Demons finally end Cats hopes

Geelong 14.10 (94) drew with Melbourne 14.10 (94)

Melbourne has finally ended Geelong’s finals hopes, in a thrilling finish that ended in a draw at Skilled Stadium this afternoon.

The Cats’ went into the match with the door on the finals held ajar following the Bulldogs loss last night, while the Demons were playing for a top four place.

Melbourne clearly outplayed the home side in the first half, but let slip a match winning 38-point advantage during the third quarter when Geelong piled on five straight in a six-goal to two stanza.

Cameron Mooney missed the match after he became the first player in AFL history to be suspended four times in the same season this week. Demons’ captain David Neitz failed to impress coaching staff pre-match he had shrugged off a hip injury.

Melbourne were led by Daniel Ward, Cameron Bruce and Travis Johnstone, while James McDonald provided a solid presence in defence. Geelong were served well by Cameron Ling, James Bartel and Corey Enright.

Melbourne celebrated a rare win down at sleepy hollow late last season, toppling the Cats by just one point. Geelong gained revenge three weeks later and ended the Demons 2005 campaign in the elimination final at the MCG.

Despite Kent Kingsley returning to the Cats’ line-up, coach Mark Thompson made the surprise move of starting regular fullback Matthew Scarlett in the full forward spot.

Brad Miller had the honour of slotting through the first major of the day after three minutes. Both teams then scrambled for control with end to end footy without much scoring.

Adem Yze booted two goals during the first quarter and took a ‘mark of the year’ contender over Josh Hunt on the goal line, while Russell Robertson and James McDonald booted a major each.

Geelong’s coaching staff were forced into making positional changes, bringing on Kingsley in place of captain Steven King while Brad Ottens took over with ruck duties.

Despite Nathan Ablett capitalising on a fast break from the restart, McDonald restored an 18-point lead when Cats’ defender David Johnson was dispossessed after deciding to play-on instead of line up for a clearing kick.

With time in the first quarter running out, the Cats’ were sparked to life through Paul Chapman, who ran through the centre of the field – took four bounces before kicking the second goal for the home side from about 30 metres out.

Melbourne were denied a sixth major by the match officials early in the second quarter when Matthew Egan was ruled to have taken a two-grab mark on the goal line. TV replays cleared showed it was anything but a two-grab marking attempt.

Clint Bartrim made up for that miss when he converted a free kick directly infront of the sticks a minute later. Steve Johnson and Brent Prismall kept the Cats’ in the contest before a surge from Demons quartet of Johnstone, Robertson, Bruce and Byron Pickett blew the margin out to 37 points.

The Demons were denied another goal late in the second term with Mark Jamar ruled to have taken the ball over the behind line, while Ottens booted Geelong’s fifth goal in the final minute of the first half.

Melbourne held what appeared to be a match-winning 31-point lead at half time, and played on after the main break without Matthew Whelan (hamstring strain).

However, Geelong turned a 38-point deficit after 12 minutes of the third quarter into a five-point lead with a scintillating 30-minute blitz which saw them boot eight of nine goals.

Nathan Ablett slotted his first of two majors for the third term after 90 seconds, while McDonald and Colin Sylvia replied at the other end. Five straight from the locals followed as the Cats’ cut the three-quarter-time margin down to just nine points.

Next week, Melbourne’s top four hopes go on the line when they take on Adelaide at AAMI Stadium next Saturday afternoon, while Geelong round out their dismal season 2006 against Hawthorn at the Telstra Dome on Sunday afternoon.

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