important goal on the line.
Two more quick goals to Harry Taylor blew the game open and all but ended any hopes of a Power revival.
But as they did all day, this Power side just did not lie down. Lobbe put through his second courtesy of a free kick and Pfeiffer chased down Horlin-Smith brilliantly to get a holding the ball decision just 15 metres out from goal before kicking truly.
Lobbe was close to the Power’s best, winning the ruck battle and competing well at ground level with nine tackles. He was supported well at ground level by Andrew Moore and Matthew Broadbent, who battled manfully against an experienced Geelong midfield.
Late goals to Tom Longergan and Tom Hawkins - who goaled after the final siren - blew the margin out to 38 points.
Full time
Port Adelaide 8.13 (61) defeated by
Geelong 14.15 (99)
Goals: Westhoff, Lobbe 2, Cornes, Brett Ebert, Pfeiffer, Wingard
Disposals: McCarthy 26, Pearce 25, Cornes 24, Logan 22, Broadbent, Brad Ebert 21
Marks: Chaplin, McCarthy 7, Jacobs 5, Cornes, O’Shea 4
Tackles: Moore 10, Lobbe 9, Brad Ebert 8, McCarthy, Rodan 6
Hitouts: Lobbe 32, Renouf 25
